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Every time a new Hyundai or Kia comes out, it is next to impossible for journalists not to look at the car and go, “Ooh, look at how very European it is.”

Of course, the reason for this is that the Korean brands have made stratospheric leaps in design, quality and brand appeal in a short few years, and yet passing time has failed to erase the memory of models such as the Hyundai Pony.

Right, I’m fully expecting many of you to hate me after you read this – but I need to tell you about the day I’ve just had.  Because in terms of motoring experiences I can’t think of many that would top it.

Thanks to the guys at Prodrive I got to drive my first rally car. A 2010 Group N Impreza. You can see it in the picture below.  Given that it’s based on a road car it is quite staggering what it’ll do. And that’s before you start experimenting with anti-lag – a quite marvellous invention.

Is it nostalgia that makes the Audi Quattro so iconic, or does it really deserve the frenzied reverence that it seems to inspire?

There’s no question that it began a new technical era for road and rally cars, and maybe that alone is enough to warrant its status, but having recently experienced one of the 1984 Audi A2 Quattro WRC cars in action, it seems to be a lot more than that.

By now you’ve probably read our reviews of the various new versions of Jaguar’s 2010 XJ.

If one thread runs through all of them, it’s the one marvelling at the unlikeliness of this car’s transformation from old-fashioned, old-English luxury conveyance to modern thoroughbred sports saloon.

Just come back from Finland where I spent a few days learning how to get the most from a four-wheel drive car.

Which might sounds like an easy thing to do, but as I discovered, requires a re-boot of the old brain.

How do you feel about Infiniti’s Blind Spot Intervention and Eco Pedal systems, which will be fitted to the new M model?

The Blind Spot Intervention system functions like a normal warning system by detecting cars within the driver’s blind spot and issuing a warning. But if the driver pulls out anyway, the M will take evasive action, and automatically turn the steering to bring car back into its lane.