What’s next for McLaren? The MP4-12C went into production early last year and it has been doing very well, despite some early quality in niggles. Back in 2010, McLaren promised to launch 5 new models or model variants over the next five years. MP4-12C was 2011′s launch – how about 2012? That is likely to be the MP4-12C Spyder. After that, a new supercar will likely slot in above it.

The guys over at Hennessey aren’t waiting for that though, introducing a new HPE800 package for the MP4-12C that should give it similar performance. As its name implies, Hennessey boosts the MP4-12C’s power level up to 800 brake horsepower, up from 592 hp.

The engine has entirely been reworked, and McLaren’s twin turbos have been swapped out for Hennessey units with higher boost. The extra power requires some significant upgrades in the form of an intercooler, intake, titanium exhaust, transmission and reworked engine management system. Henneessey also says there is a “custom dyno-tuned engine calibration.”

All this is covered under a Hennessey warranty, which is good because this package will void your McLaren one. To match the extra power, Hennessey fitted some exterior upgrades that aim to increase visual excitement. They include a CarbonAero body kit with larger side heat exchangers, a new front air inlet and a hood extractor, along with Monoblock wheels. This aimed at addressing critics who think the MP4-12C isn’t visually engaging enough.

One of the most interesting things about this whole release is a tidbit about the car’s suspension. The 12C’s suspension system has been left untouched. The reason? Hennessey says “factory systems will be difficult to improve on.” That is an extremely strong endorsement of the car’s handling prowess. Normally there is a need to beef up components and rework the suspension when power levels are boosted. The Hennessey McLaren MP4-12C HPE800 will be available as a singular package as well as in individual parts. Pricing information hasn’t been released yet.

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Sometimes, enough is just never enough. To most, 550 horsepower in the Cadillac CTS-V Coupe is considered extremely fast. Hennessey Automotive begs to differ though, always pushing the boundaries of automotive insanity. But hey, insanity can be a lot of fun huh? Especially on a track.

Now, the company is releasing a new Cadillac Hennessey V1000 Twin Turbo CTS-V Coupe. This car comes on the heels of V700 upgrade that was previously introduced. The V1000 takes that up a notch to an eye-popping 1,000 horsepower. Talk about fast! The V-8 is 427 cubic inches in capacity, and as its name implies, is fed by twin turbochargers.

To make all that power, the LS7 V-8 has been beefed up with connecting rods and a crank made from forged steel, forged low-compression pistons, and ARP main studs and head bolts. When you’re pushing nearly double the amount of original horsepower though, changes must be made all around.

As such the manual transmission has been upgraded with a Centerforce Dual Friction Clutch and the automatic unit with a Performance Build & Torque Converter Upgrade. 0-60 arrives in 3.5 seconds, and the 1/4 mile in 10.9 at 136 mph. To bring the car to a halt, new 15-inch ceramic brakes have been fitted.

The exterior is more hunkered down and supercar-like, thanks to a lowered suspension (by 1 inch) and CarbonAero wide body kit. To save weight and make a change in appearance the CTS-V V1000 also gains front fenders, an extractor hood, rear diffuser and rear fended flares all made from carbon fiber.

General Motors test driver John Heinricy retuned the CTS-V’s standard Magnetic Ride Control (MRC) suspension. As a bonus, buyers of the car will get a day’s driving experience with Henricy. That will come at a steep price of entry, we’re sure. Only 12 copies of the V1000 are slated to be built – at a price yet to be announced. Stay tuned.

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The only true disappointment with many auto shows is the limited or non-existent opportunity of seeing the greatest creations in motoring in motion. Taking place on the first weekend of July, the 2011 edition of the Goodwood Festival of Speed is an outside exhibition where museum-quality, near priceless machines are seen and heard. Within a well-forested area where plenty of green space, the event is also considered as “the largest motoring garden party in the world”. First held in 1993, the Goodwood Festival of Speed has grown as a multi-day world gathering that featured some of the most marvellous pieces of motorsport history.

With motor vehicles as ancient as the 1909 Blitzen-Benz, presentations of auto racing’s golden age within the 1950s through to the 1970s intrigued as signs of automotive technology progression. The Chaparral 2J CanAm sports car and a Ford GT40 were a few of the classic motorsport combatants in motion at the 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed. A fantastic opportunity for 150,000 spectators to be willingly schooled in auto racing history, the hills of Goodwood connected to the 21st century with future classic vehicles. Fresh off a victory at the 24-Hour of Le Mans, the Audi R18 Tdi was driven by Audi Team Joust driver Marco Werner. A British touring car-fitted Chevrolet Cruze as well as GT3 class sports cars such as the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and the all-new McLaren MP4-12C brought into prospective over 100 years of power and glory. In amongst all the motoring history, automobiles transcending the timeline included the Audi Ur-quattro S1, Porsche 917/30, Jaguar XJR9 le mans prototype and a Hennessey Venom GT supercar.

