Stats and performance figures are important parts of performance vehicles, but they’re not everything. Sure, a turbocharged hybrid engine connected to a dual-clutch automatic and all-wheel drive — an increasingly common formula — can make a car fast as hell, but all those components make it more complex and put so much tech between the driver and the fundamentals of the machine. The upcoming Hennessey Blackbird strips all that away, leaving a naturally aspirated V-8, six-speed manual gearbox, and rear-wheel drive.
For 35 years, the name Hennessey has been synonymous with more power and greater capabilities. The Hennessey Performance division has turned out everything from twin-turbo Dodge Vipers to 1,000-horsepower Ford F-150 Raptor-based VelociRaptoR 1000s. Within the last decade, Hennessey Special Vehicles (HSV) has made its own hypercars, starting with the Venom F5, a swoopy road rocket with a 1,817-horsepower twin-turbo V8, F1-inspired steering yoke, and paddle shifters. The more focused Venom F5 Revolution has a top speed of more than 250 mph and set a production car lap record at the Circuit of the Americas with a time of 2:10.90.
As its name implies, the Blackbird was inspired by the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird aircraft, which set a speed record by flying from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., in 1 hour, 4 minutes, and 20 seconds, so it’s going to be fast, but it’s about more than that. Company founder and CEO John Hennessey said, “From the beginning, Blackbird was guided by a simple idea: to deliver an analog experience where beauty and drama define every moment. This is not a numbers car.” In fact, the Blackbird is meant to be a touring car that someone can drive more than 800 miles in a day. To make it more long-distance-friendly, HSV gave it a larger greenhouse and a cabin with more passenger and storage space than the Venom F5, as well as an adaptive suspension, ABS, traction control, four cup holders, and enough room in the front trunk for two full-size carry-on bags.
Of course, the Blackbird will be able to fly across those long distances — even it doesn’t make the trip in record time. It’s based on an all-new bespoke carbon fiber tub, which is covered in carbon fiber body work, all of which should weigh less than 3,000 pounds. Aviation and motorsports filtered into the overall design. The noticeable “chine line” crease in the doors and the rear vertical stabilizers, which deploy at 71 mph and stand at +/- 71 degrees, are undeniably SR-71. Formula One influenced the look of the side pods; LMP1 Le Mans race cars inspired the winglets. The diamond-shaped arrangement for the quad exhaust outlets was taken from a different aircraft: the Bell X-1, which became the first airplane to fly faster than the speed of sound in 1947.
Working with Ilmor Engineering, Hennessey developed the Blackbird’s propulsion system: a naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V-8 with a target output of 800-850 horsepower and the ability to rev to more than 9,000 rpm. If the six-speed manual is shifted perfectly, the Blackbird should be able to reach 60 mph in only 2.5 seconds — an impressive time for a three-pedal car channeling that kind of firepower through just the rear Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. Flat out, the Blackbird has a projected top speed of 220 mph.
The gullwing doors open to a cabin that’s fittingly simplified and focused. Behind the flat-bottom wheel is a centrally mounted tachometer. There are no screens, although a special holster keeps the driver’s phone in place to run Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. The center bridge houses the exposed linkage and gated shifter for the six-speed gearbox. Of course, there are aviation-themed elements, such as the structure on top of the dashboard that resembles the SR-71 and its afterburner plumes, and the dash-mounted “whiskey compass.”
Hennessey won’t start producing the Blackbird until 2029-2030, but more than two-thirds of the 71-unit production run have been claimed already, each priced from $2.5 million (before taxes). Whether you’re just curious about the Blackbird or impatiently awaiting the production/delivery of your very own, you can see the Texas-based automaker’s newest model in-person at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering on Friday, August 14.
