Luxury

18:17 September 23, 2007 PDT

September 24, 2007 Shelby Supercars (SSC) has reported a world record 257mph run in speed testing of its 1183bhp, twin-turbo V8 Ultimate Aero TT. The first pass was recorded at 257.41mph (414.31kmh) and the second pass was recorded at 254.88mph (410.24kmh) in testing on a temporarily-closed two lane stretch of public highway in the company’s home state of Washington for an average top speed of 256.15mph. Read More

AERO GIZMO

Air, land, sea or snow: Lisa’s Akoya microlight leisure plane

20:35 September 20, 2007 PDT

The €300,000 Lisa Akoya seems to open up a new category of aircraft. Designed to fly from airstrip to yacht to ski slope, the sporty multi-access amphibian caters perfectly to the business/leisure niche of the very wealthy. Entirely built from high-tech composite materials and capable of landing on a mere 100-metre strip, the luxurious Akoya also features a swivelling wing to make it storable in a narrow garage or on a yacht. Read More

AUTOMOTIVE

One supercar, hold the paint job: Bugatti Veyron Pur Sang

17:04 September 19, 2007 PDT

September 20, 2007 Ah, the Bugatti Veyron – the supercar to end all supercars.

The one million Euro, 400 km/h (248.5 mph) machine laid claim to the title of the fastest, most powerful and most expensive street-legal production car in the world in 2005. But more than that, it’s an engineering achievement of epic proportions, a 1000-horsepower, aluminum and carbon-fiber celebration of the pinnacles of speed, power and aerodynamics that are possible when no expense is spared. The sheer genius and artistry of its construction are highlighted by the limited edition Veyron Pur Sang unveiled at Frankfurt, the first supercar ever released without a paint job. The raw beauty of the Pur Sang’s perfectly shaped materials is even more striking and inspiring than the gorgeous paint jobs on the standard production models. Read More

ON THE WATER

The Mangusta 165 - World's largest Open yacht

19:31 September 18, 2007 PDT

The Mangusta 165 - World's largest Open yacht

September 19, 2007 One of the many first views at the first boat show of the European season, the Salon Nautique in Cannes, was the Mangusta 165’ (50 meters), the largest Open yacht in the world. Towering over just about everything in the resplendent harbour, and with invites aboard restricted to Greek Shipping magnates and the like, the EUR 20 million yacht is the new record holder for size in the open class. Besting the existing record held by with its Mangusta 130, the largest open super yacht is destined to remain in the near vicinity as the European home of Australian entrepreneur Jamie Packer, son of the Late Kerry and Grandson of Sir Frank, who has moved the family business out of publishing and into casinos and hence has a lot of business to do in Europe. Combining the recurrence and cost-effectiveness of a Semi-Custom, the Rodriguez Group hopes to deliver two Mangusta 165s a year from 2009. Read More

AUTOMOTIVE

The other Ferrari Limousine

22:42 September 13, 2007 PDT

September 14, 2007 We wuz wrong! We wrote earlier this week about the world's first stretched Ferrari, and we've since had several readers (thanks to Bill Siegfried and Peter Yu) who wrote to inform us of another stretched Ferrari that resides in the USA. It turns out the original world's first stretched Ferrari can be hired for the princely sum of US$400 an hour from Ali Baba Limousines in Philadelphia PA. Ali Baba specializes in exotic limos - the stable includes stretched versions of some serious automotive unobtanium, including Jaguar, Rolls Royce, Mercedes Benz, Range Rover, Hummer, and getting into "oh, how could they" territory a stretched Porsche Cayenne, a stretched Excalibur, and, heaven forbid, a stretched 1952 MG (sob!). Read More

AUTOMOTIVE

1 million euro Lamborghini Reventon – 20 only

23:33 September 11, 2007 PDT

1 million euro Lamborghini Reventon – 20 only

September 12, 2007 Lamborghini yesterday unveiled the Lamborghini Reventon at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Only 20 cars will be produced and they come with a very exclusive price tag - EUR1 million (US$1.38 million) plus taxes. Although it is based on the Murciélago LP640, the exterior design of the Reventón is completely new and combines extraordinary styling with its limited edition status and price tag to make the supercar a symbol of extreme exclusivity. Read More

