“Until the next morning, that is, when a huge storm blew in, resulting in the single worst ferry journey I have experienced.”
David Vivian
“Two enterprising guys – I forget their names – had travelled to Germany to buy an Amphi-Ranger, a sizeable, angular amphibious 4×4, with a view to marketing the vehicle in the UK.
“After taking delivery, they drove it back to Blighty. Thing is, when they came to the English Channel, they didn’t stop, and spent the next 21 miles dodging ferries and cargo ships. How could we resist the offer of a spin to the Isle of Wight?
“A day that starts with a bump across a Portsmouth pavement and a sandy slither past open-mouthed beach dwellers towards the sea has a certain surreal promise, although the anxiety aroused by the sight of my hosts’ legs dangling through the open sunroof and a brick on the accelerator to provide forward thrust was rivalled only by the urgent flashes of bilge pump warning light.
“No matter. We gatecrashed Cowes week, trundled across Ryde and eventually, back in the briny at low tide, got stuck on a Solent and bank. At which point I opened the door, removed my shoes, leapt into six inches of water and walked to the nearest pub.”
Andrew Frankel
“It’s the launch of the original Ford Mondeo in 1993. For Autocar readers, the first group test was probably the story of the year and, as road test editor, it was my job to deliver it.
