Films: 1967 Renault R8: A Retro Rally Heirloom
5
UP NEXT
Made To Drive | S10 E1
The “Harold and Maude” Jaguar E-Type Hearse: A True Undertaking
Become a Member,
Watch the Full Episode

Become a Petrolicious Member to access exclusive content, our new printed magazine - Drive Tastefully Quarterly, member pricing in the P Shop, access to events and more.

Learn more
Made To Drive | S10 E18

1967 Renault R8: A Retro Rally Heirloom

His father tragically passed too soon, but he left Anthony Nicolo with his Renault 8.
26
View Comments
Made To Drive
VIEW ALL
Renault
0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
26 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
MR 2cv
MR 2cv
5 years ago

I love old vintage french cars, but this Gordini is so beautiful to look at! A big thanks to Petrolicious, and super big thanks to the owner, wow what a story!!!

Robert in LA
Robert in LA
6 years ago

. . .

canyon
canyon
6 years ago
Reply to  Robert in LA

Robert,Robert wake up.. or are you speachless ?

Bohemianracer
Bohemianracer
6 years ago

I love these Gordini R8s, never drove one, however I did drive my uncle”s R10 and I do recall that the pedals were slightly to the right of your driving position, rather odd, but easy to get use to.

Smilo998
Smilo998
6 years ago

Absolutely love these humble cars with a really good background and cherished by their owners. Location looks like Provence as well, in which case, brilliNt roads too. Nice one

GuitarSlinger
GuitarSlinger
6 years ago

My sole criticism of this video ? The schmaltzy stock background music is too damn loud drowning out the exhaust sounds coming from the car as well as interfering with the pleasure of listening to the young mans French accent .e.g

Music for Film 101 ;

Background music should be just that …. in the background .. not competing with the film itself

Made even worse when shlock stock music is used

Alan
Alan
6 years ago
Reply to  GuitarSlinger

Why do you always have to be such an extremely negative know-it-all? Even on the rare occassion when you try to be positive, you still have to include a negative remark. Or even better, insult us “so called petrolicious gearheads”.

This is a website for people to share their knowledge about cars and their passion for cars. Why don’t you try that for a change instead of always leaving negative criticisms? I get the impression that you actually do know a lot about cars and you could teach us “so called petrolicious gearheads” a lot. However, it would be nice if it came from your enthousiasm for cars rather than from your “enthousiasm” to put yourself above others.

IanP
IanP
6 years ago
Reply to  GuitarSlinger

Actually cul-de-sac head the music is the perfect foil for the video. At the point when he says that his father died aged 32 there is a tension between Anthony and the audience. He delivers the line like he was talking about a spare part or some other aspect of the car. It has a huge impact but the film moves on. We dont know exactly how old Anthony was at that time but we can say that he was very young and we know that the impact of the death of a parent is experienced by young children in a very objective way, very different from that of older children.

For Anthony time and his life has moved on, so its not for me to speculate about his feeling, but the music dampens the tension for the audience and sets up the rhythm of the film in a way that harmonises it with the feelings of the audience.

Well done Petrolicious another intelligent, moving and entertaining video.

As for you mr cul-de-sac you are like this name: English fantasy French used to name a type of upper middle class road that is a dead end: you try to hide behind your meaningless words in a vain attempt to big yourself up.If you try and translate its something that might contain the content and value of your stupid comments .

canyon
canyon
6 years ago
Reply to  GuitarSlinger

Hey Slinger .. you may find this tough to get your head around,yet you might … Petro is not presenting in order to please everyone,nor to field everyones personal taste in music . Like chill on your critical analyzes . Leave that up to the production team when they get together for review.. after all their not waiting on your doorstep to judge your walking style or choice in shoes etc .. can you bite into that some .. think it over. Just sit back and enjoy the sky.. it’s always in flux just like everything else . I say this in all respect and need to remind myself of this constantly . Good life to you !

Paul Duesler
Paul Duesler
6 years ago

Alfa brother to R8

GuitarSlinger
GuitarSlinger
6 years ago
Reply to  Paul Duesler

… not even in the same ballpark never mind family tree !

JB21
JB21
6 years ago
Reply to  Paul Duesler

GS, you may be wrong about your assessment. Tipo 103 is very often referred to as a major influence on R8. There’s a good possibility, as Renault and Alfa Romeo were collaborating on manufacturing areas at the time of 103’s development.

Robert in LA
Robert in LA
6 years ago
Reply to  Paul Duesler

Renaults were rare when I was working in the auto trade as a young man, and Gordini R8’s were so rare, that we only knew of them from magazines. There is still not the abundance of information in English that you find on other cars of equivalent significance. Apparently the R8 was one of the first small, four door ‘saloon’ sedans, to come with four wheel disk brakes, which is a configuration that we think of as typically ‘Alfa’. The engine placement was longitudinal, which left space for modifications to the exhaust and carburetors, and made tuning easier. To keep the rear wheels far enough back to include a rear seat, the gear box was in front of the differential. This also moved some weight forward. The car must have been quite agile.

