Guido den Attractker was loyal to Alfa Romeo for two decades, but his current BMW is just that little bit better. “An Alfa is a kind of stunt plane in which you yourself are behind the bat. BMW is business class. ”
Why is an Alfa enthusiast switching to BMW?
“Last summer we drove the Alfa 159 to my sister-in-law in Florence. When we turned onto the A2 at Abcoude, the air conditioning was already broken and that was not the first time. It was very hot, so we were barely able to talk to each other on the way because the windows had to open completely. On the way back my front window also broke, so that it could no longer go up. When we got back to the Netherlands, my wife said: ‘If I go through this one more time, I will divorce you’. She hates Alfa Romeo because there is always something about it. Never motorized, but the electronics lead a life of its own. I went looking for another car and this spring I came across this BMW 428i Gran Coupé. I was immediately sold. And I didn’t regret it for a second. ”
What was your first car?
“That was a two-liter Mazda 626 Coupé, which retroactively I think is a huge pimp. It was a machine with a black leather roof that I had bought from someone at the hockey club. It cost three thousand guilders, I would have saved up for that. I was 21 and have rarely been prouder than the day I picked up that car and drove it home. At the time I smoked like a heretic, so it was a stink hole in no time. ”
What is the common thread in your car life?
“That I’ve always had fast cars. After the Mazda 626 I drove a Suzuki Swift GTI, among other things. A small car, but super fast. I enjoyed it a lot, just like the Peugeot 306 GTI that I bought afterwards. Then I ran into my first Alfa Romeo, a 156 with a wooden steering wheel, very elegant and beautiful. I’ve always been a fan of Italian cars, but in your twenties you are not so concerned with spending a lot of money on a means of transport. After that I had an Alfa 159 twice, the last of which was a TI, with leather upholstery and 200 hp. That was a fantastic car. ”
Are you someone who likes to press the accelerator?
“I like to keep driving, but I think I am reasonably controlled. I don’t tailgating, it’s going with the rhythm of the moment. ”
Have you ever chased someone in the car?
“Oh sure. When I was still a reporter at Story, I regularly chased someone. I was also often posting in my car. In those days I always had black Alfas with light-tinted windows. In black clothes, a black cap and black glasses, no one saw me in the car. In the back I always had a bag with disguises, ranging from a white doctor’s coat for when I had to go to a hospital to a forest ranger’s suit to catch a glimpse of Willem-Alexander and Máxima unnoticed at Villa Eikenhorst in their early years. ”
GUIDO IN SHORT
Born June 2, 1966Marital status Married to Tiffany, who has a son from a previous relationshipEducation School of Economic Studies (HES) Dream car Porsche 911Career After graduating, he worked for ten years as a logistics manager at Martinair and Air Holland, before devoting himself to the profession of journalist. He wrote stories and interviews for more than 20 years for Panorama, Story and De Telegraaf, among others, worked as an independent media consultant and wrote the books ‘De Kinderhater’ and ‘Primeurjager’. He has been editor-in-chief of Story for three years and one of Shownieuws’ permanent entertainment experts on SBS6 for two years.