THE latest version of Audi's flagship A8 arrived in the UK with bags of upgrades to keep it fresh.

Its understated looks are handsome and elegant and share many styling cues with its smaller siblings.

The result is that the A8 is not as flashy as some of its rivals but it now feels more comfortable and refined and competes with the best at the top of the luxury market.

Styling changes to the new A8 are not easy to spot at first glance unless you are a bit of an Audi anorak.

The redesigned front end consists of a creased bonnet and new MatrixBeam LED lights which are the real highlight. At the rear you get some extra chrome and a new bumper.

The lights are very special and can track other vehicles and pedestrians to keep main beams on at all times while avoiding blinding other road users. They also communicate with the sat-nav to set the lights up for junctions and corners before you arrive at them.

The cabin is superbly built and crafted from top quality materials. Owners can choose from a wide range of leathers, wood veneers and inlays and the overall feel is one of luxury.

The leather clad seats are electrically adjustable and there is four-zone climate control and sat nav in all models. The dash is well laid out and the instruments clear and all the latest technology is included. You can even spell the nav instructions with your finger on a touch pad.

Audi interiors are amongst the best in the business and sitting behind the wheel makes you feel special.

The engine line-up offers a choice of seven petrol and turbodiesel engines all linked to an eight-speed tiptronic transmission. All the engines have been improved to provide more power, better efficiency and greater economy.

I have been driving the 3.0 TDI SE version which is the biggest seller in the UK.

Priced at £57,980 it features a V6 254bhp engine, Audi quattro four-wheel-drive technology and the silky tiptronic gearbox.

Due to the improvements it handles the sprint to 62mph in just 5.9 seconds and goes on to a limited top speed of 155mph. At the same time the claimed combined economy figure is 47.9mpg but in the real world I averaged just over 38mpg - which is still excellent for a luxury limo of this size.

It delivers its power smoothly and quietly and there is practically no noise in the cabin even at high speeds.

The all-wheel-drive system means there is bags of grip and the A8 offers sharp dynamics and great performance. You can fine-tune your driving choices for suspension, throttle and gearshifts or just select comfort and let the car get on with it.

It is surprisingly agile for such a large car and in Havanna black, sitting on 19 inch alloys (a £1,635 option) it really looks the part.

The car was fitted with options totalling £15,525 - enough to buy a family hatchback - so be careful when ticking the boxes.

But if money is no option, power door closing will cost £460, parking system £900, head-up display £1,340, adaptive cruise control £1,330, massage seats with ventilation £1,635, an extended leather package adds another £1,020, lane assist £510 and a BOSE sound system £1,175. I could go on with the list but suffice to say that the final total for the test car came to £73,505.

There is no doubt that the A8 deserves its luxury limo status and if you need executive transport that can perform in all weathers then this is the one for you.