Hennessey Upgrades The Ford Mustang Dark Horse And GT
It’s a great time to be a Ford Mustang fan. Depending on what your bank account can handle, there are high-performance options like the GT, Dark Horse, and the upcoming GTD. Plus, there are persistent rumors of a hybrid model joining the lineup eventually.
Hennessey is a tuner that’s well acquainted with extracting significant increases in power from American performance cars. Its latest creation is the Mustang Super Venom, with a limited production run of 91 units, which is a reference to the tuning company’s founding in 1991.
The table below compares the Super Venom’s power with other Mustang trims.
Model | Horsepower | Torque |
Hennessey Ford Mustang Super Venom | 850 HP | 650 LB-FT |
Mustang GTD | 816 HP | 664 LB-FT |
Mustang Dark Horse | 500 HP | 418 LB-FT |
Mustang GT | 480 HP | 486 LB-FT |
Mustang EcoBoost | 315 HP | 350 LB-FT |
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The Hennessey Super Venom
Ford Mustang Hennessey Super Venom Front Angle
To significantly improve the Mustang’s performance, Hennessey takes Ford’s 5.0-liter Coyote V-8 and adds a supercharger, high-flow air induction system, upgraded fuel injectors, and an improved fuel pump. The modifications are available on cars with either the six-speed manual or 10-speed automatic transmission.
Hennessey says the Mustang Super Venom can hit 60 miles per hour in 3.2 seconds and cover the quarter-mile in 10.9 seconds at 133 miles per hour. For comparison, a stock Dark Horse model requires 3.7 seconds to reach 60 mph and covers the quarter-mile in 12 seconds at 118.4 mph.
A custom body kit includes a functional hood vent and fender louvers. Other alterations include side skirts, a duckbill spoiler on the deck lid, and a tall wing.
The Super Venom is available in three stripe packages – black, silver, and red. Buyers can match their preferred color with any factory body color available on the Mustang.
Hennessey also tweaks the Mustang’s interior. The company re-covers the seats in leather and either blue or black Alcántara. There’s also a re-upholstered center console and a plaque on the dashboard. An embossed Hennessey signature also appears on the chairs.
The Super Venom costs $163,850 for a version based on the Dark Horse trim or $149,950 with the GT grade as the starting point. Hennessey’s dealer network is accepting orders for them now.
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Other Tuned Mustangs
Hennessey isn't the only company tuning the new Mustang. Shelby American recently introduced its GT350 package with a supercharged V-8, making up to 830 horsepower. There's also the track-focused GT350R with an upgraded suspension, stiffer chassis, improved brakes, and a half roll cage with four-point harnesses.
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The Ford Mustang GTD lapped the Nürburgring in 6 minutes and 57.685 seconds. Does that time impress you? The Porsche 911 GT3 RS did it in 2022 in 6:54.99 but with lower power at 518 horsepower and a price starting at around $241,000, which beats the Mustang GTD beginning at around $325,000. There's no doubt that the new Mustang GTD is quick, but what's your take on it?
TopSpeed's Take
Ford Mustang Hennessey Super Venom Engine
American muscle cars are far from dead. The standard Mustang is already an exciting product, and tuners like Hennessey are making it even better. For a vehicle that's still so fresh on the market, we can't wait to see what the Blue Oval and vehicle modifiers can extract from the model as it evolves.
