by Dr. Oneida Cramer
While getting squeaky clean in the bath, bodyssages, Ultra thermo-masseur baths, and multiple occupancy baths can also relax, energize, massage, and soothe away the aches. So, naturally, the bath seems almost an indulgence in leisure.
Now, baths have changed, too; the "air-only tubs" add a new chapter to a long history of bathing--for ceremony, religion, therapy, pleasure, and hygiene--a story that began long before the discovery of the oldest known tubs in1700 BC on the Island of Crete.
The most elaborate baths were, of course, the ancient Roman tubs, pools, and centers of steam rooms and hot-air baths, which also housed libraries, restaurants, and theater. But the early church forbid pleasure bathing. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the bath declined in western Europe. Sanitary conditions became terrible during the middle ages, and even into the 17th and 18th centuries, when people resorted to powders, paint, and perfumes to disguise their filth. Not until the outbreak of cholera in the 19th century did hygiene begin, and with it came the 1850 sitz tub, where the bather sat in a small basin. In 1873, John Michael Kohler heated a horse trough/hog scalder with powdered enamel to make the first Kohler bathtub.
Authentic antique tubs are hard to find these days and probably require a new coat of porcelain and new feet, according to Alan Hilsabeck, Jr., ASID, CBD, with Bentwood, who recommends nostalgic reproductions, such as the claw footed tubs.
Water Works manufactures a deep soaking, free standing, cast iron tub with old fashioned feet. For a modern look, the cast iron tub also comes as a drop-in model ($2340 for tub only) for surrounding cabinetry, tile, limestone, and granite.
"We feel we are inventing bath styles," says Annie Beam, sales manager. Water Works sells mostly cast iron models, but they also carry acrylic tubs impregnated with microband, an antibacterial and anti-fungal agent, and a fiber glass backing to eliminate noise from the motor inside the optional whirlpool.
Whirlpool tubs work on the principle of sucking water from the tub and air from the atmosphere, circulating the water and air through pipes and jets that blow the mix back into the tub. The most recent whirlpool therapeutic massage, introduced by Kohler and now also made by Jucuzzi and American Standard, features a bodyssage back jet system with ten jet sets blowing water in a variety of pressures and timings, according to Hilsabeck.
But a new design, the thermo-masseur bath made by Ultra in Canada and called a hydro massage system instead of a whirlpool, according to Kathy Richardson, manager of Pierce Plumbing and Hardware, is currently the biggest seller.
"Bathtubs have evolved to what we call and what we promote as an air only tub," said Alan Fishman, owner of Nob Hill. The Ultra thermo-masseur uses a motor that blows warm air (190 degrees F) through a channel of 34 to 70 air holes (jets), depending on the model, along the bottom of the tub. Here, rushing air into water creates the bubbling thermo-masseur.
"The nice thing about these air tubes," said Fishman, " because all it's doing is blowing air, you can fill oils and bath beads in these tubs." In fact, Ultra supplies oils and herbal additives. Another nice thing is the ability to eliminate the motor noise by adding extension pipes to put the motor in a cabinet or another room, away from the tub. A third feature begins when the tub empties because the motor automatically turns on to dry out excess water. Even a wet towel will dry, if left in the tub. For safety, a running motor won't damage the system should it accidentally get turned on, even for 24 to 48 hours. Ultra tubs retail from $1325 to $3100 for the tub only, says Richardson.
"We don't sell just bathtubs," said Fishman. "You're not buying a pair of shoes. People will come in and buy a whole bath room ensemble--a tub, shower, fixtures, faucets, commodes, and basins."
"In the secondary bathroom, generally people will do a tub or tub-shower combination," said Richardson. "But in the master bath, more times than not, people put in a whirlpool. I don't know how many (people) actually use them because you have to be kind of personal when selling a bath tub. You have to ask questions like are you going to be the only one using it or will your husband be using it together. That plays a part in the size of tub and the drain location."
"If two of you are going to use the tub, you both need to sit in there to see if the space is right, " said Richardson.
Tubs can be made to accommodate up to four bathers, according to Hilsabeck. But a too long tub, where the feet can't touch the end, leaves the bather sometimes struggling to stay up when the system is on, especially if the surface becomes slippery with bath oils and salts, according to Richardson. So, Pierce Hardware and Plumbing tend to sell more one person, 5 1/2 foot size tubs when women are the primary users
With over 400 colors available, ninety percent of tubs are white, and the next favorite color is a very light, creamy biscuit, says Richardson. Customers also like simple, old fashioned, fixtures in satin nickel and pewter.
"Nine times out of 10, people will get a hand shower," said Hilsabeck, " not so much to give a shower" even though hand held showers are available with adjustable massaging functions. People even buy hand showers for use in the shower with overhead rain showers and multiple body sprays, according to Richardson. But hand held showers work well for cleaning small children or pets, and for spraying down the sides of the tub.
For a clean tub, Hilsabeck recommends also wiping the porcelain with an environmentally safe liquid wax product. With proper care, a bath tub should last more than a lifetime.
Friday, August 3, 2007
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Most expensive piano
Have you ever imagined what the world’s most expensive piano is? Imagine no further. The most expensiv
e piano in the world belonged to the Beatle’s John Lennon and was auctioned off to British pop-singer George Michael in 2000. When the topic of expensive pianos comes to mind you might think somewhere along the lines of a Bosendorfer, or a Bechstein, or maybe a Steinway & Sons “Alma-Tedema”, with its lavish artwork and hand crafted symmetry. But the Steinway & Sons “Model Z” Piano formerly owned by John Lennon is a fairly ordinary walnut upright piano that still bears a few cigarette burns attributed to the musician.
The piano was originally bought by Lennon in December 1970, and delivered to studios at his home in Tittenhurst Park in Berkshire, England. He composed and recorded the song “Imagine” on it, and was filmed playing the song on it for the first time to wife Yoko Ono and the Plastic Ono band. Believed to be a piece of British history by many, the most expensive piano in the world sold at auction in the year 2000 for £1.45 million (about $2.1 million) dollars to George Michael after a “who’s who” bidding war that included several other British celebrities.
After using the world’s most expensive piano to record songs for an album, George Michael returned the piano to the Liverpool museum that housed it prior to his ownership. He stated that “the piano was not the type of thing that should be in storage somewhere or being protected, it should be seen by people,”
e piano in the world belonged to the Beatle’s John Lennon and was auctioned off to British pop-singer George Michael in 2000. When the topic of expensive pianos comes to mind you might think somewhere along the lines of a Bosendorfer, or a Bechstein, or maybe a Steinway & Sons “Alma-Tedema”, with its lavish artwork and hand crafted symmetry. But the Steinway & Sons “Model Z” Piano formerly owned by John Lennon is a fairly ordinary walnut upright piano that still bears a few cigarette burns attributed to the musician.The piano was originally bought by Lennon in December 1970, and delivered to studios at his home in Tittenhurst Park in Berkshire, England. He composed and recorded the song “Imagine” on it, and was filmed playing the song on it for the first time to wife Yoko Ono and the Plastic Ono band. Believed to be a piece of British history by many, the most expensive piano in the world sold at auction in the year 2000 for £1.45 million (about $2.1 million) dollars to George Michael after a “who’s who” bidding war that included several other British celebrities.
