Reinforced by public enthusiasm, we had to turn the concept-car into a real production car: "to create the sports car of the next 20 years", such was the ambitious directive of Gildo Pallanca Pastor for Fétish, to be revealed at the 2004 Paris Motor Show, coinciding with the gyrfalcon brand’s 20th anniversary.
THE FETISH DESIGN, BY SACHA LAKIC
"In the world of automobiles, as in other domains, some dreams remain trapped in the imagination while others, seemingly more extreme, go on to become a reality of today."
It is precisely one of these dreams that I have been experiencing with Gildo and his team since the Spring of 2001, when I embarked on this extraordinary adventure.
A Secret desire: the development of an automobile project (especially a sports car) is the zenith of a designer’s career.
Cult-object, symbol of our times, the automobile has always reflected and been influenced by social, technological and cultural movements.
This dream of mine is one of the human adventures that will leave a distinct mark."
Sacha Lakic
The Fétish concept
Fétish has been conceived to demonstrate that there is an exciting alternative to the petrol engine.
This playful and innovative alternative completely respects the very essence of automobile tradition, rarity, character and passion, as well as the world around us.
Fétish utilises and maximises all available techniques and technologies with a unique goal: pleasure.
Pleasure of driving, visual and tactile pleasure - you will be thrilled to drive today, the automobile of tomorrow.
Fétish simply demonstrates that there is a future after the death of the traditional car of today.
THE SPORTS CAR OF THE FUTURE, TODAY
Presented as a World Premiere at the 2004 Paris Motor Show, the Venturi Fétish is the first production electric sports car in automobile history.
Fétish demonstrates, with ease, that it is possible to make today what the big automobile manufacturers are only proposing 20 years from now.
To reach this ambitious goal, Venturi have surpassed many current beliefs.
Where public opinion considers an electric vehicle to be ugly, Fétish is the first electric car to be beautiful and desirable. Where public opinion believes that an electric car lacks performance, Fétish offers a remarkable acceleration and a maximum speed of 170 Km/h, well above the maximum speed limit.
Finally, where electric cars are thought to seriously lack autonomy, the Fétish offers 350 Km of autonomy and a rapid battery recharge (with 80 Amps) of 1,6 Km a minute or 10 minutes recharge for every 16 Km, easily covering the needs of daily urban transport.
Under the technical direction of Gérard Ducarouge, chief engineer of the project, Fétish has been conceived to be an electric vehicle with absolutely no compromise on batteries and using the best state of the art technology available world-wide, regardless of price.
With the engine ideally positioned in rear central position and a monocoque carbon chassis, the overall architecture of the Venturi is comparable to that of a racing car. The roadholding is an evolution, even with regard to the Venturi Atlantique 300, already well renowned for its excellent roadholding .
The vehicle attains a record light weight of 750 Kg without and 1100 Kg with batteries.
Our unique and innovative approach represents a complete change in cultural direction, the evolution from the traditional sports car to a noiseless electric sports car, as well as a radical change in technological references, placing the battery, not the engine, at the epicentre of the automobile technological advancement and its performance.
With state of the art technology available and the mass production of batteries for mobile phones and laptop computers, an electric sports car is no longer out of the question.
However, before Fétish and the Lithium-Ion batteries, it was not possible to stock enough energy in an automobile : more than a ton of batteries would have been necessary to achieve the same power…
