New Registration Special: New stars bring alive the swinging 65s

Of course none of this matters if there aren’t any decent cars to buy. But so far 2015 has proved a bumper year for new models. From the second-generation Volvo XC90, already set to be a staple for middle-class families wanting an understated seven-seat family car, to the rarefied but superlative Ferrari 488 GTB, there are plenty of new models to choose from.

In this guide we have picked our current favourites across a range of categories. Some of them, such as the BMW 7-series, have only just gone on sale, and deliveries won’t start until later in the year, but apart from that we have driven all the cars, giving buyers the benefit of real experience over marketing hype. We have also tried to keep the list as current as possible, which has meant sometimes favouring newer models over cars that have been around for several years.

And if you prefer to shop around from your armchair, go to driving.co.uk to find the best deals on new and nearly new models. Happy hunting.

Crossovers

Find a new crossover for sale at driving.co.uk or bag a used deal instead www.driving.co.uk/suv

Nissan Qashqai, £18,545-£28,910

Love them or loathe them, it has become clear that the so-called crossover, or compact SUV, is here to stay. Most manufacturers now make at least one and young families can’t seem to get enough of their combination of off-road looks, commanding ride height and relatively low running costs. And there is little disputing that the second-generation Qashqai, which arrived in Britain last year, is the most capable of the lot.

Despite its raised seating position, the Qashqai drives much like any other family hatch; there’s none of the wallowing through corners so prevalent elsewhere in the sector. Cabin space is excellent, the dashboard is modern and the seats are supportive.

Opt for the range-topping Qashqai Tekna and the standard kit includes front-collision avoidance, blind-spot warning, a 360-degree camera system, park assist and LED headlights. But all Qashqais are well equipped and if you avoid the four-wheel-drive options, you can buy one from just £18,545. This gets you a 1.2 turbo petrol car in the entry-level Visia trim, which frankly we’d avoid.

Instead go for the muscular 1.6 dCi unit, which makes long-distance drives an effortless proposition. In the Tekna spec the price tag is competing with crossovers from more upmarket brands such as Volkswagen and Land Rover, but they don’t pack anything like the amount of kit that the Nissan does.

OUR PICK Nissan Qashqai 1.6 dCi Tekna (£27,080)
POWER 128bhp @ 4000rpm
PERFORMANCE 0-62mph: 9.9sec
TOP SPEED 118mph
FUEL | CO2 61.4mpg (combined) | 120g/km

Renault Kadjar, £17,995-£26,295

The last time Renault tackled the compact SUV sector, it was with the Koleos, which performed hopelessly in Britain. Now it’s back with a car that’s based on the underpinnings of the class-leading Nissan Qashqai, so it’s off to a pretty good start, despite the weird name.

You can choose between a turbocharged 128bhp 1.2-litre petrol engine and 1.5-litre or 1.6-litre diesel unit rated at 108bhp and 128bhp respectively. Select the latter of the diesels and there’s a four-wheel-drive option. If you want an automatic, you’ll have to settle for the 1.5 dCi, though we’d be inclined to go for the 1.6 dCi in front-wheel-drive form, as this provides the best blend of economy and performance. But if you’re aiming to tow, opt for the 4x4 model.

To tempt buyers away from its rivals, Renault has been generous with the Kadjar’s kit lists. Even entry-level cars get powered windows, cruise control and air-conditioning, but if you go for broke and order a top-spec Signature Nav, you’ll get a panoramic roof, LED headlights and a Bose sound system. Considering the sub-£25,000 price for a 1.6-litre front-wheel-drive model, we’d say that’s something of a bargain.

OUR PICK Renault Kadjar dCi Signature Nav (£24,795)
POWER 128bhp @ 4000rpm
PERFORMANCE 0-62mph: 10.0sec
TOP SPEED 118mph
FUEL | CO2 62.8mpg (combined) | 113g/km

Toyota RAV4, £22,795-£30,160

Toyota can lay claim to having invented the compact SUV when it launched the original RAV4 in 1994. Over the past two decades the segment has exploded, with one contender after another being introduced, so Toyota has had to work hard to remain competitive.

We’re now on the fourth generation of the RAV4 and, as you’d expect, it’s a finely honed machine, if a rather bland one in some respects. First, let’s get the bad stuff out of the way. It’s dull (albeit easy) to drive and the cabin is pretty ordinary too.

