Hennessey has revealed the Blackbird, a new American hypercar built around a naturally aspirated V8, rear-wheel drive and a six-speed gated manual transmission.
The Texas-built car will be limited to 71 examples worldwide. At its centre is an all-new 6.2-litre V8 developed with Ilmor Engineering, with Hennessey targeting between 800 and 850 horsepower and a redline above 9,000 rpm.
Every Blackbird will send its power to the rear wheels through the gated manual, a now-rare stick-shift transmission that guides the gear lever through visible metal slots for each gear.
Hennessey is also targeting a dry weight below 3,000 lbs, thanks in part to a full-carbon chassis and bodywork. Initial performance estimates call for 0–60 mph in 2.5 seconds and a top speed of 220 mph. Those figures remain targets as development continues.
Pricing is expected to start at US$2.5 million before taxes. Production is currently targeted for 2029 through 2030, following the completion of Venom F5 production, and more than two-thirds of the Blackbird’s planned 71-car run has reportedly already been spoken for.
The Blackbird also takes a deliberately simple approach inside. There are no conventional infotainment screens, with Hennessey instead opting for analogue gauges, physical controls and a visible shifter mechanism.
Final production specifications, including output, weight and performance figures, could still change before customer cars begin leaving Hennessey’s Texas facility.
The Blackbird will make its public debut at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, during Monterey Car Week on August 14.
