Rendezvous: Lelouch Benz Visible In Film

I spy…

By Gunnar Heinrich | IMG via IMCDB.org

CLAUDE Lelouch, the French director-turned-stunt driver extraordinaire who shot the 1976 cult classic C’etait un Rendezvous, has long since confirmed that the car in the extra-legal race-through-Paris short was not a Ferrari 275GTB (as the film’s sound dubbing implies) but rather a Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9.

The benefits of using the W116 Benz as the stunt / camera car are clear.

Thirty years ago, Mercedes’ flagship produced Ferrari-grade speed while maintaining a hydropneumatically suspended ride that provided the fixed camera rig a smooth platform as Lelouch (the driver) raced over Paris’ lumpy 19th century streets.

However, because our P.O.V. is facing out from the front bumper, we never actually see the car in action from a roadside perspective (hence the Ferrari illusion).

…Or have we?

The above and highlighted screengrab posted on IMCDB.org claims to show the Benz’s headlights reflecting in the street-level windows of some magasin on the corner of  l’Avenue Opéra and Rue d’Antin.

According to Google Street View map that same storefront today is home to a Serge Blanco boutique.

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What makes this interesting is that it’s akin to catching  a magician’s turn of hand – mid act. Equally notable is the dedicated sleuthing of one fan who took time to find this proof. Such discovery only compels us to further admire the original feat.