Jean-Michel Baert: “Making the difference between the enthusiast and the professional”

Hello Jean-Michel! Where are we going?

I live in Grand-Leez, a charming village in the province of Namur, a few kilometers from the Comtoyou Racing facilities. Belgium is like Brittany: many people think it rains non-stop. But that's a mistake! We also have very bright days, so we might as well make the most of them. We're going to stop in front of a magnificent farmhouse whose door is practically the same color as my convertible.

Exactly, why did you choose this Beetle?

It's a very sentimental story. My dad worked in accounting at D'Ieteren (the Volkswagen importer in Belgium. Ed.). He's the one who gave me my love for cars. As a kid, I used to go to the office with him from time to time. With my child's eyes, I saw a huge VW dealership, a smaller Audi, and a tiny one with only two cars: PorscheToday, my attachment to these brands is proportional to the size of the garages I used to walk through.

So, a big love for Volkswagen and a lesser one for Porsche…

Exactly. The first car I remember from my father was a blue Beetle. I always told myself that one day I would have the same one, but it rolled off the assembly line in 1971, the year I was born. A few years ago, I stumbled upon an ad almost by chance. The seller had to choose between his new partner and his old car! Not only was his Beetle from 1971, it was blue, and it was also a convertible. The seller was the first owner. He had pampered it for decades. I felt like I was tearing his arm off.

And you, did you have to make a choice?