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Luxury
Yes, it's for real: the Emperor Workstation
By Loz Blain
00:14 January 13, 2009 PST
January 13, 2009 Talk about over the top! This US40,000 contraption acts like a sedentary gamer's life-support system. Three synchronised 19" monitors adjustable to the perfect height, inbuilt 5.1 surround sound with a woofer right under your leather-coddled hiney - which is gently warmed or cooled by the seat depending on temperature, electronic posture-controlled reclining, subtle lighting, HEPA air filtration, and it gently and automatically rotates to avoid external glare. The Emperor Workstation uncoils like a scorpion to let you in, then closes in around you once you sit down to lock you into workstation world. Stick a hole in the seat with some plumbing, and sit it next to the fridge, and you wouldn't have to pause your game for ANYTHING. Read More
Opulence meets economy: Lexus debuts its first fuel-sipping dedicated luxury hybrid
By Loz Blain
20:18 January 12, 2009 PST
January 13, 2009 In keeping with the strong theme of efficiency over gas-guzzling muscle at this year's Detroit NAIAS auto show, Lexus has introduced a new hybrid sedan to its lineup, slated to go on sale in Q3 2009. 30% more fuel-efficient than anything else in the Lexus range, the 187-horsepower, 4-cylinder HS 250h is an acknowledgement by the biggest-selling luxury car brand in the USA that even the cashed-up luxury market wants to control its use of fossil fuels. While the HS 250h is miserly on fuel (Lexus claim it will drink less per mile than the tiny Smart Fortwo) it's still a big spender on the interior, with some serious driver assist features, heads-up display, radar-governed cruise control, parking cameras and a voice-controlled nav/premium audio system. Read More
Location, location, location: could this hotel be in the world's most beautiful?
By Loz Blain
02:19 January 8, 2009 PST
Gizmag readers are an intelligent, well-traveled, knowledgeable and resourceful bunch if the feedback emails we receive are any indication. So here's your chance guys and gals, because we're struggling even to imagine a more stunning setting for a luxury hotel than this. Explora Hotel Salto Chico sits at the edge of an alpine lake, beside a giant waterfall, at the foot of one of the Andes' most spectacular views, in the middle of the Patagonian wilderness in remote Southern Chile. Just take a look through the photo gallery, it's absolutely mind-boggling, and very close to enough lakes, glaciers, snowy mountains and waterfalls to chew through the tallest stack of camera memory cards. So tell us, is there a more spectacularly located hotel anywhere in the world? Read More
Power and sail: Wally's latest offerings hit the water
01:29 November 17, 2008 PST
Regular Gizmag readers may already be familiar with some of the elegant and ambitious yacht concepts to have emerged from the Wally design house. Both having made their debut at this year's Monaco Yacht Show, the two latest offerings do nothing to suggest that the standard is dropping. The 19 meter, 64' wallypower is the first unit of a new line which sits between the WallyTender and the larger WallyPower yachts while the magnificent Wally 148 Saudade sloop is, at 148-foot (45-meter), the largest Wally built so far. Read More
Hybrid yacht combines diesel, solar and wind power
By Emily Clark
23:12 November 2, 2008 PST
Island Pilot has used this year’s Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show to debut its new hybrid motoryacht - the DSe Hybrid12m. Combining diesel, solar and electric power (hence "DSe") and with wind-power to be added to the production model, the 40ft vessel can take advantage of a sunny day by cruising at speeds of up to six knots indefinitely using only solar power. Not only does this save fuel, it eliminates the rumble of diesel engines to bring one of pure-sailing's greatest attractions to the motoryacht format - silence. Read More
40 Signature Series: stunning Lord Norman Foster designed super-yacht
00:00 October 31, 2008 PDT
One of the most elegant water-going creations to cross our desk in recent times is the Foster and Partners designed YachtPlus 40 ‘Signature Series'. Designed by a 7-strong architectural team led by Lord Foster himself and being built at the Rodriquez Cantieri Navali shipyard in northern Italy, the ultra-contemporary 135 foot (41m) luxury superyacht offers 5737 square feet of useable living space with extensive outer deck area including a submergible beach deck, a grand staircase at transom and seperate jet ski storage space. The innovative interior layout has four decks accommodating up to 12 guests and 7 crew while the full beam owner’s cabin on the main deck includes forward-facing windows that lead to private balconies and the glass walled main saloon features 180 degree views. Read More
