The best and worst things I’ve seen this week: 1 December 2017

Lister Storm - I’d forgotten about this one until our gallery celebrating 101 years of the V12 engine came along. It’s so idiosyncratic to its era, looking complex enough to resemble something out of a futuristic movie yet simplistic enough to look like an oversized toy.

Hyundai Kona on the road - I didn’t really like the Kona very much when I first saw it, but it’s grown on me tremendously, especially upon seeing one on the road for the first time this week. It’s a little busy to look at in places, but overall it looks modern, tough and, from some angles, sleek and perhaps even pretty. More like this and Hyundai could become a real problem for the big European mass-market brands.

The Jeep Wrangler’s Willys wheel detail - I do like a detail on an alloy wheel. There’s something about a manufacturer putting a little finishing touch so low down on the car and on a part that's moving whenever the car is in use, meaning the detail will seldom be noticed, that restores a little faith in me for the automotive industry. The red Willys on the Jeep Wrangler’s wheels are a perfect example of this.

Rocket Bunny’s Mazda MX-5 - The Mazda MX-5 has always been an automotive catch-all - sporty enough to be left as-is, as well as being instilled with enough potential for really wild, exotica-baiting modification. Maybe Rocket Bunny’s choice of paint job detracts from the visual appeal a little, but as modifications go, this is an attractive one.

Bentley Continental GT interior - I know it’s the point of the Bentley Continental GT to be as good as they come interior-wise, but in the specification we tested this week, it really is something else. The natural wood, the polished-to-perfection piano black trim, the jewel-like switchgear; before, I hadn’t considered Bentley anything but boringly unattainable luxury, but upon seeing this, a flickering desire was lit.

Toyota's FT-AC concept - When Toyota revealed the pre-show snippet of the FT-AC, I was excited. Toyota needs a large rugged SUV that’s smaller than the UN-spec and awkward-looking, although hugely capable, Land Cruiser. Come the reveal time and the FT-AC looks a bit fussy and over-designed, rather than the chunky, muscular, mud-plugging concept I’d hoped for.