Hennessey Introduces VelociRaptor SUV and APV

Hennessey Performance Engineering is a tuning company known best for its outrageous creations. Modified, blown versions of existing sportscars - vehicles such as the Viper Venom 1000 and others.

However, they also have a range of performance upgrades for a variety of vehicles, as well as offering their APV (armored performance vehicle) line. Their newest creation is the VelociRaptor SUV - based on the hottest truck out there today, Ford's Raptor.

If you've read articles on the Raptor here at CarThrottle, you would know we are all quite big fans. Recently, Ford expanded the model's appeal even more with the addition of a Super Crew model that adds a second set of doors.

Hennessey isn't content to just stop there though, using that model as a springboard for its VelociRaptor. It is a Raptor on steroids, a vehicle the size of an Ford Expedition EL or Chevrolet Suburban.

The VelociRaptor is available in six, seven or eight passenger configurations. Ultimate cross country combined off-road expedition vehicle? Yes.

The VelociRaptor will be available in armored (APV) form, as well as a standard SUV model sans-protection. A black APV model would be an awesome (and actually cool for a change) go-anywhere transport for businessmen and leaders (not to mention border patrol agents and law enforcement).

In typical Hennessey fashion, the 6.2L V-8 engine is supercharged, and now makes 575 horsepower, up from the standard Raptor's 411 hp. Just imagine the fun you could have in the far less weighty (non-armored) standard guise of the VelociRaptor.

That's all the information available for now, but you can bet we'll be hearing more soon. We're expecting the barrier of entry to be quite steep.