HENNESSEY VENOM GT....A LOTUS THIS TIME?

[LotusUSA]

HENNESSEY VENOM GT Concept Car

[mrluky]

How are they adding 1000 lbs?

Will it have enough weight on the rears to not smoke the tires all day?

[phileaglesfan]

Could he shoehorn a 8.3 liter V10 in the back of an Exige though (even modified bodywork). He might have borrowed some design ideas.

[exarkun1178]

could you replace the 2zz with a 3.6l Porsche motor? in the elise engine bay? would it fit.? those Porsche engines dont seem that big.. and though they weigh more, they have 3 times the horsepower?(tt)

frame work would have to be done, but that seems like a reasonable way to get some really crazy hp in the car that might have a chance at staying with in expected bounds?

[Crudson]

repost

[megatron]

This definitely looks like a lotus. But how on earth do one put a V10 in there?

[Patricko]

I wonder how much they have to pay Lotus for that



http://forum.ebaumsworld.com/showthread.php?p=4000358

[Vulcan Grey]

Why is it that everyone (here, pistonheads, Lotus Esprit Forum) thinks Hennessey is making a copy of an Exige?

Hennessey doesn't make cars, he tunes them! He actually posted on Pistonheads in response to everyone thinking that Lotus should sue him for copying their Exige.

He's not making a car that looks like an Exige, he's replacing the rear subframe in an Exige and putting in a Viper V10.

It's not too different than what they did with the Elise GT1 in 1997.

Only that was a 6.0L Corvette LT5 based V8.

That car had nearly 600hp and weighed 2000lbs... about the same as todays Elise S2.

Actually there already has been a Viper V10 engined Elise
http://www.bittercars.com/bitter/bitter.nsf/pages/gt1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Elise_GT1

[Crudson]

Good info Vulcan Grey.

[Patricko]

Originally Posted by Vulcan Grey

Why is it that everyone (here, pistonheads, Lotus Esprit Forum) thinks Hennessey is making a copy of an Exige?

Hennessey doesn't make cars, he tunes them! He actually posted on Pistonheads in response to everyone thinking that Lotus should sue him for copying their Exige.

He's not making a car that looks like an Exige, he's replacing the rear subframe in an Exige and putting in a Viper V10.[/url]

Because Mr. Hennessey did not say that in his press release

HENNESSEY VENOM GT
Concept Car

Proposed Specifications:

Vehicle Type:
Mid-engine, rear-drive; 2-door, 2-passenger

Dimensions:
Curb Weight: Less than 2,700 lbs
cd: 0.39 (with VenomAero rear wing up)

Brakes:
front - 14 inch carbon rotors with 6-piston calipers; rear - 14 inch carbon rotors with 4-piston calipers

Engine:
Viper V10 (8.5 litre)
Hennessey Venom 1000 Twin Turbo System

Power:
1000 bhp @ 5,200 rpm
1100 lb-ft torque @ 4,200 rpm

Estimated Performance:
0-60 mph: 2.4 sec.
0-100 mph: 5.3 sec.
0-150 mph: 8.9 sec.
0-200 mph: 15.7 sec.
Top Speed: 260 mph (421 km/h)

Transmission:
6-speed Manual

Optional Equipment:
1200 bhp
Sequential 6-speed Transmission
Automatic Transmission
Custom Interior
Matching Luggage
Air Freight Shipping (International Clients)


For Immediate Release

HENNESSEY VENOM GT
Concept Car

1000 BHP + 2700 lb Mid-Engine Chassis = New Benchmark of Sports Car Performance


HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 20, 2007) - Hennessey Performance Engineering today announced that it is introducing the company's first concept car - The Venom GT.

Penned by British auto designer, Steve Everitt, the Venom GT would incorporate Hennessey's potent Venom 1000 Twin Turbo Viper V10 powerplant into a light weight mid-engine chassis weighing "under 2,700 lbs". Power would be run through a 6-speed transmission or optional sequential gearbox.

