Hennessey Bringing New Venom F5-M to Goodwood Festival of Speed

Hennessey Special Vehicles, the Texas-based hypercar manufacturer, is set to make the global debut of its Venom F5-M at the Goodwood Festival of Speed (July 9-12). The F5-M is the company’s most engaging and driver-focused creation yet, company officials stated in a press release.

Engineering Behind the Venom F5-M

The new model benefits from Venom F5 Evolution enhancements, including new aerodynamics, active suspension and 2,031 bhp, making the Venom F5-M the world’s most powerful manual hypercar, noted the release. Designed, developed and built in Texas, the F5-M combines a new carbon fiber chassis, bespoke bodywork and revised aerodynamics, with a unique 6-speed gated manual transmission and open-top Roadster configuration.

The Venom F5-M will make its global debut in the Goodwood Supercar Paddock, and its 6.6-liter twin-turbocharged “Fury” V-8 will thunder up the Goodwood Hill twice daily throughout the four-day Festival, driven by professional racer Alex Brundle. The powertrain is paired with sophisticated traction control and engine management systems, engineered to deliver a precise, linear application of power, enabling the driver to control output in every gear.

“We’ve always believed the Venom F5 delivers the most intense performance experience on the planet – but with the F5-M, we’ve gone even further,” said John Hennessey, company founder and CEO. “A gated 6-speed manual puts the driver completely in control, while the open-top design brings the Fury V-8 sound directly into the cockpit. The noise, the feel and the power delivery are raw and unfiltered – it’s the most all-consuming driving experience we’ve created.”

Design Details: Dorsal Fin & Cockpit Layout

The Venom F5-M introduces unique styling elements that differentiate it within the F5 family. Most notably, a dramatic 55-inch (1,400 mm) dorsal fin stretches from the roof-mounted air intake to the trailing edge of the rear deck. This feature provides immediate visual identity while also enhancing high-speed aerodynamics to beyond 200 mph. Another unique feature – the integrated roof scoop – feeds cool air to the engine bay with air that flows around the sides, channeled rearwards by the dorsal fin.

The fin is personalized to celebrate Hennessey’s American heritage and the owner’s British nationality through hand-painted flags set on either side of the trailing end. The British Union Flag mirrors the American Stars and Stripes flag, with both interpreted in the same gold paint as the car’s other livery accents.

Inside, the cockpit is entirely reconfigured around the manual driving experience and features more custom personalization details, the company said. The prominently mounted billet aluminum gear shifter sits within a precision-milled 6-speed gate, positioned to maximize ergonomics and tactile engagement.

Limited Production & Customer Specification

Only 12 Venom F5-M Roadsters will be produced globally, each uniquely specified. The first production example, belonging to a UK customer and debuting at Goodwood, is finished in exposed purple carbon with anodized gold accents. The owner utilized the bespoke design and engineering services of Hennessey’s special Maverick division to add bespoke exterior and interior features to their F5-M. Individualized additions include a 24-karat gold nose badge and placing the family name “Sheikh” on the rear of the car, as well as stitching it on the driver and passenger knee pads. Other models in the 12-car F5-M range are allocated to clients around the world, led by owners in the United States.

“Our decision to offer a manual gearbox fundamentally changed the Venom F5,” added Nathan Malinick, director of design. “It promoted driver interaction and engagement to the primary focus; it delivered freedom to explore visual presence and aerodynamics in totally new ways; and it enabled a fully redesigned center console. The F5-M is not simply an F5 with a manual transmission – it is a complete design response to a very different kind of driver involvement.”

What the Manual Option Means for the F5 Lineup

Hennessey says the introduction of the Venom F5-M represents a significant evolution for its hypercar range. Following its launch, both the manual transmission and the updated chassis architecture will be made available across other F5 models, enabling customers to specify Coupe and Roadster variants – as well as track-focused Revolution models – with the 6-speed manual configuration.

Priced from $2.65 million before taxes, the Venom F5-M stands as one of the most exclusive and extreme hypercars available today.