STEVE BERRY

CCW’S MOTORMOUTH

I’ll need a go-anywhere, do-anything sort of vehicle with a bit of class.

For that there’s simply nothing better than the not-long-for-thisworld Land Rover Defender, which would be the fifirst thing I’d spend on my £20k budget. I’d take a 20-yearold turbodiesel 110 Station Wagon. It’s an indestructible icon of great British engineering for four grand.

Then I’ll need something for Sunday best. Don’t hate me but I’ve already had my eye on a Series III XJ6. Flawless paintwork the same shade of deep dark brown as one of Lew Grade’s Monte Cristos, acres of dark tan leather the colour of Lionel Blair in 1986 and skinny whitewall tyres wrapped around perfect pepperpot alloys. Lovely. Yours for four bags of sand – minus haggling.

I’ll require a sports car, and by that I mean a roadgoing car with the potential for sprinting, hill climbing and, who knows, a spirited gallop around Oulton Park.

There’s a twoseater Riley Vincent Special in the classififieds right now for almost exactly the amount I’d have left having acquired the Land Rover and the Jag. Fitted with a pre-crossflflow four-banger Ford motor mated to a pair of naughty-40s. It looks sounds and presumably goes like a proper sports car should. There you are – 20 grand well spent. I’d also have made my Riley-owning grandfather proud because I’ve not wasted one penny on ‘foreign rubbish’!