TO THINK it all started with a tinny Mini that had a habit of breaking down.
This is the 500th Life On Cars article published on this website, pretty much exactly three years after I moved over to The Champion from the North Wales Weekly News and figured a petrolhead blog would be a good way to keep up with what's going on in the world of motoring. Since then it's gone from strength to strength, with the blog alone attracting thousands of readers each month and the sister column in The Champion going out to more than 160,000 homes across Sefton and West Lancashire.
So I thought, to celebrate, a Top of The Pops-style rundown would be the best way to celebrate, but this isn't just any old wishlist. You won't find any Ferraris, Lamborghinis or Astons in this list because each and every car in it is one I've actually driven.
Nor though, will you find the likes of the Nissan LEAF, the Audi A1 or the BMW 6-Series, which are all cars I've driven. To be in this list a car has to have to have ticked a very particular and not democratic roadtesting box - quite simply, it has to put a smile on my face - which is probably why there's a couple of surprises among the usual suspects in this list. It's not a quest to find the greatest cars of all time, but a personal look at back at the new, the not-so-new and the truly old cars which have provided memorable motoring for whatever reason.
I hope you enjoy the read. Feel free to add your own favourites in the comments section below...
