germany

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 Chromed by Laureus

Chrome has its place on the automobile, arguably more than anywhere else. But within reason, we'd assert. Yet owners of Mercedes-Benz automobiles – the top-shelf performance models, especially – have exhibited a unique tenacity for covering their entire cars in the stuff. Whether it's the Mercedes-powered McLaren grand prix cars or the SLRs in Dubai, chrome seems to have a unique way of spreading across the German vehicles. And the latest comes straight from the Father Land itself.

A promotional tool for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, this latest SLS GT3 race car was dipped in the shiny stuff and put on display at the recent German Grand Prix at the Hockenheimring, "mirroring" the finish on the foundation's sponsored DTM C-Class touring car. The organization, supported by Mercedes-Benz, promotes athletics as a solution for youth issues.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 chromed by Laureus

Tags: chrome, german grand prix, germany, hockenheim, Hockenheimring, laureus, laureus sport for good foundation, mercedes, mercedes-benz, mercedes-benz sls amg, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3

A Backstage Pass to Berlin Fashion Week

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Events

Luxe German publisher teNeues offers an all-access pass to one of the world's most cutting edge fashion weeks, that of Berlin. Backstage: Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin is a suitably oversized, lavishly illustrated volume featuring 120 stunning images behind the scenes at the designers' shows. Leading photographer Claudius Holzmann, who has chronicled Berlin Fashion Week from the very beginning, sifted through approximately 40,000 images to select those that "capture the extremes of creativity and passion." Beautiful models, brilliant designers, talented makeup artists, high-strung hairstylists and an army of fashion soldiers are seen staging some of the world's most glamorous spectacles. The book, a must for any dedicated follower of the fashion scene, features text in both German and English.

Tags: Berlin, coffee table books, fashion, fashion designers, fashion shows, Germany, Mercedes-Benz, models, photographer, photography, teNeues

German Football Coach Orders Tod's Bracelets for World Cup

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Sports, Men's Style

Germany's national football team got an extra boost of team spirit and patriotism at the World Cup this year thanks to Italian luxury goods firm Tod's. Oliver Berhoff, the German National Team Manager, was shopping in one of Germany's Tod's boutiques a short while back when he spotted the brand's new My Colours braided leather bracelets in the country's national hues of black, red and gold (above). He purchased them for all the players and management as a symbol of team spirit and togetherness; the soccer stars were seen wearing them off the field while head coach Joachim Löw sported his on the sidelines of the games in South Africa. Currently available at Tod's boutiques worldwide, the bracelets retail for about $225 apiece and come in various national colors with steel clasps.

Tags: bracelet, football, Germany, leather, soccer, sports, Tods, World Cup, World Cup 2010

Rolls-Royce to Design New Line of Superyachts

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Luxury Cars & Autos

Florida's Atlantic Yachts is collaborating with Rolls-Royce's Marine division to design and engineer a new line of superyachts dubbed the NVC 85 Y. The 279-ft. ships will be built by Germany's Nobiskrug GmbH while Atlantic's founder Paul Madden, formerly of