Bentley, Lexus and Tesla Motors have turned up the heat in 2017

01: UNLEASHED POWER

In the time you take to read this sentence aloud, the Continental Supersports has hit 100kmh. And that’s if you’re fast about it. British carmaker Bentley topped its own Flying Spur – and the rest of the world’s four-seater sports cars, apparently – with a twin turbocharged W12 petrol-powered beast that does 0 – 100 in 3.5 seconds. For those who like wind in their hair, there’s a convertible option that manages it in 3.9 seconds. To rein in that raw power, Bentley installed the largest carbon ceramic brake rotors in the car industry to match. The exterior’s been refreshed as well: Lithe yet chiselled features set on muscular haunches bring to mind a jaguar (the animal, not marque). It does, however, retain the unmistakable front grille design. Wearnes Automotive, 45 Leng Kee Road. Tel: 6378-2628

02: LONGER, NOT FASTER

Will there ever be an entity that can challenge Tesla’s supremacy in the electric vehicle arena? The only other contender for the fastest electric car, the much-vaunted FF91 by Chinese firm Faraday Future, sputtered out during a global unveiling event – amid news of the company being mired in financial troubles. Yet in a clear signal that it won’t be resting on its laurels, the American carmaker recently launched the Model S 100D variant, which bumps its distance per full charge up to a potential 540km – the longest in the world by far. That’s enough to make five trips to Johor Bahru and back, with some juice left over. No changes on the design front, however, which is fine for a variant.

03: TESTING THE WATERS

Japanese marque Lexus has joined the fray of automakers dabbling with rotors instead of wheels. The concept Sport Yacht packs 880bhp into a tiny 12.7m frame, and can ferry a party of six at a respectable 79kmh. Factor in favourable waves and wind, and the two-tone, carbon-reinforced fibre craft can break into the hundreds. While not green-lighted just yet, sufficient interest could warrant a limited production run, a la the 2016 Mercedes-Benz’ 10-seater, the Arrow460-Granturismo.