WOULD you ever have expected this? As soon as you reach 5mph, all the doors lock automatically. Clever, eh?

It's not exactly new but this is in a Skoda!

It is the sort of sophistication which has allowed the Czech maker, once the object of scorn and sarcasm, to call this latest model the Superb.

Few makers would have the confidence to choose such a name an invitation to derisive comments if ever there was one.

But Skoda can now turn their one-time reputation to their advantage. With the admirable Volkswagen group now pulling the strings, whatever Skoda does now will laugh in the face of those who don't know any better.

The Superb is exactly what it says. I am almost tempted to say it is even better.

To their credit, Skoda avoided the temptation of sending me a posh version. The 2.0-litre 115bhp petrol engine and 'Classic' trim level in my car were both the entry levels. Goodness knows how much more Superb the other seven engines and two trim levels can make this new Skoda.

The 2.0-litre unit is lively, responsive, and smooth though there can be an acceleration growl (which I found rather pleasing) rather than the absolute silence you might expect from an Audi relative.

It not only likes to be lively, but I found myself doing over 100mph (sorry, officer, it didn't feel so fast).

You race up to 80mph without much effort, and pretty soon find yourself mixing it with big Volvos, Mercs and Jags.

The Superb is filled with clever equipment. Personally, I don't like the idea of a car that locks you in what happens if you have a heart attack and no one can get to you? Whatever reassurances the makers may offer, I don't trust it.

You can, of course, over-ride the locked-door problem, by using the unlock button on the armrest, or by pulling the door handle twice.

But as soon as you reach 5mph, they lock again!

Ah well, it is a minor matter in a car full of far more important wonders.

The Superb was launched a few weeks ago amid relatively little fanfare, to give the Czech maker (the cars are produced in Kvasiny in the Czech republic) yet another convincing weapon to win over the slow learners.

The marque already has the Fabia hatch and Octavia saloon. Now the Superb becomes Skoda's flagship model, and it stakes out a place considerably more upmarket than you would ever expect.

It feels better than a VW, and there is no equivalent VW you can truly compare it with. The Superb is considerably bigger than VW's biggest saloon, the Mondeo-size Passat.

To find anything comparable, you need to leap into the Audi collection. The Superb's looks not only remind you of a posh Audi but, with 4803mm of length, it is not only considerably longer than the A4 but even a smidgin longer than Audi's bigger (and uglier) A6.

And a 5 Series BMW. And only a little shorter than a Jag S-Type.

Oh, all right if you insist in living among the mundane, it's longer than a Mondeo.

Skoda and posh cars are not strangers. The maker tells us that the Superb continues Skoda's "rich tradition of manufacturing large passenger cars with powerful engines."

In the early 1900s Skoda's original makers Laurin and Clement "built a strong heritage based on luxurious, prestigious cars."

The original Superb, introduced in 1934, was "a large, stylish car owned by wealthy entrepreneurs and royalty alike".

The modern Skoda company has invested over £120 million in the factory, with new welding shops, paint shops and a new final assembly line. It is now one of the most advanced in the VW group.

No surprise, then, that this latest Skoda takes you into a very different and unexpected world. A world of fast cars and opulence.

In my silver test car, impressive enough to park next to any Merc, I was surrounded by a seamless expanse of smooth blackness. The neat, elegant fascia is rounded at each side where it meets the doors, their black panelling and neatly upholstered pockets housing a subtle line-up of clever buttons (including the one which unlocks those doors).

The car incorporates many original Skoda innovations, including the illumination of the interior door handles, an umbrella holder in the rear left door, and from next year the front passenger seat will have a folding footrest.

There are three levels of Superb-ness: The Classic and Comfort models will account for most sales, with only 10 per cent of buyers reaching for the top-level Elegance.

The eight-engine line-up will include four diesels which are expected to take 70 per cent of total sales.

In the UK, most Superbs are expected to be sold as company cars. Their lucky drivers will enjoy the essential economy and low CO2 emissions, plus lots of comfort and equipment.

They'll also get something which other makers simply cannot offer: the mischievous opportunity to show everyone else that today's Skodas really are . . . well, Superb.