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The hypercar segment is full of prolific models with four-figure horsepower outputs. But, unlike the, let’s face it, dangerous supercars of old, you won’t find many modern supercars and hypercars with a manual transmission. However, Hennessey just debuted a special addition to the remaining manual market: the most powerful car with a manual transmission. 

The Hennessey Venom F5-M is the most powerful manual car ever with 1,817 horsepower

Hennessey doesn’t play nice with traditional expectations. When Dodge unveiled the 707-horsepower SRT Hellcat, most onlookers were busy criticizing it for its lunacy or applauding it for its raw power. Hennessey Performance, on the other hand, gave it 1,000 horsepower. And that’s exactly the kind of “why not” thinking that seems to guide the Texas tuning company and car builder today. 

While Hennessey Performance takes already powerful cars into the stratosphere, Hennessey Special Vehicles creates its own cars. One of those in-house creations is the Venom F5, the 1,817-horsepower punctuation mark for American hypercar building. But don’t think heavy battery architecture or a hybridized V12. No, the Venom F5 develops its monstrous power output courtesy of a twin-turbo 6.6L “Fury” V8, the most powerful non-hybrid V8 application in the world. What was it missing? Well, Hennessey thinks it was missing a manual transmission.

Enter the limited-run Hennessey Venom F5-M Roadster, the most powerful production car with a manual transmission on the market. In place of the F5’s semi-auto gearbox, the F5-M has a six-speed manual transmission with a shifter set in a billet aluminum gate. That’s right; it’s a gated manual. And it produces 1,817 horsepower. Again, why not?

The Hennessey Venom F5-M Roadster, the most powerful car with a manual transmission.
The Hennessey Venom F5-M Roadster | Hennessey

Beyond the welcome addition of a manual gearbox, the F5-M Roadster features a prominent 55mm dorsal fin and carbon fiber touches throughout. 

However, at $2.65 million per unit, you likely won’t be seeing the F5-M Roadster at Cars and Coffee anytime soon. That, and the Special Vehicles arm already sold each of the 12 production F5-M Roadsters. Well, that didn’t take long.

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Erik Sherman

Erik Sherman joined the MotorBiscuit team as an Autos Writer in 2022. An admitted petrolhead and an avid motorcyclist, Erik has owned everything from classic cars to motorcycles to modern driver’s cars. Erik also has extensive experience with military and emergency vehicles, ranging from ambulances and fire engines to MRAPs and M-ATVs. Erik is an eager car and motorcycle reviewer with experience covering everything from sports cars to pontoon boats and jet skis.

Erik holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations (IRG) from the University of Texas at Austin and has studied Chinese, Energy, and European Politics at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Erik’s background is unorthodox; he is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) combat veteran, water survival practitioner, and a former firefighter/EMT. Additionally, Erik is a regular volunteer and former instructor with the American Red Cross (ARC).