I don't know about you, but to my eyes cars have gotten--how can I say this--chunkier over the last several years. Part of this is attributable to blurring of the line between cars and crossovers. Even taking into account the popularity of crossovers, as well as exterior designs governed by myriad safety regulations, many of today's new cars lack elegance.

Apparently the designers at Audi haven't gotten the memo. Combining the versatility of a hatchback crossover with the élan of a stylish luxury sedan, the Audi team has achieved no mean feat. The 2012 Audi A7 Sportback 3.0 TFSI proves you can have your cake and eat it, too. This vehicle overpowers with details that delight the eye from bumper to bumper, leaving competitors looking ponderous. This luxurious road rocket hasn't got a bad line on it anywhere.

To get a handle on how well a car is styled, simply pull up in front of any crowded Starbucks. In the case of the A7, I could actually see the effect of its visceral appeal. Necks snapped, and the crowd would watch me get out of the car. In jaded L.A., they wouldn't be surprised if a celebrity emerged, instead of an anonymous 50-something auto journalist.

This curiosity is reinforced at almost every stop for petrol. Thanks to the car's discrete badging, strangers repeatedly asked what I was driving. At the words "Audi A7," many did a double take, no doubt having assumed it was a BMW or Mercedes-Benz.