After using the world’s most expensive piano to record songs for an album, George Michael returned the piano to the Liverpool museum that housed it prior to his ownership. He stated that “the piano was not the type of thing that should be in storage somewhere or being protected, it should be seen by people,”
Most Expensive Old Master Painting
Canaletto's "Venice, The Grand Canal, Looking North-East From Palazzo Balbi To The Rialto Bridge"
Price: £18,600,000 ($32,568,600)
At Sotheby's Old Master sale in London on July 7, the top lot was Canaletto’s "Venice, The Grand Canal from Palazzo Balbi." The painting was one of the first artworks to hang in 10 Downing Street, the traditional home of Britain's prime minister, and had originally belonged to Sir Robert Walpole (1721-42), who was England's first prime minister. The sale price exceeded the previous auction record of £11.4 million for a Canaletto set at Christie's the previous day, making it the sixth-most expensive old master painting ever auctioned. --Isabella Geist
Most Expensive Sports Car
SSC Ultimate Aero
Base Price: $654,500
The Ultimate Aero is one of the most extreme vehicles--make that one of the most extreme ideas--we've ever heard of. It achieves an estimated top speed of 260 mph to 273 mph with a 1,046-hp V-8 engine (you read that horsepower figure correctly), shoehorned into a car that weighs as much as a Dodge Neon. --Dan Lienert
* Pictured in these slides: SSC Aero (not necessarily the Ultimate Aero model).
Most Expensive Cruise
Private Yacht Charter
$113,760 per day
The Annaliese--which is also the most expensive yacht currently for sale--a $90-million superyacht owned by Greek entrepreneur Andreas Liveras, is the most expensive charter in the world, coming in at $113,760 per day. Onboard facilities help explain the price: a spa, including a marble Roman bath, saunas and steam rooms, Jacuzzis (in the spa as well as on the sun deck), a full-size movie theater, a business center and a helicopter landing pad. Custom itineraries include the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and the South Pacific. The Annaliese and her sister ship, the Alysia (which has the same daily rate), each accommodate 36 people. --Sophia Banay
For more information, call (011) 377-9797-4510 or visit www.liverasyachts.com.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Do Yourself a Favor: Buy an Expensive Watch
By Austin Silver
WHY THIS WATCH IS GREAT: WHY THIS WATCH IS GREAT: |
Expensive Men's Watches
Men aren't obsessed with fashion, at least not to the extent that women are. Men have more important things in life to worry about than the latest fashion trends. But even if you dont have the time to read the latest issue of GQ, there are a few things you can do to demonstrate fashion sense. The most important thing that all men must own is a great watch .
Mens watches are often underrated accessories. They have become more than just instruments to tell time, they are reflections of one's personality . A quality watch is the quickest way of emitting a confident, successful image. Anyone can purchase a bunch of inexpensive Timex watches (which by the way are great men's watches, especially for sports) throughout their life but what they should do instead is invest in one great timepiece that will last a lifetime.
A watch is an important accessory that every man needs. Put away those gold chains and thumb-rings boys, we do not need to decorate ourselves like Christmas trees . With watches, you get what you pay for so purchase the most expensive watch you can afford. Below are three great men's watches, in three separate price ranges.
COMPANY: Esquire Watches
PRICE: @ $229.00 US
WHO SHOULD BUY IT:
This watch is perfectly suited for any young professional or recent university graduate. A quality watch that won't hurt your bank account.
WHY THIS WATCH IS GREAT:
Esquire is owned by Movado who makes the famous "Museum Watch", the watches with the blank faces except for the dot at 12 oclock. Basically, you are getting the quality of a $1000 watch with a $300 price tag. This watch is sporty enough to be worn with jeans and sophisticated enough to be worn with a suit. It has the standard features of any good watch: 100m water resistant, and a stainless steel bracelet. See it here.
Most Expensive Watch
NEW YORK - In December 1999, one of the most complicated watches ever made became the most expensive watch ever sold when it was hammered down for $11 million at Sotheby's.
The gold pocket watch, which featured 24 complications, was the result of a long-standing competition between two magnates of America's Gilded Age. New York financier Henry Graves Jr. and Ohio automobile engineer James Ward Packard vied with one another to own a timepiece with the greatest possible number of complications. (Complications are mechanical functions of the watch other than the hours, minutes and seconds.) Packard commissioned 13 complicated watches from Patek Philippe between 1900 and 1927. They included a perpetual calendar with phases and age of the moon, indication of sunrise and sunset, and a celestial chart depicting the constellations of stars in the sky over Packard's home in Ohio. Not to be outdone, Henry Graves Jr. also commissioned a series of complicated watches from Patek Philippe, culminating in a timepiece that took three years to design and five years to produce. When completed in 1933, the watch had a different horological function for each hour of the day and included a chart of the nighttime sky over Graves' home in New York.
Graves died in 1953, and his heirs sold the watch to the Time Museum in Rockford, Ill., in 1968. When the museum closed, the watch was among 80 other pieces from the collection that were deaccessioned and sold at Sotheby's (nyse: BID - news - people ) in 1999. All together, they brought $28 million. The Graves watch had a presale estimate of $3 million to $5 million, and sold for $11,003,500 to an anonymous collector.
Monday, July 2, 2007
The world's most expensive mobile phone
July 16, 2006 Russian company JSC Ancort has teamed with celebrity jeweller Peter Aloisson to create a very upmarket version of Swiss Crypto Telecommunication Security’s Crypto Smart telephone which will sell for US$1.3 million and in so doing, become the world’s most expensive mobile telephone. Designed to attract attention to the issues of mobile phone privacy, the solid platinum Brilliant Crypto Smartphone uses a symmetric 256 bit cryptographic algorithm and Windows CE operating system. In addition to the platinum body, the Ancort logo and the navigation key are made of 18 carat rose gold, as is the navigation key which also carries 28 round cut diamonds. Aloissen is well known for his personalisation and bejewelling of popular mobile phones such as the Nokia 8210 and Sony Ericsson T68, increasing their sale price to more than EU32,000. The phone can also be ordered with the platinum treated with a black rhodium process to give it a black, shiny look. The phone also comes with a Connolly leather carrying case with platinum trimmings and lock and hand made macassar ebony presentation box with beige suede leather lining again with platinum trimmings and lock. When the box is opened, it plays music and the music can be changed to the client’s choice.
Space has been reserved on the phone and leather pouch for personalization with the company logo or client’s name/initials.
World's most exclusive suitcase
HENK has awarded Airborne with the series manufacturing contract of what the company calls the most exclusive suitcase in the world.
Each case consists of 500 separate parts (more than 22 of them moving), fashioned variously from red Italian burl, black ebony, horse hair, magnesium, aluminum, titanium, carbon fibre, parachute fabric and the finest leathers. Its mechanisms are smooth and ingenious. Depress an ebony button on the handle, pull up the handle, and two 6 1/4" diameter wheels emerge noiselessly from louvered doors within the case, like landing gear emerging from an airplane.
Airborne will produce the carbon fibr frame and handle with prepreg lay-up and autoclave curing. Each product, with a sales value of USD 20.000, is hand produced and carefully monitored for perfect surface quality. Together with the people behind HENK, Airborne is discussing new developments, possibly turning into future products made out of composites.
Source : Airborne
Opus - Worlds Most Exclusive Foosball Table !
Opus is the world’s most exclusive and unique foosball table. Striking and flawless, the Opus is quite unlike anything you will have set your eyes on before. Harnessing the latest in design technology, each table is hand-crafted in a choice of stunning woods and stainless steel. A frosted-glass playing surface with Underplay ‘under-soil’ lighting, gives owners a fabulous choice of lighting atmospheres. The Opus is, quite simply, sheer luxury. Designed, developed and brought to life by the Eleven Forty Company, the Opus is nothing short of spectacular. Every table is constructed to order, so no two are alike. Using sophisticated, patent-pending Doppelganger technology, the company is able to micro-cast 3-D heads from photographs. This brings lifelike realism to the heads of the friends and family that Opus owners can have in their dream teams. Even the player strips are rendered in exquisitely hand-painted detail. And as always; If you ask for the price - you cannot afford it!
