About this car in Berlin

Berlin is too big to cross on foot: BER lies well south of the centre, the trade fair grounds are out in Charlottenburg, and meetings tend to be split between Mitte and Kreuzberg. A compact five-door with real pace is the sensible tool for that kind of week, and the RS3 Sportback fits it well. It parks easily, carries five, and its boot takes three medium cases and a small one.

First, the formalities: inside the S-Bahn ring is an Umweltzone, so the green emissions sticker is needed, and many streets are limited to 30 km/h. Then the fun part. Brandenburg is flat, but it has its own drives: south-east through pine forest to Bad Saarow on the Scharmützelsee, or north-east to the brick abbey at Chorin and the Grumsin beech forest. On the Autobahn the 400 hp five-cylinder and quattro drive feel calm and secure, though many sections are limited and the advisory speed elsewhere is 130 km/h.

Winter tyres are fitted in the cold season, which matters in Germany, where they are compulsory in snow or ice. The Berlinale in February and the Berlin Marathon in late September, when the centre closes for a weekend, both push demand up: plan ahead. Delivery is arranged at booking, to Berlin Brandenburg, Berlin Hauptbahnhof, your hotel or your office, and insurance plus 24/7 assistance are included.

• 400 hp, quattro drive and five seats
• Compact enough for Mitte, steady on the Autobahn
• Winter tyres fitted in the cold season