Episode Details

Most modern cars have forced induction or electrification, numerous in-cabin screens, soulless self-shifting transmissions, and more power than anyone knows what to do with. The Hennessey Blackbird is the antidote, the first of a new breed of American hypercar that cares not about outright performance figures that will be beaten by a Swedish megacar or a Chinese EV in a few weeks. It forgoes screens in favor of analog information conveyance, and it requires the driver to use their left leg to disengage the clutch. It's the kind of car that encourages engagement, and for extra style points, it takes plenty of inspiration from some of the most advanced transportation devices ever created, such as the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. Hopefully, it will also encourage other automakers to create more mechanical cars.

Hennessey Blackbird: V8, Manual, Lightweight

The Hennessey Blackbird is not powered by the ferocious 6.6-liter twin-turbo V8 'Fury' engine found in the Venom F5, instead making use of an all-new naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 developed by Michigan-based Ilmor Engineering. Hennessey is aiming for between 800 and 850 horsepower, a redline beyond 9,000 rpm, a 0-60-mph sprint time of just 2.5 seconds, and a top speed of 220 mph. Most of us can agree that around 500 hp is more than enough for a usable sports car, and 1,000 hp is too much to fully exploit in most hypercars, so this feels like the sweet spot, especially since the bespoke carbon fiber tub and carbon fiber body are expected to contribute to a curb weight below 3,000 lbs, and all the power will be meted to the rear wheels alone through a gated six-speed manual. While a manual means more work for the driver, the car is designed to cover over 800 miles in a day, with a larger glasshouse improving visibility, gullwing doors helping improve ingress and egress, four cupholders, adaptive suspension, and a front luggage compartment that can handle two full-size carry-on bags, along with additional storage in the rear quarters and cabin.

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Hennessey also claims improved noise, vibration, and harshness characteristics compared to a Venom hypercar. Despite its relative on-paper simplicity, the Blackbird makes use of active aero, with stabilizers deploying at 71 mph at an angle of approximately 71 degrees - a nod to the SR-71 Blackbird that inspired parts of its design. The car's exhaust also pays tribute to the Bell X-1 aircraft, which was the first airplane to break the sound barrier back in 1947, achieving a speed of Mach 1.06, or 700 mph. Finally, Hennessey touts inspiration from Formula One for the sidepods and from LMP1 cars for the winglets. But in profile, the car has a bit of a McLaren Senna/Sabre feel to it.

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