There's no mistaking the S550-generation Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is one of America's greatest sounding production cars ever. The peeps at Hennessey Performance Engineering, however, can improve the intoxicating whine of the blower and the 5.2-liter Predator V8's aural qualities.
Venom 1000 is how the Texas-based tuner calls the upgrade package in question, which sounds like it's worth every cent. It's not the most powerful of the bunch, though, because Hennessey can further improve the breed to a beastly 1,200 horsepower for a simply ridiculous $59,950. The Venom 1200 is a special edition of which merely 66 units will be made.
As for the secrets to the Venom 1000's incredible-sounding powertrain, the list begins with an upgraded supercharger drive pulley and hub assembly. The company doesn't work its magic on the bone-stock exhaust system, but does improve the induction system with a high-flow setup. More air means bigger bangs, especially in combination with upgraded fuel injectors and fuel rails. Rated at 1,000 horsepower and 850 pound-feet (11,52 Nm), this fellow is backed up by three years or 36,000 miles (nearly 60,000 kilometers) of warranty.
For reference, Ford's crankshaft figures are 760 horsepower and 625 pound-feet (847 Nm). Even fully stock, the Shelby GT500 is the kind of car that can easily get you into trouble. Opting for the Venom 1000 package also gets you a flex fuel engine calibration, different software for the transmission control module, an air/oil separator system, and better cooling. Every single car is tested up to 500 miles (800 kilometers) before delivery to make sure that everything is perfect.
From a visual standpoint, Venom 1000 and Hennessey badging and decals help the brawny coupe stand out in the crowd. The finish touches are two serialized plaques: one for the interior, and one for the engine bay. The green-painted example in the featured clip rocks #49 and the signature of a technician.
Offered with a dual-clutch transmission exclusively, the Shelby GT500 concluded series production after the 2022 model year. Part of the reason is the Ford Motor Company freeing up Predator V8 engine production capacity for the F-150 Raptor R, and part of the reason is the all-new S650.
Better described as a heavily revised S550 inside, outside, and under the skin, the seventh-gen Mustang is likely the final generation with internal combustion engines. The 2024 model is offered with either turbo I4 or naturally-aspirated V8 muscle, with the EcoBoost paired exclusively with an automatic.
The GT350 will likely be replaced by a GT3 racecar-derived version of the Mustang, whereas the GT500 is believed to use an improved version of the Predator. There is a wild rumor suggesting Raptor and Raptor R off-road trim levels for the S650, but looking at the bigger picture, it's not as wild as some may think it is. Porsche is doing it with the 911 Dakar, and so is Lamborghini with the Huracan Sterrato. With Ford having so much experience with off-road vehicles, why wouldn't the Dearborn-based automaker roll out a Raptorized 'Stang?
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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