Given the amount of gadgetry to be found inside the new 7-Series, it’s probably a good job that BMW has invited us to its Miramas test centre in France so that its cleverest engineers can explain it all.

First lesson - there’s a new Dynamic Driving Control system that tunes the throttle, gearshift, adaptive dampers and, if fitted, the optional Dynamic Drive anti-roll bars and Integral Active Steering four-wheel steering system according to the selected setting – Comfort, Normal, Sport or Sport+. Out on the test track it’s soon clear that DDC blesses the new 7-Series with sharper handling, a better ride and tighter body control than the old car.

Then there are the new 730d, 740i and 750i units, which are all cleaner and more frugal than those they replace, while the much-maligned iDrive system is now far more intuitive too. The new 7-Series also looks smoother and more cohesive than its predecessor. Now there’s something we didn’t need a workshop to understand.