But if you’re after a car that’ll keep working, that cuts a dash and features a decent level of standard equipment, the RAV4 will probably appeal. It’s the mid-range Business Edition that provides the best value: it comes with a touchscreen multimedia system, a reversing camera, cruise control, dual-zone climate control plus automatic lights and wipers. And all for not much more than £24,000.

There are three engine choices, starting with a 2-litre petrol that comes only in four-wheel-drive automatic form. The 2-litre diesel is restricted to a manual gearbox but offers front or four-wheel drive, while the range-topping 2.2 diesel gets all-wheel drive with manual or automatic transmission. If you want your RAV4 in the Business Edition spec, though, you’re stuck with the 2-litre diesel and front-wheel drive.

OUR PICK Toyota RAV4 2.0 Business Edition (£24,295)
POWER 124bhp @ 3600rpm
PERFORMANCE 0-62mph: 10.5sec
TOP SPEED 112mph
FUEL | CO257.6mpg (combined) | 127g/km

Electric and hybrid

Find a new electric or hybrid car for sale at driving.co.uk or bag a used deal instead: driving.co.uk/electric | driving.co.uk/hybrid

Tesla Model S, £51,180-£80,280*

The Tesla isn’t just a great electric car, it is a great car. From its knuckle-whitening acceleration to its futuristic cabin and surprising practicality with up to seven seats, the Tesla moves the game on. On the outside, the car looks distinctive rather than jaw-dropping; it’s on the inside that it really impresses. The hi-tech dash has a 17in touchscreen display you can use to control everything from the (optional) sunroof to the suspension setup.

The uncluttered cabin is roomy, while under the bonnet there’s ample carrying space, thanks to the lack of an engine. Open the hatch and you’re greeted by a massive boot that can accommodate an optional pair of pop-up rear-facing occasional seats should you need to carry children. The battery has a claimed range of up to 330 miles in the mid-spec 85D version (or 275 miles in the entry-level 70D) and can be fully recharged in 75 minutes from Tesla’s superchargers.

There’s a choice of motor outputs, with even the entry-level car capable of 0-60mph in just over five seconds.

*After allowing for the £5,000 government plug-in car grant

OUR PICK Tesla Model S 85D (£63,580)
POWER 417bhp
PERFORMANCE 0-60mph: 4.2sec
TOP SPEED 155mph
RANGE | CO2 330 miles | 0g/km

VW Golf GTE, £28,755-£30,520*

The Volkswagen Golf is one of the most accomplished family hatchbacks you can buy. Now VW offers a plug-in hybrid version, the GTE, alongside a pure-electric model badged the e-Golf. While the latter is good, the GTE is better because it could theoretically be all things to all people: the efficiency and nippy performance of an electric car with the range of a petrol engine.

The GTE offers most of the practicality of the regular hatch, although the boot is 108 litres smaller (at 272 litres compared with 380 litres in the standard model) to accommodate the battery and fuel tank. The rest of the cabin space isn’t affected and you would be hard pressed to tell you were not in a standard Golf. The driver can choose between all-electric motoring or a combination of that and conventional power. The car wakes up in battery-powered E-mode and, according to VW, can travel up to 31 miles before needing its 1.4-litre petrol engine. When flat, the battery can be recharged by the petrol unit, or from the mains in less than four hours.

*After allowing for the £5,000 government plug-in car grant

OUR PICK Volkswagen Golf GTE (£28,755)
POWER 201bhp @ 5000rpm
ACCELERATION 0-62mph: 7.6sec
TOP SPEED 138mph
RANGE | CO2 580 miles | 39g/km

BMW i3, £25,980-£29,130*

BMW doesn’t do things in a half-hearted manner, which is why it set up its own factory to manufacture the carbon fibre necessary to build the i3. Without this move, the car would have been prohibitively expensive; that’s the level of attention to detail you get with this supermini.

There’s only one trim level but there are two variations on the theme: a pure-electric model or a range extender that features a petrol engine to keep the batteries charged up. The latter model carries a £3,150 premium; we’d say it’s worth it.

Despite being about 13ft long, the i3 can seat four and offers decent boot space. The good news continues once you’re moving, thanks to a combination of low-mounted batteries that reduce the centre of gravity, plus rear-wheel drive, which allows the front wheels to focus solely on steering the car rather than driving it. The result is something that may not be as much fun as a BWM M3 but is far more engaging than you might expect.

