Looking for a torquey saloon

[Jamesemt]

I'm thinking in the next 6 months of buying a new car. I love torque and as the kids are getting a bit older I'm fancying a saloon.

I currently drive a 2006 Ibiza Cupra tdi which I remapped from brand new.

Anything I get must be a step up power wise from what I currently have. When I got the car remapped I deliberately kept the torque low at low revs to enable traction in 2nd gear at full throttle. As a consequence it's quite laggy and makes it feel far far faster than it probably is. Performance wise it'll just about stay with a standard S2000 in a straight line up to about 90mph when the Honda will start to pull away. The Ibiza made my 280bhp Blobeye WRX feel flat.

I went for the Diesel as at the time it was about the best torque machine I could get new.

So my question is this, as technology has moved on would a petrol turbo engine feel as brisk or do I have to go to diesel turbo?

The logical answer would be a 535D but as I would only be doing about 8k miles a year, is this a false economy?

Looking to spend up to £13k. Would an M3/M5 fit the bill? I've never owned a Beemer, and really like the ??E46 M3s in blue.

[GroundEffect]

Why go for mountains of low-end torque and an exaspirated engine? It's horsepower that'll actually accelerate the car.

Get a 335i - 310BHP and if you feel you must, can be remapped to 380BHP and more.

[12v3pot]

I believe Mr Fawlty drove an Austin 1300. Not without its problems, of course.

[GEARJAMMER]

You have 13k to spend? May i sugest you come to are little corner of the Pistonheads forum? The HSV/Monaro corner, i think a Vauxhall VXR8 could be right up your street?

[rix]

GEARJAMMER said:

You have 13k to spend? May i sugest you come to are little corner of the Pistonheads forum? The HSV/Monaro corner, i think a Vauxhall VXR8 could be right up your street?

true...

however i went from 535d to a Monaro and to say they're different animals is an understatement!

The 535d seriously majors on torque. Its pretty refined too but there really is no top end fizz. The LS2 in the Monaro also has bags of torque but its not it's defining feature like it would be in a TD lump. The monaro is quite happy to rev, and and it rewards you with a noise unlike any diesel could possibly imagine! I can't imagine there are many who would consider a VXR8 in the same breath as a 535d

[MissChief]

A big fat wedge of Torque usually means either Turbo Diesel, Turbo power or BIG NA engine.

V8.

[GEARJAMMER]

Also BMWs are common, everyones got them these days, Monaros and VXR8s on the other hand are very rare in comparisom.