Road test: BMW 730d

Not that long ago we marvelled as James Bond drove his BMW 7 Series from the back seat, using a remote control in Tomorrow Never Dies. This was exciting fiction.

But with the sixth generation of BMW’s flagship model you can stand outside the car as it slides into narrow parking places, and in the near future you will be able to get out at the car park entrance and leave the 7 Series to look for a space automatically before parking, switching off and locking itself. When you return it will drive down by itself to meet you. We are well on the way to self-driving cars.

The new 7 Series is longer than before, but the same width and up to 130kg lighter. Innovations include Laserlight headlamps which double the light range, and an i-Drive system which lets you drag and move the computer functions, swiping and pinching like a smartphone.

There is also programmable gesture control, which lets you wave at the screen to adjust radio volume or station, and for the first time there is an all-wheel-drive option.