Racing car Unregistered

Chassis No VK8 CLM 611 93 CE 0003

- Factory car, Venturi’s ultimate racing evolution

- Raced in the 1993 and 1995 Le Mans 24 Hours

- Eligible to race in numerous historic events, including Endurance Racing Legends by Peter Auto and Le Mans Classic

- Beautiful condition, both mechanically and aesthetically

 Manufactured in 1993, this Venturi was the first 500 LM produced, a model derived from the 400 GT road car to race in GT motor sport events. Used by the factory as a development car under the direction of test driver Jean-Philippe Vittecoq, it competed in the 1993 24 Hours of Le Mans bearing the number 56 and sporting FreeSoft's blue, pink and white livery. In the hands of drivers Costas Los, Johannes Badrutt and Claude Brana, it set the 41st fastest time in practice (17th among the GT cars) but despite this good performance, it was involved in a collision on the first lap that forced it to return to the pits. An hour and a half later, a spin caused damage to the rear and led to another pit stop, before the car's chances were gone for good when Brana spun off the track on lap 80. Fitted with a 3-litre twin-turbo V6 engine producing 600 hp, this Venturi was then fully rebuilt at the factory to race in the BPR championship (Barth, Peter, Ratel) in 1994 with Stéphane Ratel; and on the 29th May 1994, its racing entry forms indicate that it was entered in the 1,000 km of Paris by the Agusta Racing Team with 600 LM specifications. It was forced to retire halfway through the race due to gearbox issues, despite Venturi winning four races that season. In 1995 and as part of the Venturi Team Lécuyer factory team, it benefited from the 600 SLM's latest developments and was renamed the 600 LM-S. It raced in BPR events at Paul Ricard, Monza and Jarama with drivers Emmanuel Clérigo, Laurent Lecuyer and Bernard Chauvin. It also competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans but did not finish the race due to a fire incident on lap 130.

Later withdrawn from modern racing events, this Venturi reappeared in 2017 in its 1996 version at the Global Endurance Legends event during the Grand Prix de l'Age d'Or. In 2019, it was fully restored by Ferry Development and was fitted with a new electronic transmission. Purchased in 2023 by its current owner, this particular ‘French F40 LM’ is presented in its 600 S-LM configurations, the most advanced version of this model and its ultimate development for racing. Ready to resume its racing career and eligible for the GT Classic by HWM, the Master Endurance Legends (including the USA), the Endurance Racing Legends by Peter Auto and the Le Mans Classic event, this car perfectly illustrates the attempt from French manufacturer Venturi to compete at the highest level in the GT class.

Photos © Nino Hamet