Carbon Fiber Gear highlighted recently a Ferrari 355 gas cap paperweight. Made by RaceChairs.com, it's constructed of a 6″ x 6″ piece of carbon fiber, a colored suede underside and a real (but unused) gas cap from a Ferrari 355. (Also available with a Lamborghini Diablo gas cap.) The carbon fiber weave is clearcoated for shiny finish, and the bottom of the paperweight is covered in your choice of black, yellow, or red suede, to ensure it won't scratch your desk. The gas cap is highly polished aluminum with the Ferrari logo on the center. Optional: have an engraved plaque added or get wall hangers for display. $325, but just $199 on RaceChairs.com at the time of this writing. Looks like something our sister site, autoblog, might take a liking to.
This idea either sounds like torture or like a good way to avoid a DUI...unless of course you can't steer the handlebars after a day's worth of tasting...is that called a RUI?? Getaway Adventures offers a fantastic, car-less way to explore the valleys of Napa or Sonoma via a bicycle (or kayak if you prefer a more refreshing option). Whether you are looking for just a day-trip, corporate/group event or weekend excursion I doubt you will be disappointed. A spread of local foods is provided for lunch, stops at a myriad of local wineries is included, and local tour guides will expand your knowledge of flora, fauna, and vineyard as you ride.
Don't expect a strenuous adventure -- it is geared toward the 'enthusiastic beginner' as they put it so don't worry if you aren't Lance Armstrong. Vacation...wine tasting...exercise all in one? Perfect.
Tours are available from March 1st to November 30th.
Aston Martin and Swiss watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre have teamed up on a new timepiece that doubles as a key to the $260,000 DBS - James Bond's car of choice. The AMVOX2 DBS Transponder, as it's called, locks and unlocks the car much the same way as a remote key fob, though far more stylishly (you'll still need a key to actually drive away). Available as an add-on only for DBS owners, the chronograph costs $37,900 and can be ordered now for October delivery. The AMVOX2 DBS Transponder will make its public debut at the Paris Motor Show on Oct. 4. The watch features "a suspended metallic grey DBS symbol, a discrete Aston Martin emblem on the movement operating indicator and ruthenium grey bridges, satin finish and a black dial that all evoke the DBS's instrument panel," the company notes.
Supercar Life, the program that allows clients to drive some of the world's most exotic automobiles on a racetrack with no speed limit, traffic or police to spoil the fun, has a number of new events scheduled at the New Jersey Motorsports Park near newly hip Atlantic City over the next couple months. Supercar Life's linup of over $1.5 million worth of wheels includes the Ferrari F430, Lamborghini Gallardo, Porsche 911 Turbo and Aston Martin DB9. The entry fee is $4,990 for the Track Package, which includes tuition from pro drivers in the Rolex Grand-Am series, catered trackside meals, an in-car DVD of your day and a post-event champagne celebration. The Luxury Package ($5,690) adds area hotel accommodations and all ground transportation. Programs in New Jersey are scheduled for August 26, 27, Sept 9 and 10, and Oct 7 and 8. Check out their site here for more details.
One of the most interesting collections of vintage Rolls-Royces isn't in some U.S. millionaire's shiny garage. It's hidden in a tower among the Encartaciones mountains in Spain. Spanish website Eitb24 says that the Torre Loizaga in Galdames was once destroyed by a lightning and later rebuilt. The collection includes 43 Rolls Royces spread out over three pavilions along with 27 other makes of cars such as a a 1903 Peugeot, a 1911 Ford T, a Ferrari Testarosa, a Lamborghini Countach, two Jaguars and a 1934 Bentley in three other pavilions. The oldest car in the collection is a 104 years old "Gladiator". Check out the pictures from Flickr user jl_ibarruri who toured the place. It's definitely not your typical museum.
Get fit, be green, and travel in style on one of the new James Perse Cruisers. Available in 4 colors, the vintage 50s and 60s-style Beach Cruisers (meaning they have wide tires for handling the sand, low wide-set handlebars, and coaster brakes) are custom built and in limited edition. Features include a Hydroform steel frame, hand-aged leather seat and handle grips, wide 2" rims and tires, and a limited edition serial number and serial number tag. Only available at James Perse boutiques for approx $2200.
Luxury yacht brokerage Edmiston has commissioned seven avant-garde marine designers to come up with a nautical-themed take on Land Rover's classic Range Rover. The entry shown here, by self-described "yacht design pioneer" Dickie Bannenberg, features wooden side panels and a tailgate that folds into a nautical-style wooden bench, complete with champagne holders, while the rear windshield converts into a sun visor to shade it. The winner of the design competition will be announced on Sept. 25th during the Monaco Yacht Show, one of the megayacht community's biggest annual events. Visitors to the show will be able to custom order a Range Rover in any of the seven designs, with a delivery time of three to six months and a price range of about $300,000 - $1.2 million.
A rare 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Atalante Coupe sold for $7.92 million at Gooding & Co.'s auto auction (that we recently reported on) during the annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in California over the weekend - the highest price ever paid for an automobile at auction in the U.S.A. The car was part of the Dr. Peter and Susan Williamson Collection, billed as the world's finest assemblage of Bugattis, several of which fetched high prices at the sale. The next highest price at the Gooding & Co. event was a 1950 Ferrari 166 MM Berlinetta Le Mans, which fetched $2.2 million. Meanwhile, at RM Auctions' similar sale during the classic car event, which we told you about earlier this month, a 1961 Ferrari 250GT SWB Berlinetta brought in an impressive $4.5 million.
