Silence is golden.

If you want a quality premium brand car the chances are that you will be choosing a German model. BMW, Mercedes and even VW with the launch of the Phaeton, all lead the way when it comes to luxury models. And of course there is Audi.

The current Audi A6, launched last summer offers

And I do mean well put together. The build quality on the A6 is sublime.

There's more to this car than quality though. Simple things like the joyous sat nav system, It's a breeze to operate and easily the best system I have had the chance to use. The controls are incorporated into Audi's MMI system, which is similar to that found on the A8 and far less complicated than BMW's I-Drive. I was surprised to see that the air conditioning controls are not included into the MMI though.

The seats are comfortable thanks to the multidirectional adjustments and there is ample room for driver and all passengers. The introduction of an electronic handbrake has created more interior space up front. The dash layout is superb as well as being simple to comprehend. Night illumination is excellent. In the boot you will find room to stash a couple of sets of golf clubs with ease.

Under the bonnet of this A6 was the 3.2,litre FSI petrol engine which produces a smooth delivery of me 250PS of power. In fact I barely heard a whisper from the engine all the time I was driving it.

The auto gearbox offers a choice of operation: Tiptronic, paddle shift or the more usual fully automatic mode. I have to say that all are excellent, The paddle shift gave me more of a sense that was in control but I always felt the A6 was going to have the last word!

Handling is sublime; the quattro four-wheel drive system glues the A6's tyres to the road. I did have some trouble keeping the ESP warning light off as I pushed the car to the limit--mine not its!

I was also impressed by the speed-sensitive steering which works exceptionally well and makes parking a joy. And the brakes perform well in stopping this monster of a car.

If luxury is what you are looking for then the Audi A6 could be just what you need. It's built to a very high standard, offers exceptional comfort and allows you to travel in consummate style--and it does so in almost absolute silence. What more could you want from a luxury car?

DRIVER'S LOG

LISTPRICE (P11D): 43,705 (incl 9580 [pounds sterling] of extras)

ENGINE: 3.2-litre aluminum V6 DOHC

POWER: 256PS@6500rpm

TORQUE: 330Nm@3250rpm

C[O.sub.2] RATING: 264g/km (35%)

2005/6 BIK: 15,297 [pounds sterling]

INSURANCE GROUP: NA

OFFICIAL COMBINED: 25.6mpg

AVERAGE MONTHLY RENTAL: 638 [pounds sterling] ex VAT

AVERAGE RESIDUAL VALUE: 12,049 [pounds sterling]