As you can probably tell, this is the new BMW 5 series. I’m sorry that we’ve been slow off the mark for this particular review but I think it should be worth the wait.

Recently I have just purchased a great 535d SE. Yes it isn’t a petrol and it isn’t an M sport model but It’s still quick and if anything better than the M. With a 299 bhp straight six their not slow with just 5.7 seconds to sixty which makes it quicker than the diesel E-Class Mercedes and even the diesel Audi A6 counterparts.

With a combined fuel consumption of 46.3 mpg which is undoubtedly outstanding for a car in it’s class . However this car is absolutely huge. At nearly 4.9 meters long it’s genuinely hard to park and for regular city goers it is not the best car purely because of its immense proportions. This is proved by its enormous 1790 kilos which suggests that it is a horror on the road. But unbelievably it is a fantastic handling car. You can easily bring it into the corners at speed and it will not lose grip unless you’re really pushing it.

The new 5 Series is by far the most comfortable car that BMW have ever made and the on board features are astonishing. The new I-Drive is 100 times better than the previous and features an on screen hand book and the whole system can be navigated by the alphabet. It’s one of those things that you have see to believe. There is an on board sat nav option, but to be honest it’s a rip off and it is really quite dreadful. The whole interior is very similar to the 7 Series, in fact it even has the same wheelbase.

At just £42,095 it may seem a bit expensive however it’s actually a great deal and an excellent car

9/10

The DB9 from Aston, is most certainly one of the most adorable cars in history. The luxury, performance and aesthetics all combine to create a car of extreme excellence.

The BMW M3 is the epiphany of touring cars, with pure torque and extreme power it’s like a land rocket. Every new model they bring out blows all the competition into the stars. Surely nothing could be wrong, could it?Well there is. It’s been made a complete softy, the lines are too curved, too bulged and frankly deformed. But you think again once you get inside. The one we road tested had a sharp red finish to the interior with just about all of the latest gadgets. I also have to aplaud the fantastic six speed gear-box which changes gear without the clunk of the old alternative, possibly better than the brand new Mercedes C63′s.

That signature beat of the world famous v8 draws you in, like the smell of a freshly baked loaf. Has the German sensibility finally worn off to give way to the Brittish or Italian style brawn. Though the electronics definitely weren’t worked on by a man in  shed in the middle of Yorkshire. It’s so complex that there’s over 1 mile of wiring and more than one motor?!

Overall it is a stunning car, but they could really have sharpened lines. Thankfully it wasn’t all German and a bit of fun shone through.

Score 8/10

Some people say cheap. Some people say adorable. I personally think it is the greatest mass produced car ever. Apart from a lot of other cars, but the best from the 40′s! The comfortable leather seats and the chuffing sound of the four cylinder engine beating its heart out  just to achieve its top speed of 40 mph. It’s a pleasurable place to be. It reminds me of Winston Churchill, a hard worker but a soft character, back when he used to be behind the power of all Britain and its empire. Though however, the Ford Model T is a Ford, which clearly proves that it is American, which entirely ruins my point.

Performance-wise, it wasn’t exactly a supercar. With 2 gears, each with set speeds of 10 and 40 mph, it was a bit of a loose cannon. Possibly one of the most dangerous mass produced cars ever designed. But luckily in those days, with less cars on the road it would be a little less a liability. Possibly one of its highest flaws, was the wrist start. Most people in their lifetime with a motor car, broke their wrists, almost on a regular basis.

Despite its downs, its a marvellous little automobile.

Score – 9/10

Before now, the only decent estate cars you could buy were; the E-Class from Mercedes and the BMW M5 Estate. But here with us now, is a new version…

The RS6 – a new car on the market, is Audi’s entrant to the estate car competition. It’s quite a looker isn’t it, with the huge grills and the silver wing mirrors. But should you buy one? First of all we need to find out about the engine. Prepare for a shock… it’s a 5 Litre V10! The Merc and M5 develop around 500 hp, this thing can churn out 572! That’s more powerful than Ferrari’s F430 and the F50 for crying out loud. And the top speed – 155 mph. With an engine like that you might expect more, and so did I but then I found out it had to be electronically limited to that. Before the limiters were added on, Audi took this down tho the auto-barns and managed to get over 200 mph out of it. Most supercars only go a smidgen faster than that!

Furthermore, the handling is great too and with 4 Wheel Drive it can go around the tightest of hairpins with ease. Compared to the Merc and BMW it is in a different league. Although there are a few mere problems:

In the Mercedes, there is a huge boot, easily capable of swallowing a bike, or a dog cage, and a big one at that. In the Audi there is a much smaller boot, and in estates, it’s all about size. Also, in the BMW there is a 7-speed gearbox, the RS6 on the other hand, has to cope with a measly 6. Anyway, a few mere issues. Everything else is supercalifragalisticexpaladociously great. Did I mention the price? Did I mention the brakes? These are two very important points.

On the RS6 the brakes are ceramic. They are some of the best brakes I have ever come across. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. EVER. I could go on forEVER!

Unfortunately, for these brakes you have to pay a price. Literally. They cost £6,000 alone! Although the car does have a pretty hefty price tag itself. £77,000! That’s £10,000 more than the Merc or BM.

