BMW 5-Series

In truth, of course, most BMW Tourings spend their lives in the fast lanes of Britain's motorways, but it's nice to live the illusion. And if you opt for the 545i, you'll need to be a landowner to afford the running costs.

At ΂£44,375, it's not cheap - and that's before you've dipped into the options list. Add Dynamic Drive suspension, an auto box, sat-nav, active steering, xenon lamps and leather - as on our model - and the total is well over ΂£50k. Even the floor mats cost ΂£105, which in a car this pricey is plain stingy.

Still, if you've got it you might as well flaunt it, and flaunting it is something the 545i does in style. It looks fabulous, while the big V8 is wonderfully responsive, clocking a 0-60mph time of only 5.9 seconds. But despite BMW's claimed 25mpg, all we could muster on a long run was 20.1mpg. We still have reservations about the Active Steering, too. It works brilliantly at reducing steering effort on a fast, twisty road, but when you're trying to squeeze into a tight parking space, the variable ratios become confusing. Otherwise, the 545i is a great estate to own - similar to its owners' homes, no doubt...