Monthly Archives: March 2013

Touring Superlaggera Disco Volante

Geneva Motor Show: top 10 concept cars

concept car geneva 2013

From a supercar off-roader designed for city centers to a futuristic pick-up and a sportscar with a copper shell, it has been an excellent year for exciting concepts. A look at the best at this year’s International Motor Show in Geneva, running through March 17.

ItalDesign Giugiaro Parcour

ItalDesign Giugiaro Parcour

The ultimate off-roader for the city center, the Parcour has four-wheel drive, oversized tires, scissor doors and is based on the mechanics of the Lamborghini Gallardo – so it should be breathtakingly fast.

IED Gloria

IED Gloria

The ‘Gloria’ was created by 20 design students from the European Design Institute (IED), in partnership with the Alfa Romeo Style Center.

Toyota FT-86 Open Concept

Toyota FT-86 Open Concept

Unlike most concept cars on display at a motor show, this one stands every chance of becoming a reality. The FT-86 Open is based on Toyota’s much admired GT-86 hard-top coupe.

Touring Superlaggera Disco Volante

Touring Superlaggera Disco Volante

Another Alfa Romeo-based concept, the Disco Volante’s curvaceous shell hides the underpinnings from an 8C supercar. The company hopes to do a limited production run; if owners of an Alfa Romeo 8C deliver their vehicle to the studio, Touring Superleggera can convert it to a Disco Volante in a little over six months for an undisclosed fee.

Pininfarina Sergio Concept

Pininfarina Sergio Concept

This concept is crucial for two reasons – firstly because it celebrates the life and times of Sergio Pininfarina, one of the most important car designers of the last century, and secondly because it gives viewers a very good idea of the design direction of future Ferrari models.

Peugeot Onyx

Peugeot Onyx

The Onyx uses the highest-quality natural materials in its construction and has a mid-mounted V8 hybrid engine. It’s also covered in copper, which tends to go green under oxidation.

BMW i8 Spyder concept

BMW i8 Spyder concept

This was the first time the open-top version of BMW’s all-electric supercar was seen in Europe and even though its powerplant is nothing more than a battery, it is impressive nevertheless.

Honda Acura NSX Concept

Honda Acura NSX Concept

This concept was first unveiled at Detroit at the start of the year, but three months on, it is still a very good-looking car and one that could become a production reality before the end of 2014.

Spyker B6 Venator

Spyker B6 Venator

The B6 Venator, although a concept, is the clearest indication yet that Dutch carmaker Spyker has recovered from its ill-fated attempt to buy Saab and will soon return to building quirky, exciting and exquisitely finished supercars.

Mitsubishi Concept GR-HEV

Mitsubishi Concept GR-HEV

Compared with many of the other concepts on show, this Mitsubishi is not going to win any beauty contests. However, it is by far the most practical of the line-up, boasting a 2.5-litre diesel-hybrid engine and all of the performance you would expect from a pickup.

British Airways A380

British Airways to start A380 service to LA in October

hollywood boulevard sign

British Airways airline is now taking bookings for its first superjumbo Airbus A380 flight, which will travel from London to Los Angeles on October 15.

From November, a second superjumbo Airbus will be flying to Hong Kong. The airline has also started taking bookings for this flight.

Return bookings for the London-Los Angeles flight start at €632 for Economy and go up to €2,796 for Business Class. The London-Hong Kong route will be launched on November 15. A return trip will set passengers back €614 in Economy and up to €2,087 in Business Class.

The British Airways A380 will be able to carry 469 passengers including 14 in First Class and 97 in Business Class. A Superior Economy Class (55 seats) will also be available.

These two new aircrafts mean that the British airline is the ninth in the world to use the Airbus A380. Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Air France, Lufthansa, Qantas, Korean Air, China Southern and more recently, Malaysian Airlines are the privileged few to use the superjumbo Airbus.

Beef Valentine

Zero-calorie restaurant opens in London

steam pop up restaurant

Chef Frederick Forster has joined forces with Miele to launch a pop-up restaurant called “Steam” in London’s Covent Garden, which is totally calorie-neutral.

