Driven: BMW 7 Series - Introduction

BMW's new 7 Series flagship, due in the UK in November, is arguably the most sophistcated car on the planet.

It's certainly one of the most complex to understand. Yet, ironically, it's far easier to use than the model it replaces.

It combines a fully computerised chassis control system, three new, more powerful, but more efficient engines, state-of-the-art safety features and a much simpler version of the iDrive in-car central control unit.

The Germans have a phrase for the car which, roughly translated, means ‘a cow which lays eggs and can also produce wool’: in other words, something which offers the best of all worlds.

'We wanted it to offer sophisticated driving solutions without irritating the driver or giving him too much to control,' the company says. 'It allows perfect and well-balanced driving characteristics at the touch of one button.'