Carl Fogarty: Former superbike world champion reveals his first car was an 'unreliable' Vauxhall Cavalier

“It was good to have a set of wheels but it wasn’t a great car. I must have been 17 at the time. I had just passed my test.”

Carl, who was born in Blackburn, is commonly known as Foggy, is a seven-time motorcycle racing world champion who has raced to victory on 59 occasions in the World Superbike Championships – picking up four world titles in the process – making him one of the most decorated riders of all time.

He says he has had some great vehicles over the years, most memorably an Audi SQ7 which he said had a V8 diesel engine. “It sounded great,” he said. “I only sold it a couple of years ago and I should have kept it.”

But he is now very much an Isuzu enthusiast. “I love them, they do what they say on the tin and they suit my lifestyle,” he said.

“I can chuck mountain bikes or fishing gear in the back and go off for the day.”

He recently picked up a new Isuzu D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35, swapping out a range-topping V-Cross for Isuzu UK’s newest extreme adventure vehicle.

Carl’s new pick-up, replacing the Pearl White Isuzu D-Max V-Cross, is Isuzu UK’s flagship model, the Isuzu D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35.

Thanks to Carl’s existing relationship with Isuzu UK, having had other vehicles including the V-Cross and the adventure-focused XTR, as well as his penchant for living a fast-paced lifestyle, it is no surprise that the superbike champion is now a brand ambassador for the Isuzu D-Max Arctic Trucks marque.

Since retiring from racing in 2000, Carl has pursued endeavours, including winning the TV reality show ‘I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!’ in 2014.

The Isuzu D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 is a professionally re-engineered vehicle that incorporates enhancements to the body, frame, drivetrain, suspension, wheels and tyres, whilst retaining Isuzu’s five-year/125,000-mile warranty.