Production of the current BMW M5 has come to an end this week.

The V10 powered saloon and estate have been the most successful model in the history of the M5 which began 26 years ago.

The saloon vastly outsold the estate (or touring in BMW speak) with 20,458 compared to 1025 for the load lugger.

Using probably the last large capacity naturally aspirated engine to be fitted to an M car the 5 litre V10 produced 500 bhp and 384 lb ft of torque.

This meant 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds and a limited top speed of 155 mph.

In February of last year I was lucky enough to be asked to drive an M5 on a round trip from London to Seville.

The M5 proved to be as adept a luxury cruiser as it is an out and out sports car.

Most of the trip was spent at 90 mph on the auto-route keeping an eye out for the local traffic cops.

However on the Spanish border I had to detour into the hills as suspected ETA terrorist activity had closed the motorway. The M5 then turned into a nip and tuck sportster with the simple push of a button.

The ‘M’ button on the steering wheel spoke tunes the suspension to its hardest setting, throttle and steering to their most responsive, the automated manual gearbox to its quickest and ensures the engine produces the full 500 bhp’s.

All this made short and enjoyable work of the Spanish back roads and I found my way back onto the main road a few miles south of the closed section of motorway. 

The rest of the trip was thankfully relatively uneventful and I could enjoy the amazing performance and noise of that V10 engine. Every tunnel meant all the windows and the sunroof had to be opened and the throttle pounded in second gear. Quite often to the thumbs up approval of local drivers.

Later this year BMW are expected to launch the next generation M5 with a bi-turbo 4.4 litre V8.

It will no doubt be faster and more efficient than the model it replaces but is unlikely to beat the drama and character of that V10.

Recently I was given the opportunity to spend an afternoon with the new Porsche 911 GT3 RS.

Any previously written rave reviews about this car in motoring publications are entirely justified.

This IS a race car for the road.  As proven by Porsche in the Nurburgring 24 Hours race at the weekend, they drove an RS there, raced it finishing 13th, and drove it home again.

It looks like a racing car and certainly sounds like one.

The rumbling, grumbling throb of the flat six engine at idle and the squeal of the carbon ceramic brakes, the pinging of stones picked up by the sticky tyres on the underside of the wheel arches as you first pull away all build anticipation of the speed and sensations to come.

First a confession. I didn’t find/know about, the ‘sport’ button. Had I done so it would have been firmly pressed, it allows for a slightly looser rein on the traction control and more importantly opens two baffles in the exhaust system to allow an even louder noise from the twin central pipes.

However don’t let this fool you into thinking that without the ‘sport’ button this becomes some sort of granny-shopper car.

Putting your foot to the floor all the way to 7900 rpm produces 444 bhp propelling just 1370 kg, and if unprepared slams you into the seat back as the car seems to hurl itself at the horizon.

Noise is not a problem. There’s plenty of it!

Its a proper masochist this engine, it responds best to a good thrashing and produces a pure, rasping howl at the limit of the rev range. By the time you’ve done this in third gear you’ll be well into illegal speeds. Any more can only really be enjoyed on a race track or autobahn.

Super-quick and communicative steering, a dead-body heavy clutch, six short stacked gears and eye popping brakes continue the racing theme. As do the interior additions and extractions.

Suede, or a fake substitute, covers most of the interior surfaces including the steering wheel so sweaty hands are less likely to slip - no aircon in here so the committed driver will appreciate that.

No rear seats, but a roll cage, a lack of sound deadening and plastic rear window all add lightness. The red fabric straps that you have to use to open the doors are a bit of a gimmick, awkward to use and the cover must weigh almost as much as the handles. Looks good though.

Our photographer was very underwhelmed by the dull grey of the test car but the garish graphics applied to the rear wings almost make up for it, and a nondescript colour may allow you to blend into traffic a little easier.

£104,841 is what Porsche asks for their most focused 911 currently on sale. 4 seconds to 60 mph and a 193 mph top speed, the last thing following drivers will see is the carbon wing disappearing into the distance. Bargain.

A trip to Beijing last month allowed me my first glimpse of the new Audi A1 supermini, albeit in concept form.

Due for UK launch in October this year, and priced from around £14,000, Audi hopes this premium product will take on and beat rivals such as the Mini Cooper.

I’d been disappointed in the spy-pics shown on motoring web sites in recent months, it appeared to me that from the outside it was nothing more than a face-lifted Fiat 500.

However in the flesh the concept at least appears lower and far more sophisticated and detailed a design than the small Italian.

Audi claims the A1 will be the sportiest car in its class with a unique and modern design, helped by features such as a low drag coefficient of 0.32 and wheel arches that can accommodate 18 inch alloys if desired.

Two petrol engines producing 120bhp and 85bhp from their 1.4 and 1.2 capacities respectively along with the 1.6 diesel in 104bhp and 89bhp forms power the new car at launch.

A range topping S1 will follow equipped with the turbocharged 1.4TFSI engine producing around 180bhp and 184lb ft of torque.

Priced at near £19,000 the S1 is likely to arrive around 6 months after launch.

China is an important market for Audi, demonstrated by the large number of long wheelbase A6 limos prowling the streets, and the A1 concept shared floor space with an R8 V10 at the flagship showroom.

