In April this year I bought my first car, a 2002 Citroën Saxo which costed, as a man told me earlier that week, less than a flat screen television. It had a 1,1 litre petrol engine, four cylinders, and pedals aligned to the left of the driver's seat. When I bought it it was a machine to me; just a car, but now I must bid it farewell as I move out of the country I bought it in, I absolutely love it. When I say love it, I mean I'm crying as I write this, because it has left that much of a mark on me.Why? First of all, I know that for every single one of us our first car is special. It's that first taste of freedom, of being the master of your own destination, of being a real adult. I had long been a slave to the bus timetable and lifts, but this car gave me the freedom that I so craved. However, this changing doesn't make a man weep, as I know I'll drive again. Something was and is special about that car, and let me tell you what.For those unfamiliar, the Citroën Saxo is a supermini, a tiny car that is very agile. It has small wheels and sits quite low to the ground. This means, first of all, that spinning the wheels on starting off is something within reach of every driver, without much effort. Secondly, the small size and low centre of gravity allows you to turn at speed, keeping the hammer down at tight corners and give yourself that racing driver feel in your everyday life, and to get around a city environment quickly as well. The brakes are also very well made, allowing for late braking, so you can keep moving for longer.The car is like a puppy: it's small, excitable, and will gnaw your ankles without causing any harm. The top speed is not high, but that almost adds to the beauty. That, coupled with the fantastic agility and brakes on the car mean I can have fun when driving on difficult roads, which had I driven in a Ferrari or a Porsche or maybe even a newer Citroën would probably have killed me. You can put your foot to the metal, feel fast, even actually go quite fast, and know you are well and safe, and you're going to make it home. Like driving a go kart, you have the absolute thrill of being on edge and driving to the machine's limits, despite not actually going that fast, and being able to take the tightest of corners, only having to brake at the last minute, feeling like a real driver, and then taking off again, haring towards the next corner. Coupling that with a David versus Goliath feeling whenever keeping up with or overtaking any car or other vehicle that is remotely expensive, and it is easy to develop feelings for it.To summarise: I'll buy more expensive cars, faster cars, bigger cars, newer cars, and better cars in my time, but will I ever buy a car that is more fun? That gives me more joy? That puts a smile on my face while driving it? That makes me fall in love like this one? Given the memories made driving this fantastic little car, I would probably say no, and that is why when asked which car is the best in the world, I would happily skip by any advance by a Bugatti Veyron, McLaren P1, or even my childhood hero the Lamborghini Murcielago, and go for the excited puppy wagging its tail in eagerness, step into a 2002 Citroën Saxo, and start firing on all four cylinders. via /r/cars http://ift.tt/2tk33HK
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