I grew up somewhat aesthetically compromised. I was like the fat kid at school but skinny with acne. Better looking kids used to point and throw their chip wrappers at me and my only real solace came from parents who continually told me that “beauty is only skin deep son…” What a load of bollocks.

The Citroen C5 is not only handsome, it has substance. Enough substance it would seem, to see it pocket two Car of the Year awards on opposite sides of the world.The Japanese media has presented the new large Citroen with its Import Car of the Year award, while in Ireland the Semperit Irish Car of the Year award for the C5 was just one of five awards collected by the French car maker.

The Japanese judges lauded the Citroen for its interior space, the quality of its design and its sophisticated suspension.

The presentation of the Semperit Irish Car of the Year award to Citroen for the C5 was just the start of an Irish trophy avalanche for Citroen. The new Berlingo was voted the Semperit Irish Van of the Year. The Berlingo Multispace was named People Mover of the year and the C-Crosser Commercial was awarded Semperit Irish SUV Van of the Year. As if that trophy haul wasn’t enough, the Irish also awarded the C5 the Irish family car of the year.

If you think that the Irish might be onto a good thing, then it will please you to know that the Citroen C5 is on sale now in Australia, with prices starting from $51,990, while the new Berlingo will arrive in Australia in early 2009.