As my loyal readers will know, after 16 years of reviewing cars, my Car of the Year for three years running was the Audi RS6 Avant - a car with the speed of a Lambo, the road manners of a rally car, but big enough to move house. Sadly, Audi has decided to discontinue that model, and when it returns, it will be electric, so that’s the end of that!

So, is there another such hugely competent and involving car? Rhetorical, really, as yes is the answer, and BMW were quite keen to get it into my hands to explore if it could take the RS6 top slot award - and below is the answer.

When the new BMW M5 Touring landed on my drive, I was pleasantly surprised. In metallic racing green, it looks sensational, with a tad of a shock when I opened the door to find a black-and-bright-orange leather interior! I hated it for two days but fell in love with it from there on - the interior that is, not the car.

The Beast from Bavaria refers to the marque’s home since 1916 and the name of the brand. BMW stands for Bayerische Motoren Werke – or Bavarian Motor Works to you and l – and the blue and white BMW logo represents the Bavarian state colours.

The M5 is now a plug-in hybrid with an 18.6kWh battery and a possible 42 miles of e-range. You can charge it at up to 7.4kW with a standard home charger and take advantage of tax breaks. But when that battery isn’t busy providing electric motivation, it produces just under 200bhp and 200lb ft-ish through the eight-speed StepTronic gearbox, adding to the power produced by the familiar 4.4-litre bi-turbo V8. Total system output is 727bhp and 737lb ft of torque.

Enough for a 3.6-second 0-62mph time (just 0.1 seconds slower than the saloon) and a top speed of 155mph on a limiter. Or 189mph (still limited) if you option the M Driver’s Package, and both of which are the same as the booted car. Somehow, both models are exactly the same length.

It is shatteringly fast, and with the 4x4 system, it is glued to the tarmac and totally forgiving if you mess up a corner. And, just like the Audi, it doesn’t feel like an estate car; you have no idea of the length and weight as the power overcomes everything.

Looks-wise, it’s subjective, but the Touring variant just seems to sit better. There’s a new front end with some serious cooling vents, new brake-cooling vents, a 75mm stretch in the width at the front and a 48mm swell in the rear arch. But they’re not just wrap-over arches or bolt-on flares over the 21-inch front and 22-inch rear wheels: these are proper wide arches that make the car look like it’s ready to race. It looks good from every angle, hunches down really nicely onto the road and looks good at all times, ready to go. And go it does.

The original M5 was a V10 monster that was un-drivable in the wrong hands but a total hoot to drive. The new 4.4 bi-turbo is much more civilised but no less of a monster if you ram the go pedal into the Axminster. However, the beauty is that your Granny could drive it if you switch it out of the Sport mode, and it’s totally silent if you pop it into electric mode. It is easy to drive and, with the usual BMW build quality, will do exactly what you tell it to do.

Once Granny has departed, switch it into Sport Plus, or Track mode if you have the cajones, and let rip - it is voraciously quick. Set the car up via the various menus, and you can find a balance between chassis dynamics and traction that disguises the near-2.5-tonne kerb weight brilliantly. It really doesn’t feel as heavy as it is.

There are all the usual new-M5 systems to play around with, from traction control to five different drivetrain options (if you option the M Driver’s Package that adds two extra to the standard three), to a myriad of other changeable options. Brake pedal feel, sound, dampers, driven wheels, steering feel… it’s all up for grabs.

And yes, for real hooligans, you can still stick it in 2WD mode and do a burnout if you want. Although it doesn’t just spin the wheels, it will set light to the tyres and make you the best client ever at the local tyre shop.

The interior is superbly designed, and if buying the Touring for the load-lugging ability, in terms of raw space, it’s not actually that much bigger than the huge-booted saloon. So where you get 466 litres of deep space in the saloon boot, there’s only 500 litres flat in the Touring.

But the Touring has a much more usable hatchback and more useful space - especially if you have a hound. As in the saloon, the back seats split 60:40 and can be dropped via levers in the luggage compartment, but with the Touring, you get a full-height rear.

The rear seats easily accommodate six-footers, with plenty of charging points, so rear passengers can have their own infotainment systems. The seats are tremendous, with good side bolsters to keep you firmly in place when cornering at speed and a huge wraparound screen incorporating the dash dials and all entertainment and sat nav. The steering wheel has the typical flat bottom to make entering and exiting easier, and the two bright red M paddles allow you to enter a world of speed.

So, you might be awaiting the verdict as proposed at the beginning? Does this take the RS6 mantle?

Yes, it does, and although still very early in the year, it is on track to be my 2026 Car of the Year - I loved it in almost every aspect. We have waited quite some time for the M5 to have an estate rear but it was worth the wait.

Interestingly, my daughters have spent their lives being picked up from school and chauffeured around in such a massive variety of cars that they have become totally unfazed by any McLaren, Lamborghini or Ferrari that I might turn up in. When they saw the M5 had gone back, they both said the same thing - “Aw, Dad, where’s it gone? I really liked that car.”

Praise indeed.