performance sure to exceed the expectations of all but the most demanding auto audiophile. A Bang & Olufsen Advanced system is available for an additional $5,900.

Under the A7's hood, you'll find more high-tech goodness in the form of a supercharged 3.0-liter V6. Producing 310 horsepower with 325 pound-feet of torque, it propels the 4,200-pound A7 from zero to 60 in 5.5 seconds. Over my 500-mile test drive of 60-percent highway, 40-percent city driving, the A7 returned a respectable 24 m.p.g., slightly better than the 18-city/28-highway/22-combined EPA numbers would have suggested. (See the Vital Statistics for additional details.)

The mileage is enhanced with a sophisticated stop-start system. With its eight-speed Tiptronic, a wet-clutch automatic transmission backed with quattro all-wheel drive providing a normal 40/60 front-to-rear split of the available torque, the A7 seems to me to offer an exceptional balance of power, poise, and efficiency.

On the road, the word poise again comes to mind. My test model was