Faults:

The passenger side auto-folding mirror mechanism went on the fritz about a month back, but has since fixed itself.

The boot lid had not been aligned properly when the car was delivered. Fixed promptly by the dealer as the misalignment let in water.

General Comments:

Citroen is now lurking just outside the top ten most reliable car manufacturers in the UK. If the rest of the range is built like my C6, it's no surprise why.

There are no rattles nor any annoying squeaks. It's very solidly built with that same square-shouldered feel to the steering as you expect in any BMW or Mercedes-Benz. Most manufacturers have cottoned on to the fact that buyers find this preferable to an over-assisted wheel, so it's no surprise.

The 2.7-litre twin-turbo diesel that's also in the Jaguar XJ is quick, but it's not a miracle oil-burner like BMW's equivalent, it doesn't have the refinement or power of the Benz, and it isn't particularly economical. The 2.2-litre twin-turbo alternative is a truly great engine, but not in this big car -- leave that to the C5.

The leather interior has the one grade and isn't as supple as some options offered by the Germans, but it's ultra hard wearing and the TGV-style seats are the most long-distance comfortable I've sat in. My previous car used to give me pains down my right side on long journeys, and the C6 simply doesn't.

The seats in the rear are even more cushy than those in the front, with the optional Lounge Pack adding heating and electric reclining. Space for rear passengers is more than ample, being matched only by the LWB versions of the S-Class and 7-Series. It's really not a small car on the inside.

Comfort is unmatched at speed, although as is the case with all Hydractive cars, the ride can be a little crashy around town when travelling at lower speeds over poor surfaces. The C6 doesn't have the supreme body control of the S-Class, nor does it reign in the annoying head toss you get down bumpy lanes, but it's exceptionally quiet and incredibly smooth overall. And unlike the S-Class, there is no audible turbulence around the external mirrors on the motorway.

I know the design is love-it-or-hate-it, but it's very Gallic, very distinctive (particularly at night because of a multitude of amber running lights), and in the UK there are next to none on the road, meaning that unlike the equivalent 5-Series or E-Class, you're never likely to be trying your key in the wrong car in a busy car park.

The one downside to a price tag that is, but a fraction of the competition is a liberal dose of borrowed components, most notably the plasticky indicator stalks and horribly dated satnav system seen in the current C5 (though due to be replaced by the HDD-based one from the 2008 C5 some time next year).

All in all though, if you value comfort over perceived status, and have an open mind about cars that aren't predictably German, then I can almost guarantee you'll be pleasantly surprised. I know I was.

Top cap it all, my local Citroen dealer have been friendlier and more helpful than any previous Mercedes or BMW outfit.

Faults:

Nothing as yet. Although I have done a relatively low mileage and the car is still under warranty, Citroen has a reputation for unreliability, although I would argue that gremlins of the past have in the main been banished these days.

General Comments:

This car is sensational, and does very little wrong. As long as you're not looking for a sports saloon, you cannot fail to be impressed with the eerie smoothness, silence and refinement that is inherent in this spaceship of a car.

It has an Oleopneumatic suspension system called Hydractive III, and provides an inimitable ride quality that feels like you're floating on a bed of air. Speed humps are ironed out of the road, appearing to be absorbed into the car as you drive over them, rough road surfaces are eradicated and large undulations disappear as the magic suspension does its best to hide the shoddy roads beneath you.

Which makes it all the more tragic that in the UK, with its pockmarked tarmac, this car will hardly sell at all, despite being made for our roads.

It's no one trick pony either - the 2.7 V6 HDi engine is awesome for its wonderful torque, smoothness and relatively good fuel economy.

The interior is spacious, very comfortable and oh so stylish in a stunning avant garde way, which mirrors the exterior.

Those in know look longingly at what must be one of the most beautiful cars ever to be designed. It manages to be sporting, elegant, graceful, avant-garde and classical all it once, without being overtly flamboyant or kitsch. Those that ignore it are invariably either in a Mercedes or BMW, or otherwise generally blind to matters of aesthetics.

The C6 deserves to be a much better sales success that it has been hitherto in the UK. The French market is doubtless performing much better, and I hear it is proving quite popular in Germany.

Unfortunately, depreciation will prove to be a big problem for these lovely cars, which is a shame as they are almost up to the standard expected of a BMW or Audi in the same price-bracket, and much much more stylish and comfortable at it. Perhaps if the loss in value wouldn't be so heavy, more people would buy one - as it is you're all missing out on a spectacular car.