Bentley to produce Arnage, the world's most exclusive limousine
Bentley Motors is delighted to confirm that the unique Arnage Limousine concept, created by its Bentley Mulliner coachbuilding division for the 2004 Geneva International Salon is to be put into a limited production run. Such has been the demand following its unveiling, 20 individually numbered, bespoke Arnage Limousines will be commissioned for customers looking to own a truly luxurious car that provides extraordinary levels of comfort and craftsmanship as well as valuable privacy.In the same spirit as the coachbuilt Bentleys of the 1920s and ’30s, customers will be able to commission a car to their own specification, and create a unique statement that will be valued in the future. Like the spectacular Speed Six and 8-litre Bentleys that wowed the motoring world in their Roaring Twenties heyday, the Arnage Limousine will represent the pinnacle of handbuilt, individually crafted luxury cars. Nothing can come close to its unique qualities, nothing will match its rarity and value.
Bentley Arnage Limousine in detail
The Arnage Limousine is a car that could only be produced by the world’s most accomplished luxury carmaker, Bentley Motors, whose coachbuilding division Bentley Mulliner is simply second to none. Unlike other limousine builders, whose customers are forced to choose from a limited list of options and specifications, Bentley Mulliner provides bespoke answers to any question a Bentley customer chooses to ask.
Echoing Bentley’s acclaimed past – when customers would personally commission a coachbuilder such as HJ Mulliner to design and fit a body to a Bentley chassis – the process of ordering and owning an Arnage Limousine will entail the same degree of creativity and attention to detail.
Extended cabin means total luxury, complete privacy
The Arnage Limousine is designed for those who value their privacy and are not prepared to compromise when on the road. By widening the ‘D’-pillar behind the rear doors, the Arnage Limousine’s designers have fashioned a deeply recessed Seat area that provides a safe and shielding cabin for passengers, as well as significantly enhanced rear legroom. In addition, a smaller rear ‘privacy’ window adds to the feeling of seclusion and ensures back-seat passengers are kept well away from prying eyes.
To create that broad ‘D’-pillar and enlarged interior, the Arnage Limousine has been designed with a generous wheelbase measuring a total of 3566mm (140.4 inches). This ensures that passengers will enjoy all the benefits of a longer cabin. To retain the car’s aesthetic visual balance, an extra 200mm (8 inches) is located in the ‘D’-pillar alone, a further 200mm is added to the rear doors and a final 50mm (2 inches) in the front doors. This process was carried out entirely by hand, a challenge that could only be attempted by Mulliner’s brilliant craftsmen and women, according to Ashley Wickham, head of projects, Bentley Mulliner:
“The Arnage Limousine is the epitome of Mulliner craftsmanship,” he says. “Everything you can see – from the beautiful line of the new D-pillar to the stainless steel sills – was shaped by hand. That’s why a Mulliner-built Bentley can take up to 6000 man hours to complete. It is a labour of love.”
A perfect appearance is not just important for our passengers, it is imperative for our cars as well. Aesthetic purity in design and shape has always been the hallmark of Bentley cars and, as has been recently observed by many influential commentators, the bigger the car, the harder it is to retain a degree of subtlety and understatement. The Arnage Limousine, however, achieves that visual perfection, succeeding in being stately and imposing without appearing vulgar or ostentatious.
By evenly distributing the extended areas within the car’s wheelbase, the graceful balance of the classic Arnage silhouette is retained. To round off its aesthetic impact, the original Geneva International Salon Arnage Limousine is finished in dual tone paintwork, with a Royal Burgundy cabin, bonnet and boot sections on top of black side-panels and nose. Unique stainless steel sills and bumpers act as a visual counterpoint to the two-tone colour scheme.
Bentley Brooklands: The World's Most Exclusive
Bentley Brooklands
The Bentley Brooklands is a stunning new model that marks the company’s return to the luxury coupe market and reaffirms its reputation as creator of the world’s most exclusive coupes. It is the ultimate Bentley: a stylish, four-seat, grand touring coupe with classic British proportions and muscular performance.
Bentley’s chairman Dr Franz-Josef Paefgen describes the motivation behind the new coupe: “Bentley’s proud sporting pedigree, forged by the exploits of the immortal ‘Bentley Boys’ on the famous Brooklands racetrack in the 1920s, was the inspiration for our new coupe, capturing all the style, power and splendour of that era.” *
Sporting design cues are matched by the phenomenal performance engineering of Bentley’s legendary Crewe-built V8 engine. The new Bentley Brooklands possesses the most powerful V8 the company has ever produced - a 530bhp, twin-turbocharged 6.75-litre unit that also produces a prodigious 1050Nm of torque.
Each Brooklands coupe will be hand-assembled, employing traditional coach-building techniques and the craftsmanship skills in wood veneer and leather hide for which Bentley is renowned. To ensure exclusivity, lifetime production will be strictly limited to just 550 cars, with deliveries expected to start in the first half of 2008.
Published: 6th March 2007
Bentley Brooklands
Bentley’s rich coupe heritage provided the stimulus for Director of Styling, Dirk van Braeckel and his design team. For van Braeckel, the task was very clear: “To create a powerful, muscular and rakish grand touring coupe with classic British proportions, in the finest Bentley tradition.”
While the new Brooklands is influenced by Bentley’s fine coupe lineage, its design and engineering are thoroughly contemporary. The proportions of long bonnet, short front overhang and long rear overhang achieve the design objective perfectly, while the low roofline, steeply raked screens and pillarless side glass convey both power and movement.
As the Brooklands will be built in very limited volume, the designers were able to introduce unique features that necessitate specialist coach-building techniques, asProgramme Director, Ashley Wickham, reveals:
“The Brooklands’ beautiful flowing lines are testament to the traditional coach-building skills and craftsmanship of Crewe’s highly talented workforce.”
The ‘floating’ rear screen, for example, is a contemporary take on traditional coachbuilt Bentleys. The lower edge of the screen sits well above the upper edge of the boot lid to provide a flowing, flawless line to the back of the car. This can only be achieved by individually hand-welding the rear wings to the C-pillars.The fitment of 20-inch diameter wheels as standard, signalling the surefooted, robust and dynamic character of the new model, reaffirms the powerful stance of the new Bentley coupe.
Interior Design: Peerless Craftsmanship with a Sporting Character
Dirk van Braeckel describes the mission for the Bentley interior design team: “To create the perfect Bentley coupe: sumptuous hand-crafted luxury with a distinctly sporting character.”As in every Bentley, peerless craftsmanship is to the fore, enhanced by the warmth and richness of the finest natural materials. To tailor for their individual requirements, customers may choose from an extensive palette of hides, veneers, carpet tones and seat belt colours.
Its four-seat architecture and deeply bolstered seats lend the Brooklands’ interior a distinctly sporting atmosphere, complemented by design accents such as aluminium foot pedals and footrest. A new, single-piece, hide-trimmed roof lining flows uninterrupted from the front windscreen all the way to the rear of the car, mirroring the long, sleek profile of the elegant exterior.
The interior designers sought to offer the very highest levels of comfort and legroom, in true Bentley grand touring tradition, while the pillarless window design enhances the feeling of space.
The Brooklands’ cabin is wider both front and rear than the previous Bentley Continental R coupe - the rear by 10 percent - and it easily exceeds the interior leg, knee and headroom of any luxury coupe on sale today. This allows four adults to be accommodated in supreme comfort. Individual rear seats with electrically operated sliding cushions, set further back than on the Azure, are separated by a new centre console, incorporating both storage and cup holders.
