- Hennessey’s latest over-the-top Mustang, the Super Venom, is based on the Mustang GT and Dark Horse models and limited to 91 examples in total.
- The tuner claims a 10.9-second quarter-mile time, shaving 1.1 seconds off the standard Mustang Dark Horse’s time.
- The Super Venom is on sale now and includes the full Ford factory warranty, plus an additional three-year/36,000-mile Hennessey warranty.
Hennessey Performance, the brazen Texas-based tuner, modifier, and manufacturer of high-performance vehicles, has added a new weapon to its arsenal of offerings: The Super Venom Mustang. Intended to commemorate Hennessey’s 1991 founding date, production is limited to 91 examples.
Unsurprisingly, the modifications begin under the hood, where the Hennessey horsepower gurus conjure up an additional 350 horsepower for a total of 850, a 70 percent increase over the factory engine’s 500 ponies. Torque is up too, to 650 pound-feet, an increase of 55 percent over the stock Dark Horse’s 418, though both hit peak torque at 4900 rpm. Buyers can choose between 10-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmissions.
Hennessey doesn’t offer too many specific data points detailing the components fitted to extract this newfound performance. But it does note that it has added a high-performance supercharger fed by a high-flow air induction system, upgraded the fuel injectors and fuel pump, and that it manages it all with a proprietary Hennessey engine management system. In other words, they done cranked the boost up, which should come as little surprise to anyone familiar with the shop.
The exterior wears a unique ’91 Icon livery in tribute to Hennessey’s 1991 founding date. (Get it?) The ’91 package is available in black, silver, and red hues, intended to contrast and complement the factory paint options. The carbon-fiber “VenomAero” kit includes a functional hood vent, front fender louvers, a more aggressive front splitter, side skirts, an integrated duck bill on the carbon-fiber deck lid, and an imposing fixed rear track wing. There are also 20-inch lightweight wheels and Hennessey “H” fender badges and signature script on the deck lid. Carbon-fiber engine cover bits, complete with a plaque bearing the car’s serial number, adorn the engine bay. Hennessey also claims to have improved cooling, which is beneficial to any track-focused vehicle.
Interior mods include tailor-made Hennessey leather and Alcantara seat upholstery in blue or black—with the requisite Hennessey logo embossing, natch—built on your choice of the Recaro sports seats or the standard “comfort” seats. The center console gets retrimmed and includes a plaque displaying your Super Venom Mustang’s serial number. (There’s one on the dash too, for people with short memories.) Hennessey all-weather floor mats complete the package.
Hennessey says the Super Venom Mustang package is available built on the Mustang Dark Horse for $163,950 or the Mustang GT for $149,950. At this price point, it seems almost silly to go for the GT, but variety is the spice of life, right?
The Super Venom Mustang is on sale now and available directly from Hennessey or authorized Hennessey Ford dealers.
Andrew Wendler brings decades of wrenching, writing, and editorial experience with numerous outlets to Car and Driver. His work has appeared in numerous publications, including Car and Driver, Esquire, Forbes, Hot Rod, Motor Trend, MPH, MSN, and Popular Mechanics, among others. A Rust Belt native and tireless supporter of the region, he grew up immersed in automotive, marine, and aviation culture. A lifetime of hands-on experience and a healthy dose of skepticism provide him the tools to deliver honest and informative news, reviews, and editorial perspective. Of note, he once won a $5 bet by walking the entire length of the elevated People Mover up track that encircles downtown Detroit.
Source: Motor - aranddriver.com
