Motor meets massage: My in-car day spa treatment

As an automotive journalist most of my time is spent behind the wheel. When I’m not driving, I’m trooping around in the great outdoors on photo and video shoots or travelling for new car launches. That doesn’t leave a lot of time for beauty therapies or massages.

Luckily I get to drive some pretty fancy cars with luxurious features that soothe, relax and invigorate.

The in-car day spa is my escape, here’s a list of my favourite treatments.

Massage Seats

When you’re that busy you don’t have time to book in for a massage to ease the stress, wouldn’t it be great if your car did all the work?

A number of manufacturers, including Mercedes-Benz, offer massage function on the driver and passenger seats and it’s wonderful to sit back, relax and let the seat work away on any knotted up muscles.

Fragrance Diffuser

Don’t let the smell of exhaust fumes, tacky air-fresheners and rank gym gear ruin your drive home. Some cars these days have fragrance diffusers that circulate indulgent heavenly scents throughout the cabin.

BMWs Ambient Air system offers a choice of eight scents and you can choose from three different intensities, it also ionizes the air.

Cooled Centre Console Bin

The refreshing power of a cool drink can’t be underestimated. A number of cars have cooled glove boxes but the Land Rover Discovery’s cooled centre console bin is a standout.

Pop your chia-aloe-acai-kale infused coconut water in the bin, and it’ll stay cool for ages.

Ambient lighting

Lighting sets the mood and ambient lighting in cars is a great way to lift your spirits by opting for a bright, happy colour or relax in the warmth of a softer glow.

Some turn the cabin into a disco ball, while others are subtler in effect. Switching it up between blue, orange, white, purple and green also helps to stave off boredom during long night drives.

Starlight Roof

Of course there are features that are completely out of the ordinary. One of my absolute favourites is the Rolls-Royce starlight roof.

One doesn’t drive oneself around in a Rolls-Royce, and you can settle in the back seat, kick your shoes off, pour a glass of champagne and gaze up at the stars as you travel along in complete and total luxury.