With a power to weight ratio of just 2.7 lbs per bhp Hennessey estimates that the Venom GT could attain 0 to 100 km/h times in less than 2.5 sec. and a 0-300 km/h time of around 14 seconds. Company founder, John Hennessey, is careful to point out that the Venom GT is not being built as a 'Veyron Slayer'. Hennessey point out, saying, 'The Veyron is an ultra fast and ultra luxurious grand touring car which also happens to be quicker and faster than any other road car, except for our Venom 1000 Twin Turbo SRT which beat the Veyron earlier this year from 0-200 mph. The Venom GT will be a much more engaging sports car to drive by challenging the driver with 1000+ HP in a chassis that is nearly 1500 lbs lighter than the Veyron.'

Hennessey said, 'The company already has existing Venom 1000 Twin Turbo clients interested in ordering the lighter, mid-engined Venom GT. "Right now are taking a serious look at building 2 concept cars that could be shown to the public sometime in 2009. If there is enough demand we may consider doing a very limited production run of the Venom GT.'

If the Venom GT goes into production, it would be built at the company's facility at Lonestar Motorsports Park which is located just west of Houston, Texas.

About Hennessey Performance Engineering
Hennessey Performance Engineering (HPE) specializes in designing, testing, manufacturing and selling high-performance parts and services for the Dodge Viper SRT10, Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, Chrysler 300C SRT8 and Dodge Magnum SRT8 as well as other high performance and exotic brands such as Bentley, AMG Mercedes and Porsche. HPE is completing the construction of the company's new 30,000 square foot engineering and manufacturing facility at the company's Lonestar Motorosports Park - a 1/4 mile dragstrip located 45 minutes west of Houston, Texas. HPE is the only aftermarket tuning firm in North America that owns and operates its own vehicle testing track / proving grounds. The company will move to its new facility at the end of 2007.

# # #


FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

John Hennessey
EMAIL: media@hennesseyperformance.com
TEL: 713-828-7676
www.HennesseyPerformance.com
www.LonestarMotorsportsPark.com
www.TunerSchool.com

[Patricko]

Originally Posted by Vulcan Grey

Why is it that everyone (here, pistonheads, Lotus Esprit Forum) thinks Hennessey is making a copy of an Exige?

Hennessey doesn't make cars, he tunes them! He actually posted on Pistonheads in response to everyone thinking that Lotus should sue him for copying their Exige.

He's not making a car that looks like an Exige, he's replacing the rear subframe in an Exige and putting in a Viper V10.

Most of his car is a direct copy of the Lotus Sport Exige.

Compare the wheels, wheel bolts, front clam latch, side scoop, front splitter...I could go on but why.







They will have their hands full getting that thing to handle (pun intended)

[Vulcan Grey]

Well we already know that "artists" usually need something to draw from... Hence all the next gen Esprit concepts that look like Lambo Gallardos.

But the concept above is an Exige with a stretch plus a V10, so I'm sure that's why it looks just like an Exige racecar.

I don't see why a car based on the Elise with a V10 engine will be difficult to get handling well?

See my post above. It's been done before. The Elise GT1 had much better handling than some of the other GT1 cars in it's era, I watched the Elise GT1 pass one of it's major competitors in the middle of Laguna's corkscrew several times, only to be passed again on the straights due to too much downforce/drag, and too little power.

It won't handle like an Elise... But it'll probably could be made to handle fine

[Carpe | Viam]

Originally Posted by Vulcan Grey

Why is it that everyone (here, pistonheads, Lotus Esprit Forum) thinks Hennessey is making a copy of an Exige?

Hennessey doesn't make cars, he tunes them! He actually posted on Pistonheads in response to everyone thinking that Lotus should sue him for copying their Exige.

He's not making a car that looks like an Exige, he's replacing the rear subframe in an Exige and putting in a Viper V10.

It's not too different than what they did with the Elise GT1 in 1997.

