WHEN the bloke driving the A6 convertible with the personalised number plates stopped to give me the once over, I had to make a decision.
Had I cut him up and was I now about to suffer the consequences of a road rage attack? Or had the sheer presence of the Audi flagship I was driving literally stopped him in his tracks?
Brimming with false bravado and sneering contempt, I prepared to face up to this hulking brute.
Fortunately I had nothing to fear. Audi drivers have a knack of acknowledging other drivers of that famous marque but this guy was a bit of an exception. His curiousity caused him to halt the traffic to get a better view.
Enough said about the looks then? Maybe not. The A8 is a bit of a showstopper even in the luxury car sector.
Like its predecessor it is fashioned from aluminium and has more style and more gadgets than a James Bond special
You get a whole lot of wizardry for a whole lot of money and even the boot has special features. For an extra £375, there is the incredibly lazy, but amazingly entertaining keyless boot system.
From twenty yards you can flick the button on the key fob and watch as the boot slowly rises, just in time for you to arrive and pop the shopping into the ample - and when I say ample I mean Jordan style ample - space.
A discreet button on the underside will slowly drop the boot and latch it in place by the time you have your key in the ignition.
Of course the boot is not the selling point, with the front end housing a very capable three-litre V6 with Multitronic transmission - the smallest engine in a range which goes all the way up to the magnificent six-litre in the £72 grand range topper.
But this one still has bags of grunt, 220bhp to be precise. It propels the car from 0 to 60 in less than eight seconds and has ample stamina to hit 150mph.
Everything about the drive is easy, comfortable and enjoyable. You may find yourself instinctively slouching at the wheel and resting on the armrest as you cruise along without the slightest hint of road or wind noise, just the understated hum of the V6.
Unusually, I found myself using the six-speed semi-automatic sequential gearbox in manual mode. In the past I have ignored these and gone for the full auto option. But this transmission proved very entertaining.
All models feature air suspension, which allows you to choose between dynamic, comfort and automatic settings and the big car remains surprisingly agile, even at higher speeds.
Audi assures us that the sleek curves are not just for good looks. The aircraft-like aluminium shell was built with minimum mass and maximum stability in mind and, while on the subject of aircraft, the interior offers the opulence and comfort of a Lear Jet, with the space of a 747.
It features cream leather upholstery and walnut trim - sounds gaudy, but it remains stylish and tasteful. The central console features Audi's Multi Media Interface, with a control between the driver and passenger seats which operates the wizardry of numerous on-board functions.
The attention to detail is outstanding and can be found in smaller, less-obvious areas. Even the driver and passenger mirrors in the sun visors, which light when opened, have a double mirror, which magnifies even closer for the application of lipgloss and other such necessities.
Every dial, button and stalk has the rock-solid Audi feel and the equipment list is generous and befitting of a car in its class.
Even without the optional extras list, you will find full electrics, six CD-changer, double-glazed tinted glass, nine speakers, leather upholstery, walnut wood trim and the Multi Media Interface kit, to name just a few.
Taking a few of the extras on board is guaranteed to set the A8 apart from anything else in the car park and give the bank manager palpitations.
The test model came with an extra £8,000 worth of kit. This was the full Montyand included that clever electronic boot, a television, hands free phone, BOSE surround-sound audio, satellite navigation and an advanced keyless entry system.
Safety is always high on the Audi agenda and this model is no exception. It has anti-lock brakes, electronic brakeforce distribution, stability control system, eight airbags and head restraints which automatically move to counteract whiplash.
The downside is that the petrol models guzzle the gas and high CO2 emissions mean company car drivers will be heavily taxed, but if you are in this market, you will probably not care about such trivialities.
FAST FACTS
Audi A8 3.0 V6
Price: £46,175
Mechanical: 220bhp, 2,976cc, 6cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 6-spd automatic gearbox
Max speed: 150mph
0-62mph: 7.9 secs
Combined mpg: 29.1
Insurance group: 18
CO2 emissions: 233g/km
BiK rating: 32%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles; 3yrs paint; 12yrs anti-rust