Promoting cars through sport is hardly new but Audi managed to make it seem potent and effective with a trip to Munich last week for their A8 flagship.
Not only did we drive what Audi claims is the world's most powerful diesel-engined motor but there was a tour of the Allianz arena, Europe's newest soccer stadium and probably the most prestigious of the German playing venues for next year's World Cup.
Audi just happen to be the proud sponsor of Bayern Munich and the Allianz arena is the team's home base, an all-seater affair with many of the 66,000 seats of the plump armchair variety.
Associating a luxury stadium and Germany's most glamorous team with the luxury and glamour of the A8, is clearly smart marketing.
With the redeveloped 4.2 litre eight-cylinder biturbo engine now developing 326bhp, acceleration from zero to 100kph takes 5.9 seconds. The top speed is electronically governed to 250kph.
Four-wheel-drive is standard along with a six-speed Tiptronic transmission. Those seeking economy with luxury should be rewarded, with Audi claiming a consumption average of just 9.4 litres of diesel for every 100 kilometres.
This means it ought to cover more than 950 kilometres on a full tank without a stop. A diesel particulate filter is fitted: it doesn't need replacement, lasting the lifetime of the car.
Driving personality is very much dictated by the adaptive air suspension which gives the driver the choice of being decidedly sporty or having a more comfortable ride. Most impressive was the lack of engine noise and it felt more hushed than some big petrol engines.
The 4.2 unit with 51bhp more, takes over from the 4.0 litre eight-cylinder developing 272 bhp that made its debut with the car in 2003 and which according to Audi was "the most powerful V8 diesel-engined car for a long period."
But close Bavarian neighbour, BMW, trumped that claim and now the new 4.2 with 326 bhp is Audi's retort.
Also new to the A8 line-up is a direct-injection six-cylinder 3.2 litre model that gets 40 bhp more than its 3.0 litre predecessor. The revised A8 range will be going on sale in Ireland later this year, in readiness for a burgeoning 2006 market. John Hayes, Audi's sales manager here is predicting 50 A8 sales next year, up from this year's projected figure of 40.