A mini-Miglia in the new BMW 745i

FIUGGI, Italy – "It’s based neither on its predecessor nor on its competition. This new product sets new standards."

To a jaded journalist, these words could be nothing more than craftily written prose from an idealistic corporate spin doctor.

So when we heard words to that effect during the world first drive of the all-new BMW 7-series in this picture-perfect Italian vacation resort, we almost instinctively put our defenses on guard. Besides, one should expect nothing less from a car that would retail for more than P8 million - when it reaches Philippine shores next year - than absolute perfection.

And then it hit me. This driving experience is actually as much a test of our motoring journalistic skills as it is an actual evaluation of an automobile.

We are not dealing with mere numbers here. The drive through both high-speed autostradas and narrow cobblestone city streets is not just to uncover the highest top speed, the quickest acceleration times, the roomiest backseat, the most number of interior amenities and gadgets, nor the best (or the worst) fuel economy — it’s not even for the highest retail price.

To evaluate a car that purports to be "the best in the world" and in "a class above the Mercedes S-class" — its perennial archrival - one had to be of a completely different mindset. The assemblage of global motoring writers had to erase memories of more mundane driving experiences behind the wheels of sundry Toyotas, Fords, and Volkswagens. Even those who owned "lesser" BMWs like the 3- and 5-series had to recalibrate their concept of a true no-holds-barred luxury car from Bavaria.

So how did the car acquit itself? In a word, marvelously. The car that shocked onlookers when it debuted in the Frankfurt Motor Show last September with its seemingly un-BMW look is truly a radical departure from the norm. The wizards from Munich set out to redefine luxury high-performance motoring and judging from our four-hour 280-km in-car-GPS-aided drive (complete with a quick 230-kph blast down the autostrada), it was hard to deny what the crafty Bavarians had wrought: that this new 7-series is indeed a quantum leap over the preconceived notion of what a large luxury sedan should be.

While a Rolls-Royce may reek of opulence and extravagance with its acres of Connolly leather, thick wool carpeting, English burlwood trim, and even a motorized self-cleaning ashtray, the BMW 745i (Rolls-Royce is now actually part of the BMW group) simply outdoes it with a mind-boggling array of cutting edge technological marvels, the mere explanation of which will take several broadsheet pages. Simply put, the new 7-series takes luxury, performance, safety and styling to a new level.

Luxury comes from BMW’s control concept of the future: iDrive. The basic philosophy of iDrive is to adapt secondary cockpit control operations like navigation and in-car entertainment to the occupant — and not vice versa. The person behind the wheel is then left to maximize his concentration on the job at hand — driving. Nice touches are power-operated window blinds, drink coolers for the front and rear passengers, and doors that softly close automatically.

Performance comes from an ultra-refined 32-valve 4.4-liter V8 developing 333 bhp at 6100 rpm and 450 N-m of torque at 3600 rpm. The driver may let the six-speed automatic transmission shift by itself but may also choose to be more involved and shift gears via two steering wheel-mounted buttons.

The car also bristles with electronic driving aids like DSC (Dynamic Stability Control which includes ABS, CBC, DBC, and ASC); Active Dynamic Drive (sway stability system); and EDC-C (continuous electronic damper adjustment). In layman’s terms, this car will try its ultimate best to keep the car in control no matter how clumsily the driver commands his steed.

Safety comes from BMW’s largest- (it’s almost as wide as a Ford Expedition) and stiffest-ever body boasting no less than ten airbags inside — even for the knees. The airbags are also of the "smart" type, meaning that they alter the speed of their deployment depending on the type of crash and its severity. Hit from behind? The headrests, which can be adjusted to cradle your head like in a first-class airline’s seat, will move forward to prevent whiplash.

Stylewise, I have to admit I wasn’t too taken with the new 7-series at first sight. The bulldog front seemed too unfriendly while the rear just didn’t look like a BMW’s at all. But watching it glistening in the parking lot as we devoured our pasta during our lunch stop, we noticed subtle design cues that weren’t evident from a cursory look. Suddenly, the thin strips of taillight hark to the Z8 roadster’s while the front simply conveys "the BMW of the 21st century." Just like most things German, the new 7-series is a triumph of function over form – but without the compromises.

On the flight home, I spent close to 21 hours pondering if I had just driven the best car in the world. Until I have driven another car that claims the contrary, I would have to say that, yes, the new BMW 745i is the best car in the world.