*After allowing for the £5,000 government plug-in car grant

OUR PICK BMW i3 range extender (£29,130)
POWER 168bhp @ 4800rpm
PERFORMANCE 0-62mph: 7.9sec |Top speed:
TOP SPEED 93mph
RANGE | CO2 160-186 miles | 13g/km

Family

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Ford S-Max, £24,545-£32,260

At one end of the motoring spectrum is the sports car; at the other is the people carrier, or MPV (multi-purpose vehicle). The idea of trying to combine the two may seem impossible (not to mention pointless), but Ford has proved that it can carry it off. Sort of.

The original S-Max arrived in 2006 and it immediately went to the top of a very small class. The all-new car that’s just reaching showrooms is based on the platform of the new Mondeo. As a result, it’s even better than before.

Although Ford does offer turbocharged 1.5 and 2-litre petrol engines, it’s the more economical 2-litre diesel that you should opt for, as it has plenty of torque for easy progress.

But the real trick of the car is how good it is to drive. Throw in a versatile interior, premium levels of build quality plus generous equipment levels and it’s fair to say that you’re unlikely to be left feeling short-changed.

OUR PICK Ford S-Max 2.0 TDCi 150AWD Titanium (£29,195)
POWER 148bhp @ 3500rpm
PERFORMANCE 0-62mph: 12.1sec
TOP SPEED 122mph
FUEL | CO2 52.3mpg (combined) | 139g/km

Skoda Octavia estate, £17,495-£28,915

Fancy a Volkswagen Golf but can’t quite stretch to one? Then try this alternative, which offers the same running gear plus more kit at a lower price. We’d be lying if we were to say the Octavia beats the Golf because it doesn’t, but it’s a lot closer than you might think.

What distances the Octavia from its more costly cousin is the quality of the interior. The Octavia’s cabin isn’t exactly low-rent but it doesn’t have the plushness of a Golf. Leave that aside and there is little to differentiate them.

When it comes to picking your model, you can’t really go wrong. There’s an array of petrol and diesel engines, all of which are turbocharged so they’re zesty and frugal with it. The mid-range SE comes with all the essentials, but the SE L trim’s leather and Alcantara trim, an upgraded multimedia system and variable boot floor make it the one to have.

OUR PICK Octavia 1.6 TDI DSG SE L (£23,800)
POWER 108bhp @ 3200rpm
PERFORMANCE 0-62mph: 11.1sec
TOP SPEED 119mph
FUEL | CO2 74.3mpg (combined) | 99g/km

Hyundai i30, £12,995-£23,000

It’s easy to dismiss the Hyundai. The Korean brand made its name producing cheap and sometimes nasty cars that fell short of European and Japanese rivals’ standards. But this has changed: its cars are not that cheap any more, and they are definitely not nasty. The company’s new-found confidence is reflected in the five-year warranty on its cars.

While the i30 looks smart and has huge amounts of equipment, it’s not the most engaging machine to drive. But this is a family estate, so you’re probably not going to be taking it on many track days. Besides, it’s more than merely competent, with predictable handling, a decent ride and good body control.

The range-topping Premium, currently discounted by £1,500, offers the best value: for £22,095 Hyundai throws in such luxuries as a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, electric adjustment for the driver’s seat and xenon lights.

OUR PICK Hyundai i30 estate 1.6 CRDi Premium (£22,095)
POWER 134bhp @ 4000rpm
PERFORMANCE 0-62mph: 10.5sec
TOP SPEED 120mph
FUEL | CO2 70.6mpg (combined) | 102g/km

Sports cars

Find a new sports car for sale at driving.co.uk or bag a used deal instead driving.co.uk/sportscars

Ferrari 488 GTB, £181,449

We could tell you that the 488 GTB is a complete dog to drive, that it’ll be less dependable than an Austin Princess, or that you’ll suffer irreversible spine damage on your first drive. But if you had the money, it wouldn’t make any difference because you’d probably go out and buy one anyway, such is the allure of the Prancing Horse.

Of course, it’s none of these things. It’s the successor to the already supernaturally talented 458 Italia — and it’s better still. The turbocharged 3.9-litre V8 is more powerful than the 458’s naturally aspirated 4.5-litre unit, yet it’s also more frugal, lighter and lower in the chassis, to improve handling.

