A Camaro In France is Cooler Than You Think
More proof that the love of muscle cars can transcend generations, cultures, and even oceans.
We tend to take for granted the fact that Americans are surrounded on a near constant basis some of the most iconic cars of all time. The mid-century American motor industry completely defined the art of beautiful design, high power, and affordable performance. Our cars were featured in all the movies, and people around the world were graced with images of mighty American metal that they would likely never see or touch. So what is a young man from across the pond supposed to do when he falls in love with the idea of a big American V8 muscle car? Well if you’re Gabriel, you fly to America, buy one anyways, and then have it shipped home. Which, in this case, is the French countryside.
In this new video from Petrolicious, we get a look into the love and longing that vintage American automobiles created across the world. From the time Gabriel was a child, he dreamed of owning an piece of V8 American history. Back in 2013 he and a friend flew into LA and went on a car hunt. During a stint of time being lost in the desert they stumbled across an old Camaro, and the rest is history.
Hearing Gabriel tell the story is an experience all his own, and it reinforces the love and bond that humans can create with a car. He talks about how it felt to discover his dream, not once, but twice. When he bought the car in America it was dirty and worn. When he received it in France it was cleaned and polished. There was also a long time gap between those two first meetings, Gabriel waxes poetically about how much you forget. He talks about having photos to remember the car, but the exact smells, sounds and translations fade away with time. To have them all rush back when he gets the car in France is a powerful image.
Fair warning to anyone who doesn’t speak French, make sure you hit that captions button in the YouTube player. Otherwise you’ll miss that incredible story. Like all Petrolicious videos, the art direction is stunning, and watching a dark green Camaro roar around the French hills is enough to bring a swell to your throat.
Hit play and enjoy.
