Let's go carspotting in Google Earth! Marseilles France Edition!

"Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available" (whoistheleader2) 02/17/2020 at 13:00 • Filed to: Carspotting, Dots, Google Street View, Carspotting in Google Earth

2

15

I recently poked around on Google Earth while I was bored. I happened to land in Marseilles, a port city on the southern Mediterranean coast of France. The makeup of cars on its streets was distinctly French, but there were a few surprises.

Mixed among the milquetoast diesel manual two door hatchbacks (forbidden fruit in the US), I find quite a fun looking two car garage. What is that little gray hatchback with sporty modifications? And that color combo on the Mini is simply amazing. UPDATE: It’s an Autobianchi A112, a relative of the Fiat 127. Thank you, Knowsaboutcars and Rallydarkstrike !

Ooh, a classic mini! This city environment does not seem conducive to street parking a classic, but some dedicated gearhead will always prevail.

An old K car based Chrysler minivan is not what I was expecting to find parked on the street. This look laughably out of place.

There’s another one! This image also begs the question of why everyone doesn’t just pick a side of the street so pedestrians can pass in safety. Then again, that hasn’t succeeded on my street either.

Hold up! WHAT? How have they managed that? How do they get in and how do they get out? I’m hopelessly confused. Also, nice wheels on that Mini.

KnowsAboutCars > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 02/17/2020 at 13:11

2

The first gray car is an Autobianchi A112, a relative of Fiat 127. Not sure about the older k-car based minivan but those newer Voyagers were most likely sold new in France.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > KnowsAboutCars 02/17/2020 at 13:15

1

Yup, definitely a later Autobianchi A112! Sadly not an Abarth model though! :(

fintail > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 02/17/2020 at 13:31

1

The later minivans were actually sold new in Europe, I have seen a number of them especially in Germany and Austria (IIRC even built in Austria).  I even spot them now and then in Russian dashcam videos.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > KnowsAboutCars 02/17/2020 at 13:49

0

I’ve updated the post. Thank you!

Now can you explain the impossible parking?

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > fintail 02/17/2020 at 13:50

1

I find this fact very interesting. I new they were sold there, but I just don’t understand why anyone would buy such an large, unwieldy, and unsuitable vehicle for city use unless they had a very large family.

fintail > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 02/17/2020 at 13:56

2

Maybe they were marketed to people who live in suburbs or the country, or for commercial/livery use.  The latter also might not make sense, as Europe has plenty of space-efficient small vans already.  Maybe it sold on a “big and cheap” theme.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > fintail 02/17/2020 at 14:01

1

Maybe, but why not buy an easier to park domestic van for the same price or cheaper ? These just don’t seem to make sense in an ultra dense urban environment like this one.

Especially if some people resort to physics defying parking out of desperation like that last picture. Just, how did they do it?

fintail > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 02/17/2020 at 14:12

0

I suspect by the time that van ended up in that dense urban environment, it was something of a cheap beater sold on low price and maybe multiple uses rather than size. Cheap can forgive many sins.

Maybe the Mini has a “perpendicular parking” setup? :)

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > fintail 02/17/2020 at 14:28

1

I always understood they were mainly marketed to bigger families and outdoorsy people, as in the 80s/90s/early-00s 7 seaters and crossovers were pretty  rare in Europe 

xc90v8/I4 :( > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 02/17/2020 at 14:50

0

I’m pretty sure those things between the Mini and the Seat come out (the steel tube things). I’ve never seen them but seems the only enplanation. There’s garages that are blocked as well. So this could be a way to make sure only you can block your own garage..

KnowsAboutCars > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 02/17/2020 at 14:51

2

The angle of the photo might make that look more impossible than it actually is. Can’t confirm because I couldn’t find that spot myself. In any case that is commendable parallel parking.

Edit: just found it. There’s now way this Alfa got there without some bumps.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > fintail 02/17/2020 at 16:19

1

The bollards are clearly there so people can’t parallel park in front of narrow garage entrances, so maybe?

Also, that video XD

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > xc90v8/I4 :( 02/17/2020 at 16:20

0

The bollards are clearly there so people can’t parallel park in front of narrow garage entrances so having the tubes come out seems counter intuitive .

xc90v8/I4 :( > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 02/17/2020 at 16:27

0

But how did the car get there?

I mean removable with a key or something. it is marseilles after all.. everything gets stolen if it isn’t actual dogsh* t..

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > xc90v8/I4 :( 02/17/2020 at 18:48

0

Exactly the issue