Published: 6th March 2007
Bentley Brooklands
Beneath its muscular, rakish, coach-built body lies the most powerful Crewe-builtV8 engine ever produced, developing 530bhp. Maximum torque is an astonishing 1050Nm, the highest ever developed by a production V8 engine. Although performance figures are subject to final confirmation as part of the on-going development programme, the new Bentley coupe will deliver supercar levels of in-gear acceleration combined with Arnage refinement.
At the beginning of the project, Dr Ulrich Eichhorn, Member of the Board, Engineering, tasked his power train specialists to deliver an extraordinary driving experience in the Bentley coupe tradition: “Exhilarating, effortless, accessible performance for those truly passionate about their driving was our prime objective.”
Launched in the Bentley S2 saloon in 1959 with a capacity of 6.23 litres, the legendary, Crewe-built V8 engine has continually evolved. The first V8 was very advanced for its time with an all-aluminium construction, a five-bearing crankshaft and a well-supported camshaft, producing nearly 200bhp and 400Nm of torque. The result was a light and supple powertrain that produced maximum torque at low engine speeds, the hallmark of every Bentley ever produced.
1969 saw the capacity grow to 6.75 litres, where it remains to this day, but by far the most significant change came in 1982, with the introduction of a turbocharger to create the near-300bhp Mulsanne Turbo, a car that transformed the image of Bentley. In 1999, the single turbo engine, by now featuring port injection and charge cooling, was installed in Arnage, with twin turbos arriving in 2002, developing up to 450bhp.
For the 2007 model Arnage, the V8 engine saw a step-change in performance and refinement which became the starting point for the new Bentley Brooklands. A re-profiled camshaft and new, low-inertia turbochargers, which operate with greater efficiency at lower engine speeds have resulted in reduced turbo lag, enhancing that prodigious wave of torque at any revs, the hallmark of a true Bentley. These changes extend the power potential of the V8 in the Arnage to 500bhp and 1000Nm of torque. For the Bentley Brooklands, further component optimisation and engine calibration ensure record power and torque levels from this hand-assembled engine.
As with the latest Arnage, the V8 engine is mated to a six-speed transmission with strengthened casing that transforms the way in which both parts of the drive train communicate. A sophisticated, locking torque converter and ESP system ensure that the driver can readily access the prodigious power. A semi-automatic function allows manual gear selection for even greater driver control.
Rucci’s Most Exclusive Collection
Rucci’s “Tempest”(2005)
The Serge Sorokko Gallery has just opened the exclusive exhibit of fashion designer/artist Ralph Rucci’s latest paintings: “Ralph Rucci: Messages from the Void, Part 2.” The 40-piece collection has a dramatic, highly sophisticated feel that, like his clothing, is really quite beautiful. It was a thrill to see the work.
I attended the crowded opening last week, where the big surprise was the attendance of James Galanos, the great legend of American couture, who had come in from Los Angeles for the occasion. In the photo above, he is shown with Joy Venturini Bianchi, caught in a rare moment without her signature frames. As always, she’s dressed totally of the moment (notice the chic turban), yet is totally classic (in Rucci, naturalment.)
Also wearing Rucci, Tatiana Sorokko (shown here with David Nash), who looked absolutely regal. I affectionately think of her as the “Empress Tatiana” due to her exquisite bearing (but don’t get the wrong idea… she’s not some difficult queen. She’s the nicest woman!) I suspect that my idol Diana Vreeland, who loved Russian imperial glamour, would have adored her.
Below, see some of the other fabulous people who came to the Rucci reception.
Denise Bradley, Peter Coyote and Stefanie Coyote, enjoying the art.
Katya and Serge Sorokko
Ralph Rucci and Elizabeth Thieriot
Shannon Bavaro; Rucci, Sorokko, Galanos; Joel Goodrich, Joy Bianchi
Clara Shayevich, Sorokko; Tina Spangler, Sorokko; Norah Stone
Claudia Ross; John and David of Torso Vintages; Jeanne Taylor
And don’t you just love Jeanne Taylor’s striking style? She’s like an older version of the cool Hitchcock blonde of the ’60s; so beautifully trim, so polished and perfectly poised!
The Rucci exhibit is continuing at 231 Grant Avenue until June 20, so do make a point to see it!
- Photos: Drew Altizer [drewaltizer.com]
- Gallery: Serge Sorokko Gallery [sorokko.com]
The most exclusive streets in Islington
Where are the most desirable and exclusive streets in Islington? What is the most expensive property that you could buy right this minute - if you won the lottery that is! We spoke to Daniela, the manager of Foxton Estate Agents in Islington, to find out.
The prime locations of Islington are Canonbury and Barnsbury, as anyone familiar with Islington is aware. These tree-lined avenues are spacious and secluded - even the pubs are picturesque with flowers spilling prettily out of their window boxes, and brass signs gleaming.
By Mandy Carter
In Canonbury, the streets Alwyne Place, Canonbury Park South and Willow Bridge Road are amongst the nicest in Islington. Daniela explains: "The properties are mainly large, imposing semi-detached houses, that are very much sought after. By the nature of the cul-de-sacs in the area, Canonbury is quiet and secluded - very desirable!"
The houses in Barnsbury are also very attractive - with the streets Barnsbury Square, Barnsbury Terrace, Ripplevale Grove, Richmond Avenue and Richmond Crescent featuring very highly on the list of most wanted residences. For those of you that don't know, Richmond Crescent is where Tony Blair used to live, before moving to No 10 of course! But if you wanted to live in this exclusive area - would you need a million in the bank?
Daniela said: "Most of these residences are large, family homes, and you may have noticed that most of the front doors have statues outside, which makes them rather special! They are mainly worth over £1m, and featured in many magazines as examples of Georgian architecture." So where is the prize of Islington - what is the most expensive, exclusive and simply gorgeous property that you can buy at the minute? Daniela - put us out of our misery!
"At the moment on the border of Islington and Finsbury is a first floor apartment which is part of the landmark St. James development 'New Riverhead'. It has incredible period features, as the property has been converted from what used to be the boardroom of the Metropolitan Water Authority. The first floor front room is easily the best room in the building, with a ceiling height of 6 / 7 metres and over 3,300 sq ft. The property also has a 45 ft reception room, and is beautifully stylish and spacious. It is worth over £1.6 m!"
The eight most desirable places in Islington...
Canonbury
Alwyne Place,
Canonbury Park South and
Willow Bridge Road
Barnsbury
Barnsbury Square,
Barnsbury Terrace,
Ripplevale Grove,
Richmond Avenue
Richmond Crescent
For further information on any of the properties / areas we have mentioned, or any residences in Islington, then contact Foxtons Estate Agents as they would be happy to help!
Foxtons Estate Agents
1, Camden Walk
Islington
London
N1 8DY
Tel: 020 7704 5000
Rolls-Royce will Build Most Exclusive Rolls-Royce Phantom Silver Edition
Rolls-Royce will release a limited series of Phantom.
In honor of 100 anniversary of the model Silver Ghost, the company will release a series of exclusive Phantom - Silver Edition. The car will be built in 25 copies.
The novelty will be of only one color - Metallic Ghost Silver. There will be a special logo “Silver Edition” on the cowling, and at the summit of the radiator grille - a silver Silver Edition. Moreover the car will equipped with 21-inch rims with chrome insertions in the centre.
The seat will be made of unique leather, and the headrests will feature the logo “RR”. Moreover the interior finish will feature palisander elements. The same material will be used to make a special presentation box for every car owner. The box will include a key to the car, two silver trinkets and a silver pen.
