M&S In the Moment With: David Gandy - 2014

His modelling career has taken him from Essex to a 50ft billboard in Times Square, but in his spare time, David Gandy loves putting his foot down. There are classic cars, and then there are classic Jaguars -- so driving a 1959 Jaguar XK120 around the iconic Goodwood circuit is a pretty good day for me. There's nothing quite like it: the smell of the leather, the wood, the fuel... It's just astonishing -- there's a very romantic feel to it. Although, at 6'3", I don't fit into the car too well -- my knees are up to my nose and my head sticks up above the windscreen, which is a little disconcerting, especially if you've ever rolled a car (which I have). I'm a complete petrolhead. My love of motoring was already well established by the time I bought my first car, a 1.1 1988 Fiesta Ghia, complete with electric windows that would only open if you pressed the button and simultaneously banged on the door. My friends and I nicknamed it 'The Beast'. I clearly remember taking a girl on a date in it; both the doors broke and she had to climb out through one of the windows. It's probably not surprising that I never saw her again. My fantasy car, though, is a Jaguar XKSS -- there were only 16 ever made. They would have made more but the factory burnt down and production ceased. I actually got to drive one of them last year, but I don't think I'll ever own one -- they cost about £20 million each! Truthfully, I was a bit scared to drive it at first; I didn't want to be the guy that crashe