But the acceleration numbers only tell a tiny part of the Venom's story-the wanton truth being that there's no street tire known to man that can harness the power of this machine. While the stock Viper can use most of its power most of the time, Hennessey's beast (astride stock-sized-but-stickier Bridgestone RE-71s) not only spins its tires the entire length of the quarter mile, but slews side to side as the rubber hunts for traction. Yeah, a car that'll smoke its tires to over 120 mph. On a perfect-weather day. On a racetrack. We can only imagine the terror awaiting an owner who cocks this pile-driver sideways on an onramp, or one who hits a bit of oil or dirt on the highway when the loud pedal is mashed into the cutpile. Our sage advice to prospective Venom 600 owners: Complete all the high-performance driving schools you can before taking delivery, and never, ever, drive this thing in the rain.
The modifications that comprise Hennessey's $29,500 Venom 600 engine upgrade package read like a hot rodder's rampage on a speed shop. The major ingredient is a 0.60-inch overbore and 0.80-inch increase in stroke, resulting in a displacement jump from 488 to 520 cubic inches. Now stuffing the aluminum block is a custom 5140-steel crankshaft, 4340-billet-steel connecting rods, and 10.0:1-compression forged aluminum pistons. A hydraulic roller cam with a top-secret grind pattern activates larger valves and stiffer springs in the ported and polished cylinder heads, while larger throttle bodies, stainless-steel headers, and a 3.0-inch-diameter dual exhaust system route the angrily spent gases out the sidepipes in a deafening roar. Inside the cockpit, with Hennessey's $6000 double-bubble hardtop (with glass side windows) in place, the sound is so overwhelming, and the vibration so severe, it's like driving a four-wheel Harley-Davidson Fat Boy inside a big metallic Cuisinart.
The Viper's non-ABS disc brakes have been upgraded with carbon metallic pads and slotted rotors, but they still succumbed to heavy fade after the fourth consecutive quarter-mile speed run. On the slalom and road course, the V-10's nuclear power easily overwhelmed the chassis' ability to connect itself to the ground and pitched the car into violent oversteer at anything that even remotely looked like a corner. Consequently, handling numbers likely could be improved merely by switching back from the 3.54:1 ring and pinion to the stock 3.07:1 cogs. With this much displacement, such deep gearing isn't necessarily a benefit.
Although our test car burped more unburned gas than a South Philly teamster, John Hennessey claims his creation is currently 49-state emissions legal, with California certification pending, and he backs his word with a two-year/24,000-mile limited engine warranty. That's good, because no one who buys this howitzer on wheels is ever going to be able to drive it easily. Not even once.
Engine: 8.5-liter OHV V-10Major engine modifications:Bored & stroked, hydraulic roller cam, larger throttle bodies, ported & polished heads, headersHorsepower @ rpm: 635 @ 5600 (est.)Torque, lb-ft @ rpm: 655 @ 4900Transmission: Stock 6-speed manualBrakes, f/r: Discs/discs, carbon-metallic pads, slotted rotorsWheels, f/r, in.: 17 x 10.0/17 x 13.0, SpeedlineTires, f/r: 275/40ZR17/335/35ZR17, Bridgestone RE-71Other mods: Lowered springs, upgraded clutch, 3.54:1 rear axle, heavy-duty radiator, Hennessey hardtop, vinyl stripes, glass side windowsModifications and labor: $41,895
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