BMW

BMW 7 Series

First impressions of the fifth-generation 7 Series are likely to be split. Those who liked the radical Chris Bangle design of the last model may be disappointed, but those who were not impressed are likely to be pleased that the new model tones it down. Not that BMW describes it in those terms. When we met the car's charming designer Karim Habib, he talked about it being a 'mature' design and we would not disagree. It is still recognisably a 7 Series but it is more elegant without losing that touch of sportiness that we expect from BMW.

Apart from the styling, the major changes are centred on the engines - although for most people only one of the engines is really relevant. BMW says that fully 85% of UK buyers will go for the 730d, with the 750i being reserved for plutocrats and the 740i going to the handful of businessmen who still insist on only buying a petrol engine. The 730d sets a new benchmark for fuel economy in this sector - despite having 245 bhp, it achieves 39.2 mpg with a CO2 figure of 192 g/km. That is better than the smaller 184 bhp Mercedes E 200.

To match the technology under the bonnet, there is a techno-feast in the cabin. The 7 Series can be had not only with a head-up display showing the speed, but also a display showing the speed limit for that stretch of road. It uses a combination of GPS data in its hard drive and a camera mounted in the back of the interior mirror that can recognise speed signs. We found it not entirely foolproof, but it got the local speed limit right over 90% of the time - handy in these camera-infested times. One other piece of good news is that, praise be, the I Drive system now has actual buttons for the most commonly used features.

On the road, it drives like it looks - elegant but sporty. The lack of roll in such a big car is highly impressive and means you can actually have quite a lot of fun on country roads - unless you are the chauffeur, in which case that could be a career-limiting move. Some might feel the suspension is just a little too unforgiving for a luxury car, but we think it is a price worth paying for the precise handling and the float-free ride: there is no danger of motion-sickness in this car.

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