So, what will be served up? Dishes for the day include beef fillet with beansprout salad, scallop and chorizo brouchette with cucumber and ginger dressing, quail egg cocotte with mushroom and leek fondue and prawn stuffed lemon sole with herb butter sauce.

Beef Valentine

Between courses, guests will take part in stretching classes to aid digestion, sit on vibrating seat pads to increase calorie burn, and engage in full-on dining workouts

And calorie-neutral doesn’t mean skimping on dessert, as the chef is also offering banana cake with pineapple confit and crème Chantilly to end the meal.

The pop-up eatery is being launched to promote German appliance manufacturer Miele’s new steam-cooking appliances, which will be used to cook the meals.

Banana Cake

Steam opens Wednesday, March 13, in Covent Garden with four 90-minute seatings at lunch and dinner. For tickets, email steam@frankpr.it.

Miele isn’t the only appliance brand to launch innovative dining experiences. Electrolux launched a mobile pop-up restaurant called The Cube, which was set up on rooftops and landmarks around the world, including the arcade of Belgium’s Jubelpark and London’s Royal Festival Hall.

Chef Frederick Forster

Aston Martin DBR1 photo

Aston Martin CC100 confirmed

Aston Martin DBR1

Only two examples of Aston Martin’s new two-seat open top racing car will be built, and they will make their debut at this year’s Nürburgring 24-hour race in May.

Inspired by the Aston Martin DBR1 that legendary British racing driver Sterling Moss piloted to victory in the 1959 Nürburgring 1000km, the CC100 will be based on the Aston Martin V12 Vantage platform and like, the original, will have a completely exposed cabin, no roof and no doors. The lucky owner will have to climb in and out of the car each time he or she wishes to put it through its paces.

The company’s CEO, Dr. Ulrich Bez, confirmed at the Geneva Motor Show that the car would cost somewhere between £330,000 and £1.4 million and that two examples would be produced.

The first will be to celebrate Aston Martin’s first 100 years in business, and the second will honor Moss’s victory 54 years ago.

Bez also revealed that at this year’s Nürburgring 24-hour race in May that he will drive the CC100 and that Sterling Moss will be reunited with the DBR1.

Michelin Guide Tokyo 2013

Michelin to make restaurant reservations easier

Michelin Guide Tokyo 2013

Michelin has struck a partnership with the largest online reservations provider in Europe that will allow consumers to book a table at a Michelin-rated eatery instantly.

The partnership with Livebookings.com will first launch in France and Germany, offering instant table reservations at thousands of restaurants across both countries before being rolled out across the rest of Europe.

Currently, Michelin’s restaurant site provides descriptions, ratings, inspector and user-generated reviews but users cannot make reservations directly.

Livebookings services will aim to rival real-time online reservation site OpenTable. Headquartered in San Francisco, OpenTable also operates  in Canada, Germany, Japan, Mexico and the UK, seating 10 million diners a month in 27,000 restaurants.

Gucci Hobo bag

Gucci launches new line of eco-friendly handbags

Gucci Hobo bag

Gucci has teamed up with Livia Firth’s Green Carpet Challenge for the first-ever line of handbags produced with Rainforest Alliance-certified leather.

Leather is one of the largest byproducts of South American cattle farming, alongside environmental damage.

According to Sabrina Vigilante, director of Strategic Initiatives at the Rainforest Alliance, “agricultural conversion for cattle production is the leading cause of deforestation in the Amazon.”

It’s not just the deforestation that’s a problem — the amount of energy that goes into producing a natural hide is around 20 times that is needed for a synthetic substitute.

Still, a number of groups are seeking to help limit the impacts associated with leather production.

This line of Gucci bags is the first ever to be produced with the Rainforest Alliance-certified leather, which is produced under strict controls in order to limit deforestation and protect wildlife habitats.

Gucci Jackie bag

The certification also seeks to ensure that farmers provide ethical treatment to livestock and also help promote and maintain the rights and health of their workers.

