It's a good job that she likes the comfortable seats and the practicality of my sports coupe. We can fit a couple of friends in the back ΂- albeit for short journeys ΂- and the fact that we managed to squeeze a flat pack dining table, four chairs, shelves, and the weekly shopping all in one go gave the Celica extra brownie points. Impressive, and yes, the shopping was attached to the carrier hooks, so the journey home was just as quick as the journey out.

The gritty feel of the gearbox that I mentioned last month has disappeared and the gearchange is getting better ΂- or is it just me getting used to the loosely sprung lever? Just as well because the 'box certainly needs to be stirred.

The rev-happy engine is both the Celica's charm and its Achilles' heal. Fantastic when you're on your own blatting down the carriageways and round the roundabouts near where I live. But not so good when there's a passenger with you. Swift progress on country roads which wouldn't raise an eyebrow in any other car has passengers jeering disapproval in the Toyota. I'm not travelling any faster than I would normally, but the lack of low down torque (therefore demanding more gear-changing) and the busy engine seems to fool them into thinking we're travelling a lot faster than we really should.

I don't know, some people...