My Life In Cars: Alistair Guy
I drove my first car at 12 – on private land, I hasten to add. It was a dark green 1959 Morris Minor convertible. My late father taught me how to drive, and I’m so glad he shared his love for cars with me. He owned many British sports cars, usually all finished in his favourite colour, British racing green. As a child, I was always in and around vehicles, and being in a car has become my happy place.
My first car cemented my love for driving. It was an almond-green 1968 Morris Minor, not too dissimilar from my dad’s. I called it Flanagan as it was from Ireland originally. It was the slowest car on the road and very, very basic. However, it was a great little car to learn how to maintain a car, and how to drive and take things slow. I did once manage to get pulled over for speeding in it. Luckily, I got off with a caution as I was driving a sick friend home.
My car at the moment is a Porsche Boxster 981S in platinum silver. It’s a real motor-enthusiast car. I also have a dark grey BMW M235i convertible. I love it because of the open-top experience – there’s nothing like it. It’s hard to pick a favourite, as all cars have different purposes and uses, but my current Porsche is probably high on my list of favourite models of all time.
A Porsche 911 is in my future. I love my Boxster, but the 911 is one of the most iconic cars ever. It is a work of art. The mid-engine flat-six 3.4-litre engine is an absolute delight to hear. Its quality is top-tier – inside and out – and its road handling is second to none.
I’d love an Aston Martin DB5 if money weren't an object. I drove one last year. The smell, feel and composure of being in a genuine vintage car from the 60s brought back many childhood memories. Classic cars are so nostalgic; they are inimitable. Despite being an old car, it handled surprisingly well. It had a wonderful sound, and its streamlined look is something to behold. Plus, it’s James Bond’s car of choice.
For me, Bond captures the essence of driving. The Spy Who Loved Me car chase scene is a classic moment. Roger Moore is driving a white Series 1 Lotus Esprit. My friend Caroline Munro is chasing him in a helicopter from above, and she eventually gets blown up once the Lotus transforms into a submarine. Rewatch after rewatch, this legendary scene has never failed to hold my attention.
My ‘pinch me’ driving moment was driving the Millbrook test circuit in four different Lamborghini Huracáns. Feeling their power and their traction on the track was unbelievable. The test circuit was an absolute dream; being able to put the cars through their paces without any boundaries is something I'll never forget.
The best drive of my life was in the Welsh landscape. I was on a press trip with Ferrari for the launch of their latest coupe, the Roma. I had been given one to drive, which was extraordinary from the get-go, but driving through the most beautiful countryside of Snowdonia and the west coast of Wales is something that I’ll never forget.
I’m a purist, but I’m intrigued by the rise of electric and autonomous vehicles. They’re so different from fuelled machines. The experience is very different as the weight is all underneath you with massive power gains. I enjoy driving them, but unfortunately, the lack of actual driving interaction is lost with so much gadgetry and assistance.
I’d love to get back into restoring classics. The first two cars I owned were classic cars: my Morris Minor and then a 1990 Mini Cooper 1.3i – a limited edition of 1,000 in dark green (just like my dad). I'd love to own one again someday if I move to the countryside and have a garage. I grew up loving classic cars. They are just made different. They last forever, have so much character and charm, and are much more straightforward to maintain.
Nothing tops a road trip. It’s cheesy, but you, a car and the open road are all you need. A few years back, I drove through six European countries on a road trip to the Swiss Alps with a couple of friends and their Porsches. I was driving my previous Porsche Boxster 987S. We travelled through France into Belgium and stayed overnight in Luxembourg. The next day, we travelled to Germany on the autobahn. We stopped off at the Stuttgart Porsche Museum, which made it even more worthwhile. Then, into Switzerland, finally ending up in Cinque Terre in Italy. It’s a simple pleasure, just driving every day, enjoying the freedom of travel, and seeing nature and many cities in such a short time.
I always mark my calendar for the Concours on Savile Row. It's probably my favourite two days in the spring – the perfect combination of tailoring and sports cars. The sheer enthusiasm for both these wonderful things makes me so happy.
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Photography: Mollie Hosmer
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