By Frank S. Washington | SACOBSERVER.COM WIRE SERVICES

DETROIT (NNPA) - You really do need to read the owner's manual when it comes to BMW's 745i . If you don't, you'll likely get lost in its technology and overlook a really great car.

Frank S. Washington

The problem is iDrive. It consolidates all the 745i's controls into one system that confuses and distracts the driver. BMW has been harshly criticized for it and rightly so.

There are eight menu selections on iDrive: communication, navigation, entertainment, climate, BMW assist, car data, help and settings. Each has multiple choices, which can add up to 270 selections.

Then there's the steering wheel. It has a dozen controls either attached to the column or embedded in the wheel, not including the horn. Each one of those controls has several selections, too. Trying to figure out all the controls on a 745i and how to control the controls could take months, even longer if you do not read the owner's manual.

To start the car, insert the key into the ignition, push it in to lock it and then press the starter button next to it.

Because the switches are electronic and not mechanical, my tactile senses were thrown off. Nothing felt the way it was used to. It took the better part of the week that I had the 745i to get used to shifting up to get into reverse, rather than down from the parking position.

And there are the other little things that the 745i will do that you may never know without reading the manual. For instance, the car will automatically shift into park when you press the button to turn the engine off. By holding down the unlock button on the key fob, the 745i's windows will roll down and the moon roof will open.

If you get caught up in discovering its technology, you'll not notice that the 745i is a great car, which is what you'd expect of a full-size luxury sedan with a base price of about $69,000.

My test car was powered by a direct fuel-injected V8 that made more than 300 horsepower with torque to match. It was mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. There was so much muscle under the hood and it was so smooth that my 745i never had to exert itself. The car moved as fast as I needed it to move with such little effort that I barely heard the engine.

The vehicle was equipped with the optional sport package that featured 19-inch wheels and performance tires, a sport-tuned suspension, power front sport seats and dark high gloss wood trim. It also was equipped with the optional convenience package that included soft-close automatic doors and a power-opening and closing trunk

The 745i did everything I asked it to do superbly. It accelerated, braked, handled, cornered and tracked as well as any sports car that I have ever test driven. This car is so good that it is swiping sales from the less expensive Lexus LS 430. It's so cool that the door handles light up when you use the fob to unlock it, making them easier to find at night.

BMW stretched the envelope with the 745i's styling, although the chief designer took a lot of undeserved flak for the car's elevated and boxy trunk. What's more, the new 6-Series coupe and 5-Series sedan take their styling cues from the flagship 7-Series. My test car was a 2003 model. For 2004, BMW simplified iDrive by adding a couple more buttons.

New features include adaptive headlights that steer with the front wheels; power/heated exterior mirrors add a power-fold function which the 745i should have had in the first place and satellite radio. BMW's 745i is for those individuals who want a big luxurious sedan but who don't want to feel like they are driving one.

Frank S. Washington, a former correspondent for Newsweek magazine, has covered the automobile industry for such publications as Automotive News, Advertising Age and the Detroit News Online. Your comments are welcomed. Washington can be reached at P.O. Box 23167, Detroit, MI 48223 or by e-mail at fswjr@aol.com.