In a class of its own

Euro Motors, the importer for BMW and MINI automobiles in Bahrain, hosted an exclusive open day at the Bahrain International Circuit for media and invited guests.

Journalists were given the opportunity to test drive BMW vehicles including the 335i, MINI Cooper and the M powered models. Paul Yates, general manager, Euro Motors, was on hand to answer questions. GulfWeekly's -RdS-, right, took the chance to test drive a beaming Beemer ... a class apart from the battered relic she once owned.

Before last week I had only driven one BMW. A 25-year-old 'champagne gold' BMW 316.

Despite looking like something an unsuccessful drug dealer would drive, I was very proud of it. I eventually sold it for £200 and have been mourning its loss ever since.

Until last week that is, when I learnt that BMWs built this century are far more exciting ... especially when you get to drive them around a Formula One track.

Scores of brand new vehicles worth hundreds of thousands of dinars, their sleek bodywork polished to perfection and filled with every gadget imaginable, were zipping around the Bahrain International Circuit.

Sports cars to saloons, coupes to concepts, what's a girl to choose?

I decided to plod through a traditional BMW line-up from the fat-cat BMW 750 Li to the ridiculously sleek BMW M3.

The BMW 750 Li, retailing at a starting price of BD27,000 is perhaps the most sedentary of the cars. It reeks of luxury, and has the kind of interior a rich great aunt would approve of.

But the seven series is a trendsetter in the luxury performance class. This car is all about power and luxury.

The larger of BMW's two V8 power units featured in the model displaces a whopping 4,799cc and develops maximum output of 367 hp at 6,300 rpm. The 750Li accelerates to 100km/h in just 6.0 seconds.

Despite all this power, driving this car is perhaps not the most exciting, but it has excellent safety features and on the dramatic turns of the BIC it didn't feel like you could ever slip off the road.

In fact, it runs so smoothly you barely feel like you're driving. It's an elegant saloon and for professional women with families, it's ideal.

John Badour, BMW and Mini showroom manager in Sitra, said: "Women who drive these cars are normally 35 or over with a family. It's smooth, it's large, and it's equipped with entertainment for kids, such as a DVD player, a sound system and four-zone AC."

While the 750Li is definitely a few notches above my 316 - which was devoid of power-steering and a stereo - the 750Li definitely falls in the 'executive' bracket ... something I definitely don't.

Next up was the BMW X5 4.8i. This 'sports activity vehicle' is a pleasure to drive in every way. Bumping along the BIC circuit in this car was excellent fun. Although I briefly got on the 'ban Chelsea tractors' bandwagon, (more because I couldn't afford one than because of their environmental credentials), I could see why these gas-guzzling vehicles are so popular.

You're higher up then everyone else, cruising around in something an FBI agent would drive, and you definitely wouldn't have any problems parking illegally on the pavement in one of these.

It has a powerful eight-cylinder engine, permanent all-wheel drive and a suspension optimised from the ground up. The V8 engine has a maximum output of 261 kW/335 hp.

You can fit seven adults comfortably in the vehicle's luxurious interior and for those who need a little driving help there is active steering and adaptive drive (anti-roll stabilisation and adaptive dampers which aid the car's agility).

It's a robust, safe and fun car, with just enough flash to make it quietly glamorous.

Mr Badour assured me this car was extremely popular among the women of Bahrain.

"It's a new model, less than a year old and its doing extremely well. The women love this car because it's high up, it's got most of the BMW luxury and comfort features, it's got plenty of space and it's a multipurpose vehicle."

The final car I had my eye on was the new BMW M3. BMW call it "an exceptional car of the most thrilling kind."

Even people who don't like cars would be hard-pressed not to be impressed by this vehicle. It is powerful, sleek, stylish and beautifully engineered.

It's the fourth edition of BMW M3 Coupe and it now boasts a V8 power unit engine.

It's a truly formidable car. Everything from the acceleration to its incredible handling is about power.

Essentially it's a racing sports car that has been tailored to suit everyday use. The chassis suspension and body all are based on the requirements of motor-sports which explained why it was so much fun to test drive on the circuit.

It has a eight-cylinder power unit, which displaces 3,999cc and develops maximum output of 309 kw/420 hp. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.8 seconds and has a top roaring speed of 250km. But its phenomenal speed is matched by excellent road-handling, one of the vehicle's best features.

All in all, the M3 does feel masculine, but that's not to say any self-respecting female with a driving license wouldn't enjoy driving it.

A fully-loaded package would set you back BD36,000. Although it's nowhere near as much of a bargain as a rusting 25-year-old BMW it would certainly turn many more heads!