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Porsche Taycan selected by legendary American tuner as first electric vehicle project
Porsche’s flagship all-electric sports car, the Taycan, is set to receive some improvements from legendary American tuning house, Hennessey.
President and CEO of Hennessey Performance Engineering John Hennessey made the announcement in a press release on September 24. The company has been in business for 28 years and is known as one of the highest-performance mechanical modification tuning companies in the auto industry. “We’ve been planning to do something with electrified vehicles for a while now. We felt that the new Porsche Taycan was the right platform from which to modify our first EV,” he said.
Hennessey was founded in 1991 in Sealy, Texas and specializes in modifying sports cars to reach their maximum potential. The company has worked on several iconic projects, most notably the Hennessey Venom GT, a high-performance modified version of the Lotus Exige that enabled the already fast car to obtain a ridiculous 1,244 horsepower and a 270.49 mph top speed. Hennessey also created the yet-to-be-released Venom F5, a car that the company claimed can reach 300 mph.
The company has yet to work on an electric vehicle, but John Hennessey already has plans for the Taycan. “Initially, we will start with simple modifications such as wheels, tires and interior upgrades as well as exterior modifications such as more aggressive front and rear bumpers. After that we will see what might be possible in terms of adding more power,” Hennessey said.
Porsche unveiled the Taycan on September 4 in a simultaneous event in Canada, China, and Germany. The 750-horsepower electric vehicle made headlines regarding its performance when it set the four-door production electric vehicle record at the Nürburgring racetrack in Germany in late August, a record that Tesla CEO Elon Musk has stated will be beaten by the Model S.
Initial deliveries for the Taycan are expected to begin in 2020, and Hennessey will be one of the recipients of a development version of the all-electric sports car.
John Hennessey said that a majority of the company’s clients currently focus on modifications for ICE vehicles, but he also notes that some of the same customers are interested in switching to a more eco-friendly option for their daily commute. “Nearly all of our clients still want raw, powerful ICE engines. But some of them have begun to add an EV to their collections for daily driver duties,” Hennessey stated in the press release.
A company that is as notable as Hennessey taking on a new challenge of electric vehicles bodes well for those who are interested in the ever-evolving electric market but want the power and speed of a traditional sports car that has an ICE. Hennessey has decided that they will begin modifying the Taycan, and maybe its the first step in the company eventually taking on any high-performance electric vehicle, like the highly-anticipated Model S that will run “Plaid Mode“, expected to begin production in Q4 of 2020.
“We don’t want to reinvent the wheel in the electrified market, we just want to make it roll a little faster and cooler!” he said.
H/T HennesseyJarrod of TaycanEVForum.com.
Elon Musk
SpaceX issues statement on Starship V3 Booster 18 anomaly
The incident unfolded during gas-system pressure testing at the company’s Massey facility in Starbase, Texas.
SpaceX has issued an initial statement about Starship Booster 18’s anomaly early Friday. The incident unfolded during gas-system pressure testing at the company’s Massey facility in Starbase, Texas.
SpaceX’s initial comment
As per SpaceX in a post on its official account on social media platform X, Booster 18 was undergoing gas system pressure tests when the anomaly happened. Despite the nature of the incident, the company emphasized that no propellant was loaded, no engines were installed, and personnel were kept at a safe distance from the booster, resulting in zero injuries.
“Booster 18 suffered an anomaly during gas system pressure testing that we were conducting in advance of structural proof testing. No propellant was on the vehicle, and engines were not yet installed. The teams need time to investigate before we are confident of the cause. No one was injured as we maintain a safe distance for personnel during this type of testing. The site remains clear and we are working plans to safely reenter the site,” SpaceX wrote in its post on X.
Incident and aftermath
Livestream footage from LabPadre showed Booster 18’s lower half crumpling around the liquid oxygen tank area at approximately 4:04 a.m. CT. Subsequent images posted by on-site observers revealed extensive deformation across the booster’s lower structure. Needless to say, spaceflight observers have noted that Booster 18 would likely be a complete loss due to its anomaly.
Booster 18 had rolled out only a day earlier and was one of the first vehicles in the Starship V3 program. The V3 series incorporates structural reinforcements and reliability upgrades intended to prepare Starship for rapid-reuse testing and eventual tower-catch operations. Elon Musk has been optimistic about Starship V3, previously noting on X that the spacecraft might be able to complete initial missions to Mars.
