The Venturi 400 GT: The French ‘Ferrari F40’ Born in Racing Secrecy

The Venturi 400 GT, an extremely limited-production French supercar, draws inspiration from the lineage of racing homologations to offer brutal performance and an aesthetic that evokes the iconic Ferrari F40.

While legendary brands like Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Bugatti are known to everyone, some supercar manufacturers, such as the French Venturi, have been lost to history. This brand, born in France in the early 80s, aimed to rival Aston Martin and Porsche in performance and style. By 1992, the company decided to go all-in on its flagship model: the Venturi 400 Trophy. This car was initially created to compete in its own one-make series, the Venturi Gentlemen Drivers Trophy.

From the Track to the Road: The Secret Homologation

The 400 GT’s origin traces back to the racing model Venturi 400 Trophy, which was largely developed by the Italian driver and aristocrat Riccardo “Rocky” Agusta. This circuit thoroughbred was powered by a 3.0-liter V6 engine derived from the PRV joint venture (Peugeot, Renault, Volvo), but enhanced with a pair of turbochargers to produce 408 horsepower. This allowed it to go from a standstill to 60 mph in just four seconds. By 1994, Venturi saw a golden opportunity: to create a homologation version to participate in high-level GT racing series, such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

A ‘Frankenstein Car’ with a Twin-Turbo V6 Heart

The resulting street-legal model was the Venturi 400 GT, of which only approximately 15 examples were produced. Technically, the 400 GT utilized many of the components from the race car, including a welded, integrated roll cage. However, it used a fully independent suspension loosely based on the Venturi 260, which made it slightly more forgiving than the racing version on the road. Regarding the drivetrain, this mid-engined supercar featured rear-wheel drive and was exclusively mated to a Sadev five-speed manual transmission.

Aesthetically, the 400 GT had an undeniable resemblance to the Ferrari F40. Both shared aggressive wedge-like shapes and large wings. Nevertheless, the main difference lay in the power source: the French car used an evolution of the twin-turbo PRV V6. The 400 GT’s rarity is reflected in its price: a 1992 400 Trophy conversion sold for $207,000, and a 1994 model fetched $150,685 at auction.

Production of the 400 GT ceased in 1996. After ending production of its more popular model, the 300, in 2000, Venturi completely shifted its focus to electric mobility. The brand has demonstrated its commitment to EV technology by competing in Formula E, where it has secured a total of eight wins since 2014. The Venturi 400 GT is, therefore, a collector’s item representing France’s last and most ambitious attempt to build a race-bred supercar before its electric