You know how you can buy the little trees that hang from your rearview mirror in the scent of ‘new car’ smell’? That’s about as close to a new car as I’d ever been until I was picked up last week in the new Renault Clio and whisked off to a seriously stylish soiree at The Blackman Hotel in Melbourne.

My poor bruised RAV4 sat in the street while doors were opened for me and I zoomed off in the oyster grey Clio for a night of fashion and fun with fellow Melbourne bloggers.

Driver Gil (who, poor soul, didn’t know what a blogger was!) whisked us off and explained to me some of the very cool features of the car while we waited at the lights. Had I noticed the back door handles were missing? (Note, not actually missing, cleverly disguised so it looks like a two door!)  Or perhaps I’d like to test the stereo, which can be customized to sound like a V6, a motorbike, an old style car OR EVEN A SPACESHIP!!

Arriving at The Blackman, and heading straight for the Penthouse, we sipped Jack Rabbit sparking (I was VERY grateful for a driver!) and munched on adorable canapés, overlooking Albert Park Lake and the coast.

MC Em Rusciano regaled us with how in love with the Clio she was before launching the Renault Clio Pose Off – a competition where an ugly selfie could win you a car!

How you ask? Simply take a pic of yourself looking less than perfect, upload it to the Renault Clio Pose Off Facebook page and take seriously stylish to a whole new level. Viola!

Love this shot from Lady Melbourne of the Melbourne Bloggers who were in attendance. L-R: Lauren Brain, Phoebe Montague, Sarah Willcocks, Me!, Erica Moloney, Cheryl Lin and Emily Collie.

And if you are too vain to pose and just want to buy one of these babies, they come in at under $20k, have a stack of features you can design yourself, don’t do badly in the safety or environmental stakes and look AWESOME.