My mother taught me not to stare – so why is everybody looking at the GTS like it’s just landed from another planet? Truth is, I can’t decide whether it’s because the GTS is the ultimate Scirocco, or because this test car is white with two black stripes down the roof and bonnet.

Maybe it’s a combination of both but I’m sure that to afford this car in the first place, you need to be reasonably sound at the bank, probably 30+ and no longer a tyre squealing teenager. I don’t know anybody in that category who would want this paint job.

It’s Saturday and the Cotswolds is awash with some seriously cool cars, classic and new. The VW is turning heads but I think I need to do a vox pop and get the views of a few other people on why. At least they do the GTS in a more sober grey, or there’s plain black.

I once went to buy a Saab convertible and was about to sign on the dotted line when the salesman told me it wasn’t available in the grey colour I wanted. I protested and refused to proceed. In desperation, the salesman looked at me and said: ‘At least you can’t see the colour when you are driving it’. He must be working for a VW dealership somewhere…