It's rare enough to say that a car saved my skin. They have variously saved pride, inflated and deflated egos, embarrassed, built my street cred and even - many years ago - help me score. But to say that I am only writing this because of a particular car, well, it doesn't happen often.
Paradoxically, it probably got me into danger in the first place as it is a car that almost incites envy.
The 254kW Audi TT RS is the business for any true merchant of speed. Beautifully balanced and controlled with a vice-like grip through its quattro four-wheel drive, it is immensely powerful with its top speed capped at 250km/h.
This car will surge to 100km/h in just more than four seconds with a powerful rasping exhaust note sending you on your way.
Once you have negotiated the low roof line and high sided sport seats, the TT RS is a joy to be in. It cocoons you like a fighter pilot, a feeling added to by the iconic but brilliantly practical flat-bottomed steering wheel. And this is where man becomes machine and machine becomes man.
You can adjust and adjust until you have the perfect driving position so you are totally focused on the job in hand.
The low-slung TT RS has the spoilers and markings to set out its stall as a winner and this is probably what attracted some twerps who were driving a Northern Ireland-registered car - probably stolen - along a freeway.
Returning from one of my visits to Ikea - yes, I know I'm sad and they soon will be calling me by my first name there, but the TT has surprisingly good hatch space and I needed some taps and a sink basket - I was doing a good speed home just after passing through the toll cameras.
The GS roared up in the most menacing way within inches of the RS and had all lights full on. They wanted to wage war and I was going to be blitzkrieged.
They moved out to overtake and then came screeching right in front of me. Unfortunately, their aggro - and possibly drugs - was better than their driving and they skidded slightly sideways and bounced off a truck in the next lane.
My past life began to unravel as both truck and car veered madly in front, slowing as they skidded and bumped each other. I was doomed. Within a second I would be among them and we would all be caught between the walls of the bridge.
Yet miraculously - and I use this word advisedly - there was suddenly the tiniest gap. Flooring the RS and trusting in its huge power, beautifully accurate control and quattro system that linked mind, arms and car, I was through - shaken, yes, but alive and intact.
In 27 years of motoring, writing and testing around 2000 cars, never did a machine so interact with my senses.
BEAUTIFUL SOUND
I just had time to notice that the louts' car was very bruised, with wings hanging off from hitting both lorry and centre island, but they still managed to roar off on their drug-crazed way to cause more mayhem.
I pulled over and ran back to the very shaken truck driver. He was already on the phone to the police. In a lesser car, or in one when I would have to put my trust in braking rather than speed, I would have been mincemeat.
I shudder to think what would have happened to an inexperienced driver.
I can forgive the Audi TT RS its €83 000 (R920 000) price tag and the €18 000 (R200 000) extras that were loaded on, and I can even overlook the huge fuel consumption and relatively high emissions.
I will do this just as long as I can remember the wonderful roar of its engine and the even more beautiful sound of my very alive heart beating only seconds later. - Irish Independent