Hennessey Special Vehicles has revealed the Blackbird, a naturally aspirated, manual transmission touring hypercar limited to 71 examples worldwide and priced from $2.5 million before taxes. The car makes its public debut on August 14 at The Quail in California, with more than two-thirds of the production run already allocated. Customer production is targeted for 2029 to 2030, with each car designed, engineered, and built in Texas.
Power comes from an all-new naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 developed with Ilmor Engineering, targeting 800 to 850 hp and an engine speed of more than 9,000 rpm, which Hennessey expects to make it the highest-revving and most powerful naturally aspirated V8 in a road car. The sole drivetrain configuration is a six-speed gated manual with rear-wheel drive, and performance targets include 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds and a top speed of 220 mph. The car is built on a bespoke full carbon tub with carbon fiber bodywork, inboard adaptive suspension, and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, with a target dry weight under 3,000 pounds.
Design draws from the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, including a body-side chine line and active vertical rear stabilizers that deploy automatically at 71 mph and sit at plus or minus 71 degrees, a reference to the aircraft’s designation. The cabin follows an analog-first approach with no infotainment screen, no digital displays, and no steering wheel buttons, centered on a large analog tachometer, while navigation, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto run through the driver’s phone in a dedicated holster. Hennessey says the car is engineered to cover more than 800 miles in a day, with front trunk space for two full-size carry-on bags, rear-quarter storage, and gullwing doors.
Blackbird is the third hypercar from Hennessey Special Vehicles, following the Venom GT and Venom F5, and becomes the company’s next core program as Venom F5 production is expected to end around 2028.
Hennessey® Blackbird® | Global Hypercar Debut
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