• Hennessey has revealed its latest supercar, the Blackbird, which focuses on driver engagement rather than top speed and face-melting power.
• A naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V-8 provides around 850 horsepower, routed to the rear wheels through a gated six-speed manual transmission.
• The cabin is devoid of screens, with the button-less steering wheel positioned ahead of an array of analog gauges.

Hennessey's latest supercar produces less than 1000 horsepower, but the mad scientists down in Sealy, Texas, haven't gone soft. Instead, the Hennessey Blackbird signals a shift in priorities for the American outfit, from chasing speed records to focusing on maximizing driver engagement. While the Blackbird packs less muscle than both the Lotus-based Venom GT and the most recent Venom F5, it will prioritize putting a smile on the face of anyone who gets behind the wheel thanks to the combination of a naturally aspirated V-8, rear-wheel drive, and a six-speed gated manual transmission.

Don't worry though, the Blackbird is no shrinking violet. Named for the famed Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird airplane, Hennessey's latest beast will still be capable of a 220-mph top speed. Power will come from a new naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V-8, developed in conjunction with Ilmor Engineering, the same folks responsible for the Chevy V-6s found in the current breed of IndyCars. The engine will rev to more than 9000 rpm and produce between 800 and 850 horsepower, enough to shoot the Blackbird to 60 mph in a claimed 2.5 seconds.

Given the lower power output, the key to the Blackbird's performance is its lightweight design, with Hennessey employing a full carbon-fiber tub and carbon-fiber bodywork to help keep the overall curb weight below a targeted 3000 pounds. Hennessey also aims to provide engaging handling via an adaptive suspension and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires.

The driver-focused approach is evident in the cabin, which skips out on touchscreens for a more tactile ethos. You access the cabin via dramatic gullwing doors, which reveal swaths of brown leather, brushed silver instrumentation, and carbon-fiber accents. The old-school analog gauges are paired with a simple steering wheel devoid of buttons.

The six-speed manual's shift linkage is left exposed and is paired with a physical ignition key that requires you to actually twist to start the car instead of just pressing a button. Hennessey says that you can still access Apple CarPlay or Android Auto via your phone, which is held in a special holster, instead of displayed on a large dash-mounted screen.

Hennessey envisions the Blackbird as being a bit friendlier to live with than the company's previous creations, claiming that it has been designed to be driven over 800 miles in a day, although we would be surprised if any owner ever achieves that. To that end, the cabin is more spacious than the Venom F5 and comes fitted with four cup holders, and there's enough cargo room for two full-size carry-on bags.

Visually, the Blackbird is more streamlined and futuristic than the Venom F5, with a sinuous body pockmarked with air intakes and outlets. The Blackbird eschews the towering rear wing of the Venom F5, instead opting for a pair of active vertical stabilizers that are a visual callback to the namesake plane and deploy automatically at 71 mph. Hennessey also took inspiration from the Bell X-1, the first plane to break the speed of sound, for the diamond-shaped quad-exhaust. Meanwhile, the bulging side pods are said to be influenced by Formula 1 race cars.

Only 71 units will be built, with prices starting at $2.5 million before taxes. Hennessey is aiming to get production underway in 2029 and 2030 after production of the Venom F5 wraps up in 2028, and says that two-thirds of the production run is already accounted for. The Blackbird will be shown publicly for the first time on August 14 at The Quail during Monterey Car Week.

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Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.