What's the best BMW for me?

Catering for all needs, the BMW model range packs in more than 25 different vehicles across 15 model lines, picking the right BMW may be a challenge.

As summer approaches, you may well be minded to go for open-top motoring. The Z4 sports car is the ideal companion, but if you need a couple more seats there are plenty of other options from the 2 Series, 4 Series and 6 Series all offering a convertible roof.

Of course if you don't fancy taking the top down, but want to keep the sporty looks and driving manners to take advantage of the good driving conditions that summer brings, the 2 Series, 4 Series and 6 Series are all also available as hard-top coupes. Whether coupe or convertible, all three can be selected as high-performance M models too, with the M235i, M4 and M6 all available with fixed or folding roofs.

Whatever the time of year, a BMW X model is a stellar choice. Offering an advantageous driving position and with four-wheel drive to keep you on track in changeable and challenging conditions, the X1, X3, X4, X5 and X6 give a consistent experience all year round. With the X4 and X6 folding stylish coupe looks into the off-roader brief of the X3 and X5 respectively, you've got a summer car up top and a winter car beneath - and if savage performance is also important, the X6 (like the X5) comes as an M car too!

The X5 also offers, with the optional third row of seats, some excellent people-moving qualities. Alongside the 2 Series Gran Tourer - a seven-seat variant of the 2 Series Active Tourer - these are the BMW of choice for the popular person, or at least the person with popular children.

You needn't go for a four-wheel drive vehicle that looks like a four-wheel drive vehicle either. Many of the more traditional BMWs are now equipped with the xDrive four-wheel drive system, including select models of the 1 Series, 2 Series, 3 Series, 4 Series and 7 Series.

If you have the environment in mind, there's a range of hybrid and electric BMWs too. The BMW i3 comes in either electric or range-extender hybrid versions, boasting 0g/km and 13g/km respectively, while the i8 sports car has four seats and a 134.5mpg fuel economy - but hits 60mph in less than 5 seconds. If you prefer a hybrid vehicle without the dramatic styling, the X5, 3 Series and 2 Series Active Tourer models are all available as Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV), providing the economical backbone in more day-to-day vehicles.

However, while there are so many specialist vehicles to cater for your needs, BMW is synonymous with the premium saloon and estate car. Through the traditional 3 Series, 5 Series and 7 Series you'll find vehicles that are the benchmarks in their class, with the M versions of the 3 and 5 Series the ultimate expression of BMW's sporting qualities.

With such a breadth of choice it's easy to get caught in a dilemma of which to choose, but whatever your personal criteria there's a BMW to suit - even if those criteria may seem to be mutually exclusive at other brands.