Manual Driving Meets 1,817 HP In Hennessey F5-M

Former JLR chassis expert Mike Cross once shared that he wasn’t too keen on seeing many 500+ horsepower cars with manual transmissions, reasoning that drivers already had plenty to handle with that much power. If that's how he felt about 500 hp, it's hard to imagine what he’d think of the new Hennessey Venom F5-M.

This beast packs a mind-boggling 1,817 hp and comes with a six-speed manual transmission, making it the most powerful manual production car on the planet. The Venom F5-M is based on the Venom F5 Roadster but ditches the seven-speed automated manual for a genuine six-speed manual, complete with a billet aluminum shift gate.

The same monstrous 6.6-liter twin-turbo V8 powers it, producing 1,193 lb-ft (1,618 Nm) of torque. Hennessey hasn’t released any performance stats for the F5-M, but it’s clear that the $2.65 million hypercar won’t be quite as fast in a straight line as its paddle-shift sibling.

However, the lucky 12 buyers probably won’t mind—the appeal of a manual transmission is all about the driving experience, not just raw speed. That said, the F5-M will still leave just about anything else on the road in the dust.

The manual transmission isn't the only thing setting the F5-M apart from the regular F5 Roadster. The manual version also boasts a massive 55-inch dorsal fin running from behind the seats, where the roof-mounted air scoop sits, all the way to the rear deck.

Inside, the cabin features a wider center console with horizontally arranged air vents, replacing the vertical ones. And of course, Hennessey’s signature yoke-style steering wheel remains, packed with buttons and offering an unobstructed view of the rectangular digital gauge cluster.

Nathan Malinick, Hennessey’s Director of Design, summed up the car perfectly: “We’re extreme, we’re authentic, plus we’re distinctly and uniquely American. These characteristics shine through in the design of the F5-M and how it performs.”

He added, “This is a car for bold and brave driving enthusiasts who like their hypercars to thrill with wild power, dramatic design, and an experience behind the wheel that’s unlike anything else on Earth.” The F5-M excels at satisfying those who yearn for an extreme, analog driving experience in a time when hypercars are heavily tech-driven.