Am I the only one in Britain who is struggling to remember what our roads actually look like?
They've been covered in snow for so long, it's a genuine challenge to remember what colour tarmac actually is. I want to say grey, but for all I know the British road network could be painted bright orange.
Unfortunately, things don't seem to be changing anytime in the near future. A quick glance at the BBC Weather forecast confirms that Britain will be locked in 'Ice Chaos' until the end of the week. This is bad news for Britain's 30-odd million motorists.
However, help is at hand as we've compiled a list of the ten best cars to drive in wintry conditions.
We're well aware that this list is a little bit late to be of any use whatsoever -- especially since the weather is due to turn milder next week -- but you're more than welcome to bookmark this page in preparation for next year.
So scroll down for our list of the top ten cars for tackling winter 2014.
Fiat Panda 4x4
The Panda is a superb little car for the winter commute. Not only does it have four-wheel drive -- a must for tackling snowy inclines -- it also comes with tiny, narrow tyres which cut through the snow more effectively than the garden rollers fitted to some larger so-called SUVs. Plus, it's cheap to buy and cheap to run.
Audi Quattro
Back in the early eighties, the Audi Quattro was an unstoppable force in the world of rallying thanks to its innovative four-wheel drive system. The Quattro might not be the most sensible choice on this list, but if you fancy a car which has both character and snow-busting performance, this is the car for you.
Toyota Hilux
This is the car in which Jeremy Clarkson and James May drove to the North Pole, and if the Hilux can traverse 500 miles of frozen ocean, it should be able to cope with a patch of sludge on the A34.
Range Rover
The Rangey is probably the best luxury off-roader in the known universe. 'Nuff said.
Dacia Duster
Four-wheel drive cars really don't come much cheaper than this. If you're looking for all-weather performance on a budget, the Duster is the obvious choice. What's more, if you do manage to prang it, it should be cheap as chips to repair.
Land Rover Discovery
Although the Discovery is not as luxurious as the Range Rover, it is, if anything, even more capable off-road. And like the Rangey, it also comes with Land Rover's Terrain Response system, which has a setting designed specifically for driving on snow.
Land Rover Defender
If the Range Rover and the Disco are a bit too modern for your tastes, the Defender could be the perfect solution. The Defender is not-too-distantly related to the original Land Rover of 1948 and, as any old person will tell you, the winters back then were even harsher than they are now. The Defender, therefore, should have no problem tackling a light sprinkling of snow.
Mercedes Benz G Wagen
The G Wagen is Germany's answer to the original Land Rover and is arguably just as capable off-road as its British-born cousin. A couple from Germany have been driving their G Wagen all over the world for the past 23 years, clocking up more than half a million miles. Any car which can take on the Sahara Desert is more than capable of taking on the British winter.
Anything cheap
If the last few days have taught us anything, it's that some people are fundamentally incapable of driving in wintry conditions, no matter what they drive. If you're one of these people, you might as well have your inevitable crash in something cheap. So how about a 1987 Vauxhall Belmont? Yours for £75 with half a tank of fuel.
Forget the car and fit winter tyres
In many European countries, motorists are required by law to fit winter tyres in the cold months, and there's growing support for a similar law to be introduced in the UK. Proponents of winter tyres claim that they transform the winter weather performance of their cars beyond recognition, so if you want to prepare yourself for winter but don't fancy buying a new car, winter tyres could be the answer.
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