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Hennessey will sell you an Elise soft top and bows for $150,000 if you buy a Venom...

6K views 8 replies 9 participants last post by  Westrock 
#1 ·
So it looks like Hennessey will sell you a soft top for a paltry $150,000 if you buy one of their Venom's: Hennessey announces 2013 Venom GT Spyder.

While there *may* be something else they're doing, it would appear to me that the standard Venom has a normal Exige roof with nothing blocking it from being removed, so this would appear to be the highest markup ever charged for a car part. I bet they then offer the hardtop as an option :).
 
#4 ·
the Hennessey Venom is an Exige that he re-builds with a corvette motor and a Ford GT Ricardo transmission. That's why it looks like an Exige.

It uses the Lotus tub, dash, windshield, roof, and doors. Then the rear half is all new, and they do a front subframe as well.

This photo of the "spyder"


Is just a photoshop of THIS photo of the Venom GT.


I would hope they are doing more than just unbolting the Exige roof and charging $150k more...
 
#7 ·
I saw the yellow Venom at Pebble Beach. It was in the lobby of the hotel we were staying at (Portola) - right as you walked into the RM Auction.

i was standing next to it talking to, get this - Hennessy (is his first name John?) and Michael Anthony from Van Halen. My wife went to get a glass of wine - walks up and says 'oh look honey, it's your car'

So, gotta love a million dollar car being mistaken for my $30K Elise! :)

I will say that the photoshop looks decent - in black, it almost has a SLIGHT Pagani Zonda vibe to it.

Even still, I've heard horrible things about Hennessy as a company. The guys at Pebble Beach seemed arrogant.
 
#9 ·
This car is more what one of us would do to out car if we had a bunch of money. But it is by no means a million dollar car. I know a million bucks aint what it was 20 years ago, but it still means something special.

The Lotus Exige is special because it simple and cheap.

The LSx motor is special because its simple and cheap.

While both of these are great things for us 99%'ers, it has no value for the people who can afford a million dollar car.

If I was spending a million bucks on a car, I would not want it to look inside and out like a $70K car. Nor would I want an engine that is unabashadly 20th century. No dual overhead cam, 2 valves, "only" variable cam phasing. LIke I said, great at its natural price point, but not at the million dollar price point.

Would I someday think about stretching my car and putting a V8 in it? Sure.
 
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