Leaving the barnyard behind for a spell let me gush about the quality and infinite comfort of the 745Li's seats, front and rear. My tester was fitted with the optional ventilated
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| I yearn for the drive home just to feel the uncompromising comfort of the Bimmer's office chair, also known as its driver's seat. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
comfort seats, which in front could be electrically adjusted for fore-and-aft movement, seat angle, headrest position, backrest angle, seat height, lumbar support, seat depth and backrest width. If these perches can't snugly hold and support a human form, the form can't be human. After a challenging day in the office rolling about on some sort of anatomically correct office chair, I yearn for the drive home just to feel the uncompromising comfort of the Bimmer's office chair, also known as its driver's seat. When combined with a fresh Americano run-long by my favorite barista, the drive home in rush hour traffic becomes something to savor - and how often can you say that!
That drive begins after a short push of the starter button, firing life into the 325 horses stabled in 4.4-liters (268 cu-in) worth of one of the sweetest running V8s to ever indulge in premium fuel. BMW 's highly refined, punchy V8 produces 330 pounds-feet of torque at 3,600-rpm - enough silk wrapped grunt to hustle the beefy 2,025 kg (4,455 lb) Bavarian living room from 0 to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) in only 6.2 seconds, according to BMW that is. After having spent considerable seat time in the Germanic dream, I have no quarrel with that figure. Throttle response is immediate and power delivery is forceful from a standing start to well beyond the legal limits in North America. In fact the launch from a cruising speed of 80 km/h (50 mph) is sensational. The 6-speed
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| BMW's highly refined, punchy V8 produces 330 pounds feet of torque, enough to launch the hefty sedan from 0 to 100 km/h in only 6.2 seconds. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
Steptronic transmission quickly inserts the gear most suited to the task as the tachometer pings to 4,000 rpm in preparation to sling shot the hefty sedan past whatever is impeding the flow of highway traffic. Highway passing is definitely a 745Li specialty, which it conducts with impeccable manners. A most civilized, demure and restrained growl from the Valvetronic equipped, 32-valve powerplant accompanies the visceral kick in the pants; and like a 5-star general the 745 never loses its composure or exhibits timidity as the speedometer climbs high into triple-digit territory. My tester's polished high-speed ride was always stable, secure and free of vibration and twitchiness - plus there was always plenty of power to spare from the sophisticated Valvetronic performer under the hood.
