For the director...BMW's 7 Series

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As a director of a company - you direct. Years of experience, climbing the corporate ladder have given you the skill set to know how, why and when things should happen for an optimised business result.

Spending your days observing, supervising and delegating doesn't need to stop - especially when you're driving. So, if you're not into having a chauffeur and hardcore driving is too left field for you - like whizzing through traffic in a manual Porsche - then how about something less extreme and semi-independent?

Cars like the new BMW 7 Series could be just what you're looking for. They're engineered to be clever; watching them work is like strategic artistry. Sounds perfect for you "director" types.

The 7 Series is somewhat autonomous in its operation; needing minimal input from its driver to function. This is precisely why it is perfect for a director. Wake up, direct, work, direct - now you can remove the word drive from your daily routine. Instead, you monitor, supervise and input a small amount of manual function.

I'll elaborate: it starts with the key. No longer just a key, but rather a handheld smart device with all sorts of information pertaining to the car at your disposal. One can option a function fitted to the key that allows you to start and manoeuvre it out of a tight spot - like a small parking bay. Next up is the car's ability - through its 360-degree radar, it monitors and protects itself. Cruise control - this radar function controls acceleration and braking autonomously - on your behalf. Lane Keeping Assist scans for lines in the road and keeps your car within these lanes. It does this by inputting autonomous steering, albeit the system prefers supervision, as the minute the roads markings are lost the system loses its bearings. Think of this function as a Junior Executive still finding its feet.

These magical, and somewhat mystical, autonomous functions live in all parts of the car. Swipe your foot under the boot and it opens, albeit not every time. Seats have a massage function, dials are electronic; changing at the flick of a switch, use your hands - gesturing for the volume to increase or decrease or the zoom function on the 360-degree camera. The list goes on and on.

All wonderful concepts, BMW uses the 7 Series as its showpiece for its creations. The pro is innovation. The cons are cost and possibly superfluous creations of technology that drivers, age-related, may never use.

Things that will be used and appreciated are the cars outstanding engine and gearbox combination and comfortable ride. I reviewed the 740i. This particular model features a 3.0-l turbocharged engine which offers 240kW and 450N.m. Translated to non-petrol heads: there's ample power, getting you to 100km/h in around 5.5 seconds. Also on offer is a 730d, 740e, 750i, 750i and M760Li.

These engines are all paired to an 8-speed automatic gearbox. A gearbox that is so good, it's almost impossible to fault.

The ride is good, but the Mercedes-Benz S-Class is still class-leading. The 7 Series also scores well for handling and dynamics although when compared to Jaguar's XJ, I felt the big cat was more involving.

Is it good? It's is - it's BMW's best efforts and you can feel, see, touch, smell and hear it. Hear not so much actually, as the 7 Series has outstanding sound deadening insulation, making it arguably the quietest car in its class.

The question lies in whether or not large luxury sedans have passed their sell by date and have been replaced by large luxury SUV? I know, if given the choice between the S-Class, 7 Series and a full body Range Rover, I'd be hard-pressed not to go with the Range Rover. What would you pick?