IF you want your car to make a statement or if you just want to be noticed then the new BMW 420 Coupe could be the one for you.

Its stunning new frontal design is dominated by a huge black upright kidney shaped grille that harks back to BMWs of the past and it certainly makes an impression.

Some will love it while others will think it is a bit too large but it looked good against the white paint of my car.

Fortunately the car's looks are matched by its dynamic performance so it does have plenty to shout about.

As well as that huge nose the front end featuresa creased bonnet, contoured headlamps and deep air intakes.

The profile is handsome with thin pillars, large doors for easy entry, frameless windows and a flowing roofline.

The rear has also been designed to make an impact and make the Coupe look sporty from every angle.

There are slim LED lights, dual-branch tailpipes and a spoiler which runs across the boot lid.

Longer and wider than its predecessor the new coupe's design seems to emphasise its sporting ability and performance.

This car was powered by BMW's mild-hybrid diesel engine and it was perfect for the job.

The high-quality interior and on-board tech as well as the potency of the mild-hybrid diesel engine all added to the enjoyment.

Inside the cabin does not disappoint and there is room for four to travel in comfort and there is room for luggage with a 440 litre boot and the split folding rear seats can be folded to create more space if required.

The instruments and controls are typical BMW and all the materials are good quality - no hard plastics here. The leather seats featured blue stitching and there is some neat chrome detailing on the dash and centre console.

Stacks of tech will keep you amused thehighlight being the BMW Live Cockpit Professional that features a 10.25in centre console touchscreen, through which you can control most infotainment and car systems, and a superbly informative and adaptable 12.3in digital instrument display.

Best of all is BMW's Intelligent and very clever Personal Assistant, who you can say "Hello BMW" to and then get the likes of sat nav directions to a restaurant, alter the climate control or listen to your choice of music.

There is also intelligent sat nav with traffic information, concierge services and emergency call, and full smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Priced from £43,090 on the road, the 420d M Sport also comes with the likes of three-zone automatic air con and heated front seats, cruise control with braking function, parking sensors and reversing camera, and lane-keeping aid.

The car also came with a number of optional extras that pushed the price to nearly £52,000 - so be careful when you tick the option boxes.

These included a sprint function for extra bursts of speed and a sportier soundtrack, as well as enhanced braking and suspension.

Then there was a head-up display, gesture control for the touchscreen, wireless charging as well as comprehensive electric seat adjustment.

Additional driving assistance and safety features included adaptive cruise control, active lane guidance, forward cross traffic alert, active side collision protection, wrong-way warning, and 3D and surround camera views.

All that stuff is great but what really impresses is this car's superb engine and performance as well as its road manners. Acceleration is rapid, the brakes are superb and the steering is sharp while the suspension is firm but not hard enough to spoil the ride comfort.

The silky smooth 190bhp diesel takes just 7.1 seconds to sprint to 62mph and has a top speed of 149mph. It is mated to a seamless eight-speed automatic transmission which you can also operate manually via shift paddles on the steering wheel.

Drive modes give you the ability to change the car's set-up and these include Eco Pro, Comfort, Adaptive and Sport. Adaptive respondsto the driver's input and road conditions while Sport adds punch and stiffens the steering and suspension.