MY first car was a 479cc twin-cylinder coupe, a rare creature called an Autobianchi Bianchina.
It looked good, went OK for what it was but I was bitten by the motorsport bug very early in the piece and had the little Fiat motor breathed on by an Abarth kit.
Then I went racing with it.
Some people sniggered, but the Autobianchi and I brought home some bacon: a second in class and a second outright at the Grand Central circuit, midway between Johannesburg and Pretoria.
That was in 1958. I’ve loved small-engined performers ever since.
Now, 52 years later, one of the smallest cars around is the Suzuki Alto, and after living with one for the past three months, that love has been rekindled. Partially, at least.
Not that I ever thought of scampering around Barbagallo Raceway with it, but it quickly became the preferred vehicle for running to the shops, the city, the park, because it got there without any fuss, and you could always find a spot to park it.
Daughter Janine drove it more than anyone else, and I marvelled at how much could be squeezed into that little hatch. She knocked the back seats down and packed in her extensive collection of fashion garments, complete with display stands, racks and a table.
“Loved it,” she said (of the car).
“It gets going on the freeway and it’s fun to drive. It corners and brakes well and I liked the firm seats.
The Alto GL manual now starts from $11,790, while the range-topping GLX is now priced from $12,490, with a driveaway price of $12,990.