As with all current production Ferraris, there’s no manual gearbox option, just a seven-speed dual-clutch system. The whole car is breathtakingly good and the 488 Spider that’s just been unveiled will probably be the same. But if you want a 488 of any flavour, you’d better get your order in quickly. Ferrari doesn’t disclose queue lengths, other than to say: “Our waiting lists are generally around 9-12 months.” So order now and you’ll be doing well to enjoy your 488 next summer.

OUR PICK Ferrari 488 GTB (£181,449)
POWER 660bhp @ 8000rpm
PERFORMANCE 0-62mph: 3sec
TOP SPEED 205mph
FUEL | CO2 24.8mpg (combined) | 260g/km

Jaguar F-type, £51,260-£97,145

The first F-type we drove was an unfinished pre-production car covered in big, ugly stickers, but even then it was obviously destined for greatness.

It might be expensive and the boot size laughable — the convertible can’t hold a large suitcase — but it has a party trick that will sell it to any driver taking a test drive: this car has the best sound to come out of Britain this side of the Proms.

That’s why you’ll want to buy the convertible and never put the roof up, even though it will raise in just 12 seconds when the heavens open.

The handling is beautifully balanced and even fuel consumption is reasonable in the V6 S model, which is the one to go for. If you want the sportiest Jaguar since the E-type, though, it has to be the more powerful, and pricier, V8. It’s a brutal machine on British country roads, though. A nudge of the accelerator in a corner is all it takes to make the rear wheels squirm, but driven carefully it’s a burbling beauty.

There are other options available: choose four-wheel drive if you want sports car performance in all weathers, and there’s a coupé version if you don’t want the world to see that the interior of your Jag resembles a boutique hotel.

Whichever member of the F-type family you go for, you’ll be picking one of the prettiest cars on the road, and also one of the most tuneful.

OUR PICK Jaguar F-type S convertible (£65,745)
POWER 375bhp @ 6500rpm
PERFORMANCE 0-62mph: 5.5sec | Top speed:
TOP SPEED 171mph
FUEL | CO2 28.8mpg (combined) | 234g/km

Audi R8, £119,500-£134,500

If Ferrari had to create a relatively affordable supermini or Aston Martin had the task of developing an everyman family hatch, they’d probably fail miserably. Yet when Audi encroached on the territory usually reserved for manufacturers of the fastest, most desirable mid-engined supercars with the original R8, it came up with a car just as good, but at a fraction of the price.

Now there’s a second take on the R8 formula and it’s even better than the first. Lighter, stiffer, more powerful and packing more hi-tech equipment than before, the new R8 is better to drive, more efficient and even faster.

Gone is the V8 option of old; there’s now just the Lamborghini-derived 5.2-litre V10 in two forms. The entry-level car gets 532bhp, but for an extra £15,000 you can buy a V10 Plus with 601bhp and ceramic brakes.

In time there will be a pure electric e-tron edition that may or may not come here; if it does, it’ll be in tiny numbers. Stick with the basic V10, which has power sent to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, and no manual option.

For now, then, there’s only a coupé, but it’s inevitable that a Spyder edition will land before long. The first cars arrive here in November and if you order now it should be here in time for Christmas. You’ll need a big stocking, though.

OUR PICK Audi R8 V10 (£119,500)
POWER 532bhp @ 8250rpm
PERFORMANCE 0-62mph: 3.5sec
TOP SPEED 198mph
FUEL | CO2 24.8mpg (combined) | 272g/km

City cars

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Ford Fiesta, £10,145-£19,545

Car buyers aren’t daft; they know a good motor when they see it. That’s why pretty much every month since it was launched way back in 1976 the Ford Fiesta has dominated the sales charts. It is the supermini that has it all: keen prices, sharp looks and the sort of driving experience that some sports car owners would kill for.

It is offered with a superb range of petrol and diesel engines. If it’s a hot hatch that you’re after, the Fiesta ST will serve up all the thrills you need, even if it’s not quite as hardcore as some rivals.

But while the sportiest version is a great car, it’s further down the range that the Fiesta really shines. None of the engines is a dud, but the best of the lot is the three-cylinder EcoBoost unit found in the Fiesta 1.0T.

You’ll be bewildered by the trim options but the mid-range Zetec has everything you’re likely to need, including air-conditioning and a heated windscreen.

