For more than a decade, Hennessey Performance President John Hennessey made a name for himself by introducing powerful performance cars year after year that were specifically designed for the wealthy and clinically insane. Last year, Hennessey unveiled the HPE 700 Ford Mustang Boss 302 that boast horsepower figures even greater than the 200 mph Shelby Mustang GT500. Next, Hennessey revealed its Cadillac CTS-V based VR1200 twin turbo, an animal that hit 220 mph on the Texas SH130 toll road. Finally, the world-record breaking 1,200 hp Hennessey Venom GT is by far the most extreme vehicle to ever emerge from the Hennessey garage.
Creating a stable full of dynamite powerplants, president John Hennessey definitely deserves to drive the pick of the lot as his daily. No self-respecting founder of North America's most famous automotive performance company would be caught dead in a Ford Focus, right?
Well, this is awkward:
Despite his outrageous lineup of cars for the opulent, John Hennessey's daily driver is a candy apple Hennessey Ford Focus ST HPE 300. The ST isn't the last word in speed, Hennessey's HPE 300 represents the perfect balance between amusement, performance, practicality, and fuel efficiency.
First, the HPE 300 is fitted with a cold-air intake producing an extra 13 hp and a custom ECU program to increase boost for another 27 hp and 40 lb.-ft. of torque. For a bark to match the bite, Hennessey also swapped the stock exhaust for a deeper, more robust Magnaflow stainless steel system. Naturally, the Magnaflow is good for another 7 to 8 hp as well.
A modest looking car with modest modifications, John Hennessey calls his Hennessey Ford Focus ST HPE 300 "one of the most fun to drive" cars he ever owned. While the HPE 300 is no HPE 700 Boss 302, Hennessey claims that the hot hatch can still light up its tires from first through third gear. Torque steer is significantly more severe as well. For Hennessey, it's just a part of the excitement!
Want to cruise along in the same car as Mr. Hennessey himself? The HPE 300 kit is priced at $995, complete with a new cold-air intake, the new ECU map and custom badging. The Magnaflow exhaust would be sold seperately for an additional $695.
Only 300 odd Hennessey Ford Focus ST HPE 300 will be built each year. Learn more about the HPE 300 at the HPE website.
