- Hennessey’s latest off-the-wall offering is a tuned take on the Ford Mustang GT and Dark Horse
- A massive supercharger increases power to 850 horses—that’s 350 hp greater than stock
- It’s only making 91 examples, but nevertheless, crowds at Cars & Coffee should remain on high alert
The speed freaks at Hennessey are no stranger to cranking the wick on American muscle cars, with a parade of overpowered vehicles littering the back catalog like discarded chip bags. This time around, its crew has turned its attention to the Ford Mustang GT and Dark Horse—and found a stable of extra ponies in the process.
How many? Try a total of 850 horsepower, a number created by adding a mahoosive supercharger atop the Mustang’s naturally aspirated Gen-4 Coyote 5.0L V8 engine. Working with the new blower are a high-flow air-induction system, upgraded fuel injectors, and a better fuel pump. Engineers at Hennessey have also sussed out an engine management system to help harness the horses correctly, to say nothing of wrangling its 650 lb-ft of torque.
That’s a boost of 350 hp over a stock Dark Horse, which Hennessey estimates will shave half-a-second off the stock model’s 3.7-second zero-to-60-mph (-96-km/h) acceleration time. These mods also allegedly turn the pony into a ten-second car on the drag strip, which would surely please Dominic Toretto; the Super Venom runs the quarter-mile in just 10.9 seconds. Danger to manifold, then.
A great number of carbon-fibre trees have given their lives for this special edition, with the material now adorning everything from engine trim and front splitter to side skirts and rear deck lid. Those fender louvers are functional according to Hennessey, while the hood vent is said to have active properties which make it able to balance cooling needs versus aero demands. The 20-inch wheels are described as “lightweight,” and a smattering of badges complement the exterior.
Hennessey also sees fit to upgrade some of the cabin trappings, including an upgrade to the leather/alcantara upholstery. Branding appears on headrests, dash plaques, and floor mats. Be sure to inspect for these items at the 2044 running of Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale, assuming the YR4 asteroid or some other geopolitical event doesn’t all wipe us off the map first.
Prices south of the border will start at US$163,950 for this beast. Hennessey says it’s only making 91 examples of the thing, to celebrate its founding in 1991. You can even order the Super Venom in a special “91 Icon” livery to really drive the point home.
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