The cost of the exclusive Rolls-Royce Phantom is $45 000 higher then the basic version.
ThinkPad Reserve Edition, the most exclusive notebook ever?
Leather-clad lappie with dedicated 24 hour tech support
by Amy-Mae Elliott
Picking up one of these will get you 24-hour dedicated telephone support, a dedicated "Blue-button" instant messaging button for hook up to support centre and Lenovo say they will even fly out to you anywhere in the world to fix any problems you might have with the product.
Interested? You'll need to drop $5000 - but it's an invitation-only purchase system, so if your names's not down, you're not buying in.
Tiffany - World's Most Expensive Lamp
Louis Comfort Tiffany's Lotus Lamp
sold for over $ 2.8 million
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Jaguar XKR 100 Coupe and Convertible $98,330
By : Michael Frank
To celebrate the 100th birthday of Jaguar founder Sir William Lyons, this year Jaguar will sell 300 XKR 100 cars in North America. True, you pay quite a premium for that limited-edition status. It costs about 17 grand more for the coupe version of the XKR 100 than for the stock hardtop XKR, but only $12,000 more for the convertible version. And although there will be fewer coupes, don't go thinking you'll somehow get that collector- car value back in your lifetime. Buy the convertible and enjoy driving it; don't buy it for mothballing.
OK, so what do you get that you don't get in the stock XKR? Well, not added engine performance. Stock XKRs get a 370 horsepower supercharged V-8 and a sport-tuned suspension with computer-actuated ride control that automatically picks either firm or soft ride settings in response to your driving style. In other words, with 0-60 times around five seconds flat, the XKR is pretty hairy-chested already. However, if you want a bit better cornering agility, you'll be pleased with the added grip of the 20-inch BBS modular wheels shod with even wider, lower rubber than stock (255/35ZR-20 front, 285/30ZR-20 rear, versus 245/45ZR-18 front, 255/45ZR-18 rear for the stock XKR).
The XKR 100 also gets special Brembo brakes with cross-drilled rotors for better cooling, and some minor-performance suspension tweaks as well.
The rest is cosmetic: anthracite-colored paint, Recaro leather seats (covered in Connolly hide leather--you won't get that if you just order them from Recaro, by the way) and aluminum cockpit trim.
We'd say that makes the upgraded XKR 100 a difficult purchase to justify on its own, since it isn't mechanically different enough than the stock XKR. But we'll render a more considered opinion in a few weeks, after a test drive. Meantime, anyone considering the XKR 100 must also drive the more practical and still lightening fast CLK 55 AMG Mercedes; the CL55 AMG, which is also a great joy to drive (as we mention elsewhere in this article); and the marvelous new Maserati Spyder.
OK, so what do you get that you don't get in the stock XKR? Well, not added engine performance. Stock XKRs get a 370 horsepower supercharged V-8 and a sport-tuned suspension with computer-actuated ride control that automatically picks either firm or soft ride settings in response to your driving style. In other words, with 0-60 times around five seconds flat, the XKR is pretty hairy-chested already. However, if you want a bit better cornering agility, you'll be pleased with the added grip of the 20-inch BBS modular wheels shod with even wider, lower rubber than stock (255/35ZR-20 front, 285/30ZR-20 rear, versus 245/45ZR-18 front, 255/45ZR-18 rear for the stock XKR).
The XKR 100 also gets special Brembo brakes with cross-drilled rotors for better cooling, and some minor-performance suspension tweaks as well.
The rest is cosmetic: anthracite-colored paint, Recaro leather seats (covered in Connolly hide leather--you won't get that if you just order them from Recaro, by the way) and aluminum cockpit trim.
We'd say that makes the upgraded XKR 100 a difficult purchase to justify on its own, since it isn't mechanically different enough than the stock XKR. But we'll render a more considered opinion in a few weeks, after a test drive. Meantime, anyone considering the XKR 100 must also drive the more practical and still lightening fast CLK 55 AMG Mercedes; the CL55 AMG, which is also a great joy to drive (as we mention elsewhere in this article); and the marvelous new Maserati Spyder.
Mercedes-Benz CL 600 $119,595
By : Michael Frank
Before we jump in on the CL600, you should be aware that the less expensive ($104,145) CL55 AMG is a better performance car, even though it has a V-8 rather than the V-12 of the CL 600.
Not that the CL600 is a dog. Hardly. It chases down 60 mph in less than six seconds, has an Active Body Control (ABC) suspension setup that actively adapts to both suspension movements and body vibrations and makes corrections to car attitude within milliseconds. Driving it--remember, this is a large car, with scads of legroom for four adults--is really a pleasure, especially on winding roads. It's not meant to handle corkscrew turns, but it eats up cruising country lanes and, needless to say, is a real blast on a long, open stretch of deserted highway.
The V-12 is both silky and highly responsive but also is able to shut off half the cylinders when you're just idling in traffic or cruising on a level grade at 65 mph. There's a lowdown thrum to this thrust factory, one that growls at full throttle through the exhaust pipes but otherwise quietly stays in the background.
Though the interior shows better in black, it's pretty yummy in any color.
Of course, luxe is also the mission here, and there's not much to want for in that department. Doors automatically snap-to (as does the trunk), Nappa leather hugs the seats and Alacantra synthetic suede stretches across the ceiling. Front seats also feature internal fans to cool you down when the A/C is on, and the seats can also pulse their lumbar supports, massaging your back while you drive.
Rivals to this car include the Jaguar XKR 100 on this list, though the backseat space in the Benz is far superior, as is the trunk room. We also think the Benz cabin is spiffier, with a more purely upscale feel. The smaller Jag may be a little sharper in tight turns, however, so it's more about what you want than which car is flat-out superior.
Not that the CL600 is a dog. Hardly. It chases down 60 mph in less than six seconds, has an Active Body Control (ABC) suspension setup that actively adapts to both suspension movements and body vibrations and makes corrections to car attitude within milliseconds. Driving it--remember, this is a large car, with scads of legroom for four adults--is really a pleasure, especially on winding roads. It's not meant to handle corkscrew turns, but it eats up cruising country lanes and, needless to say, is a real blast on a long, open stretch of deserted highway.
The V-12 is both silky and highly responsive but also is able to shut off half the cylinders when you're just idling in traffic or cruising on a level grade at 65 mph. There's a lowdown thrum to this thrust factory, one that growls at full throttle through the exhaust pipes but otherwise quietly stays in the background.
Though the interior shows better in black, it's pretty yummy in any color.
Of course, luxe is also the mission here, and there's not much to want for in that department. Doors automatically snap-to (as does the trunk), Nappa leather hugs the seats and Alacantra synthetic suede stretches across the ceiling. Front seats also feature internal fans to cool you down when the A/C is on, and the seats can also pulse their lumbar supports, massaging your back while you drive.
Rivals to this car include the Jaguar XKR 100 on this list, though the backseat space in the Benz is far superior, as is the trunk room. We also think the Benz cabin is spiffier, with a more purely upscale feel. The smaller Jag may be a little sharper in tight turns, however, so it's more about what you want than which car is flat-out superior.
BMW Z8 $130,645
By : Michael Frank
The BMW Z8 is a car that has polarized the automotive press. Some love the car for its smooth, easy-to-drive accessibility--the thing that makes autos like the modern Jags such a pleasure. Others feel it's too softly sprung and not "immediate" enough--it doesn't feel as if it's as engaged with the road as a lot of other exotic sports cars are.
We can understand both camps but tend to side with the former crowd, because the Z8 makes you feel like a champion driver without forcing you to break a sweat every time you go for a spin.
