Cost of Crashing a $3 Million Hypercar on NASA's Runway

Hennessey Special Vehicles' Venom F5 Crash: A $3 Million Hypercar's Misstep

In July 2023, Hennessey Special Vehicles experienced a significant incident involving its remarkably expensive Venom F5 hypercar, which costs around $3 million. The crash occurred while testing new components at the Launch and Landing Facility (LLF) at Kennedy Space Center, with the vehicle reportedly reaching speeds close to 250 mph.

Details Surrounding the Crash

According to documents acquired by ClickOrlando, the incident resulted in minimal damage to the runway itself. Repairs and hazmat cleanup totaled $712.70, which was billed to Space Coast Testing, the entity responsible for managing runway rentals. Renting the LLF can set clients back about $2,200 for a four-hour session, though it remains unclear if this was the fee Hennessey incurred during testing.

Understanding the Cause of the Crash

John Hennessey, the founder of Hennessey Special Vehicles, took to Instagram to explain that the team was experimenting with a “new experimental aerodynamic setup” at the time of the crash. Unfortunately, issues arose that led to a loss of downforce, thus causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle. Luckily, the driver emerged from the incident unscathed, and the company is currently conducting an investigation to determine the exact cause.

Aims to Break Speed Records

This testing is part of Hennessey's ambitious goals to breach the 300 mph mark with the Venom F5, a model that boasts an impressive 1,817 horsepower. This push for speed comes in the wake of the Bugatti Chiron’s record-setting run, which was achieved in 2019 but under different conditions that fell short of Guinness World Records' requirements for a two-way run.

History of Testing at LLF

The LLF has a storied history, serving as a former landing strip for NASA's Space Shuttle and is utilized primarily for aerospace testing. Noteworthy organizations such as Amazon, United Launch Alliance, and Lockheed Martin have also employed the facility. Space Florida, which now manages the LLF, maintains that testing on the runway is a long-standing practice, harking back to the Space Shuttle era under NASA's management.

Other Automotive Tests at LLF

The facility's flat, three-mile straightaway is also favored by automotive giants, including Tesla and Volvo, who conduct performance and aerodynamics tests for their vehicles. As per Alayna Curry, Space Florida's PR director, requests for renting the runway are regularly scrutinized, and many are turned down.

The Future of the Venom F5

In previous tests, Hennessey managed to reach over 271 mph with the Venom F5 on the LLF, slightly surpassing the 270 mph record set by the Venom GT in 2014. This ongoing quest for breaking speed records has positioned Hennessey Special Vehicles as a key player in the hypercar market, keenly pursuing performance benchmarks while embracing the risks involved in high-speed testing.

As the investigation unfolds, the community of hypercar enthusiasts and industry watchers eagerly awaits updates from Hennessey Special Vehicles regarding the future of the Venom F5 and its potential for setting records in the automotive world.