Cars

Hennessey’s design director on sketching a 300mph supercar

By 2025-02-04T10:00:00

VenomF5-COTA-Lap-Record-12

How do you ensure a car targeting top speed is still beautiful? Over to Hennessey design boss Nathan Malinick

The Hennessey Venom F5 has been designed with one, outlandish goal: to be the fastest production car in the world. Its theoretical 310mph+ top speed will outstrip even Bugatti if it comes to fruition. We chatted to Hennessey’s Director of Design Nathan Malinick to find out whether a car which battles physics so hard can still champion an appealing aesthetic.

Car Design News: How do you balance beauty and science at 300mph?

Nathan Malinick: Our design and engineering teams work hand in hand. It’s not like we progress a design element and then say, “Hey engineering, take a look and see what you think”. Feedback is in real-time. The general shape has to come from somewhere, but there’s feedback from engineering very early on. As soon as we have surfaces to put into an early CFD run, we verify that what’s been sketched also has the potential to meet the goal –

This content is available to subscribers only   |   Sign in

Get unlimited access to Car Design News

Unlock exclusive design knowledge, inspiration & connection.

Free Trial

Trial

Includes:


Knowledge
  • Keep up-to-date with new car and who's where news exclusives
  • Discover the latest design thinking with design leader interviews
  • Stay ahead of the curve with design trend report articles and livestreams

Inspiration
  • Step inside leading design studios with our 'inside the studio' series
  • Read in-depth reviews of the new and influential vehicles
  • Discover cutting edge designs from other design disciplines
  • Access Interior Motives magazine in digital page turner format

30-days free

Then $16 per month for Essential subscription

Billed as $194 annually

Start free trial

Other currencies: £149 / €179 annually

Available to new subscribers only

Essential Plus

Essential

Includes:


Knowledge
  • Keep up-to-date with new car and who's where news exclusives
  • Discover the latest design thinking with design leader interviews
  • Stay ahead of the curve with design trend report articles and livestreams

Inspiration
  • Step inside leading design studios with our 'inside the studio' series
  • Read in-depth reviews of the new and influential vehicles
  • Discover cutting edge designs from other design disciplines
  • Receive 2x print editions of Interior Motives per year
  • Activate a 20% discount on the annual Car Design Review yearbook

Connection
  • Take part in subscriber only design challenges

$22 per month

Billed as $259 annually

Subscribe today

Other currencies: £199 / €239 annually

Premium

Premium-svg

Includes:


Knowledge
  • Keep up-to-date with new car and who's where news exclusives
  • Discover the latest design thinking with design leader interviews
  • Stay ahead of the curve with design trend report articles and livestreams
  • Access deeper insights with trend report whitepapers

Inspiration
  • Step inside leading design studios with our 'inside the studio' series
  • Read in-depth reviews of the new and influential vehicles
  • Discover cutting edge designs from other design disciplines
  • Receive 2x print editions of Interior Motives per year
  • Receive 1x annual copy of the Car Design Review yearbook
  • Activate a 25% discount on additional Car Design Review books

Connection
  • Take part in subscriber only design challenges
  • Participate in subscriber only online workshops

$32 per month

Billed as $389 annually

Subscribe today

Other currencies: £299 / €359 annually
 

Explore more subscription options.

 


Need help?


For help with individual user subscriptions please contact:

Eric Ng
Eric.Ng@ultimamedia.com

For help with multi user subscriptions please contact:

Angela Yang
Angela.Yang@cardesignnews.com

 

Sign in   |   Forgotten password