Image Credit: Hennessey.Hennessey has never been shy about building outrageous performance machines, yet the new Venom F5-M pushes the formula into even wilder territory. The Texas-based hypercar maker has revealed a 2,031-horsepower open-top Venom with a six-speed gated manual transmission.The first customer-spec example will make its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where it is scheduled to run up the famous hill climb multiple times. For a modern hypercar, that alone is enough to draw a crowd.What makes the F5-M especially fascinating is its deliberate rejection of the usual hypercar playbook. Instead of relying on a rapid-fire dual-clutch gearbox, Hennessey has placed full control back in the driver's right hand.AdvertisementAdvertisementOnly 12 examples of the Venom F5-M Roadster will be built, making it one of the rarest models in Hennessey's growing F5 family. Pricing starts at $2.65 million before taxes, and heavy personalization can push the final figure much higher.A 2,031-HP V8 With Three PedalsImage Credit: Hennessey.At the center of the Venom F5-M is Hennessey's 6.6-liter twin-turbocharged "Fury" V8. In this latest specification, the engine produces 2,031 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and 1,445 lb-ft of torque at 5,200 rpm.That power is sent to the rear wheels through a six-speed gated manual transmission. The billet shifter sits proudly in the cabin, giving the F5-M the kind of mechanical theater that has nearly vanished from the upper end of the hypercar world.Hennessey says it has recalibrated the engine management and traction control systems to deliver power more progressively through each gear. Even so, a rear-drive roadster with this much output and a manual gearbox will demand real commitment from whoever is brave enough to drive it hard.Goodwood Gets The First Customer CarThe first customer-spec Venom F5-M belongs to a British collector and arrives with an especially bold configuration. Its body is finished largely in exposed purple-tinted carbon fiber, contrasted by traditional carbon sections on the hood, roof area, and engine cover.AdvertisementAdvertisementGold accents add even more visual drama, including the wheels, striping, and several personalized details. The car also wears a 24-karat gold nose badge created through Hennessey's Maverick personalization division.The owner's family name, "Sheikh," appears on the rear of the car and is repeated inside through matching embroidery on the knee pads. It is not a subtle specification, although subtlety was never really the point of a 2,031-hp manual hypercar.A Dorsal Fin Built For SpeedImage Credit: Hennessey.One of the F5-M's most distinctive features is its 55-inch dorsal fin. The carbon fiber element stretches from the roof-mounted intake toward the rear deck and is designed to improve high-speed aerodynamic stability beyond 200 mph.On the Goodwood debut car, the fin also carries hand-painted American and British flags in gold. That detail connects Hennessey's Texas roots with the nationality of the car's owner.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Venom F5-M also benefits from Hennessey's latest F5 Evolution upgrades. These include revised aerodynamics, updated chassis architecture, adaptive suspension tuning, and improved control systems.The Manual Hypercar Lives OnInside, the F5-M combines exposed carbon fiber with white leather and gold details. Purple carbon fiber appears throughout the cabin, including on the seats and transmission tunnel, creating a look that matches the exterior's dramatic personality.Hennessey says the manual transmission and updated chassis package will eventually be offered across other Venom F5 variants. That includes the Coupe, Roadster, and track-focused Revolution, giving future buyers a chance to pair extreme power with a traditional gearbox.The Venom F5-M is unlikely to be the easiest or quickest way to cover ground in a modern hypercar. That is exactly why it feels so refreshing, because it puts involvement and spectacle ahead of chasing sterile perfection.AdvertisementAdvertisementIn an era when many flagship performance cars are becoming more automated, electrified, and electronically filtered, Hennessey's newest creation is proudly analog in one crucial way. A 2,031-hp roadster with a gated manual is excessive, theatrical, and slightly absurd, which is precisely what makes it so compelling.If you want more stories like this, follow Guessing Headlights on Yahoo so you don't miss what's coming next.
