Texas-based Hennessey Performance Engineering (HPE) has come a long way from being just a supercar tuner to a supercar/hypercar builder. It’s a fascinating story, indeed. Following the impressive Venom F5, Hennessey’s latest chapter is the Blackbird, and if it’s not already obvious, the name and styling were inspired by the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. Limited to 71 units worldwide, the Hennessey Blackbird commands a base price of $2.5 million (before taxes).
As mentioned, the styling inspiration primarily comes from the SR-71 Blackbird. The proportions, chine line, and vertical stabilizers, for example, were inspired by the aforementioned strategic reconnaissance aircraft. However, the quad-exhaust system at the back was inspired by that of the Bell X-1, the first aircraft to fly faster than the speed of sound (October 14, 1947), piloted by U.S. Air Force Capt. Charles E. ‘Chuck’ Yeager. And of course, those side pods were inspired by F1 cars.
Those vertical stabilizers are active. They deploy automatically at 114 km/h (71 mph) and sit at +/- 71 degrees, of course, while also allowing manual activation at any speed. The Hennessey Blackbird is built around a new bespoke full-carbon tub, and the body panels are also made of carbon fibre. Notice carbon fibre aero covers on the wheels. Hennessey is targeting a dry weight of less than 1,360 kg (2,998 lbs).
While there’s no Pratt & Whitney J58 at the back, you’ll still be happy to know that the Hennessey Blackbird packs a 6.2L naturally aspirated V8, co-developed with racing supplier Ilmor Engineering. Exact figures are not disclosed, but the target power output is 850 bhp. The engine is claimed to rev past 9,000 rpm. A 6-speed gated manual transmission drives the rear wheels. The adaptive suspension is claimed to support both comfortable cruising and spirited driving. Performance targets include 0-60 mph (96.5 km/h) in 2.5 seconds and a top speed of 220 mph (354 km/h).
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