In fact, that's the BMW DNA at work in the Z8, for just about every BMW gets progressively more sporty the harder you drive it, but never beats you up if you just want to cruise at a more stately pace.
And even though the Z8 gets the very hot, 394-horsepower V-8 from the BMW M5 (about 60 more hp than you'll find in the BMW M3), there's nothing violent about the on-rush of power that comes from under the hood. Torque is there in a downshift whenever you want it, but the rest of the time power is almost seamless--think, and you're passing someone at 95 on the expressway.
You could almost accuse the Z8 of being lazy for that reason, but not when you throw it hard into a turn, where its excellent aluminum suspension and chassis flex and respond in kind to the pace you've set, and its taut rack and pinion steering transmits just enough information back to your hands for you to respond in kind to the road. Here the Z8 becomes alive and thrilling.
Granted, if you can afford this car, you might as well have the GT2 Porsche, but that's not where we'd say the competition is coming from, since the BMW is so much more relaxed and easier to drive daily. Rather, that Maserati Spyder we mentioned as an alternative to the Jaguar XKR 100 seems like a fair alternative to the Z8 as well, and for considerably less money. Thing is, the BMW has the coolest interior of the bunch, the Maserati gets the best-sounding engine this side of a Ferrari and the Jag is the sexiest. Can't buy all three? Time to go for a few test drives, then.
We can understand both camps but tend to side with the former crowd, because the Z8 makes you feel like a champion driver without forcing you to break a sweat every time you go for a spin.
In fact, that's the BMW DNA at work in the Z8, for just about every BMW gets progressively more sporty the harder you drive it, but never beats you up if you just want to cruise at a more stately pace.
And even though the Z8 gets the very hot, 394-horsepower V-8 from the BMW M5 (about 60 more hp than you'll find in the BMW M3), there's nothing violent about the on-rush of power that comes from under the hood. Torque is there in a downshift whenever you want it, but the rest of the time power is almost seamless--think, and you're passing someone at 95 on the expressway.
You could almost accuse the Z8 of being lazy for that reason, but not when you throw it hard into a turn, where its excellent aluminum suspension and chassis flex and respond in kind to the pace you've set, and its taut rack and pinion steering transmits just enough information back to your hands for you to respond in kind to the road. Here the Z8 becomes alive and thrilling.
Granted, if you can afford this car, you might as well have the GT2 Porsche, but that's not where we'd say the competition is coming from, since the BMW is so much more relaxed and easier to drive daily. Rather, that Maserati Spyder we mentioned as an alternative to the Jaguar XKR 100 seems like a fair alternative to the Z8 as well, and for considerably less money. Thing is, the BMW has the coolest interior of the bunch, the Maserati gets the best-sounding engine this side of a Ferrari and the Jag is the sexiest. Can't buy all three? Time to go for a few test drives, then.
Porsche GT2 $180,665
By : Michael Frank
Until Porsche builds the Carrera GT (a late-2003 model with an open cockpit and a six-liter V-10 engine that will produce 558 horsepower), you'll have to make due with the GT2, for now the fastest street-legal Porsche on earth.
The GT2 is essentially a Porsche 911 Turbo with every gram of fat stripped out of it (220 pounds were deleted by cutting out items like the rear jump seats and the sunroof, and by using lighter materials like ceramic brake discs rather than metallic ones). The GT2 also gets 456 horsepower (the 911 Turbo produces 415 hp), thanks to increased turbo boost and larger intercoolers for the turbos.
Lighter and more powerful, the GT2 is now certainly faster, clocking nearly the same acceleration rate to 60 mph as the far more expensive Murciélago (0-62 mph--0-100 kilometers per hour--in about four seconds), and can achieve a top speed of 195 mph.
One thing that you can't do is assume that the GT2 will be quite as obedient as four-wheel drive 911s, because this Porsche only has rear-wheel drive, albeit with a highly optimized suspension. That means that some of that dreaded rearward rotation is bound to surface when you push this 911 to the nth degree on a racetrack, and you'd better learn where the limits are very gradually.
Of course, Porsche engineers have made sure that you'll just about be unable to unstick the GT2's tail end during a day drive on your favorite street, thanks to a fierce suspension layout.
The GT2 sits on the 911 Turbo chassis but has been lowered almost a full inch--and all springs, bearings and shocks have been made stiffer and stouter--to accept racing modifications should the driver opt for them. Front struts are adjustable for racing, and the strut support mounts also allow wheel camber adjustments to allow for use of racing tires. Similar modifications exist at the rear suspension, again for optimized racing potential.
If you get the feeling that the GT2 would be happiest on the track, you're right. Although you could certainly drive this car daily, and you'd have better visibility than in a lot of supercars, it would be rough on the molars.
The GT2 is essentially a Porsche 911 Turbo with every gram of fat stripped out of it (220 pounds were deleted by cutting out items like the rear jump seats and the sunroof, and by using lighter materials like ceramic brake discs rather than metallic ones). The GT2 also gets 456 horsepower (the 911 Turbo produces 415 hp), thanks to increased turbo boost and larger intercoolers for the turbos.
Lighter and more powerful, the GT2 is now certainly faster, clocking nearly the same acceleration rate to 60 mph as the far more expensive Murciélago (0-62 mph--0-100 kilometers per hour--in about four seconds), and can achieve a top speed of 195 mph.
One thing that you can't do is assume that the GT2 will be quite as obedient as four-wheel drive 911s, because this Porsche only has rear-wheel drive, albeit with a highly optimized suspension. That means that some of that dreaded rearward rotation is bound to surface when you push this 911 to the nth degree on a racetrack, and you'd better learn where the limits are very gradually.
Of course, Porsche engineers have made sure that you'll just about be unable to unstick the GT2's tail end during a day drive on your favorite street, thanks to a fierce suspension layout.
The GT2 sits on the 911 Turbo chassis but has been lowered almost a full inch--and all springs, bearings and shocks have been made stiffer and stouter--to accept racing modifications should the driver opt for them. Front struts are adjustable for racing, and the strut support mounts also allow wheel camber adjustments to allow for use of racing tires. Similar modifications exist at the rear suspension, again for optimized racing potential.
If you get the feeling that the GT2 would be happiest on the track, you're right. Although you could certainly drive this car daily, and you'd have better visibility than in a lot of supercars, it would be rough on the molars.
Ferrari 575 M Maranello (about $215,000; final prices will be set soon)
By : Michael Frank
The "M" in the new 575 M Maranello stands for "modified," with an increased displacement of 5.75 liters, versus the 550 Maranello, which was, of course, 5.5 liters. The engine is still up front, still one of the prettiest sounding V-12s you will ever get to hear, but shifting can now be made via a Formula 1-style paddle unit that resides behind the steering wheel. Power is up to 515 horsepower, 0-60 times have dropped to four seconds and top speed is up to 202 miles per hour, if you're in a very big hurry.
But whenever and wherever you drive the new 575 M, it will be a bit more "intelligent" than the 550, thanks to an adaptive suspension that not only reacts to potholes but, based on the overall road conditions, will also raise or lower the ride height of the car so that suspension travel is optimized for either a sport or comfort setting. And by the way, having been in the 550, we can tell you that this was already a remarkably civilized car, given the amazing performance capabilities.
No shifter here, just winged levers behind the steering wheel.
The newest Ferrari 575 M also gets bigger brakes and tire-pressure monitors, so you can stop more easily should you be driving even faster. And in case you're driving too fast for the pressure in the tires, the car will warn you to back off and go get some air.
