French V8 Cars

[Ilse Marseau]

Famousfor its lion badge, Peugeot is one of the original French car brands and a true elder of motoring, dating back to its first steam-powered effort in 1899. More conventional propulsion happily followed and Peugeot went on to provide solid, reliable and occasionally innovative transport for the French bourgeoisie and of course France's many farmers. The company's 1980s 205 GTi remains one of the greatest hot hatches, Le Mans victories reflect motor sport pedigree, current ranges meld Peugeot flair with everyday competence.

Beloved of petrol-heads and even philosophers, Citron's futuristic DS, launched in 1955, is regarded as one of the greatest ever pieces of automobile design, complete with swooping lines and revolutionary hydropneumatic suspension. The DS was simply the latest innovation of this most French of French car companies - witness the 2CV or pioneering front-drive Traction Avant - and current ranges, while less radical, usually feature a signature quirk or two. Huge success in rallying, too.

One of the greats of small-car motoring, Renault's latest offering - still in concept stage - is a svelte electric version of the renowned and much loved Renault 5 of the 1970s and 1980s. Forward-looking Renault has long been at the forefront of battery power - the current Zoe is an urban favourite - while its RenaultSport division not only boasts Le Mans and Formula One success, but an impressive record in producing RS-badged hot versions of its everyday hatchbacks.

Now part of the multinational VW Group, Bugatti produces some of the fastest and most sought-after hypercars, currently the Chiron, a special version of which achieved more than 300 mph at the hands of test driver Andy Wallace. The Veyron was the formidable debut product of the revived badge under VW control, after production of EB110 supercar faltered. Heritage includes jaw-dropping Royale, aimed at 1930s royalty, and Atalante from the same era, often named as the world's most expensive classic.

A luxury spin-off brand from parent Citroen, DS offers uprated and significantly re-engineered versions of existing Citroens. Idea is to draw on Citroen's avant garde past and this is especially reflected in lavishly appointed interiors. Ranges begin with subcompact crossover DS3 and extends to the upscale DS9, aimed squarely at providing a Gallic alternative to Mercedes and BMW. Motorsport programme in all-electric Formula E points to the future.

Recently relaunched sports car marque that's part of the Renault group. Heritage includes signature 1971 Monte Carlo Rally win for the diminutive A110, a coupe whose form and name is reflected in the company's current mid-engined sports car, also known as the A110. This little two-seater has been acclaimed by motoring journalists for its handling finesse. The Alpine name has reached worldwide TV audiences with the Alpine Formula One team, featuring the veteran Fernando Alonso.

Quixotic and proudly independent car maker that traces its roots back to the early 1900s, when the De La Chapelle brothers produced cars under the Stimula badge, revived by Xavier de la Chapelle in the 1970s, going on to produce bespoke road cars as well as highly regarded replicas of 1930s Bugattis. After focus on electric people-carriers, De La Chapelle now offers the remarkable new-from-old Atalante Series 6, based on 1930s Bugatti Atalante, and powered by a V8 engine.

Are they cars or are they quadricycles? Diminutive all-electric products of this highly individual French marque don't require a car licence, which has given these tiny vehicles an unlikely popularity, especially in French urban areas. Axiam are understandably smug about being ahead of the electric curve, and the company's tiny electric pick-ups also have a large following. Perfect transport for your artisanal boulangerie.

French marque, now Monaco-based, Venturi's attractive GTs attracted a devoted - if small - following in the 1980s. Reinvented as an all-electric brand, Venturi claims its 2004 Ftish concept, a radical open-top two seater, was the first true electric sports car. Subsequent concepts have pushed the boundaries of electric power, underlined by the company's entry in the battery-powered Formula E single-seater series - and the one-off Venturi Buckeye Bullet, which holds the world record for fastest electric vehicle, reaching 340 mph.

Founded by former Formula One racer Guy Ligier, the company initially focussed on Grand Prix single seaters, scoring nine notable victories culminating in an unlikely win in the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix. Ligier's road-going vehicles today are at the other end of the motoring scale: tiny microcars powered initially by 50 cc petrol engines and now available as an all-electric range, topped by the JS50, a chequered flag on its nose celebrating Ligier's distinguished motor sport heritage.

Philip G Lane has been writing for OPUMO for many years. He is a budding crime novelist and a dedicated sneakerhead. When he's not writing, you can find him fawning over classic cars and brutalist architecture or sipping a vodka martini.

