[Video] Hennessey Venom GT's wild Goodwood run
Remember the Hennessey Venom GT? You’d be forgiven for forgetting it but it was the fastest accelerating car in the world for a time, setting a 0-186mph record of 13.63 seconds in 2013.
The car also topped the Bugatti Veyron with an – albeit unofficial – top speed of 270mph the following year. In 2011 however it was here at The Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard and this video shows just how wild the car is.
Based on a Lotus Exige chassis, the Venom GT shared a number of components with the lightweight, nimble track day favourite but the powertrain was as American as apple pie. Appropriately for a Texas-based company, the engine was also completely over the top. A twin-turbocharged 7.0-litre GM LS7 V8 it produced 1,261PS (1,244HP) and 1,566NM (1,155lb ft). Rear-wheel-drive through a six-speed gearbox from the Ford GT and weighing in at 1244kg, it a good thing the Venom GT has a programmable traction control system and selectable power levels.
No doubt it was being given full beans in this run and the camera positioning gives a great perspective on just how tricky it is to tackle the famous Goodwood Hill.