But whenever and wherever you drive the new 575 M, it will be a bit more "intelligent" than the 550, thanks to an adaptive suspension that not only reacts to potholes but, based on the overall road conditions, will also raise or lower the ride height of the car so that suspension travel is optimized for either a sport or comfort setting. And by the way, having been in the 550, we can tell you that this was already a remarkably civilized car, given the amazing performance capabilities.
No shifter here, just winged levers behind the steering wheel.
The newest Ferrari 575 M also gets bigger brakes and tire-pressure monitors, so you can stop more easily should you be driving even faster. And in case you're driving too fast for the pressure in the tires, the car will warn you to back off and go get some air.
Aston Martin Vanquish $228,000
By : Michael Frank
No matter how many times we say it, it still sounds sweet: zero to 100 in 10 seconds flat. Yes, the 0-60 time of 4.5 seconds doesn't sound quite as impressive--there are Corvettes that come close to that mark. But 10 seconds to 100 miles per hour is truly remarkable, with very few production cars ever coming close to providing that kind of acceleration.
But what struck us when we drove the Vanquish, and what still impresses us having driven other supercars since, is just how easy this monster is to tame, even at ferociously high speeds or under that hammer of crushing acceleration. It corners with ease, and finding the outer limits of any turn can only be achieved on a racetrack, since otherwise the Vanquish is just rock-solid.
Drive the Vanquish like an old man, though, and you'll be surprised how docile a supercar can be. It's no Honda Civic, but steering action is smooth and even light at slow speeds. For around-town driving there's the auto-shift mode, so you don't even have to think about shifting when you're commuting in your Vanquish.
Also, there's a quite comfortable interior, with plenty of legroom, leather everywhere (you can, of course, choose whatever material you want, and what color) and large, easily navigable controls. So your eyes are never off the road for very long.
Still, you may wonder how this car stacks up versus the Ferrari 575 M, and although it's a valid question, we hardly think it matters. See, the devoted Ferrari buyer is someone who we don't think would even consider this car. Also, if you can actually afford a Vanquish, you might well be able to get both cars and compare for yourself. One thing we can say--the Aston Martin doesn't sound like a Ferrari at all, with a deeper exhaust note and an almost guttural growl. For that reason alone, the Aston is worth every penny.
No matter how many times we say it, it still sounds sweet: zero to 100 in 10 seconds flat. Yes, the 0-60 time of 4.5 seconds doesn't sound quite as impressive--there are Corvettes that come close to that mark. But 10 seconds to 100 miles per hour is truly remarkable, with very few production cars ever coming close to providing that kind of acceleration.
But what struck us when we drove the Vanquish, and what still impresses us having driven other supercars since, is just how easy this monster is to tame, even at ferociously high speeds or under that hammer of crushing acceleration. It corners with ease, and finding the outer limits of any turn can only be achieved on a racetrack, since otherwise the Vanquish is just rock-solid.
Drive the Vanquish like an old man, though, and you'll be surprised how docile a supercar can be. It's no Honda Civic, but steering action is smooth and even light at slow speeds. For around-town driving there's the auto-shift mode, so you don't even have to think about shifting when you're commuting in your Vanquish.
Also, there's a quite comfortable interior, with plenty of legroom, leather everywhere (you can, of course, choose whatever material you want, and what color) and large, easily navigable controls. So your eyes are never off the road for very long.
Still, you may wonder how this car stacks up versus the Ferrari 575 M, and although it's a valid question, we hardly think it matters. See, the devoted Ferrari buyer is someone who we don't think would even consider this car. Also, if you can actually afford a Vanquish, you might well be able to get both cars and compare for yourself. One thing we can say--the Aston Martin doesn't sound like a Ferrari at all, with a deeper exhaust note and an almost guttural growl. For that reason alone, the Aston is worth every penny.
Lamborghini Murciélago $273,000
By : Michael Frank
The newest Lamborghini has gotten some criticism of late because it's not as gonzo as the first Countach was when it debuted. Funny thing is, a lot of those critics haven't even seen a Murciélago in person. When you do, your jaw drops and then closes again, and your mouth forms a grin. And you do not criticize. This may not be as groundbreaking a design as the first shark-like Lambo, but it's still one awesome-looking machine. And you know what, there's no mistaking it for anything else. That's why the design wins for us.
As for the chassis, it's also a work of balance between extremes, with a carbon-fiber body over a mid-engine layout (behind the cockpit but in front of the rear axle) and the transmission in front of the cabin for optimal weight balance (42% front and 58% rear). The Murciélago--named, like all Lamborghinis, after a famous bull--also has all-wheel drive, which is somewhat unusual in the supercar realm but keeps maximum juice flowing to the road. In this case, that power is transferred through huge, Pirelli P Zero Rosso tires on 18-inch rims (245/35 in front, 335/30, rear).
Flip the gull-wing door up, lower yourself into the driver's bucket seat (the newest Lambo is said to be easier to climb in and out of, but it still helps to be small and flexible if you want to look at all suave during ingress and egress), and you'll find yourself at the helm of a long, low car with precisely the speed-racer seating geometry you'd anticipate. You sit in, not on, leather-wrapped seats that suck you low and tight, and extend your arms straight to the wheel, your legs to the pedals. The shifter is perfectly within reach of your right arm, and it's a tall-stalked steel-balled six-speed that travels through a steel shift gate.
You could almost be sitting at the wheel of a luxury car, not a Lamborghini.
Front views aren't bad through the steeply sloped windshield, but rear views appear best through the side mirrors, which reach wide of the huge, retractable motor cooling vents (they adapt to engine temperature and car speed to pass maximum air through the engine compartment).
Speaking of the engine, the 580 horsepower V-12 (you hit that horsepower at a scorching 7,500 rpm) is said to deliver the Murciélago pilot to speeds in excess of 205 mph and from 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 kilometers per hour) in 3.8 seconds. But even at saner speeds (and acceleration rates), the Murciélago delivers most of its torque evenly, so you don't have to torch the engine at high rpms to derive plenty of pleasure.
Then again, if you want to tool around town, don't get a Murciélago. Visibility just won't be good enough to enjoy this car in traffic, whereas, on some lonely stretch of New Mexico highway we can imagine there are very few cars indeed that would ever get close enough to be considered tailgaters.
The newest Lamborghini has gotten some criticism of late because it's not as gonzo as the first Countach was when it debuted. Funny thing is, a lot of those critics haven't even seen a Murciélago in person. When you do, your jaw drops and then closes again, and your mouth forms a grin. And you do not criticize. This may not be as groundbreaking a design as the first shark-like Lambo, but it's still one awesome-looking machine. And you know what, there's no mistaking it for anything else. That's why the design wins for us.
As for the chassis, it's also a work of balance between extremes, with a carbon-fiber body over a mid-engine layout (behind the cockpit but in front of the rear axle) and the transmission in front of the cabin for optimal weight balance (42% front and 58% rear). The Murciélago--named, like all Lamborghinis, after a famous bull--also has all-wheel drive, which is somewhat unusual in the supercar realm but keeps maximum juice flowing to the road. In this case, that power is transferred through huge, Pirelli P Zero Rosso tires on 18-inch rims (245/35 in front, 335/30, rear).
Flip the gull-wing door up, lower yourself into the driver's bucket seat (the newest Lambo is said to be easier to climb in and out of, but it still helps to be small and flexible if you want to look at all suave during ingress and egress), and you'll find yourself at the helm of a long, low car with precisely the speed-racer seating geometry you'd anticipate. You sit in, not on, leather-wrapped seats that suck you low and tight, and extend your arms straight to the wheel, your legs to the pedals. The shifter is perfectly within reach of your right arm, and it's a tall-stalked steel-balled six-speed that travels through a steel shift gate.
