Hennesey Viper 1000 numbers discrepancy

[Jngrbrdman]

Results from the Car & Driver Supercar Challenge prove that John Hennessey's Vipers are the fastest tuned cars in America. Hennessey took the grand prize last November with a specially prepared, twin-turbo version of Dodge's Viper that won both the 0-150-0 and road course tests against the best that Kleemann, ReNNtech and Lingenfelter had to offer.

Following the success of the C&D's test, Hennessey is offering a version of the car which won the challenge, but now with more horsepower and better performance. Called the Viper Venom 1000, Hennessey takes the base model 500bhp Viper and completely reworks the engine to produce 1000 bhp. With these figures, the Venom 1000 is one of the only road-legal cars that can now challenge the Bugatti Veyron.

Hennessey has been modifying Vipers out of Houston since its release in 1992. Not limited to his dramatic engine upgrades, Hennessey also offers suspension and brake packages. Some of his Vipers also feature radical bodywork that gives these Venoms an image and appeal all their own.

Hennessey claims that on MT 'ET Street' tires, the Venom 1000 can reach zero-to-sixty in 2.25 seconds and the quarter mile: 9.75 sec. This unbelievable acceleration was the main factor that let Venom 1000 win Road & Track's Standing Mile contest at 25.6 seconds, .3 seconds faster than the Saleen S7 Twin Turbo!

To double the stock horsepower rating of the Viper, the Venom has been bored, stroked and pressurized to 15psi. This system includes JE Pistons, Manley Rods and twin Garret Turbos. While Hennessey lists their custom headers & exhaust systems separately, they are a must for the $50 000 engine.

To match the ferocious nature of the Venom 1000 engine, a variety of tasty options are available. These include a fully adjustable suspension ($4250), Light-weight Rotors ($4500), Connolly Leather ($6500) Front Dam with Rear Diffuser & Spoiler ($9500) and a range of wheels. When all is said and done, the fully trimmed Venom 1000 should cost around $180 000 USD, much less than similar cars boasting the same performance figures.

Be on the lookout: For 2006, Hennessey will debut the Venom 1000 Twin Turbo SRT Coupe . Only 24 examples will be built at a price of $225,000 USD, each with a top speed of 255 mph!

engine Venom 1000 90 Degree V10
position FFront Longitudinal
aspiration Twin Garret Turbos
valvetrain Pushrod Activated OHV, 2 Valves per Cyl
fuel feed Electronic Sequential Injection
displacement 8554 cc / 522 cu in
compression 9.0:1
power 745.7 kw / 1000 bhp @ Not Available rpm
hp per litre 116.9 bhp per litre
bhp/weight 291.55 bhp per weight
drive wheels RWD
body / frame SMC & RIm Panels over Tubular Steel Spaceframe
front brakes Brembro Vented Discs
f brake size 356 mm / 14.0 in
rear brakes Brembro Vented Discs
r brake size 356 mm / 14.0 in
front tire size P265/35YR-18
rear tire size P335/30YR-20
f suspension SRT10 KW Adjustable Suspension System
r suspension SRT10 KW Adjustable Suspension System
weight 1556 kg / 3430 lbs
transmission 6-Speed Manual
0 - 60 mph 2.25 seconds
0 - 1/4 mile 9.75 seconds








Hmmmm.... I just did some research and those numbers don't add up. A 3430 pound car getting a 9.75 1/4 mile is technically only packing about 731 HP according to this equation. Run your own numbers through there and see what it comes up with. For example...

My Legacy GT is rated at 250 HP from the factory.
AUTOWEEK got a 13.95 1/4 mile time
AUTOWEEK says it weighs 3200 lbs

According to the calculator that gives it around 232 HP. Put a 200 lb driver in there and it goes up to 247 which is closer to where it should be. In order for that Viper to be rated at 1000 HP then the 3430 lb car would have to have a 1400 lb driver in it and still get a 9.75 1/4 mile. Those numbers aren't looking right.

 

[G35stilez]

Other than being utterly speechless over the car, I would have to wager that drag, traction, and conditions had to slow this car down. Putting 1000hp to the rear wheels is far from an easy task, as is doing a sub 10 second 1/4 with a convertible.


Regardless, I am a bit scared that we are approaching the 300 mph mark with a street car...Yikes!

 

[Jngrbrdman]

I still say that it is only the numbers that count, but still... if you are going to lose 25% or more of your HP due to drag and other factors, then it would seem that a redesign is in order. That thing could be doing sub 9s or high 8s if they were to solve some of those issues.

 

[tubafeak]

If you looked at the timeslip for the run that was published you'd probably see the 60' time to be rather high. Also, if you saw a video of the run you'd probably see the car doing burnouts into all of the gears it reached. On street tires, no matter how aggresive the tire is, you will get wheel spin with 1000 HP. Furthermore, your calculations are probably asumptive upon the fact that the car was making 1000 HP the whole time. If you know engines you know that this isn't possible, they build up to their peak power. It probably takes a while to come on to boost, before then you'd be making considerably less than the advertised 1000 HP. It's great that you took the time to do the calculations to find supposed times but without a dyno graph, a real-time rev count, and a tire traction graph you don't have all the information needed to accurately calculate acceleration numbers.

It's still one helluva car.

 

[pappy]

hmy: me want one.

 

[Jngrbrdman]

That's true... I guess it works well with normal cars, but when you get into the insane crazy cars like the Venom 1000 then calculations don't mean much. I definitely agree that it is one hell of a car. It needs roll bars and a parachute behind it with power and speed like that.

 

[GearHead_1]

Regardless, I am a bit scared that we are approaching the 300 mph mark with a street car...Yikes!

I didn't read this part of it. Where did I miss this number.

 

[jaybs02]

is that list HP at the engine or at the wheels? Power gets lost between the engine and the drive wheels.
And if it's only getting 731 horses to the rear wheels then I'm gonna cancel the one I was ordering (when I hit lotto of course) :lol:

Still as very hot car no matter what :drool:

"J"

 

[Big Leegr]

I didn't read this part of it. Where did I miss this number.

I think he's referring to :

Be on the lookout: For 2006, Hennessey will debut the Venom 1000 Twin Turbo SRT Coupe . Only 24 examples will be built at a price of $225,000 USD, each with a top speed of 255 mph!

 

[tubafeak]

I think it's 1000 brake horse power.

A roll cage and parachute would be perfect for it, also massive dedicated drag slicks would probably help those numbers a lot (you know, some MT wrinkle walls aired down to 5 psi, 400 mm wide, :evil: ).