Production has already started at the Audi plant near Brussels where they hope this car will become the best selling model in the firm’s history.

Set to take the fight squarely to the new Mercedes E class the 6th generation BMW 5 Series was revealed last night.

Although I was a fan, the previous 5 had its detractors when it came to styling, too adventurous for some.

Well that’s not an accusation that could be aimed towards the new model.

Taking elements of recent BMW’s, particularly the 7 series, the bodywork is classy but conservative.

Hidden beneath that unassuming exterior is the latest in automotive technology.

A new 8 speed automatic gearbox is the main headline, helping all 5 series reduce emissions and fuel consumption.

Set for sale in the UK in March 2010 prices will start at around £28,000 for the 520d SE.

“We regret that after six months of intense and goal-oriented work we have come to the painful and difficult conclusion that we are not going to be able to carry out the acquisition of Saab Automobile.”

The statement above from Christian von Koenigsegg sounds the death knell for his company’s purchase of Saab from General Motors.

Koenigsegg cited delays in the deal being completed, and uncertainties with the final agreement, as their reasons for with-drawl from negotiations.

GM has said that any failure to sell the business could result in the company being shut down at the end of 2009.

A possible survival route would be for Saab to be purchased by a Chinese car manufacturer, several are said to be interested in European brands.

However this is likely to see the name and manufacturing lines being exported to China for production, a la MG Rover.

Today the Renault Formula 1 team have been given a 2 year suspended ban for their part in the race fixing scandal of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.

The F.I.A. Motor Sport World Council handed down the sanction following Renault pleading no contest to the charge that Nelson Piquet crashed deliberately in order to aid his team mate, Fernando Alonso, who went on to win the race.

Although recognising the severity of the offence the F.I.A. took a lenient stance after Renault took swift action in dismissing Falvio Briatore and Pat Symonds, team principle and chief engineer respectively.

Briatore has been banned from all forms of official motor sport for life and Symonds was given a 5 year ban.

No action was taken against Alonso as he was not aware of the planned action in Singapore, Piquet was granted immunity prior to the hearing after he agreed to provide evidence to the Council.

Renault have been very lucky in taking advantage of the current fear in the F.I.A. that another manufacturer team may leave the sport.

This has been a complete ‘let off’ for the team, and they should consider themselves very fortunate.

The Mclaren spy-gate scandal of 2007 was a serious offence and cost the team $100 million, I would have expected a similar cost imposed on Renault.

This is a story that will continue to provoke debate long into the future and has been derided in the non-motor sport press as not being ‘sport’, but just like disputed refereeing decisions in football this is all part of the soap opera of Formula 1.

Renault F1 boss Flavio Briatore and engineering head Pat Symonds have today quit the team prior to the hearing into alleged race fixing due before the World Motor Sport Council next week.

The Renault team is now not disputing the case before them that then driver Nelson Piquet Jr deliberately crashed during last years Singapore grand prix, enforcing a safety car period.

This allowed Fernando Alonso to take an early pit stop, which meant he was ahead of the field when the safety car was withdrawn, he then went on to take an otherwise unlikely victory.

This is, as far as I’m concerned, the most serious and disgraceful piece of cheating that has ever been proven in motor sport.

The Mclaren situation from 2007 took advantage of a sequence of events and was bad enough, but it did not physically endanger competitors, spectators and track staff.

The Renault team itself are charged and not any individual, so hopefully this will not change any sanction imposed against them.

Visiting my brother and his family recently allowed a closer look at the original Audi TT.

Accompanied by the wonderful Olivia and scruffy Matthew, above, his brother-in-law’s 225bhp turbo quattro is a very fit low mileage example of this classic coupe.

I know the mark 2 is a better car dynamically but it has no where near the impact the first car had when revealed back in 1999.

Given the choice of which to own, mk 1 or 2, I’d pick the original every time.

The mk 2 is no Boxster so I think I’d rather have the Bauhaus inspired style and sense of occasion – and save myself a few quid while I’m at it.

Below is how some owners think they can improve the style and practicality of their TT’s!

Interesting times are ahead with the introduction of electric cars.

Tesla, above, are established as a provider of very rapid and expensive sports cars but soon more affordable models will be coming on line by mainstream manufacturers.

Many of those, such as the Vauxhall Ampera, will have a small combustion engine to top up the batteries to keep you going but what do you do if away from home in a fully electric car?

Today an all electric Hyundai i10, below, has been revealed with a predicted range of 100 miles.

This will give drivers increased flexibility in how they use their vehicles, no longer restricted to short distance commuting, they may strike out to visit friends and relatives overnight.

So what is the etiquette on recharging?

I’m sure no one begrudges a mobile phone being topped up over night, but a car?

How much will it cost? Do you offer to reimburse your host?

Unless public charging points are installed more widely could this become an issue?

Between sensible friends I doubt it, but its one to ponder.

I’m still finding rather too much time to keep checking updates on the Bristol Cars website.

A 406 Zagato has appeared, combining my current obsession with Bristol’s and my long running interest in all things Zagato’ed, particularly Alfa SZ and Aston DB7 specials.

The 406 looks ideal for an old school European road trip. No satnav, just a Michelin atlas to give you a rough idea of which way to go.

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