Hennessy Performance launches special ‘World's Fastest' edition of its Venom GT supercar

To celebrate hitting 270.49mph (435.31 km/h) and unofficially breaking the Guinness World record for fastest production car, the Texan carmaker is building three very special cars, each with a $1.25 million price tag.

In February, a Venom GT took to the runway at the Kennedy Space Center and, with just a 3.2-mile track to play with, managed to break the 270mph barrier, beating the current world record, held by the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport. Its top speed of 269.86 mph (434.30kph) was set on a purpose-built track that includes a 5-mile straight.

To commemorate the achievement, Hennessey Performance is building three special editions of the Venom GT with a special paint finish designed to evoke the American flag.

'The Venom GT is America's supercar and it broke 270 mph on the same runway where the Space Shuttle landed at the Kennedy Space Center,' said company founder John Hennessey. 'We wanted to offer a special paint scheme that would incorporate the colors of the American flag -- the same flag we flew on the Space Shuttle runway. Thus, our special livery package includes a body in white with red and blue stripes.'

However, although Guinness recognizes the Venom GT as the world's fastest accelerating road car -- it can go from 0-300km/h in 13.63 seconds -- despite video evidence, its claims to being the world's fastest production car are unofficial.

For a road-going car to be officially acknowledged as the world's fastest, it must make a record-breaking run twice -- so the average speed can be taken -- and it must be deemed to be a true production car. So, road legal, unmodified form a stock version and, crucially, be built in a production run of 30 examples or more.

The Venom was only afforded a single run on the track, and because production is strictly limited to 29 examples, it doesn't technically qualify as a production car.

But that doesn't mean that the car isn't ferociously fast. It's super-light, thanks to an aluminum and carbon fiber body and is propelled forward by a 7-liter V8 engine with twin turbochargers. The result is a car that weighs 1244kg and delivers 1244bhp, the magic ratio of 1bhp per kilogram.

Currently, the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport still officially holds the title of world's fastest production car. It can hit 269.86 mph (434.30km/h) but did so on Volkswagen's immense testing track which includes a 5-mile straight. Whether or not the company can hold on to the record remains to be seen.

Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg has just officially unveiled its latest creation, the Agera One:1. Like the Venom, it has the magic ratio of 1PS (metric horsepower) per kg (1340 of each I total) and, the company claims it is good for 'at least' 273mph. All the company needs now is a long enough runway to prove it.