Audi 'Prologue': it's the new A9

This rather slinky looking thing is the Audi Prologue. It throws the brand's rigid naming structure to the wind because it's currently a concept car. But imagine it with A9 badges and slightly toned down chintz and you probably won't be far off a future production model. A large one that's stuffed with luxury to top the whole Audi range and rival the Mercedes S-Class Coupe, at that.

Officially a design concept - it paves the way for how all big Audis will look - it's described as ‘the sportiest car in the luxury segment'. To hammer home the point, a 597bhp 4-litre petrol V8 feeds its Quattro all-wheel-drive system.

That's Ferrari 458 Speciale power, and it endows the 5.1-metre, 1980kg Prologue with a 3.7sec 0-62mph time. The relevance of that in a concept car is negligible, but we like the fact there's an engine in there at all. There are even claimed economy figures: 199g/km and 32.8mpg. Such meticulous planning suggests a production version is a certainty, we'd say. As well as a big old fight with the S63 AMG. Further agility comes from a four-wheel steering system. The hallmark of complex 1990s Japanese coupes is suddenly fashionable, what with one of the greatest sports cars on sale, the 911 GT3 having it.

The Prologue's rear wheels can turn by up to five degrees, which can aids low-speed manoeuvrability and high-speed stability.Being a design concept, there's obviously plenty to talk about aesthetically too. You can make your own mind up on the success of its design, but there's a mix of old and new that ought to please most audiences.