AUTOMOTIVE

The $2 million DiMora Natalia

19:29 August 26, 2007 PDT

In an age of conspicuous consumption, DiMora MotorCar (DMC) have set themselves a clear target in the creation of their US$2 million Natalia sports luxury sedan: to be “the world’s most luxurious, expensive and technologically advanced creation.” So how does one go about specifying a production car when the aim is to have it all? For starters there’s the variable-cylinder, 1200 hp aluminum V16 engine, add lightweight design borrowing from aerospace composites and structures, more than 50 onboard computer systems, four wheel steering, retractable large screen television and massage seats for rear passengers and you are beginning to get the idea. Read More

New Gresso high-end luxury mobile phones

17:31 August 7, 2007 PDT

August 8, 2007 Luxury mobile phone specialist Gresso has released its new “Avantgarde” collection. These unique, ultra-slim phones are manually constructed using gold and 200 year old African Blackwood – the use of which ensures that two identical phones do not exist. Employing the usual attention to detail, Gresso use Sapphire crystal glass of 42 K to frame the screen and hand polished stainless steel for the back, along with another first in the form of a keyboard featuring laser cut Roman numerals. Read More

AROUND THE HOME

Where else but Dubai: the Pentominium to be world’s tallest residential tower

06:17 July 31, 2007 PDT

Dubai's ultra-exclusive Pentominium is set to be the world's tallest residential building,...

July 31, 2007 The enormous and still skyrocketing wealth centralized in Dubai has seen some absolutely outrageous construction projects taking off. From the world’s tallest building and a ski slope in the desert to custom-built islands and rotating skyscrapers, the international commerce hub seems to have ingenious developers fighting each other over who can make the biggest show of material excess. The latest jewel in Dubai’s extravagant crown will be a 516-metre tall apartment building, more than twice as high as the previous biggest residential building and with no expense spared on pure luxury. Even its name, the Pentominium, drips with treacle-thick exclusivity. Some floors will be uniquely suspended in mid-air, giving the impression that you’re living in a floating penthouse in the sky, with residents having access to a fleet of luxury automobiles and yachts for transport and entertainment. The ancient Egyptians defined their era with the impossible pyramids of Giza – could the fantastical architecture of Dubai be the defining monument of our era? Read More

AROUND THE HOME

Pimp my Grill - the BeefEater gold-plated barbeque

May 11, 2007 We’re not quite sure what it is about barbeques, but we’ve seen our share of innovative outdoor cooking appliances in recent times. First there was the 345 horsepower, 5.7-liter HEMI V8 barbeque, then the Powerblock V8 BBQ that brands the food it cooks with the logo of your choice and then GarageWorks’ concept tailgating appliance that cooks, cools, warms and stores. Now we’ve seen it all – in a promotional initiative designed to draw attention to its range of barbeques, BBQ manufacturer BeefEater has created the ultimate in backyard bling – the world’s first fully operational gold-plated barbecue. All parts of the US$12,500 grill except for the cooking surfaces have been individually plated in 24 carat gold. BeefEater tricked out one of its range-topping Signature Series 6 Burner SL4000 to create a uniquely lavish gold plated barbecue, “for those who want to make a statement with their barbecue and have the money to burn.” Read More

ON THE WATER

A0: the hybrid-powered luxury sports catamaran

May 10, 2007 We love this design concept from Spanish design team Ubica. The A0 is a powered catamaran with vast amounts of luxurious living space in the two side floaters, a maximum speed of 50 knots and an estimated power output of around 2740 kilowatts from a hybrid biodiesel turbine/electric powerplant. Read More

