Have Car, Will Drive

If given the choice I would choose a good manual transmission over an automatic any day. I like to drive, and I like to be involved in the driving experience, and there is nothing quite like the connection between driver and drivetrain that can be had only with a proper manual gearbox. The five-speed in my Focus is a seriously decent cog-box, particularly given that it resides in what is primarily a budget hatchback. The shift action is slick and precise, and the throw is short. Its ratios seem perfectly matched to the 2.0 litre engine. An added bonus of a manual is superior fuel economy over a traditional automatic, although even the rise of more efficient twin-clutch autos fails to sway my preference.

Every car is a compromise. Generally, size is traded off against fuel economy and weight, and practicality against driver enjoyment. When I bought my Ford Focus, one of the main priorities was fuel economy. However, I also periodically find myself wanting to transport a reasonable amount of cargo, and so the obvious solution was a hatchback, giving me good load access and the ability to fold the seats down for a large cargo space. Last weekend I headed to Phillip Island for the weekend, and took with me a collection of musical equipment plus a few personal items. As you can see in the photo above, with two of its rear seat folded the Focus swallowed up everything I could possibly need, while leaving room for two (admittedly non-existant) passengers.

Welcome to Have Car, Will Drive. I am a young motoring enthusiast and uni student living in Melbourne, Australia and I have decided to share my thoughts, experiences and opinions on this blog. HCWD will document my driving experiences, and thoughts all all things automotive, as well as share interesting vehicles I see and anything else that is vaguely relevant. Car love for me is not just about exotic vehicles that are out of reach for most of us, but about finding enjoyment in any vehicle. This enjoyment for me is two-pronged, and stems from both driving enjoyment and a less tangible, emotional attachment that I seem to have to anything with four wheels. Pictured above is my '08 build Ford Focus, my first new car purchase. Two weeks ago I piloted it on a four-day, 1000km round trip laced with twisty bitumen and a good helping of gravel back-roads. It is not amazingly fast, not is it particularly luxurious. And yet with its two-litre four and five-speed manual transmission,...