Why Euro supercars don’t do it for Bathurst boy Archie Thompson

Commentator and ex-Socceroo Archie Thompson saw plenty of supercars while playing in Belgium but his real love is V8s — he grew up within earshot of motoring mecca, Mount Panorama

Former Socceroo Archie Thompson and his Hyundai Tucson

AFTER a glittering career as an A-League and Socceroo striker, Archie Thompson has one goal left: to buy himself an American muscle car. “I love the old muscle cars. My dream one day is to own an SS Camaro, ’68. That’s the car I want. I love old-school cars with V8 engines,” he says.

The Fox Sports commentator saw plenty of exotic Italian and German supercars while playing for Belgian club Lierse SK but none tickled his fancy. “You’d see Ferraris and Porsches but something that gets me jollied up is an old school, done-up muscle car,” he says.

Thompson and his Tucson: “I can’t deal with traffic without the Bluetooth.”

The love of V8s may have something to do with the fact that Thompson grew up within earshot of Australia’s motoring mecca, Mount Panorama in Bathurst.

Thompson has done countless laps of the famous circuit but none, unfortunately, in a V8.

“I used to catch the school bus around that track every single morning and afternoon. We used to collect kids all the way up the back of Mount Panorama, so I know that track back-to-front but I’ve never done a hot lap,” he says.

He does, however, have an appreciation of the courage it takes to conquer the mountain in a race car.

“People don’t get a real idea of just how steep some of those inclines are until you’re going down it. Man, they’re insane,” he says.

First car: Nissan Bluebird

His own experience of driving at Bathurst was a little different from the Great Race.

He learned how to drive by bush bashing on a mate’s farm. “I just learned to drive in the paddock, paid for a lesson and then got the licence,” he says.

Once he had his P-plates, he inherited his mother’s Nissan Bluebird, and against his parents’ express wishes headed for the big smoke.

“I drove it to Sydney, ran up the arse of someone and that was my first experience in my own car. My dad didn’t want me to come home. He said, ‘Stay where you are, I’m not coming to get you. Don’t even bother coming home,’ ” he says.

With no comprehensive insurance, the repair bill was about $5000. “It got me around for a little while after that but it wasn’t really roadworthy when it came time to register it. That was the end of that one,” he says.

European car: Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Professional football led to a sharp upturn in Thompson’s automotive fortunes — he drove a Mercedes C-Class while playing in Europe and now has a Hyundai Tucson SUV, thanks to a sponsorship deal with Werribee Hyundai.

“It’s a beautiful little car,” he says.

His favourite feature on the Hyundai? Bluetooth. “I love my music when I’m driving,” he says. “I can’t deal with traffic unless I’ve got the music on and I can zone out.”

Dream car: 1968 Chevrolet Camaro

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