BMW 640i Gran Coupe. Audi S7. Sleek Attire

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So far, this is looking like a prime example of getting what you pay for. But then we arrive at the sun-drenched road of Moe’s dreams. There’s every shade of brown and yellow surrounding us and, as hoped, the shadows of the surrounding dunes and distant mountains are lengthening into a panorama of desert beauty. Moe hops out, and James and I take turns blasting along.

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I’m back in the BMW, leading him in the S7. And suddenly the tables are turning. The BMW’s lively rear end, such a pleasure on the slower, tighter bends, is proving somewhat intimidating now as we thrash across long, wide bends at speeds I’d prefer to keep to myself. The steering is still great, but the back of the car feels nervous, and I find myself being much more cautious in getting the power down as it feels it could start to break away if I overdo things.

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I’m pushing fairly hard, but remain conscious that if I start to slide at 120kph-plus, the results may not be pretty and a few kerbed rims will be the least of my worries. After a couple of minutes I glance in the rear view mirror and James is right with me in the S7. He tells me as we swap seats later that he was having to lift pretty regularly and had no trouble keeping up.

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Back in the Audi’s driving seat, I can see why. Straight from the off I open a gap, that instant traction and all 414bhp unleashed onto the perfectly smooth tarmac. Now unhindered by inertia and terminal understeer, it’s got wide open bends to play with, a shedload of grunt and tons of grip. The steering inputs aren’t enough to trouble the front tyres. And the results are superb.

Within a few seconds, James and the BMW have become a spot into the distance. The V8 sings and the S7 slaughters the tarmac, urging me to push just that little bit more. It remains perfectly composed and the growl of the V8 is just loud enough to inject some excitement into proceedings; I was worried that the levels of insulation would detract from the thrill. But it all translates to incredible confidence in the car.

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Well, up to a point anyway. As I edge towards the limits – both of grip and towards the car’s 250kph top speed – there’s a need to be pinpoint accurate with the steering. The car’s weight is still a factor in its behaviour, and I don’t want to upset the balance with sudden movement. Smooth, small inputs are the order of the day and the S7’s power steering is hindering me a fraction.

The heft is great, but there’s a feeling of artifice in the feedback, like the inputs from my hands aren’t all that’s going on. There are little spikes in the level of assistance, as if a team of Borrowers is translating my actions into an approximation for the front wheels. It’s not direct enough, and that means I can’t be quite as sure of the reaction of the fronts as I want to be.

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It’s a relatively minor quibble though. The S7 is a great car. Its size and all-wheel drive means it’s not as sprightly on tighter roads as the BMW, but it decimates it for pace when things open up. It’s also more refined and composed, and more comfortable to cruise in. That said, the 640i Gran Coupe is far from a bad car. It’s better looking, and much more playful on slower, tighter corners. Its potential for fun is higher than the Audi’s.

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But it’s so expensive in this part of the world, costing more than the S7 and giving away 99bhp to its fellow countryman. If money’s no object and you live on an Alpine pass, then you’ll love the BMW. But if you’re living in the Middle East and don’t want to throw cash away, then we can only really recommend the S7.

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