The article says it is for Hennessey, but this isn’t his shop plus the car is RHD so IDK who is really developing it. I sent Hennessey an email about it so we’ll see what he says.
Anyways, with all the talk about Lotuses lately I figured I’d toss one in that has a real engine.
The two parts of the equation are clear in these pictures: the wicked LS9 V8 and a car once recognizable as a Lotus Elise. Since the Lotus typically carries a Japanese fourbanger, a few minor modifications have to be made.
The initial goal for the prototype is to weigh in under 2,400 pounds with a stock or slightly modified version of the LS9 pumping out power in the range of 650-to-700 HP (hello, Bugatti Veyron). Road testing of the Venom GT begins in January — or as soon as the test driver gets a pilot’s license — with the 1,000+ HP twin-turbo version following shortly after.
Keeping weight down (and preventing the Venom from biting its driver) is a set of carbon Brembos and carbon fiber wheels wrapped up in Michelin PS2 tires at each corner. With benchmarks like a sub 2.5-second 0-to-62 MPH time and a top speed closer to 300 MPH than 200 MPH, it would be hard to swallow from anyone other than the creator of the 220 MPH Twin-Turbo Viper, OnStar disturbing CTS-V, and all manner of other wild rides.
The Venom GT may make its first appearance at the Geneva Motor Show, though we’re sure Swiss customs officials may want to stop the prototype for some of their own testing. More photos and information on this show/heart/time-stopper soon.
The rear-drive, two-seater should tip the scales at 2,395 pounds, with a twin-turbo V8 mounted amidships and dolling out 1,000 horsepower at 6,600 rpm and 950 pound-feet of torque at 4,800 rpm. As reported previously, power will be sent through a six-speed manual gearbox with forward progressed scrubbed off by Brembo brakes sized 15 inches in front and 14 inches in the rear. And the performance stats are nothing short of unbelievable. 0-60 mph will be dispatched in 2.2 seconds. 0-100 mph in 4.9 seconds and the 200 mph mark will be had in 14.5 seconds before maxing out at a claimed 262 mph.
