I HAVE driven a number of thrilling sports coupes but could not live with one as my sole means of personal transport.

A requirement for practicality has led to me favouring hatchbacks or estates.

I currently own a modest hatchback. However, if the Euro Millions lottery is kind to me this evening, the car featured today would definitely take my fancy.

It is an Audi RS 4 Avant estate. Those who can afford the starting price of £71,545 get an astonishingly capable car.

It has a boot capacity of 495 litres which can be increased to 1,495 litres by folding down the back seats.

Occupants enjoy a decent amount of accommodation in a cabin packed with hi-tec features such as Audi’s Virtual Cockpit which allows the driver to change screen layouts depending on the information required.

Greenock Telegraph:

What makes this estate special lies under the bonnet. Mated to an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission, it is a 2.9 V6 petrol engine which produces a thumping 444bhp.

In addition to sounding the business, this twin-turbo unit is seriously quick. Audi say it will propel you from rest to 62mph in just 4.1 seconds.

The RS 4 Avant is capable of travelling at more than twice the UK’s 70mph speed limit. Its maximum performance is governed to 155mph.

Without breaking the law or endangering other users, the estate can be driven energetically with confidence thanks to quattro all-wheel drive. If owning one, I’d likely keep it in the Comfort drive mode most of the time.

I returned an indicated 25.2mpg which possibly may not trouble those who can fork out for a premium product such as the Audi.

There are two other versions of the RS 4 Avant – the £77,945 Carbon Black and the £89,800 Vorsprung. The latter’s engine is not restricted to 155mph and Audi claim it can hit 174mph.