While these regions have continued to evolve over time, we wondered if a certain joie de vivre still exists in the classic car communities of the former New France (inclusive of lower Qubec, northern New Brunswick, and southern Louisiana). Are Montreal and New Orleans still your best bets this side of the Atlantic for spotting the rare North American Citron 2CV?

See that darker spot in Montana? Bugattis and favorable tax laws go together like sauvignon blanc and soft cheese. But Qubec's French car love is the obvious standout. It even bleeds over a bit into neighboring Vermont and Maine.

On the bright side, other aspects of the Franco-influenced cultures, such as the infamous Mardi Gras and the sublimely fantastic cuisine, have fared far better. And it is in this latter arena where classic French cars are really starting to make their mark in the Big Easy.

The coffee scene has also cleverly hopped on the Citron wagon. Petit Rouge, a roaming coffee spot operating out of a bright red 1970 Citron H-Van, was featured in a Hagerty video centered around a French expat who always makes time for cruising around the city in his 1961 Citron 2CV. One of the most beloved coffee brands in the area has even put it right there in the name.

Peugeot, Citron (PSA group), and Renault no longer sell anything in the United States. The only French cars you will see are on reruns of the TV show Columbo, in which the inspector drives a Peugeot 403 vintage cabriolet, or in The Mentalist, which briefly featured a Citron DS, originally produced in 1955!

Renault has resigned itself to being left out, seemingly satisfied by its indirect presence via Nissan, in which it has a 44% stake. But PSA is now preparing its triumphant return, emboldened by the recent revival of Opel, a floundering European subsidiary acquired from General Motors. This reentrance might be made with a bang in the case of a successful buyout of the Fiat-Chrysler group, which has been under negotiation for a month with the Agnelli family. However, proceedings seem to be off to a bad start.

In another unfortunate precedent, during the 1950s Renault sold tens of thousands of Dauphine models ill-suited to the local American climate. The color of its plastic parts faded and cracked in Texas, rust marks appeared on the cars in Louisiana, and some were unable to start in the cold temperatures of Maine. There was also little or no spare parts supply network. Some customers simply abandoned their car on the side of the road!

While I’m an electric-car enthusiast and advocate, they aren’t my first foray into green transportation. About 11 years ago, I would regularly scan the classified ads looking for an old, diesel Mercedes-Benz to convert to run on waste vegetable oil. Friends of mine just converted a diesel Volkswagen Jetta using the Greasecar system.

The Greasecar kit turns a diesel car into a two-tank vehicle, so once the vegetable oil is heated up (using heat from the engine), you flip a switch, and it goes from running on diesel to using the cleaner-burning waste vegetable oil.

Since I now knew someone who could convert a car, the time was right. I found a 1984 Mercedes diesel, while my wife was away at a conference. I jumped on it and was the first to do so. I called my wife to get her blessing, and, while she was a bit hesitant, she knew how much I wanted to do this and said yes... as long as I sold our Toyota Sienna minivan. Done.

The Mercedes was a world away from the comfort and convenience of the modern minivan. You could feel the springs in the cracking leather seats, and, of course, there were no cup holders (Back in 1984, cars were for driving and not drinking mega-sized sodas). The diesel engine was loud, and there would be intermittent puffs of dark smoke coming out of the tailpipe.

I called this my environmental midlife crisis. Collecting used oil from area restaurants, and learning how to filter, was both an adventure and a challenge. I had to explain to restaurant owners why I wanted their waste oil. As it turns out, waste oil is a desired commodity: It is used to make biodiesel, as a base for women’s cosmetics and even for farm feed. But some restaurant owners either understood my motivations, or thought this was a novel enough idea to give me their oil. The resulting car exhaust often ended up smelling like french fries. It was a cool, but sometimes messy, as one of the great downfalls of collecting vegetable oil is the inevitable spill.

My kids were witness to my passion. Every year on Earth Day, I would offer to have a green car show at my kids’ schools. They would learn that there were greener, safer alternatives to gas and diesel. I had the kids line up to pour small cups of veg oil into my tank to drive the point home. My son and I even drove around environmental activist, redwood-sitter Julia Butterfly Hill when she came to Louisville to speak.

You can count on the experts at French Cars Shrewsbury Ltd for quick and efficient French car MOT, repair and servicing in Shrewsbury. We even service cars under warranty! Specialising in French cars, we service and repair all makes and models, including Alfa Romeo, Citroen, Fiat, Peugeot and Renault, and Dacia.

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