Meet the "other woman"

WHEN Underbelly star Rodger Corser tied the knot with Renae Berry, it was the "other woman'' in his life that got him to the church on time.  Corser's beloved 1966 XR Falcon 500, called Pearly, made sure he and his groomsmen arrived in style for his nuptials at the historic Garrison Church at The Rocks in Sydney.

Corser, who plays fictional Purana Task Force detective Steve Owen in Underbelly, Channel 9's dramatisation of Melbourne's infamous gangland war, says his character is a determined, ambitious and honest man.

"He's basically a quintessential Aussie guy who likes his football and the ladies -- though he finds love quickly in the show.'' Corser says.  "He's also a little bit cheeky and likes a joke. He's one of the boys, who enjoys camaraderie and mateship with his colleagues.''

Corser also recently starred alongside Debra Messing and Judy Davis in the US mini-series The Starter Wife but says if he ever wins the lottery, he'll need to build himself a pretty big garage.

What was your first car?
A 1972 yellow Mazda Capella auto, unfortunately not a rotary. It was a hand-me-down from my grandma. She loved the car. I um . . . managed to cook the engine.

What do you drive now?
I have two cars at the moment. A Hyundai Santa Fe is my daily driver and for the weekends I have a 1966 XR Falcon 500 with a 200 cubic inch six in it. She's called Pearly, a name handed down from a few owners before me. I love the car as does my five-year-old daughter Zipporah. The picture was taken on my wedding day with my groomsmen and, no, we didn't drive it after the beers.

Do you have a favourite drive and who would you take?
My wife Renae and I just completed our honeymoon. We drove from Rome through Siena, Florence and on to Venice. On the way we drove around the hillsides of Cinque Terre, an hour-long, second and third-gear winding drive with amazing scenery.

How far would you drive in an average year?
15,000-20,000 kilometres, depending on how many Sydney to Melbourne trips.

Do you have a favourite motoring memory?
I just got to do a stunt-driving day out at Sandown raceway for the Getaway program. That would have to be up there. I also did a pit tour of the Red Bull F1 Team a couple of years ago at the Melbourne GP, which was great.

What would you buy if money was no object?
A complete set of GT Falcons from XR-XB. And a big garage.

What music is playing in your car?
At the moment the Police

How much is too much for a new car?
Depends on your means. You have to be realistic about what percentage of your weekly income you can allocate to your car.

What should be done to make driving safer?
I'm not sure. 40km/h school zones are a good recent change.

Are you sponsored by a car company?
I have a fantastic ongoing relationship with Hyundai, which involves TV ads and some events.