Many Americans pay very little attention to European cars. While there's nothing wrong with a little bit of patriotism shaping your taste in vehicles, it's important to remember that the rest of the world has done some really cool things. What better person to guide us through the topic thanJay Leno? He recently talked about some incredible French automobiles on an installment of Cars That Matter Drive By Hemmings. He gives a detailed look at historical cars from Bugatti, Citroen, and Talbot that will change the way you look at automobiles. Tour De France With Jay Leno In this half-hour video, Jay Leno takes host Robert Ross for a walk through his incredible collection of vintage European cars, with a particular focus on French cars. Partway through the clip, Leno echoes the phrase, "The automobile was born in Germany, and France was the nursery." This means that the French should be credited for playing a significant role in shaping the modern automobile as we know it, thanks to some of their revolutionary designs. He proceeds to showcase some cars that really showcase the truth in that sentiment. Right at the top of the video, we're given a look at two Bugatti Type 37 racecars. These are three-valve, four-cylinder cars that Leno describes as the perfect race car. The prior Type 35 is mentioned to be the one with the most race wins of any car in history, but the Type 37 is still very influential. In fact, the blue and white one turned out to be one that belonged to famed racer Pierre Veyron, after whom the Bugatti Veyron is named, putting the value of this car at around $2 million. Leno’s French Car Collection Tour Highlights Showcases historical French cars that were truly definitive of their era. Models like the Bugatti Type 35 and 37, and Citroen DS make the case for vintage French cars being significant on a global scale. Oddities in designs also illustrate the fact that the designers of these classic cars treated them like a form of art, which shaped the way the world looks at the automobile. Another very interesting car they visit is the Citroen DS, which is considered to be the most revolutionary car of all time. It was developed at a time when everyone was obsessed with futuristic designs and wholeheartedly embodied that theme. It was actually named the official car of France, being credited for saving then-President Charles de Gaulle from an assassination attempt in 1962 thanks to a feature that allowed it to drive full speed with a blown tire. Leno even gives us a look at the Citroen Traction Avant. This is considered to be the first mass-produced front wheel drive car. Leno goes on to say that this is technically the first period, arriving a little before the Cord L-29, which is generally cited as the first front-wheel-drive car, period. French Cars Are Works Of Art Hemmings, YouTubeThroughout our tour, Leno showcases a few designs and features we think are odd now but were truly revolutionary for their time. While some are pretty incredible, others will leave you scratching your head. The Bugatti Type 49 wheels that feature a brake drum as part of the casting are one to really stand out as a bit backward, to put it lightly. However, when Leno mentions that Bugatti came from a family of sculptors, you get the sense that thesecars were treated as works of art. The unique design choices added flair and character that ultimately would help shape the way the world looks at cars.