Beyond the beauty of the race cars themselves, the most attractive quality for the Goodwood Festival of Speed is the reuniting of the world’s most successful motorsport drivers with vehicles having provided a significant role in defining their careers. This year, the spectacle of cars and drivers side-by-side has never been stronger as Indy car, Formula 1, sports car, rally car and motorcycle racing. Awaking the hills on the Friday kicking off the three-day event, past racing greats such as Formula 1 World champion Emerson Fittipadi, three-time open wheel champion Bobby Rahal and three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Unser began navigating the Goodwood hill, a 1.16-mile rising 300 feet to a finishing summit. While there were some timed runs with certain cars, it could be forgivable that most vehicles were more paraded up Goodwood‘s track.

With internal combustion engines powering most of the cars of yesterday and today, 1963 Indy 500 winner Parnelli Jones revved-up something completely different. Called the Lotus 56, Jones piloted a 1968 jet turbine powered Indy car designed to go after a Brickyard victory. An aerodynamic wedge-shaped vehicle, the Lotus 56 was a revision to a 1967 vehicle Parnelli Jones almost guided to a win at the Indy 500. As the race’s sanctioning body outlawed turbine-powered cars in 1969, the Lotus 56 retired winless in competition. Shown off at the 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the car was brought back to life projecting its unusual automotive sound to the crowd.

As an assortment of modern race vehicles rolled at the English motoring festival, current motorsport stars presented themselves to the crowds through the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the show. Recent Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon, Formula 1 driver for Red Bull Racing Mark Webber and Mercedes GP’s Nico Rosberg were among a few names at Goodwood. IZOD INDYCAR Series point’s leader for Target/Chip Ganassi Racing Dario Franchitti showed some respect to some older racing machines than his regular Dallara-Honda. Driving a Mercedes-Benz 190 Evo II, Franchitti also received a second chance to pilot the 1965 Lotus 38. First rear-engined vehicle to win at the Indianapolis 500 in the hands of the legendary Jimmy Clark, Franchitti first connected to his fellow Scottish driver Lotus 38 last year in a photo-op at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Other active racers at Goodwood Festival of Speed included the McLaren Formula 1 drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button. Trusted with a variety of McLaren cars, the pair drove the 6-time winning 1980s McLaren MP4/1, the 2008 driver championship-winning MP4/23 car and the McLaren MP4-12C supercar. The Ferrari, Lotus-Renault GP and Red Bull Racing Formula 1 cars would also take to the Goodwood hill.

Having formally announced his retirement during mid-June, 81 year-old British driving ace Sir Sterling Moss gave the Goodwood crowd a show of motoring greatness. Well-regarded as the best Formula 1 driver never to win a world championship, Moss appeared to have exempted the 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed. On the two days he was attended the event, Sterling Moss took the wheel of the 1961 Ferguson Project 99 (a car Moss declared his favourite Formula 1 car). For those wondering, yes the Ferguson name on the Formula 1 car was connected to the farm tractor company. In fact, the all-wheel drive open wheel racer was built as a showcase for the gearboxes employed on the tractors. Driven by Sterling Moss to victory in the 1961 International Gold Cup, non-championship Formula 1 held at Oulton Park, England racing in wet conditions. The victory is recorded as the last win by a front-engined Formula 1 car and the only victory by a four-wheel drive. Timed on the Goodwood hill, Moss negotiated the classic Ferguson Project 99 through the circuit in 1 minute, 42.6 seconds. While Sterling Moss was 6th fastest in the machine, the Ferguson Project 99 was wheeled to a best in category time of 1 minute and 2.3 seconds on Saturday in the hands of Stuart Rolt. Stuart Rolt is the son of the car co-developer and Formula 1 driver Tony Rolt.

Apart from the moving motorsport history lesson, many automotive companies provided traditional static displays. Showing off their latest products, Jaguar exhibited their CX-75 supercar while Ferrari brought the upcoming FF grand tourer to the public show. Displaying some modified performance with a hybrid powertrain, Honda allowed viewers to witness the Mugen-prepared CR-Z sports car.

