The Car

Some weeks ago, Toño brought up a very itchy subject: The Car, like in We should get a car.

No, we haven't got one. Not because I'm a hopeless tree hugger. I have three other arguments for not having one:

1. Cars are just a big nuisance (maintenance, insurance, you can't drink and drive)
2. We live in a city. Parking space is rare and expensive and traffic jams rather frequent. Public transport in Switzerland is convenient, rather dense and on time most of the time.
3. We have Mobility. This is the most convenient car sharing scheme in the world. I can get a car within 15 minutes, if I needed one.

You see, I'vew prepared my case well. However, the good old Boy Scout rule goes be prepared!. If I can't say No! any more, I had to look that we get the right car - that is, a car with the right brand image. There is nothing more important that this.

E.g. it is absolutely impossible for me to drive an Audi. An Audi speaks to me like: My driver is in the middle management and can afford to pay far too much for a Volkswagen. Whether true or not, that is not what I want others to think of me.

Aston Martin would be a nice choice. However, I'm still a wage slave and somehow Aston Martin's brand image tells me that this just does not match.

I'm in quite a dilemma. But there is always the press. Hence, I spent some time on these sordid car sections of the papers. Car journalists are not for no reason the lowest of the lowest of this not quite well regarded trade. Back on track. I actually found some brand spanking new cars I might like. Here are the top two:

Fiat 500



Back in the eighties, when I was working in the construction business, I was driving an older model (company car). It's the perfect town car, agile and so unpretentious that it's fashionable.

Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé



Closer to a sailing boat than a car (teak deck!), unmatched by anything called car, but what really got me were the thoughtful details. Such as the two big umbrellas that reside inside the hull. If you put them back wet, a fan dries them. Simply fantastic!