A NEIGHBOUR once bought a big Audi as his company car (he owned the company) but was in a typical hurry when he collected his new wheels from the dealer.

That meant he had almost no idea of the clever things his new car would do; at least until a techie friend (me) had shown him. He was astonished.

Moving on a year or two, to the big Audi tested here with a whole electronics lab of clever kit attached and I fancy my neighbour's eyes would glaze over at the mere mention of head up display, matrix headlights or a sound system that costs more than a whole new car.

More of that later. What we have here is a fine example of that breed of upper crust saloons from German car makers that really want to be svelte coupes but have to have four doors and half-decent rear seats and a big boot.

Mercedes-Benz kicked things off with the CLS, which struck an instant chord among well heeled company types, and now BMW is on board too with the 6 Series Gran Coupe.

Audi's A7 gives both of them a run for their stylish money on the outside and trumps them both once you slide inside and discover a cabin that might have been dreamed up in Savile Row and put together by people who assemble deep space probes in clinically clean surroundings.

The diamond patterned leather upholstery would look at home on a Bond Street clothes rail, while the inset alloy pinstripes on dash and doors could have come straight off a bespoke Audi sitting under a motor show lighting set.

The ambiance of A7 travel was summed up by the Navigator-in-Chief with the phrase "I could go a long way in this car." Not at all a considered, debated opinion, but she was right. If first impressions count (they do, they do), this Audi has won already.

Beneath the style lies solid substance, as it ought in a car that tops this part of the A7 range, which starts at £45,875 and takes in a trio of 3.0-litre diesels with different power outputs and a 3.0-litre petrol with a bit more power than any of them, but a greater thirst.

You won't lack for go with the test car's diesel; acceleration is vivid from any speed and a semi-legal motorway cruise a mere jog in the park. With £2,000 of air suspension the ride, even with huge 21 inch alloy wheels as standard, is never too jiggly and can be further firmed at the touch of a button or two.

Driven with restraint (40mph roadwork restrictions helping too), this big, heavy all-wheel drive automatic will top 40mpg. My week's average of 36mpg was impressive enough considering the amount of less-restricted miles covered.

Many of them were spent trying out the frankly daft amount of extras bolted to the test car, pushing its price above £83,000 and unlikely to be copied by an owner with his accountant within earshot.

Top big spender was a Bose sound system at £6,300. Yes, that's more than the cost of a new Dacia Sandero and is on top of a less stellar Bose set up that's already included with the dearest A7. Yes it sounds great, but there was an annoying tizz from one of the 15 speakers. Naughty.

The head up display (part of a £3,995 technology pack) was brilliant at putting the speedo in front of a driver's eyes, while the matrix headlights (standard, phew!) shine with a piercing night-into-day display and won't dazzle oncoming drivers.