OUR PICK Fiesta 1.0T 5-door Zetec (£14,795)
POWER 99bhp @ 6000rpm
PERFORMANCE 0-62mph: 11.2sec
TOP SPEED 112mph
FUEL | CO2 65.7mpg (combined) | 99g/km

Volkswagen Up! £8,870-£13,580

When Volkswagen launched the Up! in the UK in 2012 it made all other small cars seem dated. Here was one of the titchiest vehicles around yet it had a grown-up feel inside, drove like a bigger car and came with some big-car equipment. Small cars would never be the same again.

Three years on, some rivals have started to close the gap, but the Up! is still one of the most talented city cars you can buy. It’s great fun to drive, thanks to its light weight and zesty 1-litre three-cylinder engine. It’s offered in 59bhp and 74bhp forms, but it’s worth going for the latter for its useful amount of extra power.

Whichever engine you go for there’s an automatic option that’s fine around town, but on the open road it doesn’t let the Up! shine like the standard five-speed manual gearbox does. There’s a BlueMotion option that drops the CO2 emissions to below 100g/km.

Don’t bother with the entry-level Take Up!, because it’s too basic. The one to go for is the better-specced High Up!

OUR PICK VW High Up! (£11,875)
POWER 74bhp @ 6200rpm
PERFORMANCE 0-62mph: 13.2sec
TOP SPEED 106mph
FUEL | CO2 60.1mpg (combined) | 106g/km

Fiat 500, £10,690-£18,640

The Fiat 500 is the Peter Pan of superminis. Ever since it arrived eight years ago it has refused to date and although a facelifted car is about to hit showrooms, you’ll be hard-pressed to spot the difference. Underneath it’s a Fiat Panda, which you might not think is the best start in life for a chic supermini, but actually there’s plenty of fun to be had.

Admittedly, most of this fun won’t be through the seat of your pants, because the 500 isn’t all that great to drive. It’s fine, but nothing more so – and that’s if you stick with the petrol engines.

Where the 500 really scores is with the feelgood factor, because it just looks so good both inside and out. The retro interior features a slab of the exterior colour across the dash, a high-mounted gearstick and a large central display in front of the driver. But while those in the front will be having fun, anyone in the back had better be small. So buy a 500 only if you don’t need practicality.

OUR PICK Fiat 500 1.2 Lounge (£12,440)
POWER 69bhp @ 5500rpm
PERFORMANCE 0-62mph: 12.9secTop speed:
TOP SPEED 99mph
FUEL | CO260.1mpg (combined) | 111g/km

SUVs

Find a new SUV for sale at driving.co.uk or bag a used deal instead driving.co.uk/suv

Volvo XC90, £45,750-£63,705

The new XC90 is one of the most eagerly awaited cars of 2015. It went on sale a couple of months ago and has won rave reviews. Why? Well, it is a good-looking, practical SUV with bags of cutting- edge tech that comes with Volvo’s core values of safety and efficiency as standard. In a segment full of flash machines it is also refreshingly understated for those who find big BMWs and Porsches a little vulgar.

In fact, while many rivals are upping the aggression of the design, Volvo has gone the opposite way and toned things down, with softer edges and a less boxy shape. The driving experience could never be described as fun — and the air suspension isn’t quite as cosseting as you might expect — but these are small gripes.

The cabin’s high-quality design makes the XC90 a pleasant place to be and there is bags of room, even if — as with most cars of this type — the seats in the rear (third) row are really suitable only for children.

All XC90s come with turbocharged 2-litre four-cylinder engines and an eight-speed auto gearbox; choose between petrol, diesel and hybrid versions. While the last of these is impressive, it costs £14,000 more than the 222bhp D5 diesel, which boasts decent fuel economy and is our pick.

OUR PICK Volvo XC90 2.0 D5 Inscription (£50,185)
POWER 222bhp @ 4250rpm
PERFORMANCE 0-62mph: 7.8sec
TOP SPEED 137mph
FUEL | CO2 48.7mpg (combined) | 152g/km

Land Rover Discovery Sport, £30,695-£43,000

Few people who buy an off-roader venture near a harsh environment, unless you count Walsall or Burnley. But if you want an SUV that can cope with the rigours of proper off-roading as well as motorway cruising, the Discovery Sport is your best bet.