Investor's Corner
Tesla analyst maintains $500 PT, says FSD drives better than humans now
The team also met with Tesla leaders for more than an hour to discuss autonomy, chip development, and upcoming deployment plans.
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) received fresh support from Piper Sandler this week after analysts toured the Fremont Factory and tested the company’s latest Full Self-Driving software. The firm reaffirmed its $500 price target, stating that FSD V14 delivered a notably smooth robotaxi demonstration and may already perform at levels comparable to, if not better than, average human drivers.
The team also met with Tesla leaders for more than an hour to discuss autonomy, chip development, and upcoming deployment plans.
Analysts highlight autonomy progress
During more than 75 minutes of focused discussions, analysts reportedly focused on FSD v14’s updates. Piper Sandler’s team pointed to meaningful strides in perception, object handling, and overall ride smoothness during the robotaxi demo.
The visit also included discussions on updates to Tesla’s in-house chip initiatives, its Optimus program, and the growth of the company’s battery storage business. Analysts noted that Tesla continues refining cost structures and capital expenditure expectations, which are key elements in future margin recovery, as noted in a Yahoo Finance report.
Analyst Alexander Potter noted that “we think FSD is a truly impressive product that is (probably) already better at driving than the average American.” This conclusion was strengthened by what he described as a “flawless robotaxi ride to the hotel.”
Street targets diverge on TSLA
While Piper Sandler stands by its $500 target, it is not the highest estimate on the Street. Wedbush, for one, has a $600 per share price target for TSLA stock.
Other institutions have also weighed in on TSLA stock as of late. HSBC reiterated a Reduce rating with a $131 target, citing a gap between earnings fundamentals and the company’s market value. By contrast, TD Cowen maintained a Buy rating and a $509 target, pointing to strong autonomous driving demonstrations in Austin and the pace of software-driven improvements.
Stifel analysts also lifted their price target for Tesla to $508 per share over the company’s ongoing robotaxi and FSD programs.
Elon Musk
SpaceX Starship Version 3 booster crumples in early testing
Photos of the incident’s aftermath suggest that Booster 18 will likely be retired.
SpaceX’s new Starship first-stage booster, Booster 18, suffered major damage early Friday during its first round of testing in Starbase, Texas, just one day after rolling out of the factory.
Based on videos of the incident, the lower section of the rocket booster appeared to crumple during a pressurization test. Photos of the incident’s aftermath suggest that Booster 18 will likely be retired.
Booster test failure
SpaceX began structural and propellant-system verification tests on Booster 18 Thursday night at the Massey’s Test Site, only a few miles from Starbase’s production facilities, as noted in an Ars Technica report. At 4:04 a.m. CT on Friday, a livestream from LabPadre Space captured the booster’s lower half experiencing a sudden destructive event around its liquid oxygen tank section. Post-incident images, shared on X by @StarshipGazer, showed notable deformation in the booster’s lower structure.
Neither SpaceX nor Elon Musk had commented as of Friday morning, but the vehicle’s condition suggests it is likely a complete loss. This is quite unfortunate, as Booster 18 is already part of the Starship V3 program, which includes design fixes and upgrades intended to improve reliability. While SpaceX maintains a rather rapid Starship production line in Starbase, Booster 18 was generally expected to validate the improvements implemented in the V3 program.
Tight deadlines
SpaceX needs Starship boosters and upper stages to begin demonstrating rapid reuse, tower catches, and early operational Starlink missions over the next two years. More critically, NASA’s Artemis program depends on an on-orbit refueling test in the second half of 2026, a requirement for the vehicle’s expected crewed lunar landing around 2028.
While SpaceX is known for diagnosing failures quickly and returning to testing at unmatched speed, losing the newest-generation booster at the very start of its campaign highlights the immense challenge involved in scaling Starship into a reliable, high-cadence launch system. SpaceX, however, is known for getting things done quickly, so it would not be a surprise if the company manages to figure out what happened to Booster 18 in the near future.
SpaceX issues statement on Starship V3 Booster 18 anomaly
Tesla analyst maintains $500 PT, says FSD drives better than humans now