You could almost be sitting at the wheel of a luxury car, not a Lamborghini.
Front views aren't bad through the steeply sloped windshield, but rear views appear best through the side mirrors, which reach wide of the huge, retractable motor cooling vents (they adapt to engine temperature and car speed to pass maximum air through the engine compartment).
Speaking of the engine, the 580 horsepower V-12 (you hit that horsepower at a scorching 7,500 rpm) is said to deliver the Murciélago pilot to speeds in excess of 205 mph and from 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 kilometers per hour) in 3.8 seconds. But even at saner speeds (and acceleration rates), the Murciélago delivers most of its torque evenly, so you don't have to torch the engine at high rpms to derive plenty of pleasure.
Then again, if you want to tool around town, don't get a Murciélago. Visibility just won't be good enough to enjoy this car in traffic, whereas, on some lonely stretch of New Mexico highway we can imagine there are very few cars indeed that would ever get close enough to be considered tailgaters.
Bentley Azure Convertible Mulliner $376,485
By : Micheal Frank
If this car looks a lot like the Rolls Corniche Convertible, you're on to something. Both cars ride on the same wheelbase and have the same motor, although in the Bentley you get much more torque and horsepower.
That still doesn't put the Azure Convertible on par with the all-new Arnage T (which we'll review next week), but with 590 foot-pounds of torque, the Azure does at least make this big car feel exceedingly sporty. There's even less backseat room in the Azure Convertible than in the Rolls, however, which gives front-seaters (Bentleys are driver's cars, remember) plenty of legroom and makes the backseat a great place to park your briefcase.
As with all Bentleys, what you want is what you get. In this case, lots and lots of wood, plus chrome.
The convertible is automatic, of course, as is the transmission. Still, like the Rolls, this is a somewhat old design, one likely to get significantly refreshed in the coming years, especially with the likes of the Arnage T showing how much more performance is possible.
That still doesn't put the Azure Convertible on par with the all-new Arnage T (which we'll review next week), but with 590 foot-pounds of torque, the Azure does at least make this big car feel exceedingly sporty. There's even less backseat room in the Azure Convertible than in the Rolls, however, which gives front-seaters (Bentleys are driver's cars, remember) plenty of legroom and makes the backseat a great place to park your briefcase.
As with all Bentleys, what you want is what you get. In this case, lots and lots of wood, plus chrome.
The convertible is automatic, of course, as is the transmission. Still, like the Rolls, this is a somewhat old design, one likely to get significantly refreshed in the coming years, especially with the likes of the Arnage T showing how much more performance is possible.
Rolls-Royce Corniche Convertible $363,990
By : Micheal Frank
The Corniche Convertible may be the world's last completely anachronistic automobile. That is, it's a Rolls-Royce, a car in which anyone with any sense would want to be driven. And yet the Corniche has less backseat room than a C-Class Mercedes-Benz--and you could buy a dozen C-Classes for one Corniche Convertible. Also, there's only seven cubic feet of trunk space, which isn't much better than the trunk space of a Mazda Miata. OK, you don't buy a Rolls to be practical, but the car at least should be big, right?
Also, Rolls-Royce is a company under new management, namely, BMW's. And that muddies the picture even further, since the Corniche shares an engine with Bentley, the 6.75-liter V-8. But even if Corniche cars are still made after 2002 (BMW is working on a replacement for the $229,990 Silver Seraph, set to debut in summer 2003), it isn't clear if BMW will continue to purchase them from Bentley.
Meanwhile, there's the 2002 Corniche, which is in production only until the end of this summer. True, it is sort of a white elephant, but at least it's a known quantity in that it will have the grand torque (544 foot pounds) of an old Rolls, as well as the plushest ride on the planet. That's not only thanks to a huge wheelbase for what is really a sort of cushy GT, but also due to computer-actuated dampers, auto ride-height control and load compensation controls that level the ride no matter the disparity in passenger weight (should you have your grand, fat, old aunt Gertrude Godiva riding shotgun at some point).
We'd give you more specs, but every Corniche is made to order, from the paint to the wood, hide, trim, even the position of the intercrossed Rs in the cockpit. The only thing we'd wager will be the same on every Corniche (unless you somehow wanted it omitted) is the flying lady on the hood.
Also, Rolls-Royce is a company under new management, namely, BMW's. And that muddies the picture even further, since the Corniche shares an engine with Bentley, the 6.75-liter V-8. But even if Corniche cars are still made after 2002 (BMW is working on a replacement for the $229,990 Silver Seraph, set to debut in summer 2003), it isn't clear if BMW will continue to purchase them from Bentley.
Meanwhile, there's the 2002 Corniche, which is in production only until the end of this summer. True, it is sort of a white elephant, but at least it's a known quantity in that it will have the grand torque (544 foot pounds) of an old Rolls, as well as the plushest ride on the planet. That's not only thanks to a huge wheelbase for what is really a sort of cushy GT, but also due to computer-actuated dampers, auto ride-height control and load compensation controls that level the ride no matter the disparity in passenger weight (should you have your grand, fat, old aunt Gertrude Godiva riding shotgun at some point).
We'd give you more specs, but every Corniche is made to order, from the paint to the wood, hide, trim, even the position of the intercrossed Rs in the cockpit. The only thing we'd wager will be the same on every Corniche (unless you somehow wanted it omitted) is the flying lady on the hood.
Saleen S7 $395,000
By : Micheal Frank
Exotic supercars are extreme in every sense. But what to make of this claim: According to the Saleen S7 press release, its aerodynamic ground effects are so effective, and create so much down force (what holds a car to the road at high speeds), that even if you drove the S7 upside down at 160 mph on some sort of Hot Wheels roller-coaster track that exploded into real-life scale, the car wouldn't lose its contact with the road. Of course they didn't explain how they know this, and, sorry, we're not volunteering to test out the theory.
Meanwhile, the S7 power plant is decidedly less outlandish than its ground effects. The motor is derived from a Ford Mustang, then deeply modified. It's made entirely of aluminum, has stainless-steel valves with titanium retainers, and a high vacuum dry sump and stainless-steel exhaust. It breathes through roof-mounted intakes and is mated to a six-speed manual transmission. Power output is a claimed 550 horsepower, with performance of less than four seconds to 60 mph and a top speed in excess of 200 mph.
The S7 can look beyond super--it can look cartoonish.
And the S7 has some fairly clever components: a video monitor instead of a rearview mirror (since how could you see anything aft via a conventional mirror, anyway?), and a removable steering wheel to ease entry and exit into the tight-fitting cabin.
But we still have to ask: With a new Lamborghini on the market, as well as a new Ferrari 575M Maranello coming, who wants a Ford-powered supercar?
Meanwhile, the S7 power plant is decidedly less outlandish than its ground effects. The motor is derived from a Ford Mustang, then deeply modified. It's made entirely of aluminum, has stainless-steel valves with titanium retainers, and a high vacuum dry sump and stainless-steel exhaust. It breathes through roof-mounted intakes and is mated to a six-speed manual transmission. Power output is a claimed 550 horsepower, with performance of less than four seconds to 60 mph and a top speed in excess of 200 mph.
The S7 can look beyond super--it can look cartoonish.
And the S7 has some fairly clever components: a video monitor instead of a rearview mirror (since how could you see anything aft via a conventional mirror, anyway?), and a removable steering wheel to ease entry and exit into the tight-fitting cabin.
But we still have to ask: With a new Lamborghini on the market, as well as a new Ferrari 575M Maranello coming, who wants a Ford-powered supercar?
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