TAG Heuer Monaco V4 concept watch goes into pre-series production

First images of the pre-series production unit

UPDATED May 9, 2007 PRE-PRODUCTION IMAGES - Three years ago this week, we previewed the remarkable TAG Heuer Monaco V4 concept watch which was to debut at the world’s premier watch and jewellery fair, Baselworld 2004. The mechanical Monaco V4 overturned basic watchmaking principles by featuring driving belts and ball-bearings instead of the conventional wheels and pinions. Next week, the Monaco V4 returns to Baselworld 2007 as a pre-series production unit. The mechanism uses toothed belts instead of the traditional gear transmission and delivers higher energy efficiency than a traditional mechanical movement. Read More

AUTOMOTIVE

Pimp my Roller – automotive jewellery for the Rolls Royce Phantom

April 24, 2007 Personalising one’s ride, be it a a V8 muscle car or an elegant roller, appears to be a growing trend, so just in case you have a Rolls Royce Phantom or similar ilk auto in the garage and feel the need to show your individuality, there’s the STRUT Collection – a premier brand of high quality triple-chromed grilles, wheels, and automotive jewelery designed for luxury automobiles and SUVs. STRUT recently introduced the new Knightsbridge Collection with its new architectural grille design for the Phantom. The distinctive grille design embodies the classic lines of the original Rolls grille with finely detailed, handcrafted, and highly polished bracelet style links giving a designer jewelery appearance crowned with the STRUT signature crest. Accessories include side vents, exhaust tips and a rear STRUT shield. All STRUT automotive jewelery collections are handcrafted from 316L stainless steel, then triple-chromed for superior durability and lustre that will withstand even the harshest outdoor elements. The price of giving jewelery to your automotive mistress is GBP 25,000. Read More

AUTOMOTIVE

Rolls-Royce presents the Phantom Armoured, for the man with a price on his head and a taste for absolute luxury.

April 18, 2007 Discretion was once the key in the luxury armoured vehicle market, but with competitors like Range Rover and Jaguar making inroads into the market, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has taken the crass step of revealing to the press that an armoured version of the Phantom will be launched, offering "substantial security benefits for those customers that require the highest levels of personal protection."

put in all the links Read More

LAPTOPS

The first million dollar laptop

March 23, 2007 UK-based bespoke luxury goods creator Luvaglio has created the first million dollar laptop. That’s what the first of their luxury laptops will sell for. Full details of the laptop have not been released at this point, but it is known that it incorporates a 17" widescreen LED lit screen with a specially designed anti-reflective glare coating for clear and brighter image, 128GB of Solid State Disk space and a slot loading Blue-Ray drive. There is an integrated screen cleaning device and a very rare coloured diamond piece of jewellery that doubles up as the power button when placed into the laptop and also acts as security identification. Images here, video here. Read More

Bellperre exclusive mobile phones to be made of 0% plastic

March 13, 2007 A new brand of luxury mobile phone is set to hit the market with the promise its phones will be ‘0% Plastic.’ mobile phones - made of leather, steel, gold, hardwood, sapphire and other fine material. The aim of the new Bellperre brand is to “design masterpieces without compromising on the technology.” The fact that there are no plastic components does not negatively influence the weight of the handset. Read More

The US$4000+ Gresso 1GB MP3 player

February 19, 2007 In November we wrote about the newest of the elite mobile phone manufacturers, Gresso, which makes phones from 200 year-old African Blackwood and Gold. Now Gresso is to diversify and has announced a collection of ultra-exclusive Mp3 players, to be called Symphonia, and the idea to create an Mp3 player that is dedicated to create a device for those customers who demand the ultimate craftsmanship and exceptional design. Four Symphonia models will be released in Q2, 2007, being made from Blackwood and White Gold, Blackwood and Pink Gold, White Gold and Pink Gold respectively, with the same ancient blackwood and 18 carat gold in each case, with prices ranging from EUR 3000 (US$4000) to EUR 5000 (US$6500). Read More

AUTOMOTIVE

The most expensive new car ever sold in the USA

February 9, 2007 The first Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe destined for the USA has been bought at a charity auction for US$2 million, making it the most expensive new car ever sold in the USA. Rolls-Royce launched the new Phantom Drophead Coupé at the Detroit Motor Show last month. The hand made two-door, four-seat convertible combines the latest in lightweight aluminium technology and is one of the fastest open top four seaters in the world. All of the US$407,000 Drophead Coupés to be built in 2007 have already been sold. Read More