Techno-bling: Super Talent's 18-carat gold USB drive
17:39 October 28, 2008 PDT
Memory specialist Super Talent has announced a limited edition 18-carat gold version of its diminutive Pico-C Drive. The swank 8GB USB device features 200X (30MB/sec) data transfer speeds, is water resistant and comes with a matching gold keychain and black velvet jewelry box. Read More
Motorola AURA - a fob watch for the 21st century
18:20 October 21, 2008 PDT
Motorola has broken new ground in the mobile phone fashion stakes with its latest handset - the uniquely designed AURA. While the phones' specs - which include a 2MP camera, H.264 video capture, 2GB on board memory, hands-free Bluetooth connectivity and an open source browser - don't exactly set it apart from the pack, the craftsmanship, classic styling and high-end materials that have been utilized to create it certainly do. The immediately recognizable highlight is the circular liquid-crystal display, an industry first innovation inspired by luxury watch design that incorporates 16 million colors and 300 dpi resolution protected by a highly scratch-resistant 62-carat sapphire crystal lens. Read More
Gresso's limited edition 192Gb USB pendant
22:40 September 24, 2008 PDT
The latest high-end tech offering from Gresso is a cleverly designed USB Flash drive pendant that incorporates three separate 64 Gb memory sticks into a single unit made from 200-year-old African Blackwood with diamond and gold trimmings. A limited run of 99 pieces has been announced for the ENIGMA collection, but prospective buyers will have to dig deep. Read More
Lifestyles of the rich, famous and incredibly fast: the Ascari Race Resort
By Loz Blain
00:19 September 22, 2008 PDT
The Ascari Race Resort seems to have been transplanted from a motorsport enthusiast's wildest playboy fantasies into a rolling valley among southern Spain's magnificent Andalusian mountains. An immaculate, 5.425km, FAI-compliant private racetrack awaits its wealthy patrons with 25 demanding and technical turns per lap, some designed to replicate famous turns from F1 tracks around the world. A fleet of hire cars that ranges from a "beginner" race-prepped Lotus Elise up to ex-Formula One machinery sits growling in the pits beside a full-time pit crew, tempting the anointed and the unworthy alike. And in a world first, Ascari's seven-star hotel complex includes serious entertainment, luxury and recreation to keep the whole family occupied as you exorcise your speed demons on the tarmac. As Fernando Alonso described it: "Unusual, exciting, beautiful." Read More
Two new recreational submarines – the luxury CQ2 and Personal Tour CQ3 submersibles
By Jack Martin
02:30 September 15, 2008 PDT
September 15, 2008 The submarine was invented several hundred years before the automobile, but it’s not surprising that it is taking a little longer to reach ubiquitous recreational usage. A bent fender is small change indeed compared to the inconvenience of Decompression Sickness, asphyxiation or perhaps being crushed to death. The risk of such perils had to be comprehensively mitigated before recreational submarines could safely come to market and the Dutch U-Boat Worx was the first to get it all right with the C-Quester one-seater CQ1 and two-seater CQ2. Now the company is set to launch a completely revamped CQ2 aimed at the SuperYacht Market and a two-, three- and four-seater CQ3 (pictured) aimed at the tourism industry. Read More
Mercedes-Benz ConceptFASCINATION design study
00:16 September 12, 2008 PDT
The latest design study from Mercedes-Benz is Concept FASCINATION - and it looks pretty swish. Under its skin, the highly-sculpted hatchback coupé is based on E-Class technology with drive provided by a new four-cylinder BlueTEC diesel engine which develops 150 kW/ 204 hp from a displacement of 2.2 liters. It's mostly about the looks though. Designed to pull on the heartstrings of coupé lovers with a healthy dose of practical usability thrown in, the concept makes extensive use of luxurious hand-crafted materials on the inside including a load compartment made of wood with brushed aluminum protective rails and built-in refrigerator and humidor. From the outside the car's dynamic profile is highlighted by its forward-sloping rear, glass roof, frameless side-windows, an eye-catching front apron and slightly new take on the dual headlight theme. Read More
