THE sleek Audi A6 Avant that stood in my drive may have looked like the everyday bizcar you see streaking past you on the motorway. But under the surface lurked a monster.
The understated Avant - Audi's word for lifestyle estate - is one of the new-generation quattro four-wheel-drives, and this one was powered by a monumental 4.2 litre 300bhp V8 engine linked to a state of the art tiptronic/automatic transmission.
This one is no cheapie step on the A6 ladder. Its on-the-road price is £39,750; and when loaded with all the extras such as a £1,000 Sport Pack, a £2,175 satnav system and autochanger, TV reception and much more, the price tops out at a staggering £46,000-plus.
There is a big market for power estates, as Audi and its main rivals BMW and Mercedes have discovered. The old days of estates being trundled around by antique dealers and old women with dogs have long past.
Vehicles like the Avant are now part of the power dressing of modern business life. They are badges to say 'I've made it and I've got an interesting lifestyle because I pack far more than golf clubs in my car.'
In fact Audi has had four-wheel-drive estates sussed for many years, and know exactly what heartstrings to pluck with streetwise prospective buyers.
And those parting with the sizeable wad required for this model are interested in performance harnessed to perfection.
Top speed is governed to 155 mph, but acceleration from zero to 65 mph in 7.1 seconds is there to be exploited when it is legal and safe to do so.
Overall mpg is 21 which is good from a big V8, but the real thrill is in the handling.
The quattro runs on rails and often feels that it is glued to the road.
All cars have their unstick point, but I could not imagine the circumstances in which I would be pushed to exploit it in this one. This is a car that inspires good driving and is designed around a wealth of rally knowledge.
FAST FACTS
Audi A6 Avant 4.2 quattro Sport
Price: £39,750
Mechanical: 340bhp, 4,172cc V8l engine driving all four wheels via 5spd Tiptronic auto transmission.
Max Speed: 155mph
0-62mph: 6.9secs
Combined mpg: 33.2
Insurance Group: 19
CO2 emissions: 314g/km
BiK rating: 35%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles; 3yrs paint; 12yrs antirust.