The leather is all produced by the Fazendas São Marcelo group of four ranches located in the Mato Grosso state of Western Brazil.

The new bags appear in ‘Tote’, ‘Jackie’ and ‘Hobo’ styles. They will go on sale at select Gucci stores around the world and will be available online at Gucci.com in the US and Europe.

Livia Firth, the eco-campaigner and wife of Oscar-winning actor Colin Firth, established Green Carpet Challenge to help to raise awareness of environmental issues in the fashion world and support the work of ethical fashion brands.

Gucci Tote bag

Miraval rose wine

First Jolie-Pitt rose wine vintage sells out within hours

Miraval rose wine

The first 6,000 bottles of Miraval rose wine from a French vineyard owned by Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt sold out Thursday within hours of going on general sale.

“Selling started at 9:00 am (0800 GMT) and everything was sold by 2:00 pm” during the online sale, said Vitabella, a public relations firm representing the vineyard.

The couple teamed up with the French winemaking Perrin family to develop the “Miraval Cotes de Provence” label, named after their Chateau Miraval estate in the south of France.

The 2012 vintage was priced at 105 euros ($138) per case of six bottles for the Internet sale. Another 100,000 bottles have been sold to wine merchants and restaurants.

Jolie and Pitt acquired the 500-hectare (1,200-acre) estate in 2008 and have used it as a summer residence. The estate includes around 50 to 60 acres of vines.

Marc Perrin said that the couple were involved in the production process and wanted to do more than “just put their name” on the label. “They want to be proud of the wine on their property. They are really looking for excellence,” he said.

crashed Ferrari car

Ronaldo’s damaged Ferrari to sell on eBay

Cristiano Ronaldo damaged Ferrari

A damaged Ferrari once belonging to Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo is to be sold on eBay, after its new owner came to an agreement with the auction site.

Lawyer Renaud Bettcher said he and his client — a garage owner from the eastern city of Strasbourg — were “very satisfied” that they had finally been given the go-ahead to sell the car, after eBay asked for proof of its provenance.

The site would also pay undisclosed damages to the dealership, the lawyer added. According to the Dernieres Nouvelles d’Alsace newspaper, the figure could be as much as 20,000 euros ($26,000).

Star Autos took action against eBay after the auction site withdrew an advert for the sale of the car “for security reasons” and concern that it may not have been genuine.

It then asked the garage to provide proof about its previous owner, which Bettcher said they supplied three times. No date was given for the new sale.

The garage bought the red Ferrari 599 GTB from a Portuguese vendor for about 33,000 euros and had been asking for 50,000 euros for it at auction. Bids had reached 125,000 euros when the item was withdrawn.

Ronaldo crashed the 250,000-euro sports car into a barrier near Manchester airport in 2009, a week before the then-Manchester United striker was awarded the 2008 Ballon d’Or as world player of the year.

Paul Smith David Bowie TShirt

Paul Smith teams up with David Bowie

Paul Smith David Bowie TShirt

Iconic singer David Bowie and legendary designer Paul Smith have collaborated on a T-shirt to celebrate the release of Bowie’s new abum, ‘The Next Day’.

The cover image features the iconic “Heroes” photo shot by Masayoshi Sukita, with the titled struck through, and a new title, “The Next Day,” pasted over the top.

Two singles have already dropped from the first album for Bowie since his 2003 album, “Reality,” with the video for “The Stars (Are Out Tonight)” featuring some of fashion’s biggest names, including Saskia de Brauw and Tilda Swinton.

“David Bowie has worn a lot of Paul Smith throughout his career and I was excited and delighted when asked if I would do the official T-shirt for his album ‘The Next Day,'” Smith told GQ Magazine.

“there will also be some other great things coming up later in the year,” added the designer. Exciting. The shirt is currently selling online at Paul Smith for €95.

