MOTORING
Alisdair Beveridge
From: Middlesbrough.
Lives: Middleton One Row.
Job: Managing director, The Build Directory, Stockton.
My current car: I spend most of my time driving around
in company vans. But my pride and joy is my Cobalt blue
1991 Rolls Royce. I was 30 when I bought it, five years
ago. She’s calle d Joyce, after my grandmother.
Best feature: I’ve got to say the ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’
ornament at the front of the bonnet, which is also known
as the Silver Lady or the Flying Lady. It feels like she’s
leading the way when you’re driving.
Best drive-time music: There’s a retro Blaupunkt sound
system in the Rolls. The quality isn’t great but I wouldn’t
change it for the world. I like listening to 1980s classics,
Magic radio or sometimes I listen to audio books.
Best place to drive it: Everywhere! Anywhere where you
don’t have to drive too fast. It just floats along. And it
makes people smile.
My favourite car when I was young: It was definitely the
Rolls Royce. When I was about 10 I was visiting my dad
in Scotland and I found a set of Rolls Royce keys. That
was the spark really, and I always said I’d own one by the
time I reached 30.
My parents’ cars: I always remember my mam learning
to drive in a Fiat Panda. She also had a red Renault 5, a
white Audi 80 saloon and a Honda Civic. She drives an
Audi Q3 now.
My last car: It was a Smart
Forfour. The funny thing was
when I was looking to buy a
Rolls Royce, I started doing
some research and I managed
to get in touch with the Rolls
Royce Enthusiasts’ Club. Yes,
there is such a thing – they’re based
in Paulersbury down in Buckinghamshire. Anyway, the
guy on the phone asked me what I was driving, so I told
him, ‘a Smart ForFour’. There was an awkward silence for
a few seconds, I don’t think he was taking me seriously.
But eventually he put me in touch with a Rolls Royce
Enthusiasts’ Club accredited dealer in Newcastle, so they
were very helpful!
My dream car: It really is my Rolls Royce. I like other
cars, but I wouldn’t swap her for anything. If I had to
choose another I’d probably say the Audi S8, they’re
really nice.
My worst crash: It was in my Peugeot 205. It was
snowing, I went to turn one way and the car just went
in the opposite direction and into a building. It cost me
a fortune to repair it, and probably would have been
cheaper to write it off, but I was determined to get it back
on the road.
My worst car: I don’t think I’ve had one. I’ve had a few
cars that haven’t run so well, but because I loved them so
much I kind of washed over it. You get attached to cars.
Well, I know I do. I think they have feelings, like Herbie
in the film. That’s why we do magazine features like this. The maddest place I’ve driven a car: I haven’t driven
anywhere mad, but I’ve been a passenger in plenty of
mad places. Egypt is interesting, and Italy is a bit mad.
But one which springs to mind is Austria. When I was
younger we were on holiday there with my Uncle Joseph.
He was a lovely, lovely guy but he couldn’t drive for
toffee. We were in a small BMW and the engine started
to overheat, so he topped it up with fizzy water. We were
driving up a glazier, as you do, and we came across a
bus which was half-hanging over a cliff-edge. We had
to get out and help people get off. It was like something
out of The Italian Job, but in Austria. It was a memorable
journey!
My other cars: I’d say my first big car was the Saab 93
2-litre Turbo. I was going to get an Audi A4 Quattro,
but when I went into the garage – aged 19 and in my
tracksuit – it was like something out of Pretty Woman.
The salesman looked me up and down and couldn’t wait
to get me out of the showroom. So I quickly left and
bought a Saab instead. The car journey I’ll always remember: As sad as it
sounds, the day I bought Joyce. When I got home I
beeped the horn and my wife came out, just as excited as
I was. I then went to visit my mam but she’d already set
off to walk into Darlington to go shopping. So I caught
up with her and gave her a three-minute lift into town. It
was a special day.
My first car: It was a Peugeot 205. At school I told one of
my mates that my first car would be a Peugeot 205 GTI.
But when I went to get one after just passing my test, the
insurance was going to be £1,200 fire and theft, so I had
to settle for the basic model!
Alisdair bought
his Cobalt blue
Rolls Royce when
he was just 30.
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