alan5o5 wrote:
>The Venturi was/is (more on that later) an extremely well built French super
>car. Most models have featured the PRV, one I believe featured the N9TE.
>
>
To understand Venturi (that the name starts with V is very clever, as
you'll see) and why the french are so passionate about making racing
cars (and bikes), you have to understand just how much it is part of the
pop culture. By far, one of the most influencial cultural icon in that
field is Jean Gratton's "Michel Vaillant". http://www.michelvaillant.com/
This character (who never gets old...) drove thru all the car racing
eras (from the 60s to today) all kinds of cars, from a single brand
(there are a few exceptions - like in "Route de nuit" or "San Francisco
Circus" to name 2): Vaillante. Altough this is a work of fiction, and
for the most part these cars existed only on paper, over the years, some
enthusiasts built their own "Vaillante". Of course in french racing blue
if possible. I've even seen buggies with the famous V logo, like the LM
SOVRA LM1 or LM2 (one can be seen here, without a V logo:
http://lm1c.over-blog.com/article-31288.html ). A few car manufacturers
or car dealers offered "Vaillante" edition of their cars, namely a few
Renault and Peugeot dealers and even Honda (a Civic, with the obligatory
V logo - they assumed that this would unlock the French market to them).
But the most interesting was the Hommel Echapemment:
http://rvmarg99.chez.tiscali.fr/clas-d/14-1.htm
I dont know who, but somebody took it as a base (I know it was in
collaboration with Jean Graton) and made it look like a Vaillante,
changing quite a few things as you'll see in the pictures. It was sold
in a very limited number as the Vaillante Grand Defi, and was part of a
racing serie in France:
http://www.allsportauto.com/modules.php?name=Sportphoto&zl_idMD=116
Hommel is still in business I believe:
http://www.outrefranc.com/modeles/hommel/hommelbarquette.htm
http://www.outrefranc.com/modeles/hommel/hommelberlinette.htm
http://www.manoir-automobile.fr/Passion/Passion_Berlinette.html
This builds on a long line of French berlinettes, like the famous Djet,
Alpine and others and was designed based on polls taken in the French
car magazine "Echapement".
Back to Venturi, it is clear that they are wanting to stir the
subconscious of the French population and their fond memories of the
"Vaillante", as can be seen in their latest vehicule that was introduced
not that long after the "Michel Vaillant" movie featuring Courage
(George Nunez has taken some pictures of one, some might remember) with
Judd V10, made to look like "Vaillante/Peugeot" Le Mans vehicules.
See: http://www.venturi.fr/fr/fetish/fetish_spirit/fetish_spirit.php3
V shaped grille and from far, the Venturi logo looks like the Vaillante
logo. It's obvious.
>The models ranged from the 200,210,260,Atlantique 300 & 400GT, and 400
>Challenge.
>
There were also 500 and 600 HP versions, like the 600 LM, for example:
http://www.carclassic.com/html/CE25.htm
> They company changed hands several times and was once known as
>MVS Venturi as well as Ventury. I found a USA brochure for a 260 or 200 that
>a company was attempting to import. I was never able to find out more.
>
>
The 400 GT is used in the US by at least 2 driving schools. Or at least
was used as recently as last year. I cant find the sites thru google. I
had posted the link some years back on the list if somebody finds it.
>You will also be able to purchase the new Venturi Fetish sports car in the
>USA for approx $600+ soon. It's all electric too. Once again the marketing
>attempts of the French tend to baffle me.
>
>
450,000 euros, 180KW. It's a little strange... and way too expensive.
They build them in Monaco now tough, where many I'm sure can afford this...
Francois
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Received on Wed Mar 16 07:35:15 2005