Renault to reveal high-end Ondelios concept (UPDATED - NEW IMAGES)
20:53 September 10, 2008 PDT
Renault has placed the emphasis on style, interior space and long-haul comfort in its new luxury crossover concept offering which is set to debut at the Paris Motor Show next month. The 15.7 feet (4.8 m) long, 5.2 feet (1.6 m) high Ondelios - the name being an amalgam of the French 'onde' (wave) and 'helios' (the Greek god of the sun) - is powered by a by a hybrid system combining a 205hp (150kW) version of the 2.0 dCi engine with two 20kW electric motors at the front and rear which give it the capability of a 4WD vehicle. The initial pics reveal the standout elements of the design - a striking inset aluminum-finish grille, inwardly curved tail lights, seven-spoke, 23-inch aluminum alloy wheels and butterfly-style side doors hinged to the roof to enable easy access to the three rows of seats. There's also plenty of technological goodies on show including a collaboration with Samsung that lets the driver use a cell phone to unlock the door and engage personal settings like seat-adjustment and music. Read More
Leatherman Argentum collection
By Darren Quick
03:39 August 5, 2008 PDT
In the spirit of finding any excuse to bling up just about anything, Leatherman are celebrating their 25th anniversary with the release of the Argentum Collection – a line of limited edition leatherman tools hand crafted by silversmith Adrian Pallarols that range in price from US$240 to US$40,000. Read More
The luxury motor coach with its own private balcony
By Jude Garvey
13:19 August 2, 2008 PDT
Country Coach’s Veranda series of luxury motor coaches incorporate a veranda which is designed to transform your living area into a luxury suite with a view. The veranda is essentially a 4.6 foot wide by 13 foot deep steel desk with railings. It is created by lowering the coach’s side wall and is separated from the interior by 12-foot, three-section glass doors, which can be opened wide to increase the living space. The deck is designed to bear 3000 pounds of weight and can be lowered by the push of a button in less than 20 seconds and raised in under 30. Read More
Palm Jumeirah to feature Dubai's most expensive penthouse
21:31 June 27, 2008 PDT
Breaking property records is one thing, but when the property happens to be in Dubai, it's another ball game entirely. The AED 2.9 billion (around USD$790 million) contract for the construction of the spectacular 62 storey tall Trump International Hotel & Tower on Palm Jumeirah was announced earlier this month and with pre-sales of some properties fetching as much as $3000USD, real estate developer Nakheel and the Trump Organization expect that the tower's exclusive penthouse will break property records. The 270 meter tall design which features two towers that merge at the 40th floor will include 378 hotel rooms and suites, 385 condominiums, 12 townhouses, 45,000 square feet of retail and 60,000 square feet of office space along with a private beach and super-marina. Public sales of the residences began on June 23 and Donald J. Trump himself has already reserved an apartment in the Tower which is expected to be completed in May 2011. Read More
High-end retro lusso turntable
20:14 May 28, 2008 PDT
May 29, 2008 If you’re a die-hard vinyl fan you are going to love the lusso turntable on offer from German company, Montegiro. Its retro good looks might even tempt you to slip on some sixties gear and mix yourself a dry martini while you’re selecting an LP! Read More
Gresso White Diamonds luxury mobile phone collection
By Emily Clark
23:05 May 27, 2008 PDT
Not satisfied with the innocuous grey or black of standard mobiles? Perhaps these unique diamond encrusted phones from Gresso are what you’ve been looking for. But such exclusivity comes at a price - 9,000 and 33,000 euros (around US$14,000 and $52,000) depending on the model. Read More
RR4: First taste of new Rolls-Royce model
20:02 May 27, 2008 PDT
Luxury car maker Rolls-Royce has revealed the first design sketches of its next new model which is due to be launched in 2010. The two teasing sketches released thus far reveal little detail of the car to be known as the the RR4, although a streamlined design direction that builds on the current Phantom model line-up is clear. According to Rolls Royce Chief designer Ian Cameron, the RR4 will be smaller than Phantom with a "more informal presence" and a "greater emphasis on driving". It will also be powered by a completely new engine and the company plans to ramp up production at its Goodwood manufacturing facilities, adding a second assembly line and moving to a two shift system to cater for the new model. Read More
