7:28 pm, August 19, 2013
Well, after one hectic afternoon, we eventually made it to our destination in the depths of picturesque Wales. To be more specific, a small farmhouse just outside of Brecon.
I spent the journey in our modest Ford Fiesta ST, and while the others looked as though they were the ‘dogs doodahs’ in their growling V8s, purring V6s and a throaty W12 firing a few sarcastic remarks here and there about my little Fiesta, I was actually feeling rather smug.
That’s right, there wasn’t one moment where I felt uncomfortable on our 160 mile-plus trip to Wales. I could still (just about) keep up with the pack, and what’s more, I only used half a tank the whole way because my set of wheels has a combined fuel consumption of 47.9mpg – unlike Duncan who ended up carrying out a shocking £72 fill up in the Bentley Continental GTC Speed. And while they were all shocked by the fuel figures they racked up, the Fiesta took a mere £32 to top up.
I recall DJ struggling to connect his phone in the BMW M6 Gran Coupe and the Range Rover Sport had a rather confusing centre console. Not me though, I was quite content in the Fiesta, easily able to function the system and play a few tunes through the auxiliary connection.
Meanwhile, when we did get carried away in our little school boy/girl ways – by which I mean pressing the accelerator pedal as hard as possible to create an engine symphony while sat in a queue at the Severn Bridge – the ST didn’t get completely drowned out. No, it wasn’t the most satisfying exhaust note, but it was more than adequate for a 1.6-litre turbo engine.
But as usual, like all our Blackball Media events, we’ve had one heck of a time. The cars are currently parked up, surrounded by views of the Brecon Beacons and we’re currently enjoying a few drinks and pizza. And although I haven’t been able to drive the other cars, it’s been a pleasure admiring them. And on that note, I leave you with this photo.
What a trip. What a view. Tomorrow we’ll be shooting the cars – stay tuned and see how we get on.
