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
My car is definitely more than a car to me, I proposed to my girlfriend in it. I’ve taken it around Europe and intend to do so again in 2 weeks! I’ve had many small trips around the UK that have been made by the car, scary moments saved by the incredible technology in it.
I used it to transport my (at time) girlfriend to hospital in Belgium and while she was in pain, it was a very comfy and safe drive for her.
It’s a modern car, so most of this is a given, but it makes it my car and almost a part of the family.
Same with me
I proposed my first and current gf in it, my first kiss was in it, my first heart break was in it. It’s quite a modern car but not modern enough that i can’t perform some DIY mods in it, tought me many things and now it’s defiantly more than an object to me
When i read Basel in the title, i thought of Baselworld.
This was amazing,it almost made me cry that classics are being killed off
There couldn’t be a love button like Facebook?
this was great
cars are more then just a piece of metal,
For us they are the way of live, its more then just getting us from A-B, whether is is burning rubber, an 11 second 1/4 mile, the quickest lap times, the challenge of going around a canyon or back road. Something within us is on fire, we are a cylinder of the engine, the power of the engine is the power that drives us. many don’t see that, and they will never fully understand. its how we bond, its how we create peace within ourselves and others, its how we communicate through red line bashing, or just a quick tunnel blast. straight pipe or not. Each car has there own story to tell, there own personality. The memories we hold in those cars are ones we have forever. Whether we prefer JDM, Trucks, KDM, Supercars. Whatever it is, we all have a shared passion, a passion that no one else can understand, every car is unique to the owners personality. For that, every car has soul, has passion, has a story, its us who bring that to life.
My head gasket failed on Monday morning, when i got the call, i cried, i was depressed and angry, how could my first car go wrong after a year of owner ship, every Saturday i would check the oil, check the water, i loved it and cared for it. my family told me to “get over it” or “it’s just a car” to them it is, to me, its the car i learnt to drive in, its the car that got me to school, to work, to my friends places, to see family i don’t see often, it took me 4,000kms, and it was the best 4,000kms i’ve ever driving, i’ll always remember it, sure it was nothing special, just ‘08 Ford Focus, but to me it was everything, i went to my first car meets, I drove through back roads (cough) i will for ever love that car,
I don’t think we’re making progress in driver engagemant and human, machine relationship with all this new technology, driver assist, launch controll and active aero to always get the best out of anything.
To put into perspective into how I feel about cars having soul is with a couple of questions.
Did we ever care what the Ford GT40’s 0-60 time was?
Did we ever care how many G’s the Lancia Stratos could do while cornering?
Did we ever care how many kilograms of downforce the Ferrari 250 GTO had?
Did we ever care how many torques the original Porsche 911 had?
Sure we can talk about figures and how “oowh, my car is much better than yours, it gets 0.3 more mpg than yours.” and sure your car may realistically and statistically superior to mine but a soul is not something realistic.
Something with a soul is something we can relate to. Statistics mean nothing. Would I walk up to you and say “My child plays football, exersices everydayand only eats healthy foods. There fore my child is statistically better than your child.”?
No.
Idris Elba should be the next guest of Grand Tour and host of Top Gear
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