Hennessey Performance never takes long to promise pumped-up editions of new production cars—its 1,200-hp build of the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray was announced just months after the mid-engined American supe debuted in 2019. So when Ford revealed the V8-less engine lineup for the revamped Bronco, it was only a matter of time before the Texas tuner came back with a limited edition.
Three months, to be exact. Hennessey is making 24 “Velociraptor” two-/four-door Broncos with 750-horsepower 5.0-liter Coyote V8s and a 3.0-liter supercharger systems. Ford’s 10-speed automatic transmission will be retained, but we assume that it’ll be beefed up to handle the 440 hp increase over Ford’s stock twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6’s output. Other requisite mechanical mods include new fuel injectors, a high-flow air inductor, and an air-to-water intercooler.
“Over the past two years we have built over 70 Gen 2 Ford Raptors for our customers by removing the EcoBoost V6 and replacing it with the same 750 HP supercharged 5.0 V8. I wanted to build the ultimate Ford Bronco for myself and for our customers,” said company founder and CEO, John Hennessey.
The build won’t be limited to the engine, as Hennessey is also upgrading the off-road suspension system, wheels and tires, equipping a stainless steel cat-back exhaust, and adding a custom hood scoop.
Hennessey’s ridiculously overpowered rides are always buzzy, but a V8-powered Bronco does fill a vacancy alongside the inline four- and six-cylinder factory engines. Speaking to Muscle Cars and Trucks, Bronco Chief Engineer Eric Loefller explained that Ford won’t offer a V8 because of emissions fines that the American automaker would incur.
“We have to manage the CO2 implications of the product. The way the federal requirements are now it’s all shadow area (footprint) based. If you look at the shadow area of a small off-road vehicle, it has a pretty high target from a government perspective in terms of CO2,” said Loefller.
The Hennessey Velociraptor V8 Bronco will cost $225,000. Production will begin in 2021.
