We’re hoping to spot a Great White basking off the coast but Jaws isn’t coming out to play today. So we snap the snaps and then get back behind the wheel. We backtrack for a while, then switch to the eastern side of the peninsula, cruising a road which takes us through countless pretty small towns dotted up the coast. The roads may be more cluttered, but what’s the point in driving a car like this if you’re not going to be seen? If you’re a shy type, maybe renting a Micra is more your speed…

   The sun’s heading slowly for the sea, and we realise that our time with the Cobra is fast running out. We have an appointment. Every country on Earth has their great roads, and Cape Town and the surrounding area has plenty of contenders.

   All pale into significance next to the legendary Chapman’s Peak Drive. Clinging impossibly to the near vertical cliff faces, the road links Hout Bay to Noordhoek. This strip of Tarmac has been made to fit the terrain, not the other way around which naturally makes for a thrilling drive. Gravity has been known to take a hand in stopping the fun either by dropping tons of rock onto it, or by claiming a stretch of the road itself. So it feels dangerous, even on this calm, warm evening.

   The sun is sinking fast as we climb up into the hills, but this is a driving experience for all of the senses. The rumble from the V8 is overpowering but still no less thrilling as when we first prodded it into life 10 hours earlier. The sight through the low screen and along the bonnet frames the tortured road surface ahead. So it’s our duty to shatter the calm.

   If you’re lucky enough to visit Cape Town, there will be plenty on your ‘to-do’ list. But take it from us, take Cape Cobra Hire’s number with you if you’re hoping for an experience you’ll never forget.