Junkyard Treasure: 2004 BMW 745Li – BMW's iDrive interface debuted with the E65 7-Series.

The fourth generation of the BMW 7-Series, known as the E65, was launched for the 2002 model year and was stuffed full of Bavarian-style luxury and cutting-edge electronics. The long-wheelbase version, known as the Li, was for the serious high-rollers who wanted to make a big impression as they rolled up to the board meeting or casino, and the list price started at $73,300 (close to 100 grand in 2017 bucks). As so often happens with high-end European sedans, sadly, this one wasn’t coddled once the new-car smell wore off, and today it parks among the Daewoo Leganzas and Mitsubishi Galants of the IMPORTS section at a Denver self-service wrecking yard.

BMW’s iDrive system made its debut in the 2002 7-Series, and it drove most of the world’s car freaks berserk with worship and/or fury. In true German fashion, menus and controls went down to the molecular level and interface navigation involved more layers than a basketball-sized onion. Now that we’re in the second decade of the 21st century, buyers of German luxury cars expect complex interfaces.