Venturi test track

I've just arrived back from Nantes having spent two days driving my Atlantique around the Venturi test track, appropriately called, Curcuit Atlantique. The weather was idyllic, being sunny and dry the whole time with a daytime temps of around 30 degrees C. And the track is tricky enough to keep things interesting.

I took one of my Maseratis as well (an MC-Victory) to save working the Venturi too hard. Both acquitted themselves admirably, and both made it there and back without incident or complaint. In fact, because I called in at Extreme Limite to see Tony B who fixed a few items on the Venturi, that car is now better then when I left home on Thursday last week. The mechanics there (ex Venturi factory) were very friendly and helpful, spoke excellent English, and seemed genuinely pleased to see one of their own creations back in France.

For anybody wondering whether to make this trip or not, just do it. From the ferry at Cherbourg it's about a 4 hour drive south, and we found some fantastic restaurants while we were down there.

In due course I'll upload some photos.

If any other Venturi owners fancy making this pilgrimage in the future, feel free to get in touch.

Going down the back straight, past the pits.

On track!.jpg

In Extreme-Limite.JPG

In Extreme-Limite, just visible on the ramp in front of the yellow Venturi. There were about 8 Venturi road cars in there when I visited.

Cooling off after a few laps of the Circuit Atlantique

Thanks for the photos looks like you had a great time.

Hi Ewan

Thanks for the thread and photos, glad you had a good time and are enjoying the Venturi. I had known about Extreme Limite being based at the track and it being the Venturi test track. It is also part of the reason Venturi lurched from one financial crisis to another amongst others as the following list is probably things that a small struggling company trying to establish itself should avoid in the first 10 years or so and not do it all in the first few years!

Build a brand new factory
Build your own test track
Enter Le Mans with versions of your product producing 600 plus bhp from the same PRV as the production units
The small matter of entering the rarefied air of the F1 world.

But you are right it sounds like that would be a good week away.........................

You'd love it Paul. We took the picturesque route down, taking about 7 hours including a stop for lunch. On the way back we used the toll-free autoroute which was a bit under 4 hours (to Cherbourg).

For its next service I'll probably drive down one day, with a longer lunch stop. Have the car in with EL for the next day, and then blast back the following day. So just a two night stop, visiting two good restaurants.

EL has a huge inventory of Venturi parts as they bought the entire factory stock when it closed. So most items are available instantly off the shelf.

It would be fun to do with another UK Venturi or two though.

That sounds a fantastic trip away, those guys certainly know venturis better than anyone I would say, worth the trip just for their advice really.

They certainly do know their stuff when it comes to Venturis. Owners from all over the Workd return their cars there, as it's the only place in the Workd with the original parts stock and factory mechanics.

I suggest a Venturi Owners UK road trip and repair/service session, some time next year. May/June should be nice and sunny.

Now that would seem a spiffing idea and one that should be heartily embraced. Or if you prefer.... YAY!!!!!!!!

So your idea, do you fancy doing the leg work to come up with plan and rough idea of costs etc? Also I think it would be impolite not to invite our Alpine cousins.

Fellow Venturi (300) owner Martin Guard has done a fair bit of touring in these areas also and may be a good source of information.

A few more shots of the biturbo at the Circuit de Loire Atlantique.

Car is looking very nice

I do like that colour combo! Looks lovely.

I've just heard that we've booked the Circuit de Loire-Atlantique for Sept 1st and 2nd of 2017, so I have two more track days of Venturi action planned.

This time though I may just trundle there and back in the Atlantique, and see if I can hire a single seater of some sort from Tony B at Extreme-Limite for the actual track driving bit. (That's if I can fit in any of them!)