This Stunning New Short Film Is Searching For What Gives Cars Soul
What gives a car its soul? Do all cars even have souls? Do any? It’s a romantic kind of question that has been asked before, but it’s rarely answered so eloquently as in a new short film presented by true petrolhead Idris Elba.
As part of a movement called Grand Basel, aiming to promote the motor car as a ‘cultural asset,’ this enticing short film has been beautifully produced. Shot inside and on top of the iconic Lingotto building in Turin. You might recognise the old test track on top from the original The Italian Job.
Featuring the award-winning actor and one-time favourite to land a Top Gear role after the fracas that ended Clarkson, Hammond and May’s time on the show, it explores not just the ideas of style and noise, but the deep, artistic resonance that some cars achieve over and above their measurable statistics.
Four cars from the first Grand Basel exhibition star in the three-minute film. Starting with the dainty, lithe and entirely one-off 1931 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GS Zagato, Elba drives past the striking 2018 GFG Sybilla before reaching the roof, where the wedge-shaped 1978 Lancia Sibilo Bertone fires its once-futuristic arrows into 12-year-old you’s heart.
The piece closes as Elba drives away along the former rooftop test track in a flowing, graceful 2015 Zagato Mostro. The variety and rarity on show is even more impressive than the camerawork.
The first Grand Basel exhibition is scheduled for 6-9 September this year, in Basel itself. Curated by experts from automotive, arts, design and cultural backgrounds, the idea appears to be to identify those vehicles that have transcended the confines of transport to become something more – something that should be protected and preserved. We wish them every success!
Comments
It is great to see a light in a time of darkness with all the recent autonomous and electric car news.
It is. We’re a little nervous that the exhibition might be a little… rarified for the likes of us to really enjoy, but we hope not. We hope they make it accessible to and enjoyable for the grass roots car fans as well as ultra-rich collectors.
Honestly, electruc is the least of our worryes
It is crazy to think that the Bertone with the “futuristic” steering wheel was at some point tested at full speed on this Italian ring, isn’t it?
This video was amazing! The rare cars, the soft music, the idea that cars have a soul. It’s all so breath taking. I wish I could drive cars like that.
breath taking.. love it
That’s the old FIAT factory isn’t it??
Yes
Me after watching this :
I do think cars have a soul and they also have diffrent characters for example a ford escort rs cosworth is a underdog wich can beat a rich one like a ferrari every time even engines have a Charakter and a soul a rb26dett and 2jz are proper animals and so on
Car guys needed this if i’m honest,conmutism is growing in a pretty fast rate along the general unnapreciation towards old cars and the old parents who look down on fast cars with phrases like “why you want a car this powerful if you can only go this fast…?” Or the classic environmentalist that despreciates anything ICE but adores everything eco, i know that maybe cars were for going places in the begining,but i can say that they’re more than a transport along something that helped me on many ways…what else i can say, cars are awesome…and i hope to see this short film soon when i get the time 👌
Im sure thar car have souls, the sound of that little alfa, just music, its the way the car makes you feel, that is where the soul is
What is the red car called which he is driving at the end? Looks really stunning!