There are a few major and minor problems. So now it’s you choice – do you buy one or not? There is only one way to find out…Just don’t fight about it!

Score: 7/10

You may have thought MG was gone forever, but it’s back and better than ever. But who has revived it, well the answer is the Chinese. This all fell into place in 2007 when they revealed their latest car, and it went down well with the public.

With a 1.8 litre 4 cylinder engine it produces a fair 135 bhp, which is quite a lot for a small car. This carries itself from 0-60 in just 8.4 seconds, and makes a top speed of 127 mph. For a little city sports car that’s pretty nippy. Though it’s not quick enough to be a track car. But it’s great for country lanes and touring.

However the interior has no problems what so ever. It has Mp3 connection, Four HD speakers and a leather finish. But the ride is quite hard, though it’s bearable.

So overall it’s a brilliant little car and has just a few mere problems. I think it’s great and for just over £16,000.00 it’s ridiculous not to buy. It’s a great way to spend your money.

Score 7/10

The Ariel Atom is really one of a kind. It’s a mix of all things. The engine and gearbox from a Honda and the chassis looks like it’s made of old scaffolding. And they are built in the middle of somerset by a team of just seven, churning out just 30 cars per year.

Though with an amazing 300 bhp, the Ariel can hit a limited speed of 155 mph! For a small car that’s absolutely incredible. Because of this The Ariel can achieve 0-62 in just 2.9 seconds! This is all because the power to weight ratio is higher than a Ferrari Enzo!

As you would imagine, the Ariel has no proper interior. It is as if the designers have come through time from the 1920′s and brought the interior styles with them!

But this is still one great car. But there are some small problems, like practicality. It has no boot, 2 seats, little space and generally not very family friendly. However…

Score 8/10

From £38,000.00 the S5, Audi’s latest car is certainly a looker. It’s long flowing body creates a beautiful sweeping line. Making this my favourite Audi yet.

But as an Audi, it isn’t a thoroughbred at all. Audi has hardly any races under it’s arm, even the ones it has won are virtually un-heard of. Compared to companies like Mercedes and Ferrari it’s a baby with a minuscule history. Though as a young-an it’s faring well against big companies, like Mercedes and Ferrari. Now Audi is one of Europe’s biggest companies and is extremely powerful.

 With a 4.2 litre V8 it churns out 354 bhp. This may not be the most powerful car , but it certainly has the speed. You also have to remember that it is just £38,000.00, so in-fact you have a great deal for your money. The S5 could actually be the bargain of the year.

Though it doesn’t have any particularly interesting extra equipment, Just I-pod connection and Sat-nav are noticeable. But the seats are extremely comfortable. For a coupe, inside it’s surprisingly large. I once went in the back for 45 minutes and nothing was disturbing at all, the space was quite large, I could almost stretch my legs out fully. The drive comfort was Fabulous.

The S5 is definitely Audis best car yet. I’d buy it, and I think you would too. It’s a marvellous piece of engineering.

Score 9/10

Just like the old GT40, Ford’s supercar is definitely a champion. The old car won Grand Prix’s 4 times on the trot. So can the GT live up to the standard its brother set?

The old car was named ‘the GT40′ as it was 40 inches tall. Which meant Peter Crouch couldn’t have one. This time though, the height is three inches taller, so more lofty people can actually get in it. But Peter still might not fit…

Having the same humongous tyres, the new GT is quite a bit similar to the old one. At £111,000, it is a hefty price tag, but there are only 28 coming to the U.K, which is really quite sad, because most of them will be locked away, in secure, alarmed, pin-protected garages. They will hardly ever come out to see the light and be left to rot away. But what’s the point? It’s an amazing car!

Anyone with neck pains may want to stand well clear of this car because when you stamp on the throttle your neck muscles really strain. Managing 0-60 in 3.5 seconds, this immense machine will take you up to 212 mph! That’s faster than the Porsche Carrera GT AND the Mercedes Mclaren SLR. This astonishing speed is a result of the 5.4 litre, supercharged V8 developing 550 bhp and 500 pounds feet of torque.

Don’t get too excited. The engine is the same as the one in the Ford Lightning Pick Up Truck! Another positive point is, when you are driving, the GT is very civilised. When you’re going 130 mph there is no need to raise your voice to talk. In fact, it’ll persuade you that it’s a normal car… But of course, it isn’t! All these things as well as the amazing breaks, precise steering and cushiony suspension add up to make one truly fantastic car.

Just one problem – Peter might not be too pleased…

Score: 9/10

At just over £150,000.00, the latest SL AMG really shows it’s stuff and shows it well. Possibly the best Mercedes ever. Whenever you buy a Mercedes you know that your money is well spent. Especially on this model. With a great stonking 6 litre V12 it churns out 612 bhp, carrying it from 0-62 in just 4.2 seconds. It’s also extremly good looking and will catch plenty of eyes.

As a Mercedes, the level of finish is always going to be excellent, and on the SL this excellence really shows and beams out like a lighthouse. It even has self parking technology and self cleaning head lights! All the usual equipment is standard, such as sat-nav. Even that is impressive.

The SL is simply wonderful, fantastic, and shows true Know-how German engineering at brilliant standards. It creates a benchmark to all performance sports cars. Everyone should have one.

Score 9/10