Hennessey Design CEO Envisions Competitor to 911 Dakar and Huracan Sterrato

Viewing without admiration? Imagining impossible as an enthusiast?

During a recent conversation with Hennessey’s design chief, Nathan Malinick, we delved into the latest trend in supercar designs: off-road supercars. I was curious to know if Hennessey had any plans to venture into this territory. Malinick’s response was immediate and filled with enthusiasm. “I absolutely love it! As an enthusiast, how can you not find it cool?” he exclaimed. He then added, “If you haven’t seen a 911 Dakar or Huracan Sterrato in person yet, then you’re missing out.”

This is a moment where quantifying coolness becomes a challenge. While Hennessey can calculate the immense power produced by the Venom F5 and its enormous V8 engine, and when it attempts its top speed record this year, it will also be able to measure the level of coolness. However, there is an aura of awesomeness surrounding an off-road supercar that defies measurement. One reason for this is that it makes owning and experiencing a supercar more accessible.

In today’s car market, it seems that every high-performance vehicle boasts a staggering 600 or more horsepower, can reach 60 miles per hour in under three seconds, and surpasses the legal speed limit in just second gear. However, this extreme level of performance often proves to be too much for real-life driving experiences. Even on a race track, there are significant drawbacks and limitations. Yet, Malinick believes that an off-road supercar offers a more enjoyable experience, even if you don’t push its full power potential. By simply finding a dirt road, you can revel in the exotic engine noise and thrilling sideways maneuvers without needing to break the sound barrier to overcome traction limitations.

Malinick is quite fond of the concept, but does this imply that Hennessey has intentions to create an off-road version of the Venom F5?

According to Hennessey, they have already had a chance to test the Venom F5 in an off-road setting. As Malinick explains, “We recently brought the F5 to the F.A.T Ice Race in Colorado and had a blast, making it our first off-road adventure.” The Venom F5 Revolution was one of the few official manufacturer entries participating in the sideways antics.

“Does that mean we’ll do a Venom F5 Dakar-type supercar?” inquires Malinick. “It’s not currently on our agenda, but I wouldn’t reject the idea entirely.”

Although it is not currently in development, Hennessey has demonstrated its ability to quickly respond to the needs of its customers, as emphasized by Malinick in our interview. “As a small company, we are able to cater to the desires of our customers,” he explains, citing examples such as the accelerated timeline for the creation of the Venom F5 Revolution due to customer requests, or the delay of Project Deep Space in order to prioritize other projects.

According to Hennessey’s representative, the company boasts a diverse range of capabilities. “We strive to produce unique and exceptional vehicles, which is why we are willing to explore anything in between the extremes of Deep Space and Venom GT/F5,” he states while motioning to both sides of the camera. Deep Space, the code name for a futuristic 6×6 electric hyper-GT featuring gullwing doors and diamond-shaped seating for four, is currently in development.

Given the current trend of off-road supercars, it wouldn’t be unexpected for an increasing number of car manufacturers to join in. For those who share a passion for both the Hennessey Venom F5 and off-road supercars, it is clear who should be urged to turn this idea into a concrete product.