Six questions only we would ask

Tell us about your first car

‘A ’71 Triumph TR6 in Sa ron Yellow with a black interior. It had the 150bhp straight-six. At 21, it was the car to be seen in.’

What achievement makes you most proud?

‘Revealing the new Defender to the world and being recognised by Her Majesty [with an OBE] in the New Year’s Honours List – my parents would have been so proud of me.’

Tell us about a time you screwed up…

‘On the MG F I agreed to the Hydragas suspension. It made the car sit far too high for a sports car and look ungainly.’

What is the best thing you’ve ever done in a car? ‘Driving the stunning Pacific Coast Highway in California.’

Supercar or classic car?

‘Neither. You can’t beat a Range Rover Autobiography.’

The curveball: what percentage of Land Rovers sold today are green?

‘On the Series I it was 90 per cent, based on the military green available. Now, 70 years on, we have Pangea Green. Almost 20 per cent of the orders are in that colour.’