Venturi America is still awesome, still not coming to the U.S. [w/videos]

It's been two years since we first met the Venturi America on this very Paris Motor Show floor, and we're still in love with the idea of an electric car that is as capable on the street as it is on the trail. Venturi Automobiles says it is only making 100 of these door-less electric enduro cars, but despite its name, none of them are to be sold in the U.S.

Venturi calls the America a "high-riding sports car," and on paper, we're willing to agree on both counts based on the car's looks and its specs. The styling of the America is what we might imagine a collaboration between Smart and Jeep, with the two-passenger car looking every bit the part of a modern street-legal dune buggy, right down to its ample ground clearance and open cockpit design. In terms of its performance, the Venturi-developed electric powertrain is said to produce 300 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, which is pretty great for a 3,100-pound car. There are also three driver-selectable modes (Cruising, Sport and Super Sport), so the car's dynamic settings allow the driver to choose between maximum driving range and maximum performance. Powered by a 53 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery, the America has a driving a range of around 186 miles (presumably in Cruising mode) with a top speed of 124 miles per hour.

Since we're likely never to see a Venture in America on our shores, you'll want to check out our image gallery and videos of the live reveal and an advertisement featurette below. If nothing else, the latter will give you the chance to brush up on your French.
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