Miramas is in the middle of nowhere — somewhere half an hour from an airfield at a place called Nimes. BMW's secret test track is among the many high security installations down there between nuclear power plants, fighter bases and other equally intriguing venues.

The boom at the entrance lifts on sight of the black old Seven Series we've rocked up in and, turning into the main gate, I'm intrigued to note that it's testing as usual despite the presence of a tight press contingent on site. There's a couple of highly disguised Five Series mules, one of those MPVs we're waiting for sometime soon and a bevy of more common Beemers thundering about the 5.something kilometre high speed test track.

But we're here for a first touch and feel; ride and drive of the all-new Seven Series. I'm immediately far more at ease with the look of the car in the flesh — even though it still has a modicum of camo — compared to those ugly, early press images that have been doing the rounds lately. Then they lock away our cameras and tape over our cell phone photo ports.

Striking, imposing — even elegant — the new 7 certainly is, but a few minutes later we're ushered into those old models and whisked away to a corner of the facility where they've put together a Seven style workshop.

A designer introduces us to his body and cabin men before letting us into the core elements of the new car's design as an undisguised shiny light gold version rolls slowly up and parks fifty metres away. He explains the little treats of the big Beemer's clean, elegant design.

It's simple this time with a strong character line running all the way from where it starts on top of the headlamp, pushes back under the clean and purposeful glass house before culminating atop the taillights. That is complemented by a light-catching detail that comes down off a triangle below the vent/tracer lamp cluster and runs along the foot of the doors.

The wheel arches are ever so gently emphasised through the side treatment, while wheel placement emphasises that BMW rear driven stance, a long bonnet moving into that rearward-biased greenhouse and all of it complemented by several more subtle nuances.

Have to say I came doubting new Seven's style, but I left liking it a hell of a lot more…

We were then explained how the 20-strong BMW design team competed for their body style or cabin drawings to be accepted as the next Seven before they all worked together to turn the chosen one into reality over a two- to three-year period. And in closing we were given the chance to play with a full-sized clay model of the new 7 and participate in tweaking a full sized tape line drawing. I designed an M7 Touring…

We then bade farewell to the design crew and were driven back to base where we were treated to a presentation of Seven's latest high tech devices. Starting with the suspension that incorporates the novelties of active four-wheel steering and BMW Dynamic Drive Control, the four-wheel steering is the most interesting development in the new chassis. At speeds of up to 60km/h the rear wheels turn in the opposite direction of the front wheels by up to three degrees to enhance manoeuvreability in slow driving and parking speeds while also contributing to a 0.7m smaller turning circle.

But at higher speeds the rear wheels turn in the same direction of the front wheels to improve high speed stability, directional control and precision. Working in conjunction with Dynamic Drive they promised us that this system brings a newfound dynamic to the big BMW…

Moving on to the engine bay, there's a trio of brand new engines to open up the range. Starting with an all-new single turbo diesel with electronically controlled variable vane geometry and featuring individual throttle bodies per cylinder for improved response, economy and emissions. This motor now almost matches its highly vaunted bi-turbo sibling in power and torque with 180kW and 540Nm.

Next up, the double-turbo 3.0-litre inline six direct petrol injection double engine of the year 740i mill has been suitably enhanced for Seven Series duty and thanks to revised camshaft profiles, tweaked inlet and exhaust gas flow and electronics enhancements, manages an extra 10kW and 50Nm over its existing world champion counterpart.

The final new 7 engine is that V8 with its twin turbos nestling in the vee for the ideal packaging and cooling solution as recently premiered in the BMW X6 and pumping a most impressive 300kW and a mountain-flattening 600Nm.

Naturally all these engines benefit from the latest in BMW Efficient Dynamics and already all meet stringent forthcoming EU5 emissions regulations. They also all use a considerably lower amount of fuel and produce far cleaner exhaust gasses than their Seven Series predecessors.

Other tech advances happen inside the car with a new highly multi-functional steering wheel to control a number of functions along with a most refined new iDrive system. Now we've been among many to criticise that gimmicky gadget in the past and now after just a few hours around the system in its new guise, we could be ready to maybe even accept it…

Yes, BMW pioneered this tech in old Seven, but certain other carmakers moved it forward with their own interpretations. BMW has been brave enough to follow certain of those nuances and now together with a few extra function buttons, has moved the game on enough that it may now just start making sense to regularly use iDrive. Its logic, layout and ease of understanding is now streets ahead of that device we have mostly moaned about…

Getting back to the multifunction wheel, it leaves just one light and indicator stalk each side of the steering column and each stalk works hand in hand with the steering functions on corresponding sides of the steering and the new 10 inch multifunction display. That too is light years ahead of the overly complicated and eternally confusing four-lever system on the old car. Moving the gear selector to the conventional position and in the latest BMW style is another prime mover in achieving this advance.

Other advances include improved heads-up display tied in to a pedestrian-sensing device linked to the night driving system and a lane departure system that now includes a blind spot warning device comprising a vibrating steering alert when the indicator is activated and a light on the wing mirror housing in normal straightline driving conditions.

From there it was into the driving seat where we discovered the unique black dash. Open the door, look inside and there's just a black panel, but sit in the seat, fire it up and put it into gear and that dash comes to life in an entertaining little light show. Quite a treat, actually.

But not as much as those wonderful new suspension advances along with the four-way 'comfort-normal-sport-sport plus' suspension set-ups. To be honest, we were quite amazed as to how well it all works.

Seven is a giant of a car, but it defies its sheer size on the road. In Comfort, you waft along in supreme limo style. All very BMW and all, but like on a magic carpet. Prod the selector to Normal and the mode disappears. The dashboard display doesn't need to tell you what a BMW should feel like and that's what Normal is supposed to represent. This way it's honest, sharp and more precise to drive.

Move another notch forward and the dash tells you it is in Sport. You feel the box drop two cogs and it all sharpens up, reports the road its passing over far more honestly and becomes quite sporty to drive. Then you go Sport Plus and the dynamic body control is switched off and the car becomes almost M5-like.

Finally a three-second prod of the anti skid button extinguishes that device and you're bareback. And on a wet handling track, that's pure BMW sheer driving pleasure as Seven defies its monster mass until you simply push it too far.

Highlights of the new Seven ride are its incredibly flat, uncompromised and typically BMW driving feel, that creamy 300kW 600Nm twin turbo V8 that pulls like a nuclear aircraft carrier and a far more sensible and user-friendly set of electronic controls.

We've always said that we want to see a BMW with a look that we have to make excuses for. This one we're not yet totally convinced of in some aspects — those overbearingly boring kidneys and some good ol' Bangle Stick aspects that seem to refuse to die. But from the side and the rear close up and from any angle at fifty paces, it's sweet.

And that iDrive is starting to make sense too — I may even use it sometime soon when one of these comes my way…

For the rest, the BMW 7 Series is the technological tour de force you'd expect it to be. Yes it's moved the goalposts again. A whole lot of them…