| I had always been a car nut, as a kid my bedroom | | | | creator of the Ferrari motor company had called it |
| walls had been plastered with the models of the day | | | | 'the most beautiful car ever made'. |
| but mostly with pictures of beautiful little open | | | | The car today still does not look dated next to |
| topped sports cars racing through the British | | | | contemporary Ferraris and Porches, in many ways it |
| countryside. | | | | is superior. Being able to hire one of these |
| Now in adulthood I thought my chances of | | | | outstanding cars would be a delight I would have |
| re-enacting these scenes were slim to none. | | | | never expected to have. |
| However for a birthday gift one year my wife had | | | | They also had available a Mercedes Benz 280 SL, this |
| contacted a classic car hire firm and not knowing | | | | cute little car can still be seen as cool today, with |
| which model to get had simply bought me a voucher | | | | classic styling that will never be surpassed. The fact |
| for a weekend in whatever particular hire car I would | | | | the performance and handling were clearly from a |
| like. | | | | different generation was not important, it is not |
| This idea was brilliant; to hire a classic car for the | | | | about going fast in a classic open top, it is about |
| weekend would be fantastic and twinned with a | | | | enjoying your surrounding and the company, anyway |
| couple of nights in a hotel would make for a very | | | | going faster than fifty in a convertible just ruins your |
| enjoyable trip. I went to the hire company's website | | | | hair. |
| and laid my eyes on possibly four of the greatest | | | | Finally there was the veteran of the pack, the |
| cars ever made; this was going to be a difficult | | | | Triumph TR3A, being made up until 1962 it also had |
| choice. | | | | looks to die for, and its performance is also |
| Firstly they had a gorgeous little Austin Healey 3000 | | | | acceptable in the modern world. Being the first car |
| available for hire. As a 1965 model in British racing | | | | with disc brakes as standard at least you know it will |
| green it had been the car I had envisaged myself | | | | be safe and with a 0-60 of twelve seconds its |
| driving all those years ago. After seeing this car in | | | | acceleration is not all that bad. But as I said earlier, it |
| various races throughout the sixties, being able to | | | | is not all about performance. |
| hire one of these glorious little motors would be a | | | | These cars were from a different era, despite that |
| privilege, and one that would surely be memorable | | | | they still have jaw dropping good looks and the ability |
| for the rest of my days. | | | | to turn heads. The choice of which one to hire for |
| Before I capitulated to signing up for the hire of this | | | | my weekend away was a hard one, the Austin and |
| car I made a concerted effort too look at the other | | | | Mercedes both had appeal, as did the little Triumph |
| classics available for hire. If I had thought that the | | | | but there was no question really. Who could turn |
| first option had bowled me over the second car I | | | | down the chance to hire a classic E-Type for the |
| viewed gave me even more of a shock; a beautiful | | | | weekend? |
| example of the fabled Jaguar E-Type, soft top of | | | | To drive around what has been hailed as the best |
| course. | | | | looking classic car of all time, the most iconic car of |
| This revolutionary car had transformed the sports car | | | | my generation was too good a chance to pass up. I |
| market, its engine, the handling, but above all its | | | | would hire the Jaguar and tour the English countryside |
| styling had placed this magnificent car well ahead of | | | | in style, my only worry now was the weather. |
| its time. So much so that even Enzo Ferrari, the | | | | |