The huge open-plan deck saloon on the Absolute 70 is a dazzling mix of glass, white leather and stainless steel and looks more like a funky Manhattan apartment than a traditional sportscruiser.

There's a glass and stainless steel balcony overlooking the galley (complete with Gaggenau espresso machine and artificial slate worktops). Light streams in through great side windows and the vast glass sunroof. There's even a second sunroof over the aft cockpit that slides forward to maximise the rays back here as well.

Down below, the most striking feature are those vast floor-to-ceiling topside windows in the full-beam owner's cabin. At rest these are about six inches above the waterline, giving the impression that the bed is floating at sea level.

The forward VIP suite and second guest cabin also get larger than normal portholes and generous floor space. However, the biggest surprise is in the engineroom where four IPS600 drives deliver a top speed of 30 knots but more importantly fuel consumption of 100 litres per hour at 12 knots or 160 litres per hour at 22 knots.

Under way, the 70 feels graceful and unhurried - perhaps different in character to her flash, modernist interior. Into oncoming waves, the hull have a soft ride despite the considerable beam, and in tight spaces the IPS joystick made manoeuvring a breeze.