The best cars of 2017: Range Rover, Lexus and more

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The last 12 months have been a particularly strong year for the motoring industry, especially for UK manufacturers and companies pursuing electric power.

Jaguar's F-Pace, a mid-size SUV that was well received by critics, offered buyers an alternative to the luxurious Land Rover range, while Tesla announced its first mass-production electric vehicle, the Model 3, which is expected to go on sale towards the end of 2017.

This year is shaping up to be just as exciting, with the announcement of Faraday Future's first production car at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) last week demonstrating technologies that could appear on our roads over the next 24 months.

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Here are all the details for this year's models.

Range Rover Velar

Land Rover announced its entry into the coupe-SUV market at the Geneva Motor Show, with its new Velar set to take on the Mercedes GLC and BMW X6.

Demand for sleeker SUVs has dramatically increased over the past couple of years, although Land Rover is one of the few manufacturers to commit to the sector.

The Velar occupies the space between its compact Evoque SUV and the Range Rover Sport, blending a mixture of coupe-styling with the short overhangs of a Land Rover Discovery.

Its wheelbase is only ten inches shy of the upcoming Lexus LS, meaning it should have enough legroom for five occupants, rivalling the most luxurious limousine-style saloons available.

What's more, it's one of the few luxury SUVs to move away from having an all-leather interior. Land Rover will offer a sustainable material for the seats, steering wheel and dashboard as an optional extra.

Orders for the Range Rover Velar are open now, with prices starting at £44,830 and deliveries expected as early as this summer.

Click here for all the details on Land Rover's coupe-style SUV.

Bentley Continental Super Sports

Bentley Continental's hardcore version will allegedly be the "world's fastest four-seat" production car ever.

The Supersports has another 74bhp packed into the Continental's 6.0-litre W12 engine, raising the total power output to 700bhp and 750lb-ft torque. This launches the 5,027lbs car from zero to 62mph in 3.5secs and on to a top speed of 209mph.

Under the body, Bentley has reworked the torque vectoring system from the old Continental GT3-R, which helps the all-wheel drive GT maximise power and grip when exiting corners. Drivers can also modulate the distribution of torque between the front and rear axles to give the characteristics of a rear-driven car.

Diamond-quilted seats and Alcantara highlights on the steering wheel and gearstick add a more purposeful feel, while buyers can choose from an array of bespoke interior detailing options to set their car apart from others.

Prices for the Supersports are expected to start at around £212,500. Orders are open now, with first deliveries scheduled to arrive in the spring.

Click here to find all the details about Bentley's hardcore Continental.

Kia Stinger

Kia surprised many at the Detroit Motor Show when it unveiled this rear-wheel drive saloon. The Korean car firm is known for making entry-level hatchbacks and family cars, but the Stinger appears to set its sights towards the Audi A4 and BMW 3-series.

In high performance G trim, the car gets a 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 engine that produces 360bhp and 376lb-ft torque. Kia claims the V6 will achieve a zero to 62mph time of around 5.1secs and a top speed of 167mph.

There's no official word on pricing yet, but the Daily Telegraph claims the Stinger could be priced "from £28,000" and will arrive in the UK "later this year".

Land Rover Discovery

This year marks the introduction of an all-new Land Rover Discovery, which is expected to launch in the spring and be priced between £43,495 and £68,295.

Made using a lighter aluminium architecture, the 2017 model should handle better on rough terrain and be more economical to run, especially with the addition of Jaguar Land Rover's Ingenium diesel as an optional extra.

As Land Rover buyers would expect, the Discovery is packed with the latest off-road technology, including improved approach and departure angles and an air suspension system that can be raised 11ins for better ground clearance.

Click here for all the details about this year's new Discovery.

Lexus LS

Lexus announced its latest LS saloon at the Detroit Motor Show, indicating another leap in luxury for the Toyota sub-brand that could tempt buyers away from the BMW 7-series and Mercedes S-Class saloon.

The most notable feature of the LS is its intricate grille, which Lexus claims features "thousands" of individual surfaces. It's also lower, wider and longer than the outgoing model to offer more legroom for passengers and better handling.

Under the bonnet sits an exclusively designed 3.5-litre V6 engine that delivers 415bhp to the rear wheels. It is coupled to a ten-speed automatic gearbox, which helps the all-wheel drive variant go from zero to 62mph in 4.5secs.