Iceland largest supper club dinner

Iceland Hosts World’s Largest Supper Club

Iceland largest supper club dinner

In a bid to promote its culinary heritage, a cuisine that can be inscrutable for many unfamiliar with Nordic culture, Iceland’s tourism office organized what it’s calling the world’s largest supper club for 300 guests over the weekend.

It took a team of eight chefs six hours to prepare the multi-course meal of salted cod, Icelandic shrimp, local lamb and a colorful assortment of salads and vegetables for the international guest list at a “secret” location in Reykjavik’s Old Harbor.

The dinner was hosted as part of Reykjavik’s Food & Fun Festival, which wrapped up over the weekend.

It was also the culmination of an online contest from last year that asked fans to rename the country in a moment of recognition that their namesake is somewhat of a misnomer.

Despite its name, Iceland enjoys variable but temperate weather with average winter temperatures in the lowlands hovering around 0C. In the highlands, the mercury tends to average around -10C.

In three weeks, more than 10,000 people responded with suggestions that included Lavaland, Puffinland, Wonderland and the Promised Land.

The guest list was culled from among the participants who made suggestions and who were flown in for the occasion, as well as local residents.

Monaco Monte Carlo

Where you’ll find the most expensive hotel rooms

Monaco Monte Carlo

If you’re looking to travel to Monte Carlo, brace yourself and your pocketbook as average hotel prices in 2012 were highest in the Monegasque capital and lowest in Cambodia’s Phnom Penh.

In the ninth edition of hotels.com’s annual Hotel Price Index, which reviewed global hotel prices during 2012, the capital of Monaco topped the list of destinations with the highest average hotel prices last year, experiencing a six percent price hike from £189 (€220) in 2011 to £200 (€230) in 2012.

Looking for a cheap vacation? At the other end of the spectrum, the average hotel price for a room in Phnom Penh, Cambodia clocked in at £40 (€46).

Meanwhile, globally, guests around the world paid three percent more for their hotel rooms compared to 2011, the report points out.

In what could be construed as a harbinger for areas of growth, the index also charts the biggest percentage price rises in 2012 and found that hotel prices in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt skyrocketed 34 percent over 2011, from £69 (€80) to £92 (€107).

Rounding out the cities that experienced the biggest percentage price hikes between 2011and 2012 are Perth, Australia; San Francisco, California; Orlando, Florida; and Siem Reap in Cambodia.

The report looked at the prices of more than 155,000 properties around the world.

The 10 destinations where average hotel prices were steepest during 2012:

1. Monte Carlo, Monaco – £200
2. Muscat (capital of Oman) – £188
3. New York – £179
4. Rio de Janeiro – £177
5. Moscow – £160
6. Geneva – £159
7. Key West – £154
8. Boston – £151
9. Cannes – £149
10. Perth – £142

The 10 destinations with the lowest average hotel prices during 2012

1.Phnom Penh, Cambodia – £40
2.Pattaya, Thailand, Cambodia – £48
3.Hanoi, Vietnam – £49
4.Siem Reap, Cambodia – £51
5.Chiang Mai, Thailand – £53
6.Vilnius, Lithuania – £53
7.Riga, Latvia – £54
8.Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – £59
9.Krakow, Poland – £61
10. Bangkok, Thailand – £61

McLaren P1

McLaren P1 hybrid unveiled in Geneva

McLaren P1

McLaren has unveiled its P1 supercar, which can reach an electronically limited top speed of 350km/h and go from 0 to 100 km/h in under 3s.

McLaren unveiled its new P1 at the Paris Motor Show in September 2012 and presented it as a new breed of supercar without revealing any of its secrets or its performances. And the much-awaited supercar has now arrived.

McLaren P1 supercar

McLaren’s new F1 driver Sergio Pérez attended the presentation of the final version of the P1 in Geneva. It comes with a 915 horsepower, 3.8-liter, twin turbo V8 engine and boasts exceptional performances.

McLaren P1 wheels

The new supercar can go from 0 to 200km/h in under 7s and from 0 to 300km/h in 17s, which represents a 5s improvement on the performance of the pioneer McLaren F1. It also has a completely electric driving mode for urban journeys.

