Swanky automotive manufacturer press trips are common occurrences. But with the long-anticipated debut of its 2005 line, Audi went to the extreme to introduce its new fleet.

And amid fancy media kits and proclamations, high-end accommodations, myriad restaurant cuisine and scenic test drives along the Northern California coast, one part of the two-day U.S. presentation last fall in San Francisco remains most vivid: An Audi engineer spent more than one hour describing in exhaustive detail how he redesigned the car's new extended front grill.

The engineer's presentation showcased his work pride and marketing and public relations skills. But it also served as an ideal microcosm of Audi's well-deserved confidence in its new line.

Maligned for years and slipping in customer satisfaction rankings, the new Audi A6 is a classically styled, powerful and overall impressive vehicle that shouldn't be overlooked by anyone considering a car in the above-$50,000 price range.

My test drive for the week was the A6, 4.2-liter Quattro AT6, the most powerful and luxurious model in the line. With the two other A6 models, the Quattro offers new styling, more room and more power than the 2004 version. It features a DOHC V8 aluminum alloy engine with five valves per cylinder and a six-speed automatic transmission.

Combined with the $1,500 sport package option (18-inch alloy wheels, front sport seats, sport suspension and summer performance tires), the A6 offers a superior drive. Its acceleration is confidently quick but not jolting. The ride quality is quiet and smooth, and the steering and handling is impressive in all driving circumstances. In short, driving or riding in the A6 is an exercise in comfort and confidence.

Beyond performance, the A6 is equipped with a wide-ranging list of features, vanity mirrors with regular and magnify glass options to an electromechanical parking park.

Beginning the latter, the electronic parking brake can throw an unknowing driver into immediate search mode. The parking brake light was brightly lit for my first journey
in the car. But where was the brake pedal or handle release? Alas, there wasn't one, rather a lever on the console that sets or releases the brake with a slight one-finger flick.

The parking brake luxury sets the tone for the rest of the instrumentation, interior design, myriad appointments and state-of-the art sound system ($1,300 option).

The navigation system ($1,500 option) is extraordinarily detailed. It's not a quick study, but the seven-inch screen is highly visible and the system's navigational functions are superior and its voice responses are available in several languages.

The 12-way power front seats have two driver seat memory positions and the power functions extend from the adjustable steering wheel sunroof with tilt and slide functions to the folding heated exterior mirrors.

The vehicle's leather front and rear seats are plush, sturdy and comfortable. The wooden inlays on the dash, console and doors further add to the car's interior good looks.

Add Xenon highlights, bluetooth phone availability, the keyless or key ignition system and Sirius satellite radio, and the new Audi 6 comfortably aligns itself other well-known and highly touted vehicles in its class — the Acura RL, Lexus LS 430 and the Mercedes Benz E class. Given the choice of any of the four, it would be hard not to pick the new Audi A6.

Safety Features — Driver and passenger front, side and curtain airbags; Antilock brakes

Fuel Mileage (Estimates) — 17 mpg (city), 23 mpg (highway).

Warranty — Bumper to bumper, 4 years/50,000 miles; Corrosion, 12 years, limited; (24-hour), four-year roadside assistance program via third-party supplier

Base Price – $50,500.00.