I'm sure its easy for the intelligent, but if I pay for 507 ponies, I want 507 available at my beckoning foot. I dont want to have to haggle with ***** and such. Takes my eyes off the road.

But anyway...its a great car, no two ways about it

better seats than the AL7'*!

Yea, but you may also want more than 1mpg and a broken back. The average BMW buyer goes to and from work, not to and from the track driving like a 17 year old. That'* what they had in mind, and that'* why it works. I love Top Gear, but the presenters sometimes are a bit obtuse. The brilliance of the M5 is that it brings more to the table than the average sports sedan (or saloon). It has the economy of an average car when you need it, and the performance of a grand touring car when you want it, with the least amount of compromise. The average person, with about a weeks practice at most, will be able to get decent mileage to work, and then tear *** down a country road on the weekends. (Hmm...I used to sell cars like (and including) these, does it show through?)

Edit: I really love Top Gear. It should be noted that my hair is currently styled a-la James May, my gf says I have a man-crush on him...