The humble hatch

Underestimate at you peril !

4y ago
1.6K

I’m sitting here at the station, very late in the evening/early hours in the morning - I can’t be sure, as I’ve been up since half five and I’m functioning on reserves. The reason I’m waiting outside a rather dreary underground station at this time is I am waiting for my beautiful but equally drunk fiance to arrive back from her Christmas party, ready to tell me everything that she won’t remember in the morning.

Anyway, I’m rambling. The reason I’m writing this is, sitting here watching people coming and going, picking up loved ones, I spotted a car that I have very fond memories of. The car in question is a little mk4 Fiesta, you know the one, it had a sort of dreary little face that looked almost put out that it had been asked to leave the drive. It got me thinking back to when me and my fiance first got together, and I was introduced to her hand-me-down, little red Fiesta which was fondly known within her family as Big Red. It had been in the family since new and had served the family well, being the car my fiancee and two sisters learnt to drive in, whilst also ferrying them all back and forth when uni came around. It had led a hard life and I’m pretty sure not one panel on it was the same shade of red. Every so often the glovebox lid would fall off onto the unsuspecting shins of a friend or relative, but still it had a sort of endearing quality in the same way as that old pair of jeans that you can't bring yourself to throw away, even though you know they've seen better days.

During that time I have to say that little car (sorry, Big Red) was one of the best cars I've had the pleasure of owning - and trust me, I’ve had a few!

J Hughes

Due to unforeseen financial difficulties, my fiance's slightly dull looking fiesta became our slightly dull looking fiesta, and continued to be so for about two years. During that time I have to say that little car (sorry, Big Red) was one of the best cars I've had the pleasure of owning - and trust me, I’ve had a few! With its washed out paint, steel wheels and big bouncy tyres you would be forgiven for thinking I've lost the plot, but here me out. It was for this very reason I found it to be so special. Let me explain; with most cars, especially hot hatches, you cherish them and care for them lovingly, like a baby (some of us maybe even more so. You know who you are.) This is fine when they’re not being used much, but what about when it's beckoned into action, and is required to fulfill its family duties like ferrying the family to the supermarket? Suddenly you are filled with fear at the prospect of tackling the dreaded carpark, or worse still, what if you have to go to the park, accompanied by several beady little eyes and a collection of tiny grubby hands and paws?

With the humble hatch, these events are met with a sense of ease and a smile, pile in everyone we're off to the shops/park - the more the merrier!

This little car wormed its way into our hearts even more so for its ability to carry out everything we asked of it. Like when moving into our first home together and it had the task of removal van for the day. It swallowed the lot, albeit over many trips, but still a great effort no less. Then came a very cold January, and lots of snow with it, and we decided in our wisdom that a trip to the park was in order for snowball fights, snow angels and sledding, so we packed up Big Red, put our thermals on and headed out into the white abyss. Whilst many big German cars squirmed and struggled, we had no problems at all with our skinny little tyres making easy work of all the snow.

All this would of been enough, but where this car really won me over was on the B roads near where we live. As a petrolhead, one of my biggest loves was going for a little country road hack, and I wasn't exactly filled with enthusiasm when it became apparent that this little Fiesta would be my only outlet for the foreseeable - but how this car liked to prove me wrong! It's zesty little Zetec and squealy tyres put many a smile on my face, it wasn't very fast but it did a good job of hiding it.

I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy a whole range of cars in my time, from plucky four cylinders all the way up to big shouty v-eights, but when driving something truly sporty it is not always possible to enjoy it without losing your licence. In Big Red I had endless fun tearing around country roads as if I was on a rally stage and my name was Colin Mcrae, all the time glancing in my mirror for those blue lights no driver wants to see. Only I didn't see any, and peering back at the speedo I realised it’s because I’m having all this fun, well within the bounds of the speed limit.

Maybe that's the real reason for my love of this humble hatch. It made me believe that I was Colin Mcrae, when I was in actual fact going no faster than a OAP with glaucoma. So, if like me you're still waiting to win the lottery, then do not despair, the trusty hatchback will always be there.

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Comments (1)

  • Small Tribe Focus / Speed Machines_

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    Feel free to delete this....

      4 years ago
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