• Powered by 1,817-horsepower 'Fury' V8
• Targeted top speed of more than 300 mph
• Carbon fiber roof panel weighs just 18 lbs
• Limited production run of 30 units

A week ago, Hennessey provided a shadowy teaser of its Venom F5 Roadster. The American automaker is edging closer and closer to achieving 300 mph with the coupe version of this car, but the drop-top will be no slouch either. Its predecessor, the Venom GT Spyder, was the fastest road-legal convertible on the planet when it was in production. Years later, it's still showing the world that America can take on the best in the business and win.

With the arrival of the Venom F5 Roadster, Hennessey intends to move the goalposts even further. Based on the spec sheet, this should be a cinch.

If you missed out on the coupe after it sold out last year, this is your new chance at experiencing the 'Fury' V8. The 6.6-liter twin-turbocharged mill produces a monstrous 1,817 horsepower and 1,193 lb-ft of torque. Power goes to the rear axle along through an automated single-clutch gearbox with seven forward ratios, similar to what you get in a Lamborghini Aventador.

Dry, the car weighs under 3,100 pounds, which is imperative as the drop-top is destined to have a crack at exceeding 300 mph. For reference, the Venom GT Spyder's highest recorded speed was 265.6 mph, something that no other automaker has yet been able to eclipse - not even Bugatti or Koenigsegg. Hennessey doesn't have a firm number in mind, only predicting it will exceed the 300-mph barrier.

Company CEO and founder John Hennessey is immensely proud of the new hairpiece-hating Hennessey hypercar: "We created the Venom F5 to be the ultimate expression of a hypercar. The Roadster version takes the Coupe's speed, exhilaration, and awe, plus a sprinkling of respect-inducing fear, to a new, truly visceral level that brings owners closer to the Venom F5's extreme performance. Our 1,817-bhp 'Fury' engine screams behind the exposed cockpit, with its roar unobstructed by a roof - it is an unmatched automotive experience."

We can only imagine. If you can recall last year's in-depth walkaround video of the coupe with Hennessey designer Nathan Malinick, you may remember that the F5 is named after the most dangerous tornado rating on the scale. An F5 tornado can reach speeds of 318 mph, so the name is even more apt in a car where the elements are part of the experience.

Naturally, this is more than just a coupe with the roof chopped off; the F5 Roadster's top has been reengineered with a removable panel made from carbon fiber composites, the same stuff used for the entire tub of the coupe. As you'd expect, that tub was designed to accommodate an open top from the get-go and is used here too. Inside the single-piece roof, Alcantara trimming surrounds quick-release bolts and two high-strength latches that will be able to handle the forces of doing such insane speeds. Designed to be installed or removed by just one person, the entire roof panel weighs just 18 pounds.

This panel can be stored in a bespoke Merino wool travel bag or in their garage on a custom carbon fiber sculptural pedestal designed in-house. Interestingly, the pedestal's legs copy the shape of the car's rear decklid and the profile integrates the shape of the car's side air intake.

Other changes over the coupe include a new tempered glass window that lets you see the V8 power plant. Like the roof, considerable engineering work had to be undertaken, and this piece of see-through glass was developed and certified for use in jets. This means it can withstand the aerodynamic pressures experienced at 300 mph and can handle temperatures above 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The panel sits within a removable carbon fiber engine cover with milled heat extraction holes like those in the rear fascia. Four aluminum air vents on each side match the vents behind the front wheels and mimic the layout of the engine's cylinders.

Unique wheels set the Roadster apart from the Coupe too. Made from forged aluminum alloy, the milled lightweight wheels have seven pairs of spokes that are intended to resemble Henessey's 'H' logo. The outer faces have the 'Hennessey' script with 'Roadster' on the opposite side of the wheel. If Hyper Silver is too sedate for you, hand-finished high polishing can be carried out over the course of weeks. Titanium nuts complete the package.

Buyers can have any color they want for the interior and exterior, or they can leave the carbon body exposed with nothing more than a gloss or satin finish added. But even if you decide to add paint, exposed areas of the car will allow the carbon to shine through as standard. When you decide on your perfect specification, the car will be built in Texas from late 2022. When production has begun in earnest, Hennessey will aim to cement its title as the creator of the fastest convertible on the planet with various speed tests. Will Bugatti's new car be able to snatch the record back? Time will tell.

If you're interested, you'd better scrape $3 million together quickly - just 30 units will be made. Interestingly, this is more than the number of coupes that were produced. Just 24 closed-top variants were made, but perhaps high demand warranted the increased numbers of this masterpiece.