When it arrived earlier this year, everybody who drove the Discovery Sport heaped praise upon it, but there was something lacking – a decent engine. The sole option was an inefficient and outdated 2.2-litre unit scavenged from the Ford parts bin. Now the 2-litre Ingenium diesel engine has replaced the older version and it is clear that this is the powerplant the car should have had from the off.

The unit comes in two states of tune — 148bhp or 177bhp — but whichever you choose, make sure you shun the six-speed manual gearbox and opt for the nine-speed automatic: it makes the car far smoother to drive.

The Sport’s cabin is well appointed and there’s seating for seven, but the third row isn’t all that roomy; a sliding middle row improves versatility, though. Choose the mid-range SE Tech trim and you get all the essentials plus luxuries such as touchscreen multimedia, front parking sensors, plus automatic headlights and wipers.

OUR PICK Discovery Sport 2.0 Auto SE Tech (£35,700)
POWER 177bhp @ 1750rpm
PERFORMANCE 0-62mph: 8.9sec
TOP SPEED 117mph
FUEL | CO2 53.3mpg (combined) | 139g/km

Audi Q7, £47,755-£53,835

Audi launched its first SUV in 2006, and in typical fashion the company went for broke. The Q7 was a full-sized seven-seat 4x4 that dwarfed pretty much everything else on the school run — which is one of the many reasons it was so popular. For almost a decade Audi found eager buyers for the Q7, and now there’s an all-new model that sticks with the same formula but is an improvement in every way.

The new Q7 is lighter, faster, more agile, safer and better equipped than what came before. Audi says that up to 325kg has been shed and it’s this that allows it to claim the Q7 can squeeze almost 50 miles out of each gallon of diesel. On a test rig, of course.

The Q7 comes with Audi’s fabulous six-cylinder 3-litre TDI diesel engine, in either 215bhp or 268bhp form. An eight-speed tiptronic automatic transmission comes as standard, with drive going to all four wheels. As a result the only choices you have to make are which power output and which of the two trim levels (SE or S Line) suits you better.

The answer for most people will be the 268bhp engine with SE trim, for effortless cruising in luxury. The third row of seats is still pretty tight, and ultimately the driving experience isn’t all that rewarding, but these minor niggles won’t stop long queues forming at Audi dealerships nationwide.

OUR PICK Audi Q7 3.0 TDI SE (£50,340)
POWER 268bhp @ 3250rpm
PERFORMANCE 0-62mph: 6.5sec
TOP SPEED 145mph
FUEL | CO2 47.9mpg (combined) | 153g/km

Executive and luxury

Find a new executive car for sale at driving.co.uk or bag a used deal instead driving.co.uk/executive

Jaguar XF, £32,300-£49,945

An all-new Jaguar XF is about to land in showrooms, but you’ll do well to spot the difference. With an aluminium structure in place of steel, the new XF is lighter, more fuel-efficient and significantly more agile, despite being bigger, to compete with German rivals and to distance itself from its new smaller brother, the XE.

The new XF also looks more aggressive thanks to its bigger grille and lower roofline, but it’s in the cabin that the most progress has been made. The dash has a touchscreen multimedia display that is a huge leap forward from what went before.

Like the Land Rover Discovery Sport, the XF is available with the company’s Ingenium 2-litre four-cylinder diesel engine, which comes with either 161bhp or 177bhp. It’s muscular, frugal, clean and smooth, but can be a tad vocal. As a result you might want to go for the V6 diesel in the XF S, but that’s £10,000 more than the most costly four-cylinder XF. So it’s probably better to accept the extra noise and enjoy the lower road tax and fuel bills.

OUR PICK Jaguar XF 2.0D 180 Prestige auto (£34,550)
POWER 177bhp @ 4000rpm
PERFORMANCE 0-62mph: 7.7sec
TOP SPEED 142mph
FUEL | CO2 65.7mpg (combined) | 114g/km

Mercedes S-class, £73,375-£182,750

The BMW 7-series may be a great car, but it’s got a problem — it’s not a Mercedes S-class. For many, that’s an insurmountable hurdle, because for them the flagship Merc saloon is in a class of one. Since it arrived in the 1950s it has represented the pinnacle of automotive progress for safety, comfort and performance.

There’s no finer long-distance cruiser than this. If you’re driving, stick with the regular model, but if not, the back of a long-wheelbase S-class with its extra 5in of rear legroom is the place to be.

