Given that he gets a good few quid for presenting the X Factor, Dermot O’Leary could well afford a new set of wheels.
Instead, he prefers driving a car that’s older than he is.
But looking at the cool motor he bought a decade ago, you can see why he’s less than comfortable parting with it – even if its purchase was inspired by a long-gone ex girlfriend.
The man who is JOE.ie’s reigning Style Icon took time out to explain why he’s only ever owned the one car, what bad trait grinds his gears and why he’ll have nothing bad said about women drivers.
JOE: What was your first car?
Dermot: My first car is the car I’ve still got now – a 1968 VW Karmann Ghia, which I love. I need something new because it’s the motoring equivalent of a mistress – not practical or reliable. Although, to be fair it’s reliable for a car that’s more than 40 years old. I’m thinking of selling it now – I’d love another classic, such as a Merc SL – but I don’t know if it’d be easy to part with my current car.
JOE: What made you choose your current set of wheels?
Dermot: I always wanted one, and it’s an affordable vintage car. I bought it ten years ago as a piece of retail therapy when an ex-girlfriend finished with me. It was her favourite car as well so I just thought “Fuck you, I’m going to go out and buy our favourite car.”
I went to go and get it from this garage and the guy who runs the Karmann Ghia Centre said “I don’t have anything here right now that’s in a state that doesn’t mean that you’ll come back with it in two weeks’ time.”
I’d bought a single train ticket out to the place because I thought I’d thought I’d be able to drive out of the garage with one, so that came as a bit of a blow.
He said that he could either do one up and I could come back, or I could pick one out and he’d do it up bespoke, where he’d take a car completely to bits and do to from scratch to my exact specifications.
I saw this sorry-looking white thing in the corner and asked for it to be taken apart, rebuilt, sprayed black and given a check interior. It’s a beautiful looking car.
Six months later, at which point I’d given up ringing every week about it and at which point I was over the girl who’d inspired the purchase in the first place, he called me to say it was ready.
JOE: What’s on your stereo?
Dermot: Right now it’s Adele’s latest album, 21. Brilliant.
JOE: How nifty are you at changing a wheel?
Dermot: I know how to change a wheel, although I wouldn’t be comfortable driving off secure in the knowledge that the wheel would stay on.
JOE: The perfect car with the perfect companion would be…?
Dermot: A beautiful DB5 or DB6. I love the old fastback Mustangs as well. I’m perfectly happy to have my girlfriend Dee in the passenger seat.
JOE: And your favourite drive?
Dermot: My favourite drive ever was going down Highway 1, the Pacific Coast Highway.
JOE: Obviously you’re a brilliant driver, but what trait in other drivers really grinds your gears?
Dermot: I don’t mind if someone’s in a real hurry and they really need to get ahead of you, but it’s when someone cuts you up and there’s no real benefit, such as when you’re just coming up to a set of traffic lights. Annoying.
JOE: Women can’t drive. Discuss.
Dermot: That’s rubbish. My sister’s a great driver. Jodie Kidd is a fantastic driver – you only have to look at how well she did driving round the Top Gear track in a reasonably priced car. In fact there you go: Jodie Kidd – the defence rests.
Nick Bradshaw
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