The newly revised Hennessey Venom GT Spyder has claimed the record of being the world’s fastest production convertible, after hitting a top speed of 427.4km/h (265.6mph).
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Ok, so we do agree with them in that respect, but then you try putting the Hennessy Venom GT on a race track and introduce it to a few corners and that is when the chinks in the armor begin to appear, as it’s well known that this vehicle is only really good for straight runs, unlike the Bugatti Veyron, and the upcoming Chiron.
Sure, the open-top trophy is sweet, but we don’t see why Hennessey has forgotten about the 267.8 miles per hour land speed record, which hasn’t been beaten since the Veyron Super Sport hit 270.49 miles per hour back in 2010.
The Lone Star State company released the current incarnation of the Venom GT at last year’s SEMA show, with the tweaked Elise chassis accommodating a twin-turbo 7.0-liter V8 massaged all the way to 1,451 hp. “This was a great way to validate the technical excellence of our vehicle which includes high-speed stability with an open roof”. Commander Darren Fouts, Air Operations Officer, served as witness. Bugatti didn’t get its 254-mph Vitesse record certified by Guinness. So Hennessey grabs the title from the previous fastest roadster on fair, equal footing, no asterisk or “unofficial” necessary. Hennessey will build three Venom GT Spyder “World Record Editions” and ask US$1.3 million apiece before taxes. That puts the new Spyder’s powertrain 207bhp ahead of the previous iteration and translates to a reported 0-60mph time of 2.4 seconds.
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Yes, following Hennessey’s 2014 run in the Venom GT coupe (which managed a 270.4mph run) comes a feat to celebrate 25 years of Hennessey Performance.