With petrol, diesel and hybrid engines you’re spoilt for choice, especially as there are V8 and V12 units offering up to 630bhp, but the only rational choice — and by far the biggest seller — is the S 350 with its 3-litre V6 diesel.

Whatever you buy it’ll feature so much kit that you’ll need a week to work out how to use it. There’s a mind-boggling array of features in the 12.3in multimedia system; even the cabin’s ambient lighting system offers seven colours. You need to move up several price brackets to a Rolls-Royce to find a better luxury car.

OUR PICK S 350 AMG Line (£68,990)
POWER 258bhp @ 3600rpm
ACCELERATION 0-62mph: 6.8sec
TOP SPEED 155mph
FUEL | CO2 47.9mpg (combined) | 154g/km

BMW 7-series, £64,530-£75,710

Whether you want your executive car in compact, mid-size or full-on luxury form, BMW has the answer with its 3, 5 and 7-series. All are accomplished and hugely desirable, but here we’re singling out the 7-series because it’s an all-new car you’ll soon be seeing on UK roads.

We drove a prototype in the spring and it was clear this was something special. Weight has been cut through the use of carbon fibre, giving better fuel consumption, improving performance and aiding agility — the latter helped by an accomplished adaptive damping system.

Next year there’ll be a plug-in hybrid, but when sales start in October the choice is between 730d diesel and 740Li petrol units. Most will opt for the former, rated at up to 62.8mpg. For the first time there’s also an xDrive four-wheel-drive option, offering great road-holding and control.

What will really mark out the new car, though, is the gadgetry, including a 10¼in touchscreen that also responds to gesture controls. It’s worthy of a flagship car, but whether it’ll tempt buyers away from their S-classes remains to be seen.

OUR PICK BMW 730d xDrive (£67,260)
POWER 265bhp @ 4000rpm
ACCELERATION 0-62 mph: 5.8sec
TOP SPEED 155mph
FUEL | CO2 132g/km (combined) | 56.5mpg

Come on, Coleen, it’s the year you’ve been waiting for

Though not vintage, the ‘65’ plate does offer the opportunity for wit to the nation’s Wags

IF YOU'RE married to a footballer, the launch of the “65” registration plate on Tuesday could be more exciting than a new five-star spa in Alderley Edge.

The numbers most resemble the letters G and S, which means that footballers’ wives and girlfriends, known as Wags, can identify themselves on the boot of their car, with combinations such as WA65 BMW (Wag’s BMW), which was still on sale last week for £999.

The more versatile WA65 SUV was also available for £399, and the rhyming WA65 JAG had not yet been snapped up for £999.

Car owners named Meg may also have been waiting for this moment. A female taxi driver could still snap up the plate ME65 CAB, costing £599. Those with a sporty convertible may prefer to pay £799 for ME65 TOY.

For most other personalised plate fans, the launch of the new registration is unlikely to provoke the same level of excitement; autumn 2015 is not regarded as a vintage year for clever and creative spelling combinations.

“The ‘65’ release doesn’t offer as many instantly obvious word and name combinations as, for example, the ‘11’ release, which really was outstanding,” says Rick Cadger from Regtransfers.co.uk, which sells personalised plates. “But even those that may initially seem less than spectacular turn out to have some hidden gems.

“The 6 works as a G, B, E or O, so you could have MA65 TRO (maestro) WE65 TER (Webster) or MU65 HOT (mugshot).

The first part of 2011 was a bumper year: the “11” plate allowed combinations such as BU11 DOG and — for bikers — FA11 OFF.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, which issues registration numbers, reserves numberplates for which it thinks it can charge a premium and sells them through its website and at auctions. Since 1989 it has raised £2bn for the Treasury this way.

Some plates are banned from ever appearing on cars. Those deemed too rude, insensitive or offensive are removed from the pool of potential registrations. The list of so-called suppressed plates is drawn up by the DVLA’s proprietary steering group, a team of 15 with the job of coming up with the most embarrassing combinations that they can think of.

Certain prefixes and suffixes are automatically banned — GOD and JEW, for example. Dozens of variations were added to the banned list before the 65 launch, including the moderately rude (HU65 ASS), the downright offensive (FA65 GTT) and the utterly unprintable (**65 ***).

Buyers of “65” plates may use them from Tuesday but only on new cars.