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AUTO REVIEW
saged and updated. And then there’s that vehicle’s doors, and even locating the car if answer all of your questions and get you
tech, which includes an all-digital gauge you forgot where you parked it. the best possible deal.
cluster, updated iDrive infotainment with
a touchpad-enhanced rotary controller, OK, what about ActualDrive? It’s nice, The BMW 750i is a top-shelf luxury
BMW ConnectedDrive, Gesture Control, as you’d expect in any BMW, but it’s not sedan that’s expensive but worth it. It has
onboard Wi-Fi, and wireless phone charg- much different from its competitors, can- amazing tech as well as luxury befitting a
ing among other cool doo-dads. didly. While the S-class feels heavier and room at the Four Seasons. The only ques-
less lithe, and the Lexus LS 460 is quieter tion is: does any of that matter in an age
BMW Connected Drive, a system that and less involving, all sedans in this class when it seems like everybody who can af-
integrates your smartphone into the car are heavy and big so it’s not like the 750i ford one of these wonderful cars is looking
and then augments its functions, is worth really stands out. On the open road the to buy an SUV?
a word. Frankly, our phones are so good at 750i is hard to beat, but on a twisty back
so many things that it doesn’t make sense road, give me an M2. If you’re in the market for this kind of ve-
for automakers to install overlapping sys- hicle, call Phil Hornbeak at 210-301-4367.
tems, which invariably work less well. In The 750i is powered by a modern 4.4L
addition to connecting to your smart- twin-turbo V8 engine that makes 445 HP Steve Schutz, MD, is a
phone, ConnectedDrive adds point-of-in- and gets 17 MPG City/26 MPG highway. board-certified gastroenterolo-
terest voice search, enhanced navigation, A pretty good alternative is the 3.0L twin- gist who lived in San Antonio
and special features that you access via a turbo in-line six that goes for around in the 1990s when he was sta-
phone app such as saving directions to a $82,000, or about $16,000 cheaper than a tioned here in the U.S. Air
destination which you then access in the comparable 750i. The plug-in hybrid 740e Force. He has been writing auto reviews for
car, remote locking and unlocking of your will set you back around $90,000. San Antonio Medicine since 1995.
As always, BCMS’ Phil Hornbeak will
visit us at www.bcms.org 45