After three days, the fortunate motoring-adoring crowds left having sampled a feast of dynamic automotive and motorcycle racing history. A 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed is an event words would fail to fully-encompass.

Information source: The Goodwood Estate Company Limited, Ferrari, Honda UK, Jaguar
Photo source: Ferrari, INDYCAR, Jaguar

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Must suck to be the Nissan GT-R. Yeah, it’s a fantastic car and a true track superstar, but being the best also comes with the burden of being the benchmark – the car that gets picked on and constantly compared to. The worst is when you – a supercar – are compared to the epitome of big-honkin’ SUVs – the Cadillac Escalade.

Of course, this is no typical blinged-out Escalade, it’s been given the Hennessey treatment with their new “HPE1000″ upgrade package. That means it boasts, among many other engine upgrades, two turbochargers allowing the engine to produce just over 1000 horsepower from its 6.2-liter V8. The first thing that makes me wonder is how they’re able to get more power than the Bugatti Veyron with half the number of cylinders and turbochargers. It also makes me wonder why you’d want over 1000 horsepower out of an already overpriced family-hauler. Aside from the fact, of course, that you could beat a Nissan GT-R in a drag race. Check out the video below for that little spectacle:

So that’s impressive, but there are a couple caveats here. First, the Caddy only beat the GT-R by a tenth of a second, and that includes the couple tenths head start it got off the line. Second, they aren’t using the new and improved 2012 GT-R, which happens to be able to hit 60 mph from a stop in only 2.9 seconds.

But still, a ridiculously heavy Cadillac Escalade beating a supercar at anything aside from amount of cargo space and size of its “dubz” is an impressive feat, so we give Hennessey props for that.

The HPE1000 kit is available for any 2007 to 2011 GM SUV or Truck using the 6.2-liter V8, so if you happen to own a Tahoe, Suburban, Silverado, Yukon, Sierra, Escalade or Hummer H2, you could (in theory) beat an (older) Nissan GT-R in a straight-line drag race. Check out some more pictures below, including a dyno chart:

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In my inbox, via main man Chris, comes the latest on the Hennessey Venom GT. All the official details and photos. At the top of my editor’s missive it reads” Hey Tony, could you run this ASAP please? … Holy crap… Thanks, Chris”. I couldn’t agree more. Holy crap indeed.

Now, you could say that doing something like stuffing a big, fire-breathing V8 into the middle of a Lotus Elise is a bad idea. That it would upset the sublime balance of this damn near perfect car. I might be one to say that, given my love of the Elise, and of balanced sportscars. Then again, who am I to argue?

This (taking a British chassis and stuffing in an American V8) was a formula that worked wonders for Carroll Shelby, and who’s to say that it won’t work here.

“This is not the first time that Britain and America have joined forces to produce a weapon of mass propulsion. Over fifty years ago the American-built P-51 Mustang fighter aircraft was flown into history powered by a British Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. Today the Hennessey Venom GT promises to set a new standard of power to weight ratio in the rarefied air of today’s supercar market”, said company founder and president, John Hennessey.

The Venom GT will have a production curb weight of less than 2,400 lbs (1,071 kilos). Yes, that is a lot more than the flyweight Elise, but 2400 pounds, about what a new Miata weighs, is pretty damn light. Especially when you consider the power this thing has. The light weight is aided by carbon fiber bodywork and carbon fiber wheels. Whoaing the whole deal up are Brembo brakes with 6-piston calipers up front and 4-piston calipers in rear clamping down on 15-inch carbon ceramic rotors.

And speaking of ‘the power this thing has’, the short story is like this: The Venom GT’s base power plant is the supercharged 6.2 liter LS9 V8 (the same as in the Corvette ZR1) tweaked by Hennessey to 725 bhp. Note that is the BASE model mill you can order up. If you want (or are rich and suicidal) Hennessey will also be offering 1000 bhp and 1200 bhp twin turbo V8 engine variants. The mid-engine V8 plant will transmit its power to the rear tires via a Ricardo 6-speed gearbox, and thence, onto the tarmac via massive Michelin PS2 tires.

So, 700+ to 1200 BHP in a 2400 pound car the size of a microwave oven. Controllable? It will be, because Hennessey plans to manage power output by using a programmable traction control system. CFD (computational fluid dynamic) tested bodywork and down force will also help keep the Venom stable at speed, although no mention is made of just what those speeds might be … I mean, c’mon, do the math. There is also an active aero system with adjustable rear wing that will deploy under varying conditions. There is also an adjustable suspension system will allow ride height adjustments according to speed and driving conditions.

