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She's an award-winning journalist — known simply as "Billie" to her fans.

At the crack of dawn, her voice hits the radio airwaves on The Breakfast Show with Mad Dog and Billie weekdays on Virgin radio 99.9 FM. And similar to her lively radio persona, the host craves a car that likes the spotlight as much as she does. That's why Billie Holiday drives a 2001 Audi TT 3.2 Quattro roadster.

"It likes the limelight. It's like 'Look at me! Look at me!' I'm an only child so I have the only-child-syndrome thing happening.

"It was always my dream car. It always looked cool to me. When I used to see all the glorified movies in the eighties, they always had a really cool Audi TT convertible.

"So I thought I'm gonna save up and when I have enough money, I'm gonna buy my dream car," says the native of Ottawa, who started her career volunteering at local radio and TV stations at 15. She later studied TV and film production and radio broadcasting at Humber College in Toronto.

"It's a pride thing for me. I was able to make it in this business and finally be able to afford my dream car. I bought it all by myself and actually paid it off. I like the fact that it's sporty, small and compact."

She also likes the fact it's a guy magnet. "There's a lot of attention from boys when your car [top] is down, you have shades on, and you're blonde. You get stared at a lot.

"It's funny when guys try to pick you up in cars. It never works," laughs Billie, who won Best Morning Show awards in 2000, 2001 and 2003 from the Toronto Sun newspaper and a Best Radio DJ award from Now Magazine in 2003.

When it comes to the mechanics of the TT, she's clueless. "Unfortunately, I'm more of a fan of the look of it. I like the shape of it. I find it really womanly. And I like the power of it. I've always driven standard, so I'm glad it's a standard car. It has muscle in it. It makes nice turns — that's what I like about it."

All car questions are directed to her dad, Wayne Holiday. "My dad's a huge car nut. I don't buy a car without my dad test driving it first and making sure everything is okay.

"My dad taught me to drive when I was 14. We lived in the country and I couldn't wait to get my licence.

"For my 16th birthday, my dad told me to look in the driveway, there was a surprise for me. I was really excited! I ran out and there was a toy Corvette parked in the driveway — a little toy Barbie Corvette! He thought that was hilarious. I, of course, thought it wasn't that funny.

"About an hour later, he told me to go next door and look in the garage. And there was a little red Chevette! And he says, 'Well, this is a 'vette.' It was an '82 Chevette!" laughs the married, thirtysomething radio host.

Billie has always liked small, sporty cars. Over the years, she has owned a Mazda RX-7 and a Hyundai Tiburon, but her favourite car remains her first. "I still have a really big soft spot for my '82 Chevette — only because all of my high school memories were in the Chevette."

Although some of those memories, I'm sure, she'd like to forget. "I had a lot of coffee in high school and on my way home I actually peed in my car at a stoplight! Yeah — I couldn't make it home — it just happened! That's kind of embarrassing."

She kept that car and drove it into the ground. "I don't think anyone wanted it after the accident!" laughs Billie, who is actively involved with the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, the Children's Cancer Society and Sheena's Place, a centre for women with eating disorders.

Behind the wheel, Billie blares the tunes. "I have a great love for music. I love to crank the stereo.

"Right now, I listen to a lot of pop. I listen to Lady Gaga, the new Christina Aguilera — driving music. I'm pretty much singing at the top of my lungs. You always sound way better in your car singing than in the shower."

But Billie hasn't logged many kilometres in her TT since she bought it used five years ago. Back then, it had only 15,000 kilometres; now it's at 50,000 kilometres — basically, she just uses it to drive from her downtown Toronto home to the Virgin offices nearby.

"People are saying, maybe you should get a different car — something that's more practical because I have two dogs. I can't bear to part with it. It has been such a good friend. I'm very close to it. Until I have to grow up, … I will keep my car," she laughs.

But her wish includes another Audi. "I'm in love with the R8 right now. One day when I marry my second husband, maybe I'll get that car," she laughs. "I'll take one in black, please."