Tag: Videos

  • Hennessey Venom F5 hits 200 mph during aerodynamics testing

    The first of three phases of testing for the Hennessey Venom F5 is complete ahead of the supercar’s planned public debut at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance in May. Hennessey announced Tuesday that a test car hit 200 mph during aerodynamics testing.

    That speed—achieved on a 2.2-mile runway at a former United States Air Force base in Arkansas—is about two thirds of the Venom’s claimed 311 mph top speed, but this test wasn’t about breaking records. The team, headed by chief engineer John Heinricy, were focusing on mid-speed refinement and coast-down behavior, a Hennessey press release said. Heinricy spent many years at General Motors, including as assistant chief engineer for the Corvette.

    The Venom F5’s 6.6-liter twin-turbo V-8 was also restricted to 900 hp, only about half its target output of 1,817 hp. With the taps fully opened, Hennessey claims the V-8 will also produce 1,193 lb-ft of torque, and rev to 8,500 rpm (although it’s restricted to 8,200 rpm outside a special F5 mode). Power is handled by a CIMA 7-speed single-clutch automated manual transmission.

    In addition to the unused Air Force base, the testing program has included stops at Hennessey’s own Sealy, Texas, site and England’s Silverstone circuit, where the first of 24 Venom F5 supercars was built. The next phase of development will include road testing and more track time to refine the car’s agility, poise and driver feedback. Testing sessions will take place at Laguna Seca and Circuit of the Americas (COTA), according to Hennessey. There is no word yet on the focus of the third phase of testing.

    Hennessey Venom F5 aerodynamics testing

    Hennessey Venom F5 aerodynamics testing

    The names “Hennessey” and “Venom” may sound familiar, but the Venom F5 is a different car than the 265-mph Venom GT, and it’s built by a new company called Hennessey Special Vehicles (HSV), which is separate from Hennessey Performance Engineering’s modification business.

    As with the Venom GT, though, Hennessey is looking to break the production-car land-speed record, this time by blowing past 300 mph. The company previously said it was considering a top-speed run on a closed section of Texas highway in 2021, using a customer car.

    Hennessey said last December that 12 of the 24 build slots were taken, with eight going to customers in the U.S. Those buyers will have to register their cars under the “Show or Display” rule, just like the McLaren Speedtail.

    Pricing has climbed since the Venom F5 styling buck was unveiled in 2017. At the time, Hennessey quoted a $1.6 million price tag, but that rose to $1.8 million for anyone who hadn’t locked in an order by January 2020. It’s now $2.1 million for the remaining build slots.

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  • GROUP B HILL CLIMB CARS: 10 OF THE BEST

    For many, rallying peaked with the introduction of Group B cars that boasted obscene power and chassis combinations that sadly ended in countless crashes with not only the surrounding scenery, but also spectators. Now, those Group B cars are being enjoyed on Hill Climb events around the world, here are some of the best.

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    What is Group B rallying?

    Group B was a set of rules introduced in 1982 alongside Group N, A and C, replacing the previous Group 1-6 rules in motorsport. Group B replaced both Group 4 and 5 and with it had a stipulation that manufacturers had to build 200 examples of the car for homologation purposes over a 12-month window. Alongside this, an Evolution clause was also added that allowed manufacturers to build an extra 20 cars that could see changes to engine displacement, aerodynamics and front and rear structures.

    The rules as to what they were allowed to build were extremely relaxed compared to current standards, with the only rules relating to displacement, weight and wheel width. Cars with engines up to 2-litre displacement had to have a minimum weight limit of 820kg (cars like the Renault 5 Turbo were in this category), with 4-litre cars weighing no less than 1100kg. If the car was using forced induction, a factor of 1.4 was applied. As a result, a 1.8-turbo would sit in the 2.5-litre displacement class.

    The Audi Quattro and Metro 6R4 sat in the 3-litre category, with the 6R4 using a 3.0-litre naturally-aspirated V6 engine, and the Quattro using a 2.1-litre turbocharged five-cylinder engine. The Peugeot 205 T16 and Lancia Delta S4 were in the 2.5-litre class, while the likes of the Porsche 959 were in the 4-litre class.

    Alongside the introduction of Group B rules, Audi introduced its four-wheel drive system which slashed huge time off of stages. Previously, cars used a rear-wheel drive layout, and as a we all know, on a low-grip surface with high amounts of power, there’s only so much that can be sent through the wheels successfully. That being said, Audi’s weight distribution issues plagued them in the early days.

    It was only through months of further development that teams really started to understand four-wheel drive systems in a competition format, and thus were increasing power levels alongside it. Couple that with extensive use of carbon fibre, Kevlar and plastic and you had cars that were ferociously fast thanks to their low weight. The likes of Audi adopted a huge aerodynamic package that is iconic even to this day.

    Sadly, it took a number of deaths including that of Lancia superstar driver Henri Toivonen and his co-driver Sergio Cresto, before Group B was finally abolished in 1986. It came down to the very real fact that virtually no safety equipment was on board. It couldn’t be in order for cars to weigh as little as they did. After all, a 5-cylinder, turbocharged engine in the Audi Quattro produced some 800bhp on the right day, but didn’t have to exceed 1000kg, this meant everything that could possibly be removed was removed, with drivers like Toivonen and essentially sat on top of fuel tanks within a tubular spaceframe chassis, as seen in his Lancia Delta S4, with little to no protection.

    Thankfully, Group B cars hasn’t entirely disappeared, though, with events like the Hill Climb series you see here allowing entries from the monstrous rally car era. In this video you see a Quattro S1 E2, Lancia Delta S4, Peugeot 205 T16 Evo 2, Ford RS200 Evo Pikes Peak, Renault 5 Turbo, Audi Quattro S2 Pikes Peak, Metro 6R4 and a Renault 5 Maxi Turbo. Which is your favourite?

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  • Jay Leno looks at a hybrid from 1916

    The Toyota Prius may have popularized the concept, but hybrid cars existed long before the now-ubiquitous Toyota hatchback. The Owen Magnetic featured on this episode of Jay Leno’s Garage dates to 1916—about 80 years before the Prius launched.

    It’s important to remember that, at the turn of the 20th century, battery-electric cars were quite common. But just like today, they were limited by range and charging infrastructure. The Owen Magnetic was pitched as an electric car with a range-extending gasoline generator—not unlike the former Chevrolet Volt or the BMW i3 REx.

    The car is a series hybrid, with the internal-combustion engine acting exclusively as a generator for an electric motor, which actually drives the wheels, rather than a parallel hybrid, like most modern hybrid cars.

    1916 Owen Magnetic on Jay Leno's Garage

    1916 Owen Magnetic on Jay Leno’s Garage

    The Buda inline-6 engine isn’t physically connected to the drivetrain. A horseshoe magnet is attached to the end of the crankshaft, which spins around an armature attached to an electric motor, which in turn drives the rear wheels. In 1916, an advantage of this setup was that it did away with a conventional transmission, making the Owen Magnetic accessible to people who couldn’t drive stick, Leno noted. It also enables regenerative braking, just like modern hybrids and electric cars.

    Leno has had this car for about 30 years, and it was not in good condition when he got it, as it had sat exposed to the elements for decades in Norway. With no reproduction parts available for this exceedingly rare car, Leno’s shop had to fabricate nearly everything. The distinctive angled valve cover with “Owen Magnetic” lettering was replicated using 3D printing. Leno also installed modern Optima batteries.

    Watch the full video to see this piece of hybrid history cruising around the streets surrounding Leno’s famous garage.

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