Base Model Brilliance with 3 On The Column Classic Car Podcast: Ordering a New Company Car!

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Today, the car lease is expiring and Brian & Andrew start the search for a new company car.

As budgets are tight, we need to consider all bases (excuse the pun). After dismissing the 100E Popular in 1953 for its single suction wiper and mechanical brakes (and a plywood floor, anyone?), we tried very hard to purchase a Fiesta Popular. But the salesman was going to make it too easy to buy a Fiesta L instead, and we really didn't need the frippery of houndstooth cloth trim and an L badge on the tailgate.

A Renault 5 782 cc could have worked but, unlike the TL's and GTL's, you could only buy it under cover of darkness from a mildly disagreeable salesman somewhere round the back of the showroom.

So, please, Mr Fleet manager, don't steer me into a life of outside lane dominance in a Cavalier 2.0 GLi, relying only on the front fog lights, alloys, tilt/slide sunroof and a Phillips 4 speaker radio cassette to brighten my day.

No, my ego can only be supported by the brilliance of the BMW 316, where I can choose a Blaupunkt Boston sound system at my own expense, marvel at the quality BMW roundels on my plastic hubcaps and have no draughts from a tilt and slide sunroof. I'll leave the BMW key on display at the golf club, believe it's a 325i and, of course, I'll choose it in white.

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