Cars

The first model of a brand is a great moment for both the founders of the company and the customers, especially when the product is expected. It was the case of the MVS Venturi 200 (also called Cup 221) which was to give back its letters of nobility to the French sportsmen…

Founded on the initiative of two engineers from Heuliez, Claude Poiraud and Gérard Godfroy, who realized their dream by creating a sports car whose model was presented at the 1984 Paris Motor Show. The Ventury (that’s its name, with a Y) is a sensation, allowing the two actors to find financing to develop the car, with the help of Jean Rondeau. The MVS (for Manufacture de Voitures de Sport) was launched at the end of 1985.

In May 1986, the car is presented in preview at the Trocadero in Paris, the MVS Venturi is not in its final version since the car is equipped with an in-line four-cylinder from the Peugeot 505 Turbo. Not noble enough, and lacking brilliance against the new Alpine GTA (read also: Alpine GTA), the MVS team revises its copy by adopting the PRV. But the rest is already there, the little GT presents, like many rivals, retractable headlights, an attractive, modern and efficient body with a Cx of 0.31. Five-spoke 16-inch wheels complete the package.

As for the mechanics, customers had to wait until the Paris Motor Show in October 1986 to discover the 2.5-liter V6 PRV under the rear hood of the car, whose power was increased to 200 hp thanks to a Garrett T3 Turbo. Although the power is a bit lower than that of the foreign rivals, the excellent chassis of the Venturi gives the car a handling that puts it above the rest. For the transmission, a Renault gearbox with five manual gears is fitted. In terms of performance, MVS claims a 245k/h top speed for its Venturi 200, and 27 seconds to complete the standing start kilometer.

A nice line, some power and a good hold, but that’s not all. The MVS Venturi 200 must take on the Porsches and, to do so, present a high-end interior. The Venturi MVS 200 receives a very complete equipment where few things are optional, Connolly leather covers the seats, burr walnut woodwork are part of the game. This almost makes you forget the dashboard drawn with the rule and the elements coming from the big series (ashtray of Renault 25, controls coming from Peugeot…).

Between the 1986 Paris show and the first delivery, MVS built a brand new factory near Cholet and recruited about 20 people to start production. The first Venturi 200 is delivered to the president of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest in May. At the end of 1987, 5 examples of the MVS Venturi 200 were built but several dozens of orders are awaiting delivery, everything seems to be on track. The following year, 104 Venturi 200 are produced, the company markets a convertible version named Transcup.