As part of Hennessey's intense “Fire & Ice” testing regimen, the Hennessey VelociRaptor 600 hypercar has been leaping dunes in the 100-degree California desert. This follows winter testing in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains.
-based hypercar manufacturer and builder of high-performance vehicles, has unique—and downright amusing—durability tests for its vehicles. The multi-location “Fire & Ice” program subjects its re-engineered vehicles, like the Hennessey VelociRaptor 600, to extreme cold and hot temperatures while driving in harsh situations.
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Durability testing faces highs of 100°F and lows of -10°F
Hennessey's most recent challenge put its powerful VelociRaptor 600 vehicle against shifting dunes and temperatures in excess of 100°F (40°C) in a parched Southern
Using its increased torque of 672 pound-feet, the truck handled extraordinary inclines, climbing 300-foot-high dunes and launching over the tops at high speeds. The Hennessey engineering team also challenged the VelociRaptor's motor and suspension with these brutal tasks.
The desert test took place at the Glamis Sand Dunes, California's biggest windblown sand mass. The dune system stretches for more than 40 miles across the southeastern part of the state in a five-mile-wide area.
The hot weather program came after a series of cold-winter tests in
for the Hennessey VelociRaptor 600 and Mammoth 1000 TRX. In temperatures as low as -10°F (-12°C), the trucks demonstrated their grip while evaluating the performance of the modified engines, intake systems, and exhausts.
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Head down to the Pennzoil Proving Ground for hands-on experience
All Hennessey models are first tested at the company's main office in
. Hundreds of hours of research and development go into each model line, ensuring that Hennessey upgrades improve every area of the vehicle while keeping full usability and factory driving modes.
After being tested in the lab, development moves to one of Hennessey's dyno bays for a live test. In the last phase, development models are driven over the Pennzoil Proving Ground at Hennessey's headquarters to see how the changes actually work.
Even after each model line is approved, every customer vehicle goes through a series of quality assurance tests, including a thorough test drive by Hennessey engineers.
Company founder and CEO John Hennessey said, "Our team builds around 500 high-performance vehicles a year for passionate customers who rightfully expect mainstream manufacturer levels of quality, reliability, and service together with extreme performance.
“Our torturous 'Fire & Ice' program is the real-world culmination of hundreds of hours of research and development that each model line undergoes at our Texas headquarters. Our goal is to combine ultimate performance with complete peace of mind."
Every Hennessey car is built with the customer in mind, and to make this point clear, the company gives a full warranty on every model to provide customers complete peace of mind.
Customers can even visit their Texas headquarters to witness the final testing phase, with many getting a first taste of their new car on the
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