READY TO RUMBLE

What is this? A six-cylinder Bentley? Yes, but that is not quite the full story. Crewe’s behemoth sport utility vehicle has finally received an eco-friendly powertrain option: a hybrid that mates the said engine with an electric motor to bring carbon emissions down to a hatchback-like 75 g/km. A 2.5-hour charge using a Philippe Starck-designed dock can juice the car up for a 50 km-long sojourn. This means, in Singapore at least, that you can make the average daily commute without ever stopping by a petrol station. Mind-boggling for an object that will weigh over an estimated three tons.

 

Deserving of a double take is this blast from the past: a 1984 luxury sedan, updated to 2018 standards. Built over 3,500 hours by Jaguar Land Rover Classics on commission by Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain, the Series 3 XJ6 receives 4,000 modern parts including LED headlamps, an infotainment screen and push-button start. This one-off piece is finished in a brilliant mauve paint and trimmed in stunning Pimiento red leather, befitting of the flamboyant, ardent Jaguar fan. And naturally, the speakers are powered by no less than a 1,100-watt sound system.

 

Here’s one for scaring the offspring in. Following the SLS and GT 2-Door coupes – and offering the same tail-happy drifting dynamics – the first family car by Daimler’s high performance arm comes in three variants, with the most powerful of the lot capable of reaching 100 km/h from standstill in a quick 3.2 seconds. Despite the sexy fastback silhouette, the car has rear seats that dish out bountiful legroom and headroom. If you are not carrying people in the back, the boot expands from 395 litres to a truly usable 1,324 litres. Proving to be a bona fide daily driver, this.

 

Reviving a neglected – but well-loved – nameplate at Munich’s Bayerische Motoren Werke, the 8-series is a long-awaited replacement for the iconic 840i/850i (pop-up headlamps, anyone?) last sold in the previous century. Still in the concept stage, the M8 Gran Coupe will serve as the range topper and is slated in 2019 to complete the family of two-doors and convertibles due out this year. Expect typical BMW M touches, such as a roof made of carbon fibre reinforced plastic and a 4.4-litre V8 motor that will most certainly exceed the M5’s 591 bhp power by a sizeable margin.