Hennessey, the Texas-based hypercar manufacturer and creator of high-performance vehicles, has attained a new unofficial holiday record by driving its Venom 1000 Mustang GT500 up to 192mph (311kph) with an illuminated Christmas tree strapped to the roof.
The deed was done at the Continental Tire Proving Grounds in the US – specifically in Uvalde, Texas.
Based on the most powerful factory-produced Mustang of all time, the stock Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 boasts of a hand-built supercharged 5.2-litre V8 with a 2.65-litre Roots-type supercharger nestled above it.
The company’s Texas team upgraded the iconic “pony car” with a high-flow induction system, new fuel rails and injectors, and an air/oil separation system.
Additionally, fittings, lines, belts, and tensioners were also among the upgrades along with a re-calibrated dual-clutch transmission for the high engine output.
The result is a road-legal 1,000bhp and 1152Nm of torque that’s backed by the company’s three-year or 58,000km warranty.
The car was piloted by professional US race car driver Spencer Geswein who helped achieve the record speed on the closed circuit despite carrying the additional drag of a festal light-adorned evergreen – a Christmas tree.
The company added the car was not altered in any way for the run, except for removing the factory under hood ‘rain tray’ to help improve airflow.
The coupe, a desirable 2022 ‘Golden Ticket’ GT500, was finished in a very rare – yet seasonally festive – Eruption Green paint.
The ‘Christmas Tree Run’ has become a Hennessey tradition, with the team carefully choosing the proper pairing between vehicle and evergreen – if nothing else than to ensure needle stripping speeds,” said company founder and chief executive officer John Hennessey.
In 2017, the company established a benchmark by using a 2018 Dodge Challenger Hellcat Widebody to take a tree up to 174mph (280kph)
The number was broken in 2019 when its HPE1000 Jeep Trackhawk reached 181mph (291kph) with a hapless Douglas Fir strapped on its roof rails.
Last year, the 183mph (295kph) mark was attained with a tuned Audi RS 6 Avant (borrowed from the CEO’s wife) with a fresh Christmas tree tied to its roof.
