Jay Leno Drives the Insane 1,800-HP Venom F5 Roadster, Screams and Grins All the Way

"If you are having a bad day, this is one of those cars you get into it, everything gets better," Robert Herjavec explains. "Until the cops get you, and then you have a really bad day," Jay Leno adds.

That is right. This is the kind of car that can instantly get you a speed ticket within seconds from the moment you start off. It is the bespoke Hennessey Venom F5 Roadster. The radical model is powered by a twin-turbocharged 6.6-liter V8 engine that you could blame.

It pumps out an insane 1,817 horsepower and 1,193 pound-feet of torque, which make the car flash from 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 kph) in just 2.5 seconds. "I live in the hilly area. I need the torque to get up there," Robert jokes, and we can't help but wonder what his neighbors drive to climb up the hill. No, it's not Mount Everest!

The speedometer goes all the way to 311 mph. A seven-speed semi-automatic transmission with paddle shifters puts the power down through the rear wheels. If that's not insane, we don't know what is.

John Hennessey and his team have been upgrading cars for ages. But he has started building his own cars in Texas. And all are breathtaking from bumper to bumper. This monstrous Venom F5 is one of them. It is built around a carbon fiber monocoque tub with aluminum alloy subframes and a carbon fiber skin.

Meanwhile, the roof has been re-engineered with a removable panel made from rigid carbon fiber composites, four quick-release bolts, and two high-strength latches to keep weight under control. That is how the car ended up tipping the scale at only 2,998 pounds (1,360 kilograms). The roof weighs only 18 pounds (8 kilograms).

At the back, Hennessey installed a transparent engine cover to put the Fury V8 engine into the spotlight. The glass panel, encapsulated within a removable carbon fiber engine cover, is capable of withstanding aerodynamic forces of over 300 mph and temperatures beyond 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit (540 degrees Celsius).

The Venom F5 Roadster rides on 19-inch forged aluminum alloys at the front, while those installed on the rear axle measure 20 inches.

Everything about Rober Herjavec's car is unique. Hennessey offers several color options. Once a customer picks a color, it is retired. There won't be two Venoms painted alike in the world. The car sports the spectacular dihedral doors, a designation that surprises the owner. He doesn't seem to have heard it before.

The cabin has the bare minimum, and it is all leather and carbon fiber but the space is quite cramped. Jay Leno and Robert Herjavec sit cramped. But the sound of the V8 compensates for the inconvenience. And when they are out on the highway, the power it puts down makes Jay Leno cheer, laugh, and grin from ear to ear. "It's almost scary fast!" Robert tells him.

That is explains why Hennessey is targeting the title of the world's fastest production car. For the moment, it can only sit and watch the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut have it fair share of fun in the lead. The Jesko Absolut hits 341 mph (550 kph), but the Venom F5 is not far behind, with a top speed of 330 mph (541 kph). The automaker is hard at work to improve those numbers.

The driving position is so low that any compact car looks like an SUV from inside the Venom F5 Roadster. The car is only 44.5 inches (1,131 millimeters) tall. It is also 183.7 inches (4,666 millimeters) long and 77.1 inches (1,960 millimeters) wide. Despite the low sitting position, the visibility is surprisingly good.

When downshifting, the engine roars out like it is a beast going to turn against the driver. "My wife is never getting into this car," Robert says. However, despite the brutal acceleration, the car feels stable at any speed, the engine does not send vibrations into the cabin, and the ride is as comfortable as it would be on board a grand tourer.

Herjavec is also waiting for his very long-awaited Mercedes-AMG One. He has already specced and test-driven the brand's first-ever hypercar on the Formula 1 race track in Valencia and will soon have it delivered. That is a $2,75 million affair, which is cheaper than the Hennessey Venom F5 Roadster, which starts at $3 million.

The two of them join a collection of exclusive automobiles. Robert Herjavec owns a LaFerrari, a Ford GT, and a Ford Thunderbird, once owned by Frank Sinatra, among many others.