Photograph Credit: Hennessey Efficiency Engineering
Divisive (significantly, simply verify the feedback every time we point out the identify) Texas tremendous tuner and occasional small-batch automobile producer, Hennessey, unveiled its newest undertaking on August third. Dubbed “Blackbird” in honor of the legendary Lockheed SR-71 strategic reconnaissance plane, the newest solo-effort from Hennessey will focus on one factor: final driver engagement and, fittingly, simply 71 will probably be constructed.
This driver-first mantra marks a major break from the agency’s earlier number-chasing work within the Venom GT – say what you need about John Hennessey, however the man’s acquired model, who else noticed the gorgeous simplicity of the Lotus Exige and mentioned, “to be complete, this car needs a twin-turbo LS7 instead of that Camry V6,” then adopted by and made it occur – and F5 that were built to tackle Bugatti in a, actually lengthy, straight line to 300+ MPH.
The Earth-bound Blackbird, Hennessey claims, will nonetheless be able to hitting a considerable 220 MPH, however it’s a completely new breed; a driver’s automobile. Energy comes from a Chevy-based 6.2L V8 developed along with the parents behind the Bow-Tie’s present IndyCar energy items, Ilmor Engineering. Whereas specs haven’t been finalized at this level, the closely reworked Small-Block is claimed to make in extra of 800 HP whereas remaining naturally aspirated and revving to 9,000 RPM, with no complicated hybridization, and probably a brand new DOHC valvetrain. As superior as that sounds, the engine isn’t the half we hope GM is watching.
Nor are we taking a look at the actual, and spectacular – sorry, Ferrari – mechanical clutch and six-speed gated handbook gearbox. That’s been on our wish list for the reason that debut of the mid-engine Corvette, and, together with our cronies, we’ve made that fairly clear to The Common, in order that they’re nicely conscious of Corvette Nation’s deep craving for a brand new stick shift.
No, what we actually hope to see GM, and the remainder of the trade, clue into, is what Hennessey neglected of the Blackbird. Once more, following the lead of the ultra-fast but additionally ultra-exclusive and luxurious Bugatti, Hennessey’s latest creation has utterly shunned inside screens and opted for the timelessness of analog gauges and the naked minimal of buttons.
Since flat-screen TVs debuted within the late Nineties, shoppers have been conditioned to equate display dimension with desirability. As soon as large TV panels grew to become commonplace in folks’s properties, private units took the display baton and ran with it. Finally this bled into the automotive sector, the place newcomer Tesla led the cost and everybody from GM and Ram to Mercedes-Maybach (the only way to still get an S-Class with a V12!) began jockeying for digital sq. inch supremacy.
Bugatti was the primary to determine what the fabulously wealthy already knew: a $10 Chinese language LCD was by no means luxurious, however now that they’re in each KIA, they’ve utterly misplaced their luster; identical to the 55-inch and larger TV’s that used to play a central function in cul-de-sac one-upmanship, as soon as everybody had one. The opposite core downside with including extra visible tech to vehicles is that regardless of a display’s decision, it’ll ultimately look as dated because the C4 Corvette’s once-groundbreaking digital displays in 2026… within the unlikely occasion that it lasts lengthy sufficient so far itself.
With rumors flying in regards to the C9’s arrival being closer than we think, right here’s hoping that when it debuts, it does so with fewer screens. Oh, and we’ll take that handbook transmission, whereas they’re at it! As for the Blackbird, search for its official unveiling at Monterey Automotive Week’s “The Quail” on August 14th. Hennessey says manufacturing will start for the 2029 mannequin 12 months – which may coincide with the earliest dates we’ve heard for C9 manufacturing – with a base value of $2.5 million after they name a wrap on the Venom F5 in ’28.
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