New Hennessey Blackbird: Horsepower, Photos, Details

Hennessey has long graduated from being merely a tuner, evolving into a full-fledged supercar boutique automaker. Time certainly flies, because the Venom GT is already 16 years old, while the F5 that followed it is approaching its sixth anniversary.

Now, the Texas-based company is revealing its third bespoke vehicle: the Blackbird. Taking its name from the legendary Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird spy plane, it’s a throwback to the old-school performance recipe.

As with the two previous Hennessey supercars, the Blackbird has some impressive technical specifications. But rather than going the turbocharging and/or hybrid route, it has an honest-to-God naturally aspirated V8 engine. Displacing 6.2 liters, the all-new powertrain skips forced induction and pairs the NA experience with a six-speed manual gearbox featuring a gated shifter.

High-Revving V8, Not Much Weight

Hennessey worked with Ilmor Engineering to develop the beating heart of the new Blackbird. It’s projected to develop between 800 and 850 horsepower and redline at more than 9,000 rpm. All that power goes to the rear wheels in a vehicle lighter than a Nissan Sentra. The development team is targeting less than 3,000 pounds, although that figure represents the dry weight.

Hitting the claimed weight target will only be possible by making all the body panels entirely from carbon fiber. Hennessey says it has developed a new full-carbon tub specifically for the Blackbird, so there are unlikely to be any ties to the Venom F5. A couple of 20-inch wheel designs will also be exclusive to the newcomer, paired with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires.

If the projected power and weight numbers are achieved, the three-pedal supercar will need only two and a half seconds to hit 60 miles per hour from a standstill. Flat out, it’ll reach 220 mph, which, although impressive, still wouldn’t be enough to grab the title of the world’s fastest naturally aspirated supercar. In 1998, the iconic three-seat McLaren F1 hit 240.1 mph.

Photo by: Hennessey Special Vehicles

Speaking of the legendary British supercar, the Blackbird also has “rear quarter storage,” although Hennessey doesn’t get into details beyond calling them “rear luggage pods.” While the F1 didn’t have a front cargo compartment, there’s storage space available under the hood for two full-size carry-on bags, making it unusually practical for a supercar.

The styling is typical supercar fare, with plenty of curves and just the right amount of edges. From a roof scoop and flying buttresses to a massive rear diffuser and side intakes, it’s every bit as spectacular as something from a more established supercar maker. There’s some aero trickery at the back, where the flaps above the diamond-shaped quad exhaust tips deploy at 71 mph at a 71-degree angle, giving the rear a distinctive look.

Some may see a Koenigsegg Jesko from the front, others a Pagani Huayra Codalunga from the profile, or maybe an Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale from the rear, but dare we say that the Blackbird looks great from every angle. The wing mirrors mounted high on the A-pillars further illustrate the car’s exotic status.

Photo by: Hennessey Special Vehicles

When Old Is New Again

While the exterior is all modern, the cabin is delightfully old-fashioned (by screen-crazy, buttonless 2026 standards). With good reason, Hennessey has made the gated shifter the interior’s focal point, but the rest of the cabin also creates a stark contrast with modern supercars. Aside from the increasingly rare third pedal, the Blackbird doesn’t have any screens.

Instead, it has five analog dials in the driver’s line of sight, putting the 10,000-rpm tachometer front and center. There are plenty of physical controls to quickly access often-used functions, including a rotary knob between the seats to change the driving mode. There are no fewer than four cup holders in a car that only seats two people, but that’s a good math problem to have.

Look up, and you’ll find the start button in the overhead console, along with more switches to lean even harder into the aviation theme. To drive the point home, the “turn and burn” message stems from aviation, where it refers to an aircraft turning on a runway and starting the takeoff roll in one continuous motion. And yes, the rear flaps can be manually triggered.

Compared to the Venom F5 it replaces, the Blackbird is claimed to deliver a more comfortable ride by having lower noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) levels. It also has a larger greenhouse, improving outward visibility, while an adaptive suspension is said to do a better job of soaking up the road’s imperfections.

Hennessey will wrap up production of the Venom F5 in 2028, so the new Blackbird won’t arrive until 2029. Only 71 units will be made at $2.5 million apiece, before taxes. It won’t be a U.S.-only affair, as the new supercar has been homologated for global markets, airbags and all.

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Source: Hennessey Special Vehicles

Motor1’s Take: We’re impressed by how Hennessey can pull off a naturally aspirated supercar with a manual gearbox. At the same time, the big names in the industry have long shifted to turbochargers, hybrids, and automatics.

While it’s easier for low-volume brands to pass emissions regulations since they receive exemptions in many parts of the world, the Blackbird is a rare breed, even in an increasingly crowded supercar segment. With its new flagship model, Hennessey may finally earn a seat at the big kids’ table.

In the meantime, we’re still waiting for that long-promised top-speed run with the Venom F5.