BMW 735i

The 735i is the entry point to the current 7 Series, and it is the version built around comfort over outright pace. BMW gave it the long wheelbase, the curved digital display, soft-close doors and a cabin that stays composed at any speed. The Panoramic Sky Lounge roof and Harman Kardon sound make the back of this car a genuinely pleasant place to spend an hour in traffic.

Under the bonnet sits a 3.0 litre twin-turbo inline-six running as a mild hybrid, producing 286 horsepower and reaching 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds through an eight-speed automatic. Top speed is limited to 250 km/h. None of those numbers tell the real story. What matters is how settled it feels at a steady cruise and how quietly the hybrid system pulls away from a standstill, which is most of what city driving here actually involves.

Around Dubai it does the unglamorous work well. It is composed in Dubai Marina traffic, relaxed on an early run out to Hatta or Al Qudra, and discreet pulling up to a hotel on Palm Jumeirah. Five adults travel in real comfort with luggage for an airport run, and the cabin holds its calm whether the road is jammed or empty. It arrives without asking for attention, which is exactly the brief.

Renting it makes sense when you want the 7 Series presence for a week of meetings rather than the cost and depreciation of ownership. It is the quiet, capable choice for business travel and longer stays. We deliver it to your door, hotel or the airport, full of fuel and detailed, with insurance and delivery already included in the rate you were quoted.