We’ve seen different types of off-road engines in the past, but most of them will crawl on rocks and dirt because generally, off-roading isn’t about speed. Of course, that doesn’t include the Baja racers who choose to conquer rock and sand instead.
An off-roader buggy from Mississippi begs to be different. Created by a group of off-roaders, the challenge is to create a ride that knows no boundaries and can go anywhere where no one can. The result is this – the Venom Rock Bouncer, or simply known as Venom.
The Venom is just one entry in a sport called bounce rock, which is essentially one of the most hardcore forms of off-roading aiming to traverse challenging terrain at the highest possible speed.
Jack Porter, who brought the train in the latest episode of Barcroft Cars’ Ridiculous Rides, is a member of Venom Racing – the people behind Venom. It’s basically a roll cage on wheels, not safe from dirt, mud and rain but totally safe if the off-roader rolls over.
Powering the Venom is a Chevrolet V8 engine that produces 550 horsepower (410 kilowatts). The train measures 14 feet and 2 inches long, and weighs 3,600 pounds (1,633 kilograms). Venom can reach speeds of up to 110 miles per hour (177 kilometers per hour).
Reinforcing the buggy’s off-road prowess is a set of 43-inch Mickey Thompson Baja Pro X off-road tires wrapped around Raceline wheels. The front axle and suspension are completely custom made, while the rear shocks can also move up and down 29 inches.
More importantly, the Venom is touted as having the capacity to withstand falls from heights of up to 150 feet, which the video above says is very important.
