UP NEXT
Father and son have a shared appreciation for the engineering in BMW's big coupe.
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Films:
This Alfa Romeo Spider Is A Well-Oiled Multitool
Alfa was also my first car, a GTV 2.0 1982, more or less same motor like this spider. But turtle wax, no thanks. I prefer SWISSVAX: http://www.swissvax.ch
Actually there are some quite wonderful roads for driving an Alfa near that approximate section of desert. The N4 from Big Pines to Valyermo has dozens of switch backs. Don’t know why these roads were chosen. Perhaps to get the salt flats sequence? But that would probably be most interesting in a muscle car.
Bryan, I hugely enjoy these gifted artists, not as a sycophant, but because these videos express what I love about cars. I’ve seen nothing else that captures that organic car passion. I also recognize the tremendous work to put this quality and quality out there at no cost to us.
not everyone likes van Gosh, those who do are spoken to by the artist. To me this is art.
I hear ya’ Paul. Like I said before, I’ve greatly appreciated the artistic video work they’ve been doing, and have expressed that, since day one. When I said I agree with the naysayers, I meant I agreed with not thinking this was Petro’s best work. I don’t, however, believe the message should be said in a way that belittles someone with a differing aesthetic. I hope I didn’t seem insulting and I’m glad other folks enjoyed it. One thing I do feel it had going for it was the sight and sound of a car being driven with esprit. Just wish it could have been done with a little more finesse on more interesting roads.
Right up there with this gorgeous IOM tidbit. I’m a film addict, but I have to admit that digital in the hands of an expert is also addictive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wS43s3slbGY
I’m not that old and I save my bitterness for things more important than cars but I do agree with the naysayers. Also, Paul, I don’t agree with your “don’t say anything” comment. I and others here have been watching with great pleasure as Petrolicious’s automotive movie/storytelling chops get better and better. We feel it’s our duty to express our displeasure when they f-up. I doubt Petro just wants a herd of undiscerning yes men/women watching their stuff. There are plenty of of other places to go for that junk.
You, know I cannot easily think of a major studio film in the last decade or two that does not have some element of product placement. You see the face of the male lead’s watch, and the cameraman shows you the brand. A character from a subplot gets in a car, and you see enough to know the maker. Four men sit at a table and drink beers. The labels are visible. Product placement is all over the place. I am not a big fan of the sponsors products: I like the German Sonax stuff. Who cares?
Lovely little film. Silly in places but so what. In any number of ways this could have been me, or a lot of people like me. I like to drive a smaller, normally aspirated, double-over head cam, I-4 roadster in the the deserts outside LA. The firing order is 1 3 2 4. The exhaust is a straight thru type, with a resonator first and a silencer later, and it sounds a lot like this Alfa. There are mesh back driving gloves in the glove box, and a black leather jacket with a band collar in the trunk. And when you are out in the Western Mohave, in the middle of the week, you are truly alone. It is glorious. And then the next day, I wash the dust off. My own driving is a little more reserved, but this guy is almost certainly on a closed course. He can do what he wants. Nice film.
I’m in the advertising business. I don’t mind these things when they’re done well. I’m in the ad business, so I’m probably more cynical about this stuff. This was ok….nice car, nice scenery, but it felt like the marketing department’s paws were all over it. The way he drives that particular car is pretty ridiculous (although that’s subjective)….but I can just hear the marketers saying, “Yeaaaah! And let’s make it a GREEN Alfa, for brand registration! Perfect!” EEEuuugh.
At least one Spider that is driven like it should be driven. If there was some product placement, it did not worked anyway, because without reading the comments here I would have not known this.
So overall I liked the video but some words by the owner would have made this video even better…
I totally agree with Eric and several others’ comments. If adding commercials by sponsors is necessary to continue Petrolicious (and it can’t be cheap to film & edit the spectacular videos that are uniquely yours), then I’d suggest that you run such footage at the beginning or end of the clips we want to watch (before or after the drive). The commentary by car’s enthusiast owner is also a integral part of my enyoyment and learning process, e.g., what year is the car? Is it stock? If not, what tasteful modifications were made (this Alfa doesn’t sound stock)?
I’m as much a lover of the cool desert shots as anyone else, but not including commentary from the owner leaves one wanting in a petrolicious video.
Washing the car.. interesting touch. That tends to be left out of the usual experience. Can’t say I’d use Turtle wax though. 😉 Just noticed that aspect of the film after reading the comments below.
I have to agree with the gentry. I thought he was going to drive off a cliff like in Thelma and Louise. It’s great that you got a sponsorship from Turtle Wax but that’s not why I stop by here. The video really doesn’t make sense. Who drives an Alfa on a straight road? The director should know this! I think an old Mustang would’ve been a better fit. You should go back to the video of Conrad Steveson or “Building Your Dream”, a lot of the elements in those videos were inspirational and authentic.
Sometimes the voice overlays come across as a touch… er… self-involved. This video is a simple pleasure in its own way. As for the dirt, I don’t know about you, but if I saw a big stretch of open, flat desert begging off to my right, I’d be twirling the wheel and heading over there double time, just for the fun of something different. Variety is the spice of life!
The price tags have become ludicrous . But damn when it comes down to it there’s very few classics out there that can stir one’s emotions as much as a simple straight forward Alfa Spider .
Begging the question … why in the name of St GearHeaditis and Count Alfa Vatori did ‘ y’all go so far out of your way to over dramatize and over Hollywoodize [ both music and production wise ] this video ? A 1000 shames upon your souls . Seriously gents . That LaLa Land thing needs to be cast aside [ pun intended ] Ecco . Basta ! 😎
GS…Heres the sound of my Spider which is similar in parts to the Spider in this video …
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOE85x-7YwECxui73ssptOg
Might have same Alfaholics exhaust etc…agreed it has been enhanced. What irks me is where are the corners ? The car needs corners, Alfa Spiders need corners…Alfas full stop require corners. This is basically a 105 coupe with an even shorter wheelbase, crying out for tight stuff.
Beautifully shot, but wondering if the Alfa Spider S2 would have been better served on a classic mountain pass or filmed on an early morning blast in the hills…