Limited edition SL 63 AMG Edition IWC
17:11 May 13, 2008 PDT
May 13, 2008 Mercedes' high-performance division AMG has developed a new limited edition version of the SL 63 roadster. WIth only 200 destined to see the light of day, the SL 63 AMG Edition IWC combines its specially tuned, naturally aspirated, 386 kW/525 hp 6.3-litre V8 engine with a designo magno Kashmir white finish, an exterior carbon package and a a range of handling and performance enhancements in a vehicle that can hit 100 kmh 4.6 seconds from a standing start and has an electronically limited top speed of 300 kmh. Aside from the luxury timepiece that comes with the car, the "IWC" refers to the design collaboration between Mercedes-AMG and Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen, a relationship which began in 2004 with the CLS 55 AMG “IWC Engineer". Read More
Tag Heuer's US$6200 Meridiist mobile phone handset
By Loz Blain
00:53 April 23, 2008 PDT
April 23, 2008 If your Swiss watch has been complaining that it doesn't want to be seen in public with your mobile phone any more, you could do worse than check out Tag Heuer's first foray into the handset market. The Meridiist will feature high-grade steel casings, unscratchable dual crystal displays and nearly a month of standby time. Naturally it looks very classy too, but at up to US$6200, without any mention of 3G connectivity, it could be more a piece of palm jewelery than a serious telephone. Read More
Energy-positive wind powered rotating skyscraper set to begin construction in Dubai
By Loz Blain
21:34 April 17, 2008 PDT
Dubai has well earned its reputation for architectural extravagance and excess. Not a cent has been spared as various developers vie to produce the biggest, the most stunning, the most luxurious and the most outrageous projects ever undertaken. And while this next project is right up there in terms of luxury, exclusivity and head-spinning architectural genius, it adds a fascinating extra dimension - the ability to generate ten times as much power as it will use. Each floor of Dynamic Architecture's wind-powered rotating skyscraper is a single apartment with the ability to rotate independently, giving residents the ability to choose a new view at the touch of a button - quite a party trick. Wind turbines between each floor will generate a vast surplus of electricity capable of powering the whole surrounding neighborhood. Construction is set to begin soon in Dubai, with a second tower to follow in Moscow and numerous other sites around the world being considered. Read More
Volvo adds new massage seats to S80 and XC90 Executive models
By Darren Quick
00:05 April 14, 2008 PDT
April 14, 2008 Seats which include massaging and ventilation functions are among the new luxury trimmings Volvo has added to their S80 and XC90 Executive models. The new massage function consists of five inflatable pockets which have been built into the front seats and are pumped up and drained sequentially to create a wave-like motion that is adjustable at two levels. As well as massaging the lower back they also double up as a new lumbar support, while built-in ventilation is designed to keep the occupant’s body and clothing fresh. Read More
Hemisphere: the world's largest sailing catamaran
19:20 April 8, 2008 PDT
April 9, 2008 The giant 44.2m (145ft), 500 ton Hemisphere will claim the title of the world's largest sailing catamaran when it begins charter operations in the Caribbean in the winter of 2008/2009. Packed with luxurious features including a spacious flybridge with jacuzzi, a shaded dining, an expansive indoor/outdoor living area and full watersports amenities including a dive locker served by a large hydraulic swim platform, the Hemisphere can accommodate twelve guests in its five comfortable ensuite cabins. And the price tag for a sample of this palatial floating escape: charter rates start at US$150,000 per week excluding operating expenses. Read More
Gresso injects steel into luxury mobile phone collection
23:49 March 26, 2008 PDT
March 27, 2008 High-end mobile phone manufacturer Gresso has added to its Avantgarde Collection with the release of the Steel series - two new luxury handsets that integrate aircraft steel into the slim-line design. Read More
Freedom Glen
- November 25, 2009 @ 02:47 UTC