AUTOMOTIVE

The EDAG Luxury Utility Vehicle (LUV) concept car for Geneva Motor Show

January 25, 2007 The latest concept car from EDAG Engineering + Design AG, has a distinct nautical flair, with oiled teak used on the bonnet, inside as the floor covering , and again on the elegant loading platform behind the five seat cabin which gives it the air of a quarterdeck. Conceived as a niche vehicle, the Luxury Utility Vehicle (LUV) presents a maritime appearance from its bows to its stern, and is targeted at customers who are not looking for just an ordinary car, and who appreciate something more distinctive. The dimensions of the vehcile are also imposing - an impressive overall length of 5.7 metres, over 2 metres wide and 1.8 metres high, the EDAG LUV is a real eye-catcher which will be seen for the first time in public at the Geneva Motor Show on March 7, 2007. Read More

AUTOMOTIVE

World’s first Hydrogen Luxury Performance Automobile – the BMW Hydrogen 7

December 3, 2006 The world’s first hydrogen-drive luxury performance automobile – the BMW Hydrogen 7 – celebrated its world premiere at the Los Angeles International Auto Show with the Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, congratulating the hydrogen initiative. The Hydrogen 7, which has fulfilled all of the criteria of BMW’s rigorous product development process, will be built in a limited series and for selected users during 2007. Based on the familiar 7 Series model, it is equipped with an internal combustion engine capable of running either on hydrogen or on petrol. Read More

Another elite mobile phone contender – the Gresso

November 28, 2006 As we head towards the tipping point – the point where half of all the people in the world has a mobile phone – it’s becoming quite an entertainment to watch the development of the world’s expensive mobile apparatus for the very elite. We’ve previously written about the Vertu Collection, and JSC Ancort’s solid platinum Brilliant Crypto smart phone, and now there’s another contender at the very expensive end of proceedings. It is the Gresso phone. The case of the phone is made from Gold and 200-year-old African Blackwood, with every Gresso phone handcrafted and unique. Whatsmore, the phone is just 10mm thick. Sapphire anti-glare crystal glass frames the surface of the screen. We’re assured that the phone is well equipped technically, but we don’t have the specs other than it allows travel worldwide. Designed by an un-named Italian designer, the phones will be on sale only in Russia. The company has not yet unveiled its web site. Read More

LAPTOPS

Luxury Tulip Ego Laptop arrives in the U.S.

November 15, 2006 We’ve written previously about the EGO luxury laptop from Dutch company Tulip and its interchangeable skins and the good news is that the highly fashionable laptop which launched during Milan’s 2006 Fashion Week is now available on both sides of the Atlantic. The elegant design of the Tulip Ego laptop with its round shapes and fashionable, interchangeable skins is a milestone in computer design – at least for the PC – it’s not hard to imagine something like this from Apple. The Tulip Ego is easily carried either on the shoulder or by hand with its rounded chrome handle and with its interchangeable skin system, it doesn’t just come in designer fabrics, finishes and colors, the skins can be changed anytime, anywhere using a customized USB-stick cap that comes with the laptop. So you can mix and match to suit your dress, surroundings or mood. Retail pricing starts at US$5,000 and stretches into the six figure range for the diamond encrusted version. Read More

HOME ENTERTAINMENT

The most expensive TV in the world

October 28, 2006 On display for the first time at the recent IFA show in Germany and also in New York earlier this month at an exhibition promoting Italian craftsmanship was the Yalos Diamond, a EUR 100,000 (US$130,000 in round figures) television set by Neapolitan (from Naples) Keymat Industrie s.p.a. The 40 inch LCD TV has provision for 1080i and 720p high definition picture formats and is as technologically sound as is humanly possible with a picture contrast ratio of 1200:1. The really expensive bit is the workmanship, the design and the fact it’s plated in white gold and studded with 160 diamonds (4 gm) of diamonds. Read More

HOME ENTERTAINMENT

The world's most expensive chocolates