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Driving usually isn't much of a challenge, but sometimes we make it one: Attempting to beat our best time for a trip. Trying to perfectly execute a heel-and-toe downshift. Plotting to nab the best possible parking space. Such activities add interest to the routine. What about the challenge of coaxing the most miles out of every gallon of gasoline? For us, that was a new one.

If you've lived through a few complete economic cycles, then you know that tough times tend to breed innovation. It's during difficult times when conventional thinking gets challenged.

This 2009 BMW 750Li is virtually identical to our long-term test car, except for the addition of nineteen-inch wheels and high-performance tires. I've spent a lot of time in this generation of 7-series, and I'm generally very pleased with it. The interior is luxurious and most of the controls are very intuitive to use. Despite the fact that I've driven more than 2500 miles in a 7-series, I still don't know everything the new iDrive system is capable of controlling. There are so many functions that relate to the incredibly advanced technology in this BMW, it would take a lot of effort to really learn them all. Thankfully the controls relevant to daily driving (things like the radio, navigation system, and transmission and suspension settings) are easy to find and take almost no time to master.