TEST DRIVE: AUDI: A7 TDI 245 S-Line Quattro

We can't deny to be rather excited every time we review a new Audi, it's a brand which we consider at the top of the automotive industry, a point of reference for many car manufacturers. The car we recently drove is an Audi A7 3.0-litre TDI S-Line Quattro in Daytona Grey.

EXTERIOR: The A7 is a four-door coupé with a steeply raked rear window which incorporates the boot lid. This sleek executive Audi follows the niche firstly created by the Mercedes CLS. The A7 has the benefit of an hatchback practicality and, unlike many other Audis, it looks like no other car out there. It measures 4,97m so the 20-inch wheels are mandatory to balance the long profile. The front is dominated by the classic Audi chrome grill but the thinner headlights make the A7 look wide and squat, it makes it instantly distinguished from the rest of the Audi range. The back has a spoiler on the boot lid which pops out at speed or manually controlled from the centre console a lá Porsche. This car has without doubt a sportier edge to the CLS.

INTERIOR: The interior of this car is typical of an Audi, the quality of the materials is opulent and the build quality is outstanding. It's impossible to find a fault in this lavishly equipped A7 even if we look in the lower part of the dashboard or at rear of the cabin. There is a large screen at the top of the centre console that comes out electrically when the ignition is switched on and we could bet that it has a soft brush and a puff of air to clean it every time it's stowed away. We wouldn't mind being stuck in a traffic jam on the M25 in an Audi A7 S-Line, the electrically adjustable leather sport seats are nice and supportive and the Bose DAB radio sounds awesome. The instruments have a neat graphic and some useful functions such as a compass for offroad driving, it also has rather impressive head-up display with sat-nav function.

DRIVING: Our test car is powered by a 3.0-litre TDI in the most powerful 245bhp version which is mated to a super smooth 8-speed auto. The A7 has an almost perfect distribution of its weight with 57% at the front and 43% to the rear. All this successful engineering is meticulously controlled by the legendary Quattro drive. Hence, despite being happy to admire the beautiful interior whilst stuck in traffic, we also enjoy this car whilst moving. The A7 clearly shows what "Vorsprung Durch Technik" can do,  the engine is whisper quiet and can dispatch this Audi A7 TDI from 0-60mph in 6.3 seconds aided by 368lb/ft of torque available from a low 1400rpm. This 245bhp diesel engine is super-sleek and it really suits this four-door coupé, a subtly-sporty-executive car, it's our pick of the range for the A7 until we drive the über-rapid S7.

PRICE: Our Audi A7 TDI 245 S-Line Quattro is for sale at £50,795. We think it's worth paying for this lavish spec as the lesser trims don't have some of the expected equipment level for a flagship model and the smaller wheels can make the A7 look cumbersome. The Daytona Grey paintwork, only available in S-Line trim is a box worth ticking.

VERDICT: We really didn't want to return this lovely A7 to our local Audi dealership. It's a fantastic cruiser yet a rapid tourer which will munch miles in high levels of comfort. Some luxurious limos like the latest Bentley Mulsanne can easily cost five times the amount of this fabulous A7 but we would struggle to appreciate five times the comfort. It's cheaper to buy and more fuel efficient than an equivalent Mercedes-Benz CLS so it's definitely our pick of this executive market. MG

Our test car was kindly provided by the courteous staff at Tyneside Audi.