Regular PHers will recall that the Editor-at-large spent last week debating what may (or may not) be considered the best car in the world; a discussion which started with the new Rolls-Royce Phantom and ended with the Porsche 911 GT3.
An astute observation you'd agree, and erudite in every way except for one: he was wrong.
As good now as it was at the turn of the century
The best car in the world is not the GT3, splendid though it is. Neither is it the new Rolls-Royce Phantom, again, despite its unmitigated magnificence.
Were you to suggest that, perhaps, it was the last-generation Phantom, you'd be starting to move along the right lines. You can now slip into an early example with higher-than-you'd like miles for £100,000; that might not sound like the steal of the century, but don't forget what a sublime experience the old Phantom was - and indeed, remains today.
This one, for example, is finished in a splendidly old-money colour scheme of plum over oxblood over... erm, something else that's sort-of purpley-red. On any other car, its 82,000 miles would seem relatively tame, but on a Roller, that's actually quite leggy. Nevertheless, I'll wager that if it's been maintained as well as it looks to have been, it'll wear those miles well, and treat you to the most sublime driving experience available for that sort of cash.
We like it for more than just oversteer. Honest
But we're still not quite there yet. To establish what is truly the best car in the world, we have to look to a car available for a hundredth of the Roller's price, yet still related to it - albeit by a thread so thin it most likely emerged from a spider's hind quarters. Yes, folks, it's a BMW - and it's the E39 5 Series.
If you're sick and tired of hearing me bang on about the E39, then look away now. But I make no apologies: this is a car that entered the bitterly contested executive car sector in 1996, went up against some super-competitive rivals - and simply blew them away. And it was still blowing them away as production ended in 2004, at which point the E39 was superceded by the E60, a car which never quite filled its shoes.
Whether it's in the form of the unctuous M5, the thrifty 520i, the beautifully rounded 528i or one of the parsimonious-but-punchy diesels, the E39 is a resounding delight. There's simply no duff model in the range. And there's so much to love, from the beautifully laid out and constructed interior to the fantastic driving dynamics, to the spacious cabin, to the classy, understated styling.
Sadly, the era of the bargain basement E39 is almost over. As
we've discussed previously
, Sport models have already gone a bit barmy, and in the last few months I've watched even regular versions' prices nudge inexorably upwards as buyers have realised what great old buses they are - and just how few now remain.
Nevertheless, there's still hope. Take this tidy-looking 523i with a usable mileage and a full history, yours for £1,300. OK, it's a Cat C, but if it's been well repaired, that shouldn't put you off.
Fancy something a little less leggy? This very clean post-facelift 520i is yours for a reasonable-sounding £2,400; OK, you'd have paid half that for it a couple of years ago, but times change, so deal with it. This sort of money is still very little to pay for a very tidy, very useable old exec with such low mileage - especially when you remember it's the best car in the world, of course.
As we've already mentioned, Sports don't come cheap, starting now at around the £5,000 mark. Something like this low-mile 525i Sport, though, would be all the daily car you'd ever need, and looks sharper than any modern-day exec I can think of.
See, look, here's a stationary 525i
But if nothing but the best of the best will do, it's got to be an M5. I maintain that these are criminally cheap these days, given the prices of Sports, and I'm flabbergasted that prices haven't yet bounded up to start at the £15,000 mark. I reckon the E39 is the best M5 of the lot - but then I would say that, wouldn't I? Either way, £9,150 for
a car of such talents
, with reasonable miles and a full history, still feels like an absolute bargain - as does
a low-miler for £15,000
, and this really is near the top of the market. Sure, as with any M5, it'll cost you a bit to run, but go in with your eyes open and you won't be too disheartened. Remember this day when these are going for upwards of £50,000 in a few years' time; if you're smart and buy now, you won't rue it too much.
There we have it, then. I give you the E39 BMW 5 Series in all its forms. Time to snap up the best car in the world while it's still available for merely good car money.