Why doesn’t France shine in the luxury automotive sector the way its luxury goods industry does—which is renowned worldwide, from Louis Vuitton to Hermès? Why doesn’t the “French touch,” so coveted abroad, find expression in France’s high-end automotive sector?

How has Germany managed to make its brands (BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, etc.) the spearhead of its foreign trade, while France still points the finger at cars for the wealthy? How can we explain that before the war, the automotive elite was French: Bugatti, Delahaye, Delage, Talbot-Lago…

Is there a curse on the French luxury car sector? A lack of expertise? Or simply a loss of favor with the times?