Red Barchetta Revealed

The origin of the song Red Barchetta from Canadian rock band Rush 1981 seminal album Moving Pictures has been long theorized  and debated.  

What exactly was the car that lyricist Neil Peart wrote about? Many have suggested the car might be a Ferrari 16 MM, Pearts favorite car. However, in the liner notes Peart credits A Nice Morning Drive, a story about a MGB convertible  as the inspiration of the song. So what is the Red Barchetta?

Evidence points to the AMC Gremlin  

The Gremlin was the ultimate nerd car and Rush being the ultimate nerd band go hand in hand. Also, the AMC Gremlin did come in red and I’m sure was owned by somebody’s uncle who had a country place. The ultimate tip off however that the Red Barchetta might be the Gremlin was the fact that Neil Peart was a very secretive guy and he never once mentioned the AMC Gremlin. 

We may never truly know, but AMC Gremlin seems like a natural fit, so crank up that mono AM/FM radio and scan the dial for that magic station coming from a better vanished time, put the petal to the metal and rock on!

by Ted Dolby

Gamilon Staff Writer