Think back to 2004. What comes to mind? The Athens Olympics? Well, whatever you select I’d bet my bottom dollar that humanoid robots and bionic arms don’t spring to mind. But both these things did happen in the 2004 film I, Robot in which Will Smith plays, yes, you’ve guessed it, a tough cop.

Good to see some things never change. And a cool guy like Smith needs a cool car, right?

But what? A Ferrari is too obvious, a Citroen would break down every time he turned a corner and if he drove a BMW he’d look more like drug dealer than a policeman.

The director’s answer was an Audi RSQ.

The RSQ can get from 0-60 in four seconds – remarkable, especially in a car with no wheels.

That’s right, in 2035 we will apparently have ditched one of the single most important discoveries man has ever made. Instead the car features roller balls where the wheels should be.

I was 10 years old when I first saw this film and even I knew that cars are supposed to have wheels; preferably four of them.

Nevertheless, these roller balls are supposed to make the steering tighter and parking easier and I have to admit you could really attack the corners in the RSQ. But I wouldn’t feel comfortable about leaving a car with rollable balls at the top of a hill.

But that won’t be the only thing missing in the future. Watching the film it immediately becomes apparent that Audi are the only car-makers left. However, even if the RSQ was the only car remaining I wouldn’t complain because “cool” does not do this car justice. Sleek, stylish, streamlined. I could fill this entire article with adjectives for this car and we wouldn’t be halfway there.

No one could deny this car is stunningly beautiful. But it’s not just a pretty face either.

If this car can resist attack by enraged robots it can do anything. The scene where the car is driven through the underground while metal bodies clamber all over it is superb; worth the DVD price of the film on its own.

My only regret is that neither you nor I will ever get to drive this car.

Partly because, with all the eco laws coming in, it will probably never be invented. And even if it is, you wouldn’t be able to drive it near a city without paying a congestion charge, which by 2035 is going to be equal to the GNP of a small country.

But the main reason no-one can drive it is because it drives itself. And I think that is really selfish of Audi; inventing the best car ever and then not letting us drive it.

And since you can’t enjoy slamming your foot on the accelerator then the only sensible way to judge this car is on how it looks.