2030 Hennessey Blackbird

• The Blackbird is Hennessey's third hypercar, built around a naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 targeting 800-850hp and over 9,000rpm, paired exclusively with a six-speed gated manual and rear-wheel drive.
  

• Hennessey is targeting 0-60mph in 2.5 seconds and a 220mph top speed, with a full-carbon tub and bodywork aiming for a dry weight under 3,000lbs.
  

• Limited to 71 examples starting at $2.5 million before taxes, with customer production targeted for 2029-2030 and more than two-thirds of the run already allocated.

Hennessey Special Vehicles just revealed its third hypercar, and it's going in a different direction than the Venom F5 that came before it. The Blackbird skips turbochargers, hybrid assistance and, notably, screens entirely — a deliberate swing back toward analog driving rather than chasing another speed record.

Exterior Design

The name and shape both trace back to the Lockheed SR-71 spy plane. Hennessey's design team pulled the car's long stance, disciplined surfacing and a sharp body-side chine line directly from the aircraft's silhouette, and even the diamond-shaped quad exhaust borrows its form from the Bell X-1's exhaust design. Active vertical stabilizers sit at the rear, deploying automatically at 71mph and angling to plus or minus 71 degrees — a detail tuned specifically to reference the aircraft's designation. Gullwing doors and an optional asymmetrical Sky Glass roof, shaped after the SR-71's canopy, round out the aerospace references.

Proportions and Stance

Hennessey built the Blackbird with a larger glasshouse and more cabin space than the Venom F5, part of a broader push to make the car livable on long drives rather than just track days.

Interior Space and Technology

Step inside and there's no infotainment screen, no digital displays and no steering-wheel buttons — a large analog tachometer sits at the center of the dash instead. Navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto route through the driver's own phone, held in a dedicated Hennessey holster, so connectivity exists without a conventional display taking over the cabin. Aviation touches continue with a standard dash-mounted whiskey compass and a leather-wrapped SR-71 motif at the dash's center. Storage runs to front trunk space for two carry-on bags, rear-quarter pods, in-cabin stowage, four cup holders and a valet tray built into the dash.

Powertrain and Performance

Power comes from an all-new naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 co-developed with Ilmor Engineering, targeting 800-850hp and revving past 9,000rpm — figures Hennessey says would make it the highest-revving, most powerful naturally aspirated road-car V8 built. There's no turbocharging and no hybrid system involved anywhere in the drivetrain. The only gearbox offered is a six-speed gated manual, sent through rear-wheel drive alone, with Hennessey targeting a 2.5-second 0-60mph run and a 220mph top speed. A bespoke full-carbon tub and carbon-fibre body, adaptive suspension and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires round out the mechanical package, with a target dry weight under 3,000lbs.

Practical Usability

Touring is baked into the brief rather than an afterthought. Hennessey says the Blackbird is engineered to cover more than 800 miles in a single day, backed by adaptive suspension, low NVH targets and the storage arrangement mentioned above.

Market Positioning

Blackbird sits apart from Hennessey's own Venom F5, which the company continues to position as its fastest, most extreme model — expected to end production around 2028. Blackbird becomes the next cornerstone program, aimed instead at collectors chasing engagement and drama over outright numbers. Just 71 examples will be built, priced from $2.5 million before taxes, with customer deliveries targeted for 2029-2030.

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