Lexus has yet to reveal any prices, but expect it to cost more than the current model's £99,995 asking price.

Find out more about the 2017 LS here.

Renault Alpine

After an absence of over 20 years, Renault is to revive the Alpine name in 2017. Called the Alpine Vision, the rear-wheel drive sports car is set to rival the Alfa Romeo 4C when it goes on sale towards the end of the year.

It will be mid-enginned, although Renault has yet to release any details about the mechanics itself, and will go from zero to 62mph in 4.5secs - as quick as the Alfa 4C and 0.2secs quicker than the Porsche 718 Cayman.

While the car has yet to appear without its camouflage cover, the design clearly borrows elements from the rear-enginned Alpine cars of the 1960s and 70s, as well as the Vision concept that appeared in early 2016.

Pricing will start between €50,000 to €60,000 (£42,000 to £50,000), with a fee of €2,000 (£1,700) securing one in either black, white or blue.

You can find all the latest information about the Alpine Vision here.

Tesla Model 3

Tesla's entry-level all-electric Model 3 launches this year and is already a hit, amassing a queue of more than 400,000 pre-orders shortly after its reveal last year.

What makes the Model 3 so appealing to potential buyers is that it will cost $35,000 (£29,000), making it the cheapest Tesla on sale and one of the most affordable electric vehicles on the market. Also impressive is that it will come with all the necessary equipment needed for Tesla's self-driving Autopilot software.

On a single charge, the Model 3 should boast a minimum range of 215 miles, rumoured to come from a battery smaller than 60kWh. Customers are expected to be able to get different battery packs at an addition cost, which could bring more range and a boost in performance.

Expect the Model S and X to lead in performance, although Tesla has said its high performance "Ludicrous mode" will be available on the Model 3 at an additional cost.

Find all the details about Tesla's mass production fully-electric car here.

Mercedes AMG GT C coupe

Mercedes announced a coupe variant of its GT C sports car at the Detroit Motor Show, as the German carmaker celebrates its 50-year partnership with the AMG tuning firm.

The new model sits between the GT S and the Nurburgring-developed GT R. Flared wheel arches and a lower ride height set it apart from the entry-models, as does the exclusive matt black paint and large air intakes.

Under the bonnet, the GT C coupe retains the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine from the roadster model, which produces 459bhp and can achieve a zero to 62mph time of 3.7secs. It also adopts the GT R's rear-wheel steering system and features active aerodynamics that channel air underneath the car to the rear diffuser.

Mercedes is expected to announce prices for the GT C later this year, but prices for the current roadster start at £133,455, so customers can expect the coupe to be a little cheaper.

Alfa Romeo Stelvio

Alfa Romeo's plan to rebrand itself began last year, with the launch of the rear-wheel drive Giulia saloon and a new manufacturing platform. This year sees the addition of Alfa's first SUV based on the platform - the Stelvio.

The Stelvio will be available with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired to an eight-speed automatic gearbox. Power is sent to the rear wheels in regular driving conditions, but can shift to the front axle when the terrain becomes more challenging.

A faster Quadrifoglio version, featuring more aggressive styling and a 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 engine that produces 503bhp and 295lb-ft torque, will also be available. It will boast a 50:50 weight distribution and can be specced with carbon ceramic brake discs.

Pre-orders have opened for the limited-run First Edition Stelvio, with more details expected at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

Here are all the details about the Stelvio so far.

Lamborghini Aventador S

The announcement of the Aventador S came as a surprise to many as last year's launch of the hardcore SV was considered to be the conclusion of Lamborghini's current flagship supercar.

The S variant, however, features a tweaked version of the Aventador's 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine, producing 730bhp, around 40bhp more than the outgoing model, towards all-four wheels. The maximum rev range has also been increased from 8,350rpm to 8,500rpm, helping the car go from zero to 62mph in 2.9secs.

Lamborghini has fitted an all-wheel steering system to improve corner entry and stability. Ceramic brakes are included as standard, as are the 20ins wheels that come paired with a set of Pirelli P Zero tyres.

Expect it to cost around £277,000 when it arrives in April.

You can read all the details about the Aventador S here.