I've been a car enthusiast since I was a kid.
I think it runs in the family,
because my grandfather was an automobile salesman.
He built his whole career around the Peugeot brand.
My dad was also a rally co-driver,
and the cars would stay in the basement the night before a race.
He would start them in the morning, and it would resonate all over the house.
It was awesome.
I think it stayed with me.
After seeing them race for a few years,
I thought I should put on a tracksuit and a helmet too.
At 17, I got my first permit to co-drive in rallies.
In school, I spent more time drawing in my books than studying,
and teachers hated me for it.
So, I thought I should bring together the two things that I love
and find a fun job in this field.
So I started studying automotive design three years ago.
The nice thing is that I can use many different aspects--
the past with vintage cars such as the Mini,
the present with racing cars and fun fast-driving,
and try and incorporate all this in the future.
So, from a blank page, I sketch and invent cool new designs.
My name is Maxime Delestre, I'm 20,
and I'm the happy owner of a 1975 Austin Mini.
A few days after I turned 18, I took the test, and I passed. Finally!
It was such a release to be able to drive.
Off I went to have fun on small country roads,
but I found modern cars disappointing.
Something was missing.
It lacked noise, it lacked vibration, and it didn't smell of anything.
In short, not much enjoyment.
That's what drove me to old cars.
When I started searching for an old car,
I looked at pictures from events I loved, like the Monte Carlo Rally,
and I realized that within my modest budget,
I couldn't afford many models.
That's why I picked the Mini.
First, I bought a 1992 Mini Sprite that was good mechanically,
but the bodywork was appalling after all these years in Paris.
I kept it for a while,
and it showed me how enjoyable Minis are.
These small go-karts are such a fun drive.
So, I decided to sell it to buy a better version.
The woman who bought it was looking for her first car,
so it was cool to come full circle.
I starting looking for a nicer, more efficient and more fun Mini,
and after browsing through classifieds for three months,
I came across this one, and it was love at first sight.
It's the perfect color.
It's neither really brown nor orange, and the shade changes in the light.
With the 10'' wheels and semi-slick tires,
the central exhaust,
and the small bucket seats, it is the ultimate weapon
to have fun on the roads around town.
A week later, I had an appointment to see it,
and it comforted me in the idea that it was a cool car.
So, I purchased it,
but on my first outing the next day, it broke down.
It didn't start very well. It was the gas pump.
But a friend who is a mechanic came to rescue me.
We managed to change the gas pump right off the road,
as if we were servicemen in a rally, so it was fun.
Despite a few mechanical mishaps, I find this car amazing,
whether going for drinks in the evening
or spending a whole afternoon fooling around
and wearing out my tires on winding roads.
One word: pleasure.