Golfing gets more and more popular every year it seems, and although lots of people think it's a really good time it still has a reputation of being a somewhat quiet, calm, and sophisticated sport. That stereotype could be changing, however, thanks to Bad Ass Golf Carts.
Yes, that's really what they're called and yes, they really are bad ass. There are numerous customized carts available, including one that jumps (seen here), one modeled after a Hummer, and a limo version that seats six. You can also buy customized parts like wheels and accessories for existing carts if you want to make your own. Sounds like good times! $12,000 - $18,000
The folks at the beloved Bruichladdich Scotch distillery on Islay just powered a racecar from 0-60 in 3.5 seconds on a tank full of of its X4 Scotch, billed as the most alcoholic single malt ever made. The car, a British-made Radical SR4 (above), was driven by Top Gear's James May and wine expert Oz Clarke for a segment on their upcoming BBC series Oz and James' Great British Adventure. The clear 180-proof quadruple-distilled spirit, which required no engine modification, produced 200 bhp, only 5 less than ordinary gasoline - but at about $200 a gallon it's a pretty pricey biofuel. A lower proof version of the X4 will go on sale (for drinking, not driving) in the fall. You can see a video of the run here.
A legendary prototype sportscar that helped shaped the future of Jaguar was auctioned off at Bonhams & Butterfields' Quail Lodge Sale in California on Friday for just under $5 million, setting a new world record. Bids for the 1960 E2A (above), often called the "missing link" between the marque's classic D-Type and E-Type models, had been expected to reach up to $7 million in what has lately been a heated market for multimillion dollar automotive classics.
Raced by some of the world's top drivers at Le Mans and elsewhere, the beautiful car had an historic win in August of 1960 at Bridgehampton, NY, beating out a Maserati Birdcage. James Knight, International Head of Bonhams' motoring department, called the E2A "one of the most charismatic and significant prototypes ever produced anywhere." And $5 million - now the highest price ever paid for a Jaguar at auction - isn't too shabby.
Oleg Deripaska (right), 40, the richest man in Russia with a fortune of $28 billion and the 9th richest man in world (Luxist fave Roman Abramovich is #15), has reportedly held talks with General Motors about acquiring their beleaguered Hummer division.
As my colleague Deidre Woollard reported last month, Hummer is in financial trouble in the wake of the oil and gas price explosion, with sales of the SUV having tumbled some 40 percent through June. Ailing GM has announced plans to unload the brand, and Deripaska, whose company Russian Machines recently acquired a major stake in Canadian auto parts manufacturer Magna International, is a natural buyer.
In the wake of the reports, Russian Machines issued a statement saying it was "not strategically interested in such a deal", which sounds to us like a non-denial denial. We would hardly expect him to invite counter-offers by publicizing a planned acquisition before the deal is signed. This past New Year's Eve Deripaska paid Barbadian signer Rihanna $500,000 for a private 40 minute performance for his friends.
This weekend, Gooding & Company is staging a multimillion dollar auto auction during the 58th annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in Carmel, CA. Among the stunning cars on offer is the world's finest collection of Bugattis, including a 1937 Type 57SC Atalante Coupe, which is expected to fetch over $4 million. Another star attraction is a 1959 Ferrari 250 GT California Spider, originally owned by H.R.H. Prince Vittorio Emanuele de Savoia, the last prince of Italy. Both that car and the beautiful model pictured above, a rare 1957 Ferrari 500 TRC, are expected to fetch in excess of $3 million. Also on offer is Steve McQueen's 1976 Porsche 930 Turbo Carrera, the actor's personal car for several years, a relative steal with an est. of only $125,000 - $175,000.
Remember that Ferrari Enzo that Eddie Griffin "accidentally" smashed into a wall while promoting his car-centered movie Redline? Jalopnik reveals that the car which was severely damaged in the front end and believed to be totaled, has been restored by car dealer Matt Groner of Matthew's Autos in Houston Texas. As Groner explains in a letter to Jalopnik he bought the car in Los Angeles. He usually sells the cars in their damaged states but decided to get the parts from Italy and restore the car. The good-as-new car is now up for sale for $1.3 million.
The next Aston Martin flagship automobile is due for release later this year (possibly in Paris) and recently a few of the much anticipated details were released. What we know about the new One-77 model is that it will feature a hand-built 7.0-liter V12 engine, an aluminum and carbon fiber chassis, a top speed of 200+ mph, and a 0-60mph time of about 3.5 secs.
Only 77 One-77's will be made, each able to be customized to the individual owner's tastes and each carrying a price tag of about £1 million.
Carbon Fiber Gear highlighted recently a Ferrari 355 gas cap paperweight. Made by RaceChairs.com, it's constructed of a 6″ x 6″ piece of carbon fiber, a colored suede underside and a real (but unused) gas cap from a Ferrari 355. (Also available with a Lamborghini Diablo gas cap.) The carbon fiber weave is clearcoated for shiny finish, and the bottom of the paperweight is covered in your choice of black, yellow, or red suede, to ensure it won't scratch your desk. The gas cap is highly polished aluminum with the Ferrari logo on the center. Optional: have an engraved plaque added or get wall hangers for display. $325, but just $199 on RaceChairs.com at the time of this writing. Looks like something our sister site, autoblog, might take a liking to.
jp4rs_thumbnail.jpg "Ex-Maharaja Of Jodhpur 1925 Rolls-Royce Phantom")
