Some things in life are virtually guaranteed. Policemen will look younger the older you get; the trains will run on time the one day you're running late; and company executives will always harbour secret desires for a BMW 5-series.

In fact, it appears there are more 5-series admirers than ever before. Despite the current generation car having been launched in 2003, it enjoyed record sales in the UK last year, with a not-inconsiderable 19,606 leaving showrooms, around half of which went to company buyers. It would seem that British drivers, at least, have grown familiar with the new shape that initially had observers turning up their noses in disgust.

The biggest alterations have come under the bonnet, where the 523i, 525i and 530i now all have BMW's latest High Precision Injection (HPI) engines, which increase power and performance levels while improving fuel economy. The popular 525d, 530d and 535d turbodiesels don't miss out, either, with more power, up 20PS, 4PS and 14PS respectively.

How does that translate on the road? Driving a new generation petrol 530i back-to-back with its predecessor indeed shows a minor reduction in fuel consumption, but perhaps the most noticeable changes are to the road manners. The run-flat tyres have long been criticised for offering a harsh ride, but that was in part due to the old car having been developed to run on both run-flats and traditional, 'normal' tyres.

However, with all models on the new car having been developed only to wear run-flat boots (barring the flagship M5), and thanks to second-generation run-flat tyres and some suspension tweaking from BMW, the difference is phenomenal. Enthusiasts needn't worry as it's still taught, but it's now forgiving, too, and exactly how a BMW - particularly one in this sector and at this level - should ride. Together with a new smoother six-speed automatic gearbox, it's a noticeable improvement.

Elsewhere on the car, there is now a brilliant head-up display unit available as well as an optional Lane Departure Warning System that vibrates the steering wheel if you stray across the white lines without indicating. It's a little unnerving and thankfully you can switch it off, but it's certainly better than Citroen's system that vibrates the whole seat. Also unnerving, if brilliant, is the new Active Cruise Control with a 'Stop and Go' function, which will not only follow a car ahead and keep it at a reasonable distance, but will also bring the car to a complete halt if required. It takes some getting used to, but we were rapidly converted.

It's been around for almost four years and while the 5-series no longer the newest kid on the block, BMW has produced one of the best all-rounders in its class. The 5-series is now stronger than ever, but then, as we said at the beginning, some things in life are virtually guaranteed.

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