2006 BMW 750Li Road Test

(Photo: Philippe Champoux, Auto123.com)

The front seats have numerous power adjustments to fit any human being comfortably, including a seat cushion extender, and the seatback's curve can also be adjusted, which is great. There's enough buttons to keep you busy for a while, trying to figure out what each one does. One option this car has that I question its usefulness is BMW's Night Vision. Turn it on at night, and the dash-mounted screen displays a blurry black-and-white view of the road ahead, thanks to a bumper-mounted camera. You're supposed to be able to see objects on the road at up to 300 meters away, but what's safer between looking straight down the road through the windshield and diverting your attention to the small screen while you're driving? I'd skip this option.

The sound system has a single CD slot in the center console, but there is also a 6-CD changer with MP3 playback on the right side of the dashboard. Curious passengers kept pressing on the eject button, however.

In general, the front quarters is a great place to spend time. The combination of the black dash, carpeting and door panels, beige leather and wood trim is beautiful, and you feel pretty powerful behind the wheel of this BMW. For a week's time, I'm the wealthiest guy in town.

(Photo: Philippe Champoux, Auto123.com)

But wait, this test car is the 750Li, the long-wheelbase model. The extra length is dedicated solely to rear-seat space, and the result is legroom for 8-foot-tall humans. It's so spacious that you feel pretty lonely back there; I like driving, of course, so I can't understand why anyone would prefer being driven around.

The Executive package gives you power sunshades for the rear side windows and backlight, and pampers your driver with the aforementioned massager as well as ventilated front seats, upgraded audio and soft-close doors, among other features. In addition, you can fight boredom with the optional Multimedia package, which includes rear iDrive controls, a flip-up LCD screen, and a 6-DVD changer in the trunk.

The BMW 7-Series is a down-to-business, purposeful sedan that gracefully flaunts the thickness of your wallet. The long-wheelbase 750Li is perfect for corporate bigshots on a budget, since it costs much less than a Bentley Continental Flying Spur, a Maybach or a Rolls-Royce Phantom. Base price is $106,900, and this car includes the Sport package ($3,900), the Executive package ($9,500), the Multimedia package ($5,000) and Night Vision ($2,500), for a grand total of $127,800.

A comparably-equipped 2007 Mercedes S550 goes for about $130,700, but lacks the rear-seat accommodations of this BMW. The new S550's styling is much more striking than the subtle 7-Series, though.

The 750Li is a worthy showcase for BMW's supreme combination of technology, performance and luxury. Your chauffeur will be glad that you choose the 750Li to be driven around in, however, since it appears to me that the driver's seat is the most rewarding place to be sitting in.

(Photo: Philippe Champoux, Auto123.com)

What I like:
Great driving dynamics
Smooth and powerful engine
Luxurious front and
  rear accommodations

What I don't like:
Awkward transmission selector
iDrive system, not surprisingly
Lacks the visual punch of
  the new Mercedes S-Class