US tuning firm Hennessey has revealed its latest wild creation, using the baja-ready Ford Bronco Raptor as a base.
Dubbed the Hennessey VelociRaptor 500 Bronco, this fettled Bronco Raptor is the eighth VelociRaptor model the company has created.
A new high-capacity intercooler, proprietary engine management system, and high-flow exhaust system help to increase the outputs of the Raptor’s 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 engine by 60kW and 149Nm to 372kW of power and 746Nm of torque.
The regular Bronco Raptor’s engine produces 312kW and 597Nm, or approximately 20 per cent less.
In addition to the engine upgrades, Hennessey has differentiated the VelociRaptor 500 Bronco from the regular model by including custom VelociRaptor front and rear bumpers, 18-inch Hennessey alloy wheels wrapped in 37-inch off-road tyres, Hennessey Heritage graphics, and VelociRaptor 500 Bronco badging.
There are also embroidered headrests, all-weather floor mats, and a unique plaque on the inside.
This Hennessey VelociRaptor 500 Bronco package is priced from $US32,950 ($A50,629) and doesn’t include the Bronco Raptor donor car, which currently costs $US68,500 ($A105,253) before on-road costs in the US.
Adding the cost of the vehicle and the Hennessey upgrades together means US buyers will be paying at least $US100,000 ($A153,655) for a VelociRaptor 500 Bronco.
Don’t expect to see even the standard Bronco Raptor Down Under any time soon.
Ford revealed the Bronco Raptor in January this year, but a Ford Australia spokesperson said at the time there were no plans to bring it to Australia.
Even looking at the wider Bronco range, Ford CEO Jim Farley recently said the company could “of course” engineer the off-roader for right-hand drive, but right now it’s too busy clearing its order backlog, principally from North America.
Mr Farley said the company needed to invest in production capacity if it wanted to sell the Bronco – which uses the same T6 ladder-frame platform as the Aussie-developed Ranger and Everest – if it wanted to take the car properly global.
Venom F5 
Project Deep Space sketch
The VelociRaptor 500 Bronco follows the VelociRaptor 400 Bronco, a fettled version of the twin-turbo 2.7-litre V6-powered Bronco.
Beyond its tuned versions of regular production vehicles, Hennessey has started production of its Venom F5 hypercar ahead of customer deliveries starting later this year.
The company also announced its first electric vehicle, called the ‘Project Deep Space‘, which is a wild six-wheel drive ‘hyper GT’ with six wheels and six electric motors.
Production of the electric model is slated to commence in 2026 at its facility in Sealy, Texas, which is where the Venom F5 is currently built.
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