Jacques Grelley, from Arlington, TX, will be traveling through China in a Citroen “truck-ette.” The vehicle will be one of 22 Citroens being used for an 8,000-mile, 33-day trip, which will include a visit to Tibet.
Parts of the trip may be challenging for the Citroen, a truly exotic vehicle. Roads may be unpaved in parts, and the altitudes could read 16,000 feet.
“We should be able to take a clear picture of [Mount] Everest,” Grelley, 73, told the Dallas Morning News. “We’re taking extra carburetor jets to change at the higher altitudes.”
The Citroen is a French car, noted for its reliability. The model being driven by Grelley and his collegue Phillipe Orsetti is a 1978 version with a two-cylinder engine. While it’s not a powerhouse, boasting only 35 horsepower, the car is front-wheel drive.
The car has been modified with a pickup bed instead of the usual rear half of the vehicle. Grelley and Orsetti call it a “truck-ette.” Grelley is confident that the Citroen will be a perfect vehicle for the adventure.
“Those things go forever and ever,” he said.
Grelley is a native of France, and in the 1950s and 1960s, he raced cars in Europe. In recent years, he has been taking trips all over the world.
“Many people tell me the same thing: They say ‘I wish I could do it,’ ” he said. “I say it’s up to you.”
While the Citroen may not be your idea of a dream car, it certainly is getting Grelley where he needs to go. For a lot of people, dream exotic vehicles include things like Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and Bentleys.
Many people consider the dream of driving an exotic car to be impractical and unlikely to actually come true. But, like Grelley, you can make it happen. There are several options that make it possible for you to drive an exotic car without the hassle and expense of ownership.
One of the most popular options is exotic car rental. You can rent a Lamborghini for the week, weekend, or even just for the day. You can also join an exotic car club and have access to an entire garage of exotic vehicles.
If you’re interested in following the progress of Grelley and Orsetti, check out Orsetti’s blog.
Kate Miller-Wilson is a professional freelance writer living in the Twin Cities area.
