NOTHING is more appealing to a company car buyer than a model with good economy combined with plenty of power on demand, all wrapped up in a sleek package.

And that's precisely what Audi's A5 with the frugal ultra engine provides.

The super clean engine emits just 109g/km of CO2, which not only means just £20 per year road tax and more than 67 miles per gallon but also rock bottom company car tax.

But it's not just company car drivers that this Audi will appeal to. The nice compromise between economy and performance will have equal appeal for any prospective private buyer.

For a car with a four-cylinder diesel the ultra is very quiet and refined. The power is delivered smoothly thanks to an engine that purrs rather than growls like a typical oil burner.

When it comes to mid range performance this 2.0-litre is up there with the best, responding instantly and urgently to any blip of the throttle.

In fact with this new engine peak power is available from just 3,000 revs and the maximum torque, or pulling power, is available over a wider rev range making it a very flexible car to drive.

I liked the ride too, compliant enough to give you comfortable motoring but firm enough to give you good grip and road holding when you need to push on.

In fact the combination of mid-range engine response and tenacious grip gives this car something which many coupes lack - excitement behind the wheel.

Like all A5 Coupes, however, getting in - and particularly out - of the rear seat is an art it can be difficult to master.

The two rear seat squabs sit in a kind of hollow - to compensate for the low tapering roof of the Coupe - but that can make exiting very awkward, with most passengers torn between getting out forwards or backwards. If you can limbo it helps.

Once in, however, the seats are comfortable and the space reasonable.

The interior is smart with a combination of black leather upholstery and brushed aluminium detail on the dashboard. Switches have been kept to a minimum thanks to the 6.5-inch screen on which various car functions - such as sat nav and audio operations - are carried out.

The six-speed manual gearbox is slick and smooth and a dashboard mounted indicator tells you when it's best to change up to get the most miles per gallon.

Despite the dramatically sloping roof the A5 Coupe offers a good sized boot, able to accommodate 455 litres of luggage. And while you don't get the generous opening of a hatchback the rear seats do fold down to boost the luggage area to 829 litres.

All A5 ultra models are equipped as standard with lowered sports suspension to reduce drag and maximise economy.