The manual transmission is supposedly dying. Apparently, nobody had the courage to tell Hennessey.The Texas hypercar maker has taken a 2,031-horsepower, rear-wheel-drive roadster, fitted it with a six-speed gated manual, and prepared to unleash it at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on July 9. Because clearly the real problem with more than 2,000 horsepower was that drivers weren't busy enough.Called the Venom F5-M, the new machine is officially described by Hennessey as the world's most powerful production manual road car. Only 12 examples will be built, with prices starting at $2.65 million before taxes. Naturally, the expensive stuff always seems to live near the bottom of the menu.A manual gearbox connected to 2,031 horsepowerAt the heart of the F5-M is Hennessey's familiar 6.6-liter twin-turbocharged "Fury" V8, now producing 2,031 bhp. All that power heads to the rear wheels, while traction control and engine management systems attempt the unenviable job of keeping the whole operation pointed in roughly the direction selected by the driver.AdvertisementAdvertisementBMW may be covering every possible powertrain base with the 2027 BMW X5, but Hennessey's product-planning meeting seems to have been considerably shorter.Manual?Manual.How much power?Yes.View the 3 images of this gallery on the original articleThe six-speed gearbox is not some last-minute nostalgia package, either. Hennessey redesigned the cockpit around it, installing a billet aluminum shifter and a precision-milled metal gate designed to deliver a proper mechanical clink with every gear change. A six-speed manual may also be the closest thing modern America has to a passive anti-theft system.AdvertisementAdvertisementAt Goodwood, professional racing driver Alex Brundle will pilot the F5-M up the famous hill twice daily during the four-day festival. That seems sensible. At least for the first public demonstration, Hennessey found someone who actually lists "racing driver" on his résumé.Texas may require professional supervisionChevrolet is making plenty of noise about the V8s coming to the 2027 Chevrolet Silverado, while somewhere on the other side of Texas, Hennessey appears to be yelling, "That's cute."If the Silverado proves America's V8 obsession is still alive, the Venom F5-M suggests it may require professional supervision.Then there is the bodywork. The F5-M is an open-top Roadster, but Hennessey added an enormous 55-inch dorsal fin running toward the rear deck. The company says it helps manage airflow at speeds beyond 200 mph and works with an integrated roof scoop to feed cool air toward the engine bay.View the 3 images of this gallery on the original articleAdvertisementAdvertisementThere is no roof, but Hennessey did find room for a 55-inch dorsal fin. Nobody can accuse the Texans of losing focus.The first F5-M, built for a UK customer and set to debut at Goodwood, wears exposed purple carbon with gold accents. Its bespoke details include a 24-karat gold nose badge, while Hennessey's Maverick division personalized the car inside and out. The remaining cars in the 12-unit production run have been allocated to customers around the world, led by owners in the United States.View the 3 images of this gallery on the original articleIn a world increasingly filled with cars designed to make driving easier, quieter, and more automated, Hennessey has built something that asks its owner to operate a clutch while managing 2,031 horsepower with the roof off.It is excessive, unnecessary, and probably one of the most absurd new cars of 2026.We are extremely glad it exists.AdvertisementAdvertisementThis story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jul 7, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.