The story

Prejudice is a funny thing. I was prepared not to like BMW's M6. Not that I thought it would be a bad car -- BMW, as a rule, isn't prone to making duff automobiles -- it's just I wasn't entirely sure what it was supposed to be. An executive coupe with a 5-liter V10 engine and 500 bhp? With a price tag that could buy you a Porsche 911 or most of an Aston Martin V8 Vantage? What fresh nonsense was this? But prejudice is there to be challenged.

Taking delivery of the M6 at my home in Brighton, southern England, I felt the car looked ever so slightly out of place. After all I live in an electoral ward which elected three Green representatives to the City council and is predicted to deliver the first Green Party member to the national government at the next general election. Muscular sports cars aren't common sights on my street (someone once parked a Porsche Cayenne Turbo here but he got a dirty look for it).

An acquaintance, Kevin, strolled past. "Hello," I said, "it's not mine". Second-guessing his likely prejudices I added, "It's rather ostentatious, I know." Read full article »

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