JESINTA FRANKLIN GOOD HAIR DAYS
Model, businesswoman and former Miss Universe Australia Jesinta Franklin thinks she’s found the ideal car feature for girls. As an ambassador for Mercedes-Benz Sydney, Franklin gets around town in a E-Class Cabriolet.
And the luxury drop-top’s AirScarf suits Franklin’s lifestyle to a T.
“Both of the front seats have this heating mechanism behind your neck. It’s like a warm scarf that goes around you. It’s amazing in winter because it would be such a crime to have a convertible and not use it.
“The car also has a special screen at the back that goes up so if you’ve just had a blow dry you protect your hair from blowing around like crazy. You can actually control the wind, which for us girls is great.”
Another must have item for her is Apple CarPlay. The tech turns her vehicle into a mobile office and lets her send texts and make calls via voice commands.
Life wasn’t always so fancy. Franklin fondly recalls her family’s annual Christmas camping pilgrimage — the Campbells went to spots such as Carnarvon Gorge in Central Queensland or Evans Head just south of Byron Bay.
She doesn’t go camping anymore but the outdoorsy Franklin has a sneaky plan to get back to her favourite activity.
“I love to camp but funnily enough (husband Buddy) doesn’t — he is more resorts and hotels — but I think I’ll convince him to go on a camping trip. I can trick him and tell him we are going glamping and actually do the real deal.”
The fences came down — literally — once
she learned to drive and had a few dicey moments in her parents’ old Toyota Corolla.
“I learned to drive a manual. One of mum’s friends taught me how to drive. We lived on a property in the Gold Coast hinterland and there may have been a few fences that were driven through,” she says. “So I learned my lessons early on.”
The life lessons kept coming after she passed her test and bought her first car.
“The first purchase was a red Toyota Yaris and I just thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. I borrowed the majority off mum and dad and had to pay them back with quite a high interest. I got so stitched up there.”
Franklin loves vintage cars but reckons she would ideally get a Mercedes G-Wagen.
“My real dream car would have to be the AMG G63. The big G-Wagen.
“I would have it all murdered out, all black, black rims and black tint.”
She has a strong opinion about one particular road user. “I really don’t like bicycles on the road,” she says.
“I’ve seen so many near-misses. And I don’t think it is safe for cyclists to be on the road.”
It took her some time to get accustomed to driving in Sydney.
“Growing up in Queensland I’m so used to giving people right of way and letting people in,” she says. “But as soon as I moved to Sydney I was like ‘wow!’
“People drive so differently here, they don’t want to let you in and they’ll even go out of their way to not let you merge.”