The Hennessey Venom F5-M Is the World’s Most Powerful Manual Hypercar — and It’s Headed to Goodwood

Hennessey Special Vehicles is bringing the Hennessey Venom F5-M — the world’s most powerful manual hypercar — to make its global debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed (July 9–12). The Texas-built hypercar pairs a 2,031 bhp twin-turbocharged “Fury” V8 with a six-speed gated manual transmission and an open-top Roadster body — a combination that puts the Hennessey Venom F5-M at the far edge of what a manual gearbox is even supposed to handle.

2,031 BHP Through a Gated Six-Speed

The Hennessey Venom F5-M builds on the Venom F5 Evolution’s updated aerodynamics and active suspension, riding on a new carbon fiber chassis with bespoke bodywork and revised aero. At its core sits the 6.6-liter twin-turbo Fury V8, paired with traction control and engine management tuned specifically to make 2,031 bhp deliverable through a manual gearbox — precise, linear power application that lets the driver control output in every gear rather than leaving it to a computer. John Hennessey, company founder and CEO, put it plainly: a gated six-speed “puts the driver completely in control,” with the open-top design bringing the V8’s sound directly into the cockpit.

The cockpit itself was reconfigured entirely around the manual driving experience. A billet aluminum gear shifter sits within a precision-milled six-speed gate, weighted specifically to reward every shift with a crisp, machined-metal clink through the gate rather than a vague or notchy feel. Nathan Malinick, Hennessey’s Director of Design, was direct about what the manual gearbox actually changed: it wasn’t a simple swap, it was, in his words, “a complete design response to a very different kind of driver involvement,” one that freed up the center console for a full redesign and opened new directions for the car’s visual presence.

The Hennessey Venom F5-M’s 55-Inch Dorsal Fin and 12-Car Production Run

The most distinctive visual signature on the Venom F5-M is a dramatic 55-inch dorsal fin running from the roof-mounted air intake to the trailing edge of the rear deck — a feature that’s equal parts styling statement and functional aerodynamics, pushing high-speed stability beyond 200 mph. An integrated roof scoop feeds cool air to the engine bay, with the fin channeling airflow rearward along the sides. Only 12 F5-M Roadsters will be built worldwide, priced from $2.65 million before taxes.

Chassis 1, the Hennessey Venom F5-M making its Goodwood debut, belongs to a UK customer and is finished in exposed purple carbon with anodized gold accents. The owner worked with Hennessey’s bespoke “Maverick” division on a run of personal touches — a 24-karat gold nose badge, the family name “Sheikh” stitched into the knee pads and placed on the rear of the car, and hand-painted British Union and American flags set into the trailing edge of the dorsal fin in matching gold, a direct nod to Hennessey’s Texas roots and the owner’s British nationality. Professional racer Alex Brundle will pilot the F5-M up the Goodwood Hill twice daily throughout the four-day Festival.

Hennessey has already delivered more than 40 Venom F5 hypercars worldwide, and the Hennessey Venom F5-M’s manual gearbox and updated chassis architecture won’t stay exclusive to this Roadster — both will eventually be available across other F5 Coupe, Roadster, and track-focused Revolution variants. A six-speed gated manual in a 2,000-plus horsepower hypercar shouldn’t really work as well as Hennessey is claiming it does. Goodwood, twice a day, four days straight, is where they’ll have to prove it.

About The Author

Allan Lane

Philadelphia born and bred, Allan Lane is the Publisher and Editor in Chief of digital magazines. He launched his first publication, SportBikes Inc Magazine in 2010, followed by dosage MAGAZINE in 2019. Recently, Allan launched his third online publication, Club For Man. As a journalist, Allan covers fashion, lifestyle, culture, art, and motorcycles.

See author's posts