A Legacy of Safety, Innovation and Swedish Engineering Volvo’s story began in Sweden in 1927, when the company produced its first car, the Volvo ÖV 4 , marking the birth of one of the world’s most respected automotive brands. The company was founded by Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larson , two Swedish innovators who shared a vision of building reliable vehicles capable of withstanding the country’s harsh weather and challenging road conditions. The name Volvo comes from the Latin word meaning “I roll,” reflecting the company’s original connection to ball-bearing manufacturing. Volvo’s first automobile rolled off the production line in Gothenburg, Sweden, on April 14, 1927. Although the initial model had limited commercial success, it laid the foundation for a brand that would eventually become synonymous with durability, engineering excellence and road safety. From its early years, Volvo distinguished itself through its commitment to protecting drivers and passengers. In 1959, Volvo ...
Venturi 400 GT: The forgotten French thoroughbred Image: Top Gear Origination. Born out of Venturi’s single-make racing program, the 400 GT is the road-going offshoot of the Venturi 400 Trophy—a fearsome early-’90s racer created for the Gentlemen Drivers Trophy series. Unveiled for the road in 1994 at Venturi’s Couëron base, the 400 GT retained much of the Trophy’s hardware but was trimmed and homologated for public roads. Production was tiny: fewer than 100 in total, with roughly 15 street cars and the rest competition variants, making any 400 GT sighting rare even in supercar circles. Powertrain & performance. At its core is the famous PRV 3.0-liter V6—twin-turbocharged, intercooled, and mid-mounted—rated at about 408 PS (402 bhp) and ~520–530 Nm . A 5-speed manual sends power to the rear wheels. Contemporary figures have the 400 GT at 0–100 km/h in ~4.7 s with a top speed near 290 km/h (180 mph) —squarely supercar numbers for the era. Braking firsts & chas...