Paul Duesler
Paul Duesler
6 years ago

Wow! Beautiful artistic film with classic main actor. You’ve captured the dynamics of the R8 Gordini beautifully along with the sound, wish we could smell it’s interior.
This car is on my best friend’s and my all time favorite lists. Our mutual friend who also died young had an R8 and it was awesome. He also had a Giulia Super and GT Junior. These were extreme budget cars but the love was just as intense. Didn’t Alfa team with Renault on the R8? Perhaps inserting some Alfa DNA?
This story reinforces a theory that “car guys” were “touched” by a cool car at an impressionable age, and the passion was lit.
Great film, capturing a car for all to enjoy that most of us will never see in person again.

GuitarSlinger
GuitarSlinger
6 years ago
Reply to  Paul Duesler

Alfa DNA ? None what so ever !

Fact is it surprises me that a couple of so called Petrolicios gearheads would even ask or suggest such a thing .

Robert in LA
Robert in LA
6 years ago
Reply to  Paul Duesler

From Wikipedia on the R8: “The 8 design looks very similar to the Alfa Romeo front-wheel drive prototype tipo 103 (1960), because Alfa Romeo and Renault had a business relationship in the 1950s and 1960s. Renault was marketing Alfa Romeo cars and Alfa Romeo was building the Renault Dauphine (1959–1964), Ondine (an up-market version of the Dauphine) (1961–1962) and R4 (1962–1964) under license in Italy. In total 70,502 Dauphine/Ondine and 41,809 R4s were built by Alfa Romeo.[5]”

Guy Clericy
Guy Clericy
6 years ago

Thank you Anthony for this beautiful video and history about your R8.

Voila la mienne qui ma quitee il y a une semaine , mais qui a trouvee une bonne maison chez un passione de la marque

Anthony
Anthony
6 years ago
Reply to  Guy Clericy

Oh non Guy je ne savais pas que tu l’avais vendu …
Mais je sais que la passion reste tous de même !
Au plaisir Marseillais 🙂

Bill Meyer
Bill Meyer
6 years ago

My best pal in the late sixties in LA drove his fathers R-8 like a rally pro on Mulholland, the Crest and best of all Lake Hollywood Reservoir Rd. I used to sneak my dads Cortina GT out to race the R-8 but could barely keep it in sight.
The blue Gordini version was a real Q-Ship back then and there were a handful in LA. Love the video.

Stephan P
Stephan P
6 years ago

I remember being a child in the Swiss Alps when an R8 in blue with yellow stripes came whipping by. It made a lasting impression. I’d love to have one.

GuitarSlinger
GuitarSlinger
6 years ago

Very cool . I’ve missed seeing and hearing those little buggers . Damn French he says in a moment of abject green mist and envy

AndrewAllred
AndrewAllred
6 years ago

As someone who lost their father at a young age as well, I can truly appreciate this man’s passion to continue his father’s memory; And what a beautiful car to do it with.

racedoc
racedoc
6 years ago

I want that car!!!!! My first car was a 4CV that had been raced (really!) Engine slightly warmed up to 900cc and ? work on the carb. French blue with a white stripe….used to drag my buddies in their VWs and Morris Minor. Buses used to blow their horns for us to get out of their way!

Peter
Peter
6 years ago

Love the cinematography of these videos, just wish there was a little more driving and a little less interviewing!

JB21
JB21
6 years ago

Wow wow wow, I literally gasped when I saw this, and I haven’t even watched the video yet (have to wait till lunch time…). R8! This is my favorite box! Wow!

Robert in LA
Robert in LA
6 years ago

Thanks for this wonderful little video, Petrolicious. I just love it when you show all of us who are immersed in the car hobby how much we have in common with one another, across national, linguistic, economic and social boundaries. From Compton to Pebble Beach, Santiago to Reykjavik we could walk into one another’s garages and immediately have a shared understanding. I enjoy being reminded of this.

A while ago I was driving a little roadster with with a tonneau, down to symphony hall. I think that I was wearing a black wool jersey. The car is in nice ‘driver’ condition. This is pretty much how you might describe me at this point in my life. And at a succession of stop lights, I was next to a tricked out Corrolla, with three guys wearing baseball caps inside. The weather was warm, and all the windows were down. I was going to my Friday night event. They were going to theirs. They were, however, not headed to symphony hall. At the third stop light, one of the guys with the baseball caps, leaned out and said. Nice car. You look sharp. I said ‘thanks’. We were all car guys.

Petrolicious Newsletter