McLaren P1 interior

The production of the McLaren P1 will be limited to 375 units. Prices for this car will start at one million euros. See the McLaren P1 in action: youtu.be/VW2LOgchfno

McLaren P1 supercar photo

Solid gold Lionel Messi’s foot on sale in Japan

Solid gold Lionel Messi foot

A solid gold replica of footballer Lionel Messi’s left foot, complete with blood vessels and the swirls of skin on the bottom of the toes, is to go on sale in Japan.

The 25-kilogramme (55-pound) statue, worth $5.25 million, was created from a mould of the star striker’s foot by Ginza Tanaka to mark Messi’s record-breaking fourth consecutive Ballon d’Or award.

The golden foot is due to go on sale on Thursday, along with a number of miniature versions and a solid gold plate of the Barcelona FC frontman’s footprint.

Part of the profits from the sale will go to help people affected by the quake and tsunami that hit Japan two years ago next Monday, through the Leo Messi Foundation, a charity run by the Messi family.

Ikea Logo

Marriott, IKEA team up to launch new hotel brand

ikea bed

US hotel chain Marriott said Tuesday it is teaming up with IKEA to launch of new budget hotel brand in Germany and Europe, called Moxy Hotels.

Over the next 10 years, 150 low-cost hotels will be opened in 10 different countries, Marriott chief Arne Sorenson told a news conference in Berlin.

In addition to Germany, hotels would be opened in Austria, Britain, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.

The very first Moxy Hotel would open in Milan at the start of next year, Sorenson said. The new brand was targeted at a young, price-conscious, well travelled clientele.

lamborghini veneno photo

Lamborghini Veneno hypercar revealed

lamborghini veneno supercar

To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Lamborghini has introduced its fastest and most outrageous road car yet, the Veneno.

The Veneno is named after a legendary fighting bull whose reputation was built on the fact that it was one of the strongest and most aggressive in history.

lamborghini veneno

The Veneno is based on the Aventador coupe and is built almost entirely from carbon fiber. It boasts a V12, 750 horespower powertrain and permanent four-wheel drive.

Lamborghini says the Veneno can reach speeds of 220 miles per hour (355 kilometers per hour) and accelerates from 0-60 mph in 2.8 seconds.

lamborghini veneno photo

The model making its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show is grey, but the three production models will each be finished in one of the three colors of the Italian flag.

The green, white and red cars will retail for €3 million ($3.9 million) plus tax and Lamborghini claims it has already secured a buyer for every example.

lamborghini veneno back

However the display model, which carries the production number 0, will remain the property of Lamborghini.

Likewise, although the Italian supercar maker has guaranteed delivery of each production model before the end of the year, production won’t start until further track-based testing has been completed.

lamborghini veneno Geneva

Chivas 18 Pininfarina

Chivas Regal x Pininfarina

Chivas 18 Pininfarina

Pernod Ricard has collaborated with Italian car designer Pininfarina to produce a series of limited edition Chivas Regal 18 Year Old bottle packages.

Each limited edition captures Pininfarina’s design cues on the metallized crest, while its logo is emblazoned on the capsule and neck wrap.

The first edition is based on a ‘streamlined drop.’ The outer cased is design in a rich blue with metallic finish that harkens to the metal coachbuild designs the Italian company is best known for.

It incorporates a wooden veneer resembling the oak cases which Chivas 18 ages within and will cost $145. The second edition (above) varies in only that it incorporates a ‘more aerodynamic shape.’ It includes two drop design glasses and will retail for $585.

The third edition, Chivas 18 Mascherone by Pininfarina, is the most elegant and has been hand assembled in Cambiano by Pininfarina.

It is clad in aluminum and detailed with an oak internal structure, and is reminiscent of Pininfarina’s infamous innovative automotive designs.

Only five Mascherones will be on display globally. Otherwise, it’s made to order. If you have to ask, chances are you can’t afford it.

Chivas 18 Mascherone by Pininfarina