Hennessey will be building the engines at their Texas facility, and from there the engines will be air freighted to the company’s assembly facility near Silverstone, England where the Venom GT is built and tested. The lucky Venom GT buyer will be offered a 1-day driver orientation and instruction program by a Hennessey factory test driver, at a track in the UK or USA prior to delivery. Well, at least they have some sense of responsibility.

Hennessey says that production is limited to just 10 vehicles per year and the company already has orders for 4 Venom GT’s.

Photos: Hennessey

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1. Hennessey Venom GT Supercar Revelead
2. Hennessey VENOM GT – The Modern Cobra
3. 2010 Hennessey HPE700 Camaro

Word of this car is all over the place. A lot of people are picking up on the buzz, cultivated by the maker, Hennessey, that this is the modern interpretation of Carol Shelby’s Cobra. On the face of it, there’s a certain sense. The Hennessey Venom GT uses a modified Lotus Exige S chassis, and stuffs into it a Corvette plant, so that should tell you something. And if that doesn’t get the point across, using the name “Venom” might get the point across better.

Hennessey is going to show off the VENOM GT (not sure why they use all caps) at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. The car will get its motive power from a Hennessey-tuned Corvette ZR1′s LS9 engine, which is both supercharged and twin-turbocharged. It cranks out ore than 1,000 bhp, and tips the scales at a respectable 2395 lbs.

“It goes without saying that I am not the first Texan to come up with the idea of marrying a powerful American V8 with a light-weight British chassis. However, I am confident that automotive fans around the world will find our forthcoming VENOM GT to be every bit as earth-shattering as the 289 AC Cobra was back in the early 1960′s,” says company founder, John Hennessey, referring to legendary Carroll Shelby and his car, the Cobra.

Here’s the breakdowns on all the hard points (according to Hennessey)

The VENOM GT is a Mid-engine, rear-drive; 2-door, 2-passenger coupe that weighs in at 2395 lbs. Stopping is provided by 15 inch carbon rotors with 6-piston calipers up front and out back there’s 14 inch carbon rotors with 4-piston calipers. The aforementioned engine features a Hennessey 1000 HP V8 Twin Turbo System and a dry sump oil system and puts the power to the ground via a 6-speed manual transmission. The numbers for the engine come out as 1000+ bhp @ 6600 rpm and 950 lb-ft torque @ 4,800 rpm. You hit 0-60 mph in 2.2 sec and hits 100 mph in 4.9 sec. Top speed is given as 262 mph. Cost? The listed “Base Price” is given as $600,000 US Dollars.

OK Hennessey, now you’ve promised. Let’s see what you deliver.

UPDATE: Hennessey Venom GT details

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The Corvette ZR1 has been widely acclaimed as the ultimate Corvette – the fastest, loudest, meanest Vette to hit the streets. With 638 horsepower under the hood, this uber-Vette competes with the likes of Ferrari and Lamborghini for a fraction of the price. This truly is the ultimate American sports car.

If that’s still not good enough for you, consider calling up Hennessey Performance. They’ve developed an upgrade package for the 2010 Corvette ZR1 that boosts power to an incredible 705 hp, among other modifications. Keep reading for more…

The Z700 package starts off by upgrading and boosting the ZR1′s supercharger to 15 psi, then modifying the exhaust and air intake systems. Lightweight carbon fiber wheels and higher performance tires reduce unsprung weight by almost 60 lbs. Specially made carbon fiber fenders, hood, front splitter, canards and rear spoiler keep the car planted at high speeds, and an upgraded interior with carbon fiber seats and an alcantara steering wheel and shift knob reduce weight and add a sense of exotic car to the otherwise plain Corvette interior.

Later this year, Hennessey will be taking a Z700-equipped Corvette ZR1 to Germany’s Nurburgring, just like Chevy did with the ZR1, which achieved a record-breaking time of 7:26. Imagine what the Z700 will do. Only 24 of these special Vettes will be made for 2010, and with it you get a day of performance driving instruction at Hennessey’s private test track.

Optional upgrades include the Z750 – a 755 hp upgrade, and the Z1000 – a supercharged AND twin-turbo’d version that will produce an insane 1,000 hp. Imagine how that Bugatti Veyron owner will feel when a Corvette keeps up with him off the line. The Z700 will cost $207,150 (including the car) – almost enough for two stock ZR1s.

