I haven’t driven in over 13 years.

I learnt to drive in my parents’ Ford Ka that we nicknamed “Kiki”. The winding rural backroads of Wales became my greatest teacher.

However, after passing my test at 18, life got in the way. University, moving to London and figuring out my twenties meant driving took a backseat.

Suddenly, I’m 31 years old, still tapping in and out of train stations for my commute to work and accepting lifts from friends who became responsible adults with actual cars.

In an office full of passionate drivers, I am the pampered passenger. Navigation? On my phone. Playlist? Carefully curated. Car snacks? Already opened for easy access for the driver. I’ve got it down to a fine art.

But there’s always been this niggling feeling that I was missing out on something bigger. Something good.

How Did I Become the Ultimate Passenger Princess?

When my editor messaged to say that he had the perfect story for me, I assumed it was for help on social content, as is my role. It was a surprise to find out he was actually suggesting I write a feature.

“How would you like to be ultimate passenger princess for a day?” he asked.

I was intrigued. And suspicious. I had a lot of questions. Instead of asking them, some long-dormant spontaneous adventurer spoke through me.

“Yes absolutely,” I replied.

What did I just say?

That’s how I found myself one hot day at Dunsfold Aerodrome, UK, to experience Ford Racing thrills past and present as part of a celebration of Ford’s first racing victory, and a motorsport legacy that has hit 125 years, and counting.

What Does a 700+ Horsepower Supercar Feel Like?

The Mustang GTD¹ driver was Product Specialist and racing licence holder Chris Linney. He was eager to show me what the Mustang GTD could do.

As we picked up speed on the first straight, I gave a polite, “Oh, wow” thinking it was faster than the cars I’m used to, but still manageable.

Chris glanced across at me. “That’s not even half of what it can do.”

Going around the cones was smooth, and as we approached the second straight, I prepared myself for Chris to accelerate faster again.

All the preparation in the world wouldn’t have made me ready for what happened next.

Where’s my stomach? I think it got left behind at the cones.

It wasn’t just the speed: it was how effortless it felt. No shaking. No bumping. No hard impact.

Like when you try to hit something in a dream, but your punch has no power, and your brain refuses to cooperate.

Despite approaching the next set of cones at speed, the Mustang GTD, or Chris, or both, navigated them with almost ridiculous ease. Then we were all launched down another straight.

I realised I was completely silent, my body frozen in a very reserved clasped-hands-on-lap position. I felt the need to let Chris know that, despite my lack of reaction, I was genuinely enjoying myself.

He laughed and manoeuvred around the track again. He was clearly in his happy place.

Finally, we eased off the speed and returned to the starting point. There was a moment of silence before I turned to Chris.

This time, my “Oh, wow” was more like: “OH, WOW!!!”

I get it. I finally get it.

For years, I’ve sat behind a screen, reading about vehicles and translating tech jargon into social-friendly copy.

But experiencing it first-hand is different.

Sitting inside a vehicle built from decades of expertise and experiencing it perform from your own perspective, rather than through someone else’s lens or words, changes everything.

For me, the Mustang GTD now has a feeling attached to it. A memory.

Cruising on this newfound buzz, I was ready for my next passenger ride.

I wanted to experience a heritage vehicle. What would the Ford experts around me pick, I thought? They all had a cheeky grin and a sparkle in their eyes when they each gave me the same answer.

Why Is a 50-Year-Old Rally Car So Much Fun?

Fresh from the modern Mustang GTD, my perspective of the Ford Escort Mexico was slightly skewed. I was going from sleek and futuristic to… chunky.

“You’re going to have the time of your life,” said a colleague.

Andy Benson, part of the Ford Heritage Fleet team, was also smiling broadly as we had a quick chat. While waiting for the safety checks on my racing harness, I noticed how roomy and open the Escort felt — almost too open, like it was unfinished.

With a quick round of thumbs up and fist pumps, we were off.

We paraded past a Ford-clad crowd, all beaming and filming on their mobiles, before heading towards the start line.

Then we picked up speed.

It was a terrible time to remember that I suffer from intense travel sickness.

While breathing through my mouth and trying to remain present, I started to understand why people love the Escort. Bumpy, roaring and — in my case — nauseating, yes.

But most of all, it was FUN.

Raw, analogue and playful, even changing gears felt like part of the experience.

If the car could talk, I’m sure it would be maniacally giggling.

I finally found my voice again and started chatting to Andy. He agreed that the Escort has its own bold personality, and even among the heritage Ford cars he helps manage, it holds a special place in his heart.

“They’re all like our children though,” he smiled.

My passenger rides over, my eyes fixated on one stationary vehicle half hidden under the shade of umbrellas, and I moved in for a closer look.

How Do You Drive a Ford Model T?

I didn't need asking twice whether I would like to sit in the Model T.

Trying to ignore the sunbaked black leather slowly cooking my back and arms, I settled myself not into the passenger seat, but into the driver’s seat for once.

Apparently, my good luck hadn’t quite run out yet, as I then received an impromptu driving lesson on how the Model T works.

Any flashbacks or muscle memory I had from my driving lessons over 13 years ago were completely useless.

The pedals, for starters, don’t do what you’d expect. The brake is on the right. The clutch sits on the left as normal, but the hand lever on the right controls neutral, first and second gears.

But the middle pedal?

That’s reverse.

There’s no flick of a key or automatic systems coming to life — everything is manual. Even the headlights need to be turned on by hand. Incredibly, this was cutting-edge at the time, replacing the old gas lamps.

The child in me loved honking the horn, although it took two hands to press down because it was surprisingly stiff, and the resulting foghorn noise startled everyone nearby.

Sitting in this piece of Ford history, with a passionate expert beside me, was a genuinely special moment.

How many people get the chance to do that?

“Sitting in this piece of Ford history, with a passionate expert beside me, was a genuinely special moment.”

Rebecca James, social media and editorial content manager, WPP Production

Only a few trained drivers are permitted to take the Model T for a spin. But I’m glad that, if there was ever a world-class emergency and I was the only person available, I’d have a small chance of getting it moving.

Time to Ditch the 'Passenger Princess' Title?

The next day, I swapped Dunsfold Aerodrome for the Goodwood Festival of Speed — back to my regular role working on social media coverage.

This year was special, with Ford celebrating its racing milestone with a parade of iconic vehicles on the Hillclimb.

I had been before. But this time, I was seeing it through different eyes.

I was no longer on the outside looking in. I had a new sense of the excitement, the thrill and the community that’s special to motorsport fans.

“I already knew how to tell stories about Ford vehicles. Now, I felt like I understood why people really, really love them.”

Rebecca James, social media and editorial content manager, WPP Production

I already knew how to tell stories about Ford vehicles. Now, I felt like I understood why people really, really love them.

Maybe, it’s time for me to give up the Passenger Princess title and go for a promotion.

Chauffeur has a nice ring to it.

Rebecca joined the newsroom in 2021 with maximum social media knowledge and zero-to-minimal car knowledge. She manages Ford Europe’s social channels as Social Media and Editorial Content Manager, turning stories into ideas that work for the scroll as well as the story itself. She’s passionate about human-centric storytelling and finding the hook that makes people stop, look and care. She now knows a bit more about cars, too.

¹ Mustang GTD homologated CO₂ emissions 349 g/km and homologated fuel efficiency 15.3 l/100 km WLTP. The declared WLTP fuel/energy consumptions and CO₂-emissions are determined according to the technical requirements and specifications of the European Regulations (EC) 715/2007 and (EU) 2017/1151 as last amended. The applied standard test procedures enable comparison between different vehicle types and different manufacturers.