Wednesday 10th April 2019

MVS Venturi 200: Spotted

After an 80's supercar with that little bit of je ne sais quoi? We've found just the thing!

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Most off-piste automotive attractions can be traced back to a childhood encounter; an eye-catching Hot Wheels model, a video game hero car or a particularly strong Top Trumps card. None of those is true for me when it comes to Venturi, nor its predecessor MVS, but I've long harboured a peculiar soft spot for their output nonetheless.

Okay, so it's not that strange; the French manufacturer exclusively turned out handsome two-seater coupes - in its original incarnation, at least - and there are certainly other more oddball marques out there. Still, it's hardly the most obvious make for a young Brit to be drawn to.

Venturi production began in 1987 with the 160 and 200 Coupes, making today's Spotted a fairly early car. One of just three right-hand drive 200 Coupes ever produced, it features the 2.5-litre turbocharged V6 from a Renault R25 Turbo, putting out over 200hp and 216lb ft of torque for a 60mph of 6.9 seconds. That hardly made it the most potent performer of its time, but what the Venturi lacked in outright performance it made up for in driving pleasure.

Thanks to its combination of composite body and double wishbone suspension featuring Koni shocks and springs, the 200 Coupe was lighter on its feet than a lot of rivals, bestowing it with greater agility and steering feel. Qualities which stand the Venturi in even greater stead in an era when most hot hatches will leave an 80's supercar outgunned. It was also fantastically well put together as the condition of this 24,000 mile example demonstrates. A recent visit to French Venturi specialist SL Automobiles has resulted in a £6,000-plus mechanical overhaul, which should help even further in that regard.

While £35,000 is hardly cheap, then, it doesn't seem like too much for an attractive, enjoyable and rare piece of French automotive history. Venturi may not be set for an Alpine-esque revival any time soon, but that certainly doesn't mean that its accomplishments should be forgotten.

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SPECIFICATION - MVS VENTURI 200

Engine: 2,458cc V6 turbo
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Power (hp): 203@5,750rpm
Torque (lb ft): 216@2,500rpm
MPG: N/A
CO2: N/A
First registered: 1988
Recorded mileage: 24,000
Price new: N/A
Yours for: £34,995

See the full ad here.

 

[Bladedancer]

"mid engine sports car built entirely using French systems and components" - if that's not scary I don't know what is :P

Still, a piece of automotive history worth preserving, by someone with very, very deep pockets

[Bladedancer]

Turbobanana said:

Bladedancer said:

"mid engine sports car built entirely using French systems and components" - if that's not scary I don't know what is :P

Still, a piece of automotive history worth preserving, by someone with very, very deep pockets

Or...

Something a bit different, probably on a par with a contemporary Lotus Esprit in terms of performance, reliability and image, using readily-sourced proprietary components from a major manufacturer.

For a cotton wool-wrapped ownership experience, do what everyone else does and buy a Porsche. For those who tread a different path, this looks great: stylish, (moderately) affordable and well cared for.

For this money? Nah.

NSX it would be for me. (and yes, I am aware how much original NSX is these days and I am aware that sub 40k will most likely get you an automatic)

Edited by Bladedancer on Wednesday 10th April 13:54

[Bladedancer]

Turbobanana said:

I think that kind of confirms my point, re cotton wool.

To me it has nothing to do with cotton wool and everything to do with very rare mid engined japanese car that is usable every day.
I fact I'd have Esprit over that french thing every time

btw. what's wrong with having a car that doesn't break down every time you're trying to enjoy it? Where's this weird notion that cars have souls if they break down coming from?

[Bladedancer]

Turbobanana said:

Nothing at all - I never said anything of the sort. Cars are a pain in the backside when the break down. It just frustrates me that people write off cars like this because they "think" it will be unreliable, based on assumptions about its proprietary parts.

I maintain my cars, and they generally don't let me down. I have owned Peugeots, Renaults, Alfa Romeos, Citroens, a Mazda RX-7 and several classics from the sixties. The only car I've ever called the AA to was an Audi A6.

I'm not making this assumption based on proprietary parts but on the country of origin :P but I suppose that is no better French electrics from the period are almost legendary.
In my defense, in an age long gone I watched my friends and their families struggle for years with their Italian and French cars while I drove a piece of boring Swedish tech that just worked day in day out.
And yes, that was years ago and things are better now, or so they say, and one of my friends is testing that theory out by driving a Fluence.
So, experiences, like mileage, may wary, and maybe you were lucky, maybe they were unlucky but between that and French tech's insistence to occupy bottom part of every reliability survey known to man (occasionally contested by Mercedes Benz) I'll pass.

I mean Venturi is an interesting car, but I think there are many more far more interesting ones out there that are less likely to give you issues, that's all.