While the name Venturi resonates universally with hardcore sports car aficionados, the general public may not completely understand all the hubbub surrounding the 1994 Venturi 400 GT Trophy that will hit the Sotheby’s auction block on February 6th.
Established by Claude Poiraud and Gérard Godfroy in 1984, the French manufacturer Venturi operated independently for 16 years before its sale and subsequent reinvention, first as an electric car company and then as a Formula E racing team. During its heyday in the 1900s, however, Venturi was a force to be reckoned with in the world of high performance sports cars.
The crown in the Venturi line was undoubtedly the 400 GT – a twin-turbo V6 vehicle that produced 402 horsepower, went from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.7 seconds, and reached top speeds in excess of 180 miles per hour. The 1994 Venturi 400 GT Trophy currently up for sale began as a racer but is now completely street legal.