ADD an extra initial to its name and save a bundle of money.

That's the formula for the recently introduced Audi A6 50 TFSI e. The ‘e', of course, stands for electric and company purchasers will benefit from much lower tax thanks to its electrification.

Like many of its rivals the newcomers is a plug-in hybrid that can travel up to 33 miles on electricity alone. The rest of the time it works in conjunction with a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine. Together the total output is a lusty 296bhp.

So the 50 TFSI e is quick with 62mph coming up in a shade more than six seconds. But that isn't really the point of the four-door, five-seater saloon - it's more of a business express, a cosseting ride that wafts a tired manager silently to his next meeting, than a racy sports saloon.

Reviewed here in quattro form, the four wheel drive system ensures that all the power gets securely to the surface below with a minimum of drama. Despite the rapid acceleration, it isn't the most exciting saloon from a driving aspect.

Steering is light and fairly numb, so few road imperfections or jolts are passed back to the helm, a feature that most Audi owners are quite happy with.

The cabin is a master class in understated luxury with clear dials and touchscreen, supremely comfortable leather seating and quality plastic mouldings. The normally spacious boot, however, is compromised by the PHEV battery which slices off a sizeable 170litres off cargo space, leaving you just 360 litres of luggage room - a bit miserly for such a large saloon.

While the official fuel consumption is listed at more than 200mpg, a more realistic and still impressive figure for daily running is 42mpg, which we regularly achieved.

Interaction between battery and petrol motor is smooth and almost seamless. A seven speed S tronic automatic gearbox is similarly refined and nicely matched to the power unit.

As befits a prestige saloon bearing a £60k-plus price tag, there's a generous array of creature comforts. Four zone climate control, LED headlights, sat nav, electric tailgate and Audi's excellent virtual cockpit are all included.

But if you want better sound you'll have to fork out more than £2k for the B&O system which comes with the ‘comfort and sound' pack, and metallic paintwork costs an extra £685.

The extra weight of the hybrid system has caused engineers to uprate the suspension accordingly, which has made the ride a little firmer than the normal A6. The result is less body roll during fast cornering but a slightly less compliant passage over poor surfaces.

Noise levels are low both in terms of wind and mechanical interference, allowing the Audi to fully deliver on its promise as executive transport.