I love new cars ... There, I said it.

If only for one day I felt like a princess ... cruisin' around town in my 2006 Kia Optima with the windows UP and the ice-cold air conditioner blowing my hair about. I'd forgotten what it was like to drive in 90-degree weather without all four windows down while still sweating buckets!

And as if honest to goodness air conditioning weren't enough ... It's amazing how good a radio sounds in a car that has actual working speakers. And the luxury of a gas pedal that actually makes the car gooooo (and fast, I might add). Oh, and the brakes - the crazy-fast brakes! One tap will send you through the front windshield (well, not really - but almost!).

The Kia is my rental car for the day while the nice folks at the collision center are working on my poor little VW Jetta. I told the manager to go ahead and put in a new air conditioner - on the insurance company's dime, of course. Too bad he thought I was joking ...

I like to think that I'm not one to lust after new cars or even drool over a shiny almost-new car. But, apparently I've fooled myself for all these years. Suddenly, I desperately want a new (or *newer*) car. One with standard features that work and a little more get-up-and-go. Brakes that respond quickly would take some getting used to (at the risk of my passengers, of course), but I think I could handle it.

That new car smell must have gotten to my senses because for the last hour or so I've been lurking around the Honda, Mazda, Kia and Nissan web sites. I've already designed three cars and priced about 15.

Someone, stop me now. This could get dangerous.