Motor Trend Hennessey Standing Mile Test

[Paolo Castellano]

I just got the Motor Trend June issue which has the Hennessey Venom Twin Turbo 0-60, 1/4 mile, and standing mile test. The #'s are as follows: (With Drag slicks) 0-60 MPH in 2.43 seconds, 1-100 MPH in 5.5 seconds, 1/4 mile 9.99 seconds @138.95 MPH, 0-1 mile 28.23 seconds @193.54 MPH. This is being compared to a stock ACR on stock tires. 0-60, the Venom on slicks is 1.71 seconds quicker than a stock ACR on Pilots, 0-100 the Venom is 3.36 seconds quicker, yet only 2.24 seconds quicker in the 1/4 mile. Is this a misprint or what? How could the Venom lose 1.12 seconds to the stock Viper from 100 to the 1/4 mile mark? Also, the Venom is only 2.26 seconds faster in the standing mile. I know the conditions were not perfect, but I just do not understand why there is not more of a gap since the Venom is 3.36 seconds quicker to 100MPH. There was a similar discussion on the topic of the Hayabusa vs the Viper from a 60 MPH roll where there are dissenting opinions. Is there anybody here that has a good enough physics/mathematical background that can give a formula to figure this out? I do realise, however, that a mile is a finite distance where the faster you are accelerating, the quicker you run out of your finite distance, I just would like to be able to figure things like this out logically. Also, I would be very interested to see how the Grant's Performance 1500 HP Twin Turbo would in the 1/4 mile, 1-100 MPH and in the standing mile. I think it would be kind of interesting to have an all the Turbo Viper tuners like Hennessey, Grant's Performance, Doug Levin Etc... and have a big shootout. We could have it at the Mid-western gathering which takes place in the next little bit. I'd pay some money to see that! Paolo Castellano

[Doug Supercharged Vipers]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by John Hennessey / HMS:
Hi Paolo,

I think i can help you with your analysis on the numbers. There are 3 variable that come into play in terms of measuring how fast a car is in a straight line: time, speed and distance and their relationships: time to distance, time to speed and speed at distance. 0-60, 0-100, etc are all time to speed comparisons. Quarter mile et is a time to distance figure. You cant really compare how one car goes 0-100 to another car's qtr mile et. I hope that helps make some sense of comparing accel. numbers on any cars' performance. FYI, the Venom 800 has run 0-150 in under 13 sec on street tires - about 10 sec quicker than a stock Viper. Please feel free to come to Houston for a test ride if you'd like to compare the performance of the Venom 800 or ask Jason Fontenot, Jeff Ellison, Danny Baum, King Hitz, Irwin Walters and others here in the great state of Texas what they thought about their recent test rides.

If you read the details on the standing mile test, we were only able to get in 2 runs on a wet track. Tire spin was an issue until we got the car into 5th gear, thus the standing mile ET was not representative of what this car is capable of although the terminal speed was something like 27 mph faster than a stock GTS, again, on a wet track. All in all, we did 2 back to back 0-205 mph runs which impressed me for how reliable this car is under a 30 second wide open throttle smack down run - any other 800 hp Vipers out there that can say the same?

We would be glad to attend an event with SVS (1200 hp), Doug Levin (930 rw hp), Grant (1500 hp) with our comparatively low 700 rw hp Venom 800. Who knows, maybe we could get lucky and get a tail wind and have a chance with running with these guys much more powerful cars

BTW, I enjoy these types of threads as the truly make this "The Viper Board" instead of "The Viper Bored".

Thanks for the question/suggestion Paolo - maybe we could do this shootout at the Midwest VCA Event at Rt 66 in Aug. Everyone have a nice and safe weekend,

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>John,
You are correct about the variables that effect test numbers. It's tuff to explain to everyone what actual circumstances are involved to pull off these numbers.

BTW. The day we made the 936 rwhp was not a good dyno day for us. It was during a Viper dyno contest and was the highest number that day to win so we accepted it. The TQ did go off the scale over 1,200 lbs. Chassis dyno's make me nervous, I made the mistake of adjusting the fuel and timing inside the car without using our laptop for data. Although we did use the dyno for AFR readings. The 936 rwhp was with an AFR of 9.0:1 @102 degrees. I know that's crazy and we lose power at sub 11.5:1 readings .

Regards,
Doug Levin

[jamie furman]

I haven't read the article yet but if it went 9.99 that is the first one I heard of that actually went out and did it for a magazine, congrats.But that mph is more like 17 mph faster than a stock gts not 27.

[Gerald]

Lets not forget the ultimate tests for these super packages. Cars in customers hands and ..... lasting....
When these cars get out and ppl have them for a year or etc, hearing the feedback of the owners is the ONLY way to judge the performance, reliability, etc of these beasts.


Gerald

[SnakeBitten]

Ive heard in another thread that the TNT King Snake did 9.4-9.8 before its untimely demise in Car & Drivers 1 lap of America race....Is this true??? or is John Hennesseys the first Viper of any kind to hit 9's??

The TNT KING snake made 777hp so I figure it could possibly do 9 with slicks....So I figure the Venom 800 should be faster...What do you think guys....