The difference here of course is that lotus development was involved in making the GT1 and has nothing to do with Mr. Hennessey's project here. Now a viper-powered Sport Exige would be quite radical... I certainly am a fan of attempting a crazy conversion such as this, but the exige is certainly a lotus brand and NOT a new supercar.

[Patricko]

Originally Posted by Vulcan Grey

Well we already know that "artists" usually need something to draw from... Hence all the next gen Esprit concepts that look like Lambo Gallardos.

But the concept above is an Exige with a stretch plus a V10, so I'm sure that's why it looks just like an Exige racecar.

I don't see why a car based on the Elise with a V10 engine will be difficult to get handling well?

See my post above. It's been done before. The Elise GT1 had much better handling than some of the other GT1 cars in it's era, I watched the Elise GT1 pass one of it's major competitors in the middle of Laguna's corkscrew several times, only to be passed again on the straights due to too much downforce/drag, and too little power.

It won't handle like an Elise... But it'll probably could be made to handle fine

The Lambo looking next gen Esprit is a photoshop made by a car mag and not what the car will look like.

The Lotus Sport Exige (the car that he is copying) also uses a longer rear subframe to fit the v6.

Why do I think it won't handle...put an extra 1,000 pounds in the rear and no extra weight in the front then add 800 to 1,000 extra HP and I think it will dance around corners like a ballerina

I think I saw that Brett Payne is working for Hennessey on this project t so it should be great

[Agent ONE]

Originally Posted by Vulcan Grey

Why is it that everyone (here, pistonheads, Lotus Esprit Forum) thinks Hennessey is making a copy of an Exige?

Hennessey doesn't make cars, he tunes them! He actually posted on Pistonheads in response to everyone thinking that Lotus should sue him for copying their Exige.

He's not making a car that looks like an Exige, he's replacing the rear subframe in an Exige and putting in a Viper V10.

It's not too different than what they did with the Elise GT1 in 1997.

Only that was a 6.0L Corvette LT5 based V8.

That car had nearly 600hp and weighed 2000lbs... about the same as todays Elise S2.

Actually there already has been a Viper V10 engined Elise
http://www.bittercars.com/bitter/bitter.nsf/pages/gt1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Elise_GT1

Thanks for doing the research man...
Responses to this are like how most people respond to political stuff. They have 1/100th of the information and they are ready to be pissed about something they don't even have a basic grasp of.

[JWA]

Originally Posted by Patricko

Because Mr. Hennessey did not say that in his press release

What he said. It is actually a lot more interesting if it is a modified Exige.

[Bavarian Motorist]

1000hp in an Exige....


I'm sure we all like speed, but that's not even usable.


Oh, I should opt for the 1200hp package.

[exarkun1178]

if he makes it, people will buy it!.
if people buy it, some of them will be setup nicely.
the ones that are setup nicely, will make us all as they fly past us on the straights.... and the corners...

[codymac]

Originally Posted by exarkun1178

if he makes it, people will buy it!.
if people buy it, some of them will be setup nicely.
the ones that are setup nicely, will make us all as they fly past us on the straights.... and the corners...

Like the Bitter cars? Like everything else he makes?

[Westrock]

Originally Posted by Patricko

Most of his car is a direct copy of the Lotus Sport Exige.

Compare the wheels, wheel bolts, front clam latch, side scoop, front splitter...I could go on but why.

I think what was being implied is that its not a copy, but actually a modified version of the real thing. Much like Saleen or Roush doesn't copy Ford's Mustang, they use the actual car for a foundation of their modified version.

Lotus could provide them with a uncomplete car that includes most of the chassis and suspension minus the very rear member as well as all the body panels except the rear clam. Hennessy (or whoever) could then provide their own custom parts to complete the car.

Just like I'm sure Buick didn't include "Its made from the unforgetable Aztek" on their marketing brochure of its Rendezvous, just because they don't mention its built from another car doesn't mean it isn't.