COUNTDOWN? Sorry, count me out.
When it comes to the numbers game they never quite stack up with me.
Indeed the only figure I was ever remotely interested in belonged to the curvaceous Carol Vorderman.
Mazda, on the other hand, is well up to speed when it comes to numbers as it has repeatedly proved in recent times.
Sales of the zoom-zoom brand are motoring along rather nicely these days as the Japanese car maker looks to be heading for another record-breaking year.
Across the range it has enjoyed strong demand as its steady stream of new recruits bring fresh impetus to the motoring marque.
One area of the market which Mazda has successfully cornered is the small family car sector.
The Mazda2 was first introduced nearly seven years ago and immediately caused a stir against the likes of the Ford Fiesta, Fiat Punto and the old dearly departed Rover 25.
The latest generation model arrived on the scene last October and has quickly taken up the baton and hit the ground running.
Within a relatively short space of time the automaker has managed to off-load more than 40,000 cars across Europe.
And before Big Ben chimes the 12th dong on New Year's Eve that figure should have grown to almost 85,000 vehicles.
All of this is being achieved at a time when sales in some parts of the country are proving rather sluggish.
But Mazda remains confident that it can buck the trend and continue to push ahead.
That optimism is partly fuelled with the arrival of a sporty three-door version of its compact hatch.
Having previously only been available in five door guise Mazda decided the time was right to woo a younger audience to the brand.
Incredibly it is more than 12 years since the manufacturer last produced a three door model, the 323, as there was no real demand in its homeland.
Recognising that tastes and demands are entirely different in Europe Mazda has now bowed to pressure and delivered a more youthful alternative.
It all makes sound sense as the bespoke shape and styling of the new Mazda2 was simply crying out for something a little more dramatic.
The sharply rising wedge look has been retained and, in fairness, there are only really a couple of panel changes between the two cars.
The three-door is marginally more aerodynamic thanks to the unique '3-D' design of the rear windows.
Certainly there is plenty of exuberance about the car that will no doubt appeal to the younger buyer more than most especially with its rather attractive price tag of under £8,000.
There is a definite athleticism to make it stand out against the growing number of hatchbacks in this segment.
Entry and exiting is also made easier thanks to the fully-extending side doors.
And the slick-moving tilt-and-slide front seats make access to the rear seats less of a challenge than some.
The interior dimensions are roughly the same with plenty of leg and head room available front and rear.
Despite the strategic use of thicker materials the three-door actually weighs in less and this is subsequently reflected in a livelier performance.
Ultimately it will be offered with the same choice of engines although at launch the choice will be restricted to a 1.3-litre petrol unit with two power outputs of 75 and 86PS.
There will also be a 1.4-litre diesel delivering 68PS which will be joined next month by a 1.5-litre petrol.
Pushed hard the entry-level petrol powertrain is a real surprise package and buzzes along happily at high speed.
Rarely does the engine sound strained or struggling to cope with life in the fast lane.
It takes 14 seconds to go from rest to 62mph and will keep going until the speedo needle nudges 104mph.
Where the baby Mazda really delights is in the pocket as it can comfortably cover more than 52 miles to the gallon.
And if you think that's impressive the 1.4-litre diesel pushes that figure to more than 65 miles.
Before you all hot-foot it down to the local Mazda dealership the oil-burner also boasts CO2 emissions of just 114g/km making it the cleanest in its class.
With highly attractive finance packages available until the end of June it is not surprising Mazda is expecting bumper business.
Reliable, stylish and highly affordable it should prove just '2 tempting' for many motorists.