THERE can be no argument about it, but the German premium marque Audi is without doubt one of the finest car makers around.
With a comprehensive 45-strong range of cars on offer, starting with the supermini A1 and working up to the luxurious stretched A8L limousine, Audi is one of the very few manufacturers to offer a model for everyone and every occasion.
Hatchbacks, saloons, coupes, open-top cars and super-fast two-seater sports cars all feature in Audi's ever-growing portfolio.
The latest offering to come out of the company's high-performance division based at Neckarsulm, near Stuttgart, is the third-generation RS6 Avant, not so much a high-performance estate car than a blisteringly-fast supercar with space for all the family and more.
At its heart sits a high-tech twin-turbo four-litre V8 power plant which pumps out a massive 552bhp yet is capable of returning 28.8mpg, making it the most efficient RS model to date.
With its zero to 62mph dash time of just 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 187mph, this is one heck of a piece of kit.
The car's supreme efficiency and fuel economy comes via the combination of an eight-speed automatic gearbox, a sophisticated stop-start system and - perhaps the piece de resistance - cylinder on demand technology which automatically and seamlessly shuts down four of the eight cylinders when full power is not needed, for example when cruising at constant speed on a motorway.
As with all high-performing Audis, the RS6's massive power output is channelled through the very latest generation of Audi's quattro all-wheel-drive system.
This advanced lightweight, electronically-regulated technology distributes different amounts of drive to each rear wheel, ensuring outstanding acceleration performance and stability when cornering.
The new RS6 Avant is also the first RS model to feature air suspension as standard and thanks to its specially-configured RS adaptive system, the body sits 20 millimetres lower.
Integrated damping control reacts to road conditions, the driver's style and the mode chosen via the Audi drive select dynamics system which allows the driver to switch between five modes - comfort, auto, dynamic, individual and lift.
However, buyers can also choose the optional Dynamic Sports pack, which along with adding ceramic brakes, increases top speed to a mind-blowing 189mph and replaces the air suspension with steel springs.
As with all RS models, the new Avant has a sporty, muscular look. The sills and wings have been enlarged, and the rear wheel arches are also now more pronounced.
The focal point at the front is the single-frame honeycombed grille with angled upper corners and the RS bumper with its massive air inlets.
The large roof spoiler, shaded tail lights and angular bumpers are prominent features at the rear, while a diffuser with vertical fins housing the twin elliptical tailpipes completes the RS 6's unique look.
The few lucky enough to be able to offord to put an RS6 on their driveway won't mind having to fork out the £77,000 asking price ... give or take a few litres of premium unleaded.
But with a host of must-have optional extras with the buyer's name firmly etched on them, don't expect the final price tag to end up being much under the six-figure mark.