This Car. That Road.

As you know, we spend a lot of time exploring some of the best driving roads in the UK and Europe. But often it’s not the famous mountain pass or epic road trip that sticks in your memory. Sometimes it’s a stretch of road much closer to home.

For me, one of my favourite drives isn’t on a Supercar Driver tour at all. It’s my journey home from Sheffield to Cheshire on a summer evening, crossing the Peak District as the sun begins to set. It’s a route I’ve driven countless times, yet I still look forward to it.

As for the car? Give me the keys to a BMW E46 M3 CSL any day.

It’s about as pure as a driver’s car gets. The steering is alive, the front end feels endlessly precise and the whole car dances beneath you. It feels light on its feet, eager to change direction and always ready for the next corner. Then there’s that airbox noise — one of the all-time great automotive soundtracks.

It’s also one of those “if you know, you know” cars. To most people, it’s just an old M3. To those who have driven one or truly know what it is, it’s something much more special.

The road itself starts on the A6 before joining the A5270. The A6 is fast, flowing and beautifully sighted. Catch it at the right time of day, and it can feel like you have the entire road to yourself. Then the character changes. The A5270 brings undulations, crests and sweeping corners that rise and fall with the landscape.

I love the contrast between the two roads, and I love the fact that I get to drive them every week.

It’s only ten miles or so, but that’s enough. Enough to make you smile. Enough to remind you why you love driving. Enough to prove that, despite everything, there are still roads out there capable of turning an ordinary journey into something memorable.