carpages (Enlarge photo)

22/07/2008 09:28. Every now and then we have a test car that we really would like to keep. The new Citroen C5 is such a vehicle.

The television adverts capture the essence of the C5, admirably. ‘Reassuringly German. Unmistakably French’, just about covers it although, as far as I am aware, the C5 is French, through and through.

When you’re up against such mile-munching favourites as the Passat, Mondeo, Laguna, Avensis and Vectra (soon to be Insignia), it pays to move away from the ‘Euro-styling’ and make a statement...but... // carpages