All new for this model year, and offered in only one trim level, the 2007 Audi RS4 at first appears to be a zippy little sedan with the requisite four doors and seating for five. A look under the hood belies that first impression, though, because this car has power. Specifically, it's got a 420 horsepower 4.2 liter V8 engine with Audi's signature "Quattro" technology ?their word for all-wheel drive, and a 6-speed manual transmission. It's also got a comprehensive electronic stability control system that combines anti-lock brakes and a special disc-drying program with traction control.

Inside the car, which has a black interior dark enough to rival the Bat-mobile, though it's enhanced with carbon fiber trim, you'll find heated, power-adjustable front seats designed by Recaro, the company known for designing race-car seats. Unlike a race car, however, the RS4 also has a comfortable back seat with room for three, and a generous amount of trunk space, both of which remind us that this only feels like a sports car, and is really a family sedan.

Other interior options include a DVD-based navigation system that greets you with a standard warning against becoming distracted while driving, as well as optional upgrades to a Bose stereo system, and windshield-wipers with rain-sensing capability, in addition to auto-dimming mirrors. An option not generally seen in sedans also available: you can have airbags mounted in the backs of the front seats, to protect rear-seat passengers from front-impact collisions. (Front-seat airbags and side curtain airbags for both rows of seats are standard.)

With its hefty base price of $68,820 (which includes taxes for gas consumption) and estimated fuel efficiency of only 14 mpg in the city and 21 mpg on open highway, the 2007 Audi RS4 sports sedan may not be the most practical family sedan on the market, but it's definitely the most fun.