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Hennessey Performance Engineering, the American tuning company responsible for producing insanely fast cars (like a Dodge Viper that runs rings around a Bugatti Veyron,) has created another beast – the 2010 HPE550 Camaro. While not as powerful as the HPE700 Camaro announced earlier this year, the HPE550 eases the pain of those who were looking forward to the top-of-the-line Chevy Camaro Z28 which may or may not be built.

The HPE550 Camaro produces a hearty 562 hp via a supercharger mounted on top of the 6.2-liter V8 from the Camaro SS. Since the stock SS produces “only” 426 hp, the supercharger system adds an incredible 136 hp and 137 lb-ft of torque with only 6 psi of boost pressure. In addition to the power upgrade, the HPE550 will include a set of lightweight 20-inch wheels, an adjustable coilover suspension, embroidered headrests, and a Hennessey-branded graphics package for the exterior. 0-60 mph happens in 4.1 seconds and the quarter mile is over in 12.1 seconds at 119 mph.

Now, those with the cash in hand for a Z28 Camaro can breathe a sigh of relief. Or maybe not; there will only be 500 HPE550 Camaros made for 2010, and they start at $59,500 which is a pretty hefty premium over the $35,500. Plus, a diehard enthusiast doesn’t want a tuned Camaro, they want a Z28. Regardless, the HPE550 is a beast in every way, and if you want the baddest Camaro on the street for under $100K, the HPE550 is the way to go. On top of the upgrades listed above, options will include larger brakes, suspension upgrades, bigger wheels, and an upgraded interior. Hennessey has all sorts of parts for the Camaro, so your choices here will be pretty much endless.

HPE550 Camaro buyers will also get a half-day performance driving course at the 1/4 mile dragstrip facility next to Hennessey headquarters. Chevy dealers themselves are getting in the action, with 16 HPE550s already on order. High-res pictures below.

Related posts:

1. 2010 Hennessey HPE700 Camaro
2. Hennessey VENOM GT – The Modern Cobra
3. Hennessey Z700 Corvette ZR1 – a 705 hp Vette

Hennessey Performance Engineering, the fine folks behind the Venom GT Supercar and other insanely fast autos, have unveiled their latest creation – the HPE700 Camaro. Based on the 2010 Chevy Camaro, the HPE700 will boast a borderline-insane 705 horsepower and 717 lb-ft of Torque. This power will propel the Camaro from 0 to 60 in only 3.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 201 mph.

Starting with a base 2010 Camaro SS with 6-speed transmission, Hennessey will drop in a tweaked version of GM’s new LS9 supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine, then fit it with Hennessey’s Cam-Aero body kit, which includes a carbon fiber rear lip spoiler, carbon fiber front splitter, carbon fiber side rocker panels, front fascia with hideaway-look headlights and front billet grille, as well as a Corvette ZR1-inspired clear hood cover showing off the tuned LS9 engine. Hennessey then fits the Camaro with a complete suspension upgrade and lightweight 19-inch wheels, completing the HPE700 package. But that’s not all…

As an HPE700 buyer, you can also fit the already insanely powerful Camaro with a twin-turbo upgrade package, boosting the power anywhere from 850 to 1000 horsepower, for that “HOLY CRAP!” acceleration you’ve been looking for. Other options include fitting the HPE700 with the same $19,500 15-inch carbon brakes from the Corvette ZR1, adding a custom leather interior, and swapping the 6-speed for a 5-speed automatic transmission for those sub-10 second quarter mile runs. Buyers also get an included 1-day performance driving course at Lonestar Motorsports Park, which will be needed considering the performance ability of their new car.

The base HPE700 will start at $109,500, and if you choose to add the twin-turbo upgrade package for 1000 horsepower, you need to cough out an extra $30,000. If you order now, expect to pick it up around late Summer 2009. Only 24 HPE700s will be produced.

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2. Hennessey Z700 Corvette ZR1 – a 705 hp Vette
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Hennessey recently released sketches and details of their upcoming supercar. It has massive power, coming from a twin-turbo version of the already powerful 8.4L V10 from the Dodge Viper. The Venom GT should push out at least 1000 horsepower. In a body weighing 1500 pounds lighter than the Bugatti Veyron, I could see the Venom GT quickly breaking the top speed record, currently held by the SSC Ultimate Aero.

With either a six-speed manual or sequential gearbox, the Venom GT should run from 0 to 62 mph in less than 2.5 seconds. We should see the Venom GT in the concept stage in early 2009. Hopefully they alter the style, because I’d hate to see a great potential like this look like a souped-up version of a Lotus Exige.

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