Jay Leno Tours the Screen Free Hennessey Blackbird Hypercar Prototype

Jay Leno has known John Hennessey since 1993, back when the Texas builder was busy turning Dodge Vipers into something far more aggressive. Their latest meeting at Leno’s Garage centers on a car that breaks from everything Hennessey has done before. Nathan Malinick, Hennessey’s head of design, brought a prototype of the 2029 Blackbird for a close look long before customer deliveries begin.

The Blackbird takes its name and many design cues from the Lockheed SR-71 reconnaissance aircraft. A long crease runs along the side pods to echo the plane’s distinctive chine line. Diamond shaped headlights reference the movable inlet spikes that controlled airflow on the jet engines. Rear lights glow in a way meant to recall afterburners, while the four exhaust outlets at the back draw from the rocket nozzles on Chuck Yeager’s Bell X-1. Active vertical stabilizers rise automatically once the car reaches 71 miles per hour, tilting to 71 degrees. Malinick calls that moment “the Blackbird flying.”



A powerful 6.2 liter V8 engine, developed in collaboration with Ilmor Engineering, sits mid-mounted beneath its revolutionary carbon fiber body. There are no turbochargers, superchargers, or electric motors in sight, therefore no need to artificially boost power. The projected output is between 800 and 850 horsepower, and the engine will happily rev above 9,000 rpm, making it the most powerful naturally aspirated V8 ever mounted to a production automobile. The power is sent to the rear wheels via a sleek six-speed manual transmission with an exposed shift linkage. Hennessey estimates that it will take roughly 2.5 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph and has a top speed of 220 mph. There is no concern of it being overly heavy, since the entire carbon monocoque and body panels keep the dry weight under 3,000 pounds.


Inside, you’ll find a cabin that defies the current trend of large digital screens. Instead, you get five typical analog gages arranged around a large central tachometer. Instead of buttons, everything is controlled by traditional physical switches. How about starting the car? It’s good old-school stuff, with a classic ignition key and a roof-mounted start button to utilize. There isn’t a single button on the steering wheel, since who needs one? A camera transmits a high-definition image into a secret display tucked away inside the rear view mirror glass, as the thick back bulkhead and engine cover virtually obstruct any view through the rear view mirror. For navigation, a good mechanical whiskey compass sits ready to get you where you need to go without relying on satellites. If you choose, you can remove a mechanical chronometer from the dashboard, since it comes with a wrist strap or a desk stand, allowing you to wear it or leave it on your desk after the trip.


Of course, practical aspects are vital in this context. The front trunk can accommodate two of those useful airline-approved carry-on cases. There is also a lot of storage space beneath the seats and in exterior compartments that open with the back quarter panels. When production cars start rolling out, you’ll be able to swing those butterfly-style doors open, albeit Leno’s Garage test car still has fixed doors for the time being. The wheels are lightweight, measuring 20 inches up front and 21 inches behind, and are shod in regular Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. The Brembo carbon ceramic brakes provide ample stopping force.


So, how much would one of these babies cost? Well, Hennessey could charge up to 2.5 million dollars per pop, before tax. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2029. In the show, Leno and Malinick delve into the design considerations that distinguish this car from Hennessey’s well-known turbocharged Venom variants. They go into the nitty-gritty of how the SR-71-inspired designs translate into practical on-road performance. They discuss why a high-revving naturally aspirated engine and a decent manual transmission still make perfect sense, even in a world when everyone is opting for turbocharged or electric motors. They also discuss how the cabin stays screen-free while remaining fully functional and legal for long-distance driving. The test car sits silently in the garage for examination, but it’s the details that truly tell the story, since this is a car for drivers who want to be right in the action every step of the way.