Hennessey goes analogue with Blackbird hypercar

The Blackbird is Hennessey Special Vehicles’ third hypercar and features a naturally aspirated V8 engine, a gated six-speed manual and no screens.

Hennessey Blackbird with Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird — *The Hennessey Blackbird is inspired by the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. – Hennessey Special Vehicles photo*

Hennessey, the U.S.-based automotive company known for tuning some wild rides, has revealed an original car, with this one going as analogue as it gets.

The company’s Hennessey Special Vehicles division has revealed the Blackbird.

The Blackbird is the company’s third hypercar, following the Venom GT and Venom F5.

The car is aerospace-inspired and gets its name from the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird.

Only 71 examples of the Blackbird will be produced. The car is assembled in Texas.

The car has a starting U.S. price of $2.5 million ($3.51 million Canadian).

Hennessey Blackbird interior from driver's area — *The Hennessey Blackbird features a gated six-speed manual transmission. – Hennessey Special Vehicles photo*

Car transports you to analogue era

Hennessey’s Blackbird is like a time machine that transports you back to an analogue era.

It is powered by a naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 engine that spins at more than 9,000 rpm. Hennessey is targeting an output of 800 to 850 hp.

The car has rear-wheel drive.

The driver selects the gear via a gated six-speed manual transmission.

There are no screens onboard, with the driver, instead, getting vehicle information from an analogue gauge that features a large central tachometer.

The car also has physical keys.

“Blackbird isn’t just the next chapter in the Hennessey story, it represents the beginning of a new book. Our third hypercar, Blackbird, is unexpected by design, yet it’s exactly what I wanted to create and what our customers have been asking for. Challenging expectations has always been part of our DNA,” said company founder and CEO John Hennessey, in a news release.

“From the beginning, Blackbird was guided by a simple idea: to deliver an analog experience where beauty and drama define every moment. This is not a numbers car. We set out to create an unparalleled emotional experience, from the first time you see it to the moment you take the wheel and feel the connection between driver and machine.”

Hennessey Blackbird side — *The Hennessey Blackbird has a top speed of 220 mph. – Hennessey Special Vehicles photo*

Performance

The car is still undergoing homologation for key global markets.

Hennessey created an all-new bespoke full-carbon tub for the car with carbon-fibre bodywork. Hennessey is targeting a weight of less than 3,000 pounds.

The automaker said the Blackbird will hit zero to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds and will have a top speed of 220 mph.

The car rides on Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 and features an adaptive suspension, ABS and traction control.

Aerospace inspiration

There’s more to the car than just an aerospace-inspired name. The car also has a few aerospace-inspired elements.

Hennessey points out the car has a long stance, disciplined surfacing, and a crisp body-side chine line.

The car also has active vertical stabilizers that automatically deploy at 71 mph and sit at +/- 71 degrees. Hennessey said these stabilizers are aerodynamically functional.

Hennessey Blackbird seats — *The Hennessey Blackbird has storage space behind the driver and passenger. – Hennessey Special Vehicles photo*

Ride comfort considered

Hennessey said the Blackbird is comfortable enough for daily use.

The company said the car was engineered to cover more than 800 miles in a day.

Compared to the Venom F5, the Blackbird has a larger glasshouse and gullwing doors, and more cabin space.

Other efforts that help improve the ride include an adaptive suspension, improved noise, vibration and harshness (NVH), four cup holders, luggage capacity for two full-size carry-on bags, a rear-quarter cabin storage area and space for devices.

Hennessey is targeting customer production of the Blackbird in 2029-30.

More information is available on the Hennessey Special Vehicles website.