Rod Stewart tried a bit too hard to impress Penny Lancaster, 54, in the early days of their relationship and nearly caused a huge crash. The 80-year-old rocker was 54 at the time he started dating Penny, 28 at the time, and he was very much into taking his red Ferrari out for a spin. But according to Penny's new book, Someone Like Me, things soon went downhill in the luxury vehicle. 

Penny recalled how they went out together in Spain as he was on a "mission to impress" and drove like a "Formula One racer" zig-zagging up and down the mountains. 

The model explained that she was grasping either side of the seat, terrified, when Rod overtook a car on a bend that was driving what he had deemed to be "too slow". 

Screaming as she covered her eyes, Rod suddenly swerved and lost all colour in his face as they suddenly saw a lorry driving towards them. 

She said in the book: "Rod's face was ashen as he lurched back into his lane. That drive goes down in history as the day Rod almost killed us, and I still get anxious if I have to get in a fast car with him." 

Over the years, Rod has praised his love of fast cars, previously stating that he gets his best ideas when he gets behind the wheel. 

The sporty vehicles are considered "works of art" for him, with Rod previously stating: "I am extremely fortunate and eternally grateful to be the owner of these five beautiful hybrid sports cars, which, in my opinion, are true 'works of art'." 

While he loves the speedy racers, Penny's not quite so keen on him getting behind the wheel of the fast cars. 

In her new book Penny talks about her early relationship with Rod and how they first got together. She was engaged at the time they first met, but Rod had offered to help her out in her photography career and gave her the opportunity to take some photographs at one of his shows. 

He kept in touch with her afterwards and they built on a friendship first, but after a trip away, she came home and realised she needed to leave her fiance. 

After meeting in 1999, they soon wound up engaged in 2005 and eventually tied the knot in 2007.