I RECENTLY had the pleasure of driving the Jaguar XJ8 around a test track at 155mph.
OK, to be perfectly honest it was some ex-professional racing chap behind the wheel as I sat agog in the passenger seat as we went supersonic.
I did get the chance to drive the £50,000 dream car and topped 130mph before losing my bottle - and very nearly the contents of my stomach.
It was a thrilling experience and one I thought could never be equalled. Then along came the Audi A3 3.2 quattro Sport.
The name is long but so is the queue of customers for this incredibly powerful German motor.
The A3, which was relaunched in the summer of 2003, has an astonishing 18 models in its range.
The basic 1.6 five door hatch can be picked up for just over £15,000, but I test-drove the top-of-the-range 3.2 quattro, a potent automatic which costs closer to £26,000.
This is a huge price difference, but then the difference in the performance stats of the two models is huge.
The 1.6 has a 0-62mph time of 11.9 seconds and a max speed of 115mph. Compare that with the four-wheel drive quattro which can complete the same dash in an incredible 6.4 seconds and can hit 155mph!
The 3.2-litre V6 engine provides so much power it is, well, frustrating.
Driving this car through 30 and 40mph zones was like being invited to the pub, only to be told you can't drink any alcohol. Nightmare!
Even when I did find a 70mph stretch and began to put my foot down I had to slow down almost immediately to keep within the limit.
This is one of those rare automatics that suffers no loss of power and which boasts simply astonishing acceleration. The power steering and four-wheel drive ensure great handling.
And for manual gear lovers, the quattro also comes equipped with the German company's new Dynamic Shift Gearbox (DSG) system. Inspired by racing technology, it allows you to drive the car manually and use paddles at the sides of the sporty steering wheel to move up and down the gears.
This is fantastic fun as thesystem's twin-automatic clutches offer the driver a real racing experience.
From the outside the A3 quattro looks good without being exceptionally attractive.
The S-line package, which costs an extra £1,000, adds 18ins alloys, a specially-tuned sports suspension and part leather upholstery to the equipment already offered by the Sport version.
That aside, the interior is perhaps more functional than exciting, although my model came with extras including heated fronts seats, a Symphony radio and a hands free phone.
Yet those rushing to buy this car are not paying out for its looks or comfort, although it has them both.
It is all about the power and the glorious A3 quattro - which I'd bet could push the Jaguar XJ8 close on any racetrack - has plenty of it.
FAST FACTS
Audi A3 3.2 quattro Sport DSG
Price: £25,530
Mechanical: 250bhp,, 3,189cc, 6cyl petrol engine driving all four wheels via 6spd automatic gearbox
Max speed: 155mph
0-62mph: 6.4 secs
Combined mpg: 28.2
Insurance group: 18
CO2 emissions: 240g/km
BiK rating: 35%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles, 3yrs paint, 12yrs anti-rust.