So it's come and gone - the 2010 World Cup - leaving a legacy of all manner of things, such as the inimitable bellow of the vuvuzela, a new passion among former non-fans, and an expanded lexicon which includes words like ayoba, merde and hand of God, among others.
But it's the last, the hand of God, that was foremost in my mind recently while I was driving Subaru's 3.6R Outback.
Cruising up to the Natal Midlands, in the middle lane at the bottom of notorious Town Hill, and what did I see heading straight towards me? A runaway pantechnicon, complete with half-unhitched, jackknifed trailer swinging along sideways behind him.. he'd locked up going down the hill, crossed the centre island, and there it was, aiming straight for me.
Split-second realisation before I had the presence of mind to slam on anchors, full lock the steering, and pull into the emergency lane seconds before he hurtled past. It was so close the draught rocked my car and I had a close up of his metal rims (rubber tyres long since shredded) digging into the tar while seeking traction.
Thank you Subaru. Had I been in a less able car I'm not sure it would have behaved quite as well and as safely as the Outback. Hand of God, divine intervention, whatever... the two children and I will be eternally thankful for escaping what looked like certain death.
With that beginning to our week-long session with the car, it's hardly surprising we treasured every minute we spent with it. With that fresh and improved sleek new look, its enormously appealing interior (always devoid of bling and gizmos, just practical, easy to operate and comfortable), loads of space everywhere, incredibly ample leg room, and that powerful engine, the Outback is the perfect family car.
Glorious on long trips, supremely adaptable (at one stage the kids dropped the back seat and spread out their blankets and slept), leather upholstery and things like seven crash bags, all mean there's nothing to fault.
The wagon sports a six-cylinder boxer engine with 191kW/350Nm mated to a five-speed Sportshift automatic gearbox for performance and efficiency. New features include wood-grain trim, SI-Drive, automatic lights and wipers, and self-levelling rear suspension. You also get headlight washers - I love 'em!
AND THEN A YEAR AGO...
What also appeals to me about the Outback is the blend of that distinctive Subaru sportiness and the ruggedness of an SUV. The prominent grille with bold horizontal slats makes it stand out from the crowd, and you'll notice that the front and rear bumpers have been reshaped, giving it a far nicer profile. Incidentally, ground clearance is an impressive 213mm, which confirms its serious off-road credentials.
Strangely, a year ago, I had a blow-out in the fast lane of Durban's hectic N2 while driving another Subaru: it too behaved so well that had it not been for the loud bang as the tyre went,# I wouldn't have known about it.
I had to pull over and stop on the centre island to change the tyre, with peak hour traffic flashing past me and thanked my lucky stars for divine intervention - and Subaru's engineering.
The absolutely brilliant Subaru Outback 3.6R starts at R459 000.