2011 Hennessey Venom GT

  • Thread starter exigeracer
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You mean to tell me that there's been more than one instance where someone has taken a lightweight, track-ready chassis and put a powerful engine in it?

Insanity!
 
Zenith013
You mean to tell me that there's been more than one instance where someone has taken a lightweight, track-ready chassis and put a powerful engine in it?

Insanity!
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Everyone has done things like that. He basically made a 17 year newer version, calls it his own idea and creation, and charges Bugatti money. I'm sorry, if I'm spending 1mill on a car, I'm going with a Pagani Zonda. There becomes a point of 'too much power' in a rear wheel drive application.

Lotus Elise? Check.
Lower, wider, longer? Check
Twin turbos? Check (on the original esprit engine, tested on the vette V8)
Corvette V8? Check
Really similar looking bodies? Check

Seems all he did was use newer parts.... For the 1mill he's charging for these cars, it's just no where near worth it.

If I had the money, the Venom GT would only be on my car list if it was under 250k. Look at the modified GTR's and Gallardos you can pick up with similar power for 250k.

Hell, give me a RWB Porsche and I'll need some tissues to clean up.
 
whatproblems
Everyone has done things like that. He basically made a 17 year newer version, calls it his own idea and creation, and charges Bugatti money.
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When did Hennessey call a high power, lightweight, track-focused road car his own idea?

I'm sorry, if I'm spending 1mill on a car, I'm going with a Pagani Zonda. There becomes a point of 'too much power' in a rear wheel drive application.
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Not relevant to the car being a "stolen idea."

Lotus Elise? Check.
Lower, wider, longer? Check
Twin turbos? Check (on the original esprit engine, tested on the vette V8)
Corvette V8? Check
Really similar looking bodies? Check
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-It's not an Elise, it's based on an Exige and was modified by Hennessey to the point where it has little in common with the Exige.
-Like every other track focused coupe?
-Twin turbos is not a Lotus "thing."
-You mean that Hennessey, a well known tuner of Small Block Chevy engines, is using an SBC in his own car? The same SBC that's used in nearly every V8 swap these days?
-You may notice that all light-weight track-focused road cars will have that kind of body. There is a reason for that.

By that logic isn't the Noble M600 another copy? It even has that twin turbo V8 that apparently Lotus owns.
 
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https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=231074

Toronado
I really don't get what your point is. Henessey built a modified version of an Elise that looks somewhat like a failed racing version of an Elise that Lotus built ten years prior. So?
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Zenith013
The same SBC that's used in nearly every V8 swap these days?
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And was only used in the GT1 in the first place because the engine Lotus originally used (modified version of the Esprit BPR engine) blew up all the time. Seems to me that Hennessey is just cutting out the middleman.
 
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Sure seems like everyone is quick to jump on Hennessey over the past couple of years.
 
Weren't there cases of Hennessy taking the money off of their customers without bothering to actually deliver the car? Or was that another high profile tuning company?

Besides, what's the point? You can hardly waltz up to Lotus, slam a wad of cash on the counter and buy a Elise GT1, anyways. The only thing that'd really bug me would be if people call Hennessy innovative for building the Venom.

Reminds me of how Microsoft released a tabled PC quite some time ago and a lot of people claim that they've stolen the tablet idea from Apple when they released the Surface recently :lol:
 
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In a perfect full-circle of completely irrelevant connections, a privateer also tried to put a Dodge Viper engine into an Elise GT1 after Lotus ceased GT1 efforts:

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In the end, nobody should be worried that the Hennessey has anything to owe to the GT1. They were both executed completely differently, with different purposes and different products. I really don't expect the Venom to be any more successful than Lotus' efforts either, which were pretty dismal. The chassis was never intended to respond the same under that much power load, regardless of what kind of rear subframe gets bolted on.
 
The only thing I would call out Hennessey on is their ridiculous top speed claim. Other than that, I like their version of a Lotus.
 
Well, it's registered as a Lotus Exige so it is in fact a 'tuner car'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hDDBN_pIUQ&list=UU5rBpVgv83gYPZ593XwQUsA&index=1&feature=plcp

Why is it registered as a Lotus? Not enough modifications made? Hennessey didn't want to fork over money or cars for crash testing? What's the true story?

Is this damn thing even safe to be in since it's evident there's no safety information?

So yes, it is essentially a tuner car ESPECIALLY since it's still registered as a Lotus. For the money of this Lotus, there's many MANY other options that are fully designed from the ground up and billed as their own car....
 
whatproblems
Well, it's registered as a Lotus Exige so it is in fact a 'tuner car'.
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A well-known tuning outfit registering the cars they make under the original manufacturer? Shock and awe.

whatproblems
So yes, it is essentially a tuner car ESPECIALLY since it's still registered as a Lotus. For the money of this Lotus, there's many MANY other options that are fully designed from the ground up and billed as their own car....
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And... so?
 
whatproblems
Well, it's registered as a Lotus Exige so it is in fact a 'tuner car'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hDDBN_pIUQ&list=UU5rBpVgv83gYPZ593XwQUsA&index=1&feature=plcp

Why is it registered as a Lotus? Not enough modifications made? Hennessey didn't want to fork over money or cars for crash testing? What's the true story?

Is this damn thing even safe to be in since it's evident there's no safety information?

So yes, it is essentially a tuner car ESPECIALLY since it's still registered as a Lotus. For the money of this Lotus, there's many MANY other options that are fully designed from the ground up and billed as their own car....
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It's funny you used a video in your argument that has a summary of your initial complaint.
Sure, it resembles a Lotus and shares a dashboard with a car costing just $50,000. But, to complain about such things is to miss the point entirely. Like Carroll Shelby before him, John Hennessey just wants to go fast".
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The reason it's probably registered as a Lotus is because it's built from a Lotus Exige chassis.

But to call it a Lotus is silly. Again, from your video.
All that's left from the donor car is the windshield, interior, air conditioning, & doors. Everything in front of the windshield or behind the seats is all new.
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Your complaint about the safety has no foundation. Leno had car #4 on his web show & proclaimed that it was now certified street legal which means it has passed the safety regulations in place to some degree.
 
RUF vs. Porsche.

I understand the point of 'just wanting to go fast'. The price is out of this world though.

You can buy full kit cars like a Noble and wedge a twin-turbo V8 in there for half of what this car is... If it's just wanting to go fast, it's done for way to much money.

I mean, it's not like this guy has prior history of ripping people off... wait whut?
 
You seem new to life and the internet since hard facts and opinions mean nothing to you.

There's the complaint, there's the proof in the video.

Even with almost 8 years and 28,000 posts things still just don't click....

You'll notice that even on car websites John Hennessey is a member of, they regularly blow him off. That and they'll on occasion bring up his past ripping off and ignoring customers until they actually walk into the shop demanding answers.
 
whatproblems
You seem new to life and the internet since hard facts and opinions mean nothing to you.

There's the complaint, there's the proof in the video.

Even with almost 8 years and 28,000 posts things still just don't click....
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The video you used as proof is making fun of your own complaint.

You just keep resorting to the off topic attacks, though. Merely tells me you're continuously losing your argument. ;)
You'll notice that even on car websites John Hennessey is a member of, they regularly blow him off. That and they'll on occasion bring up his past ripping off and ignoring customers until they actually walk into the shop demanding answers.
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And this, like your last post, has to do with the Venom looking like an Elise, how? :lol:
 
i think the concept was quite good. it will be more appreciative if they would have worked more practically so it would be civilized. the design could be much better as of now but, this one is also not bad.
 


While it STILL is an Elise in drag, it's an expensive way to make a grown man giggle and scream like a little girl. :lol:
 
Exorcet
Apparently a new speed record has been set

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d9y2SFLl44

I'm more interested in lap times.

EDIT

Hold on, Veyron was 267. Now the title wording makes sense.
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267 as the average as well.

But, if you notice, that's Hennessey's channel, so naturally, he's going to lie & BS everyone. They're claiming by "Fastest Production Car", they mean acceleration wise, but we all know full well what he's trying to imply.
 
McLaren
267 as the average as well.

But, if you notice, that's Hennessey's channel, so naturally, he's going to lie & BS everyone. They're claiming by "Fastest Production Car", they mean acceleration wise, but we all know full well what he's trying to imply.
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I thought he's claiming top speed over the SS, because the SS had to be de-limited first.

Top speed aside, it looks a lot better than the Veyron at least.
 
MatskiMonk
I thought he's claiming top speed over the SS, because the SS had to be de-limited first.

Top speed aside, it looks a lot better than the Veyron at least.
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That's exactly what he's implying by stating the Venom is now the "fastest production car".

Last I checked my math though, 265.7mph is not faster than 269.8mph & 265.9mph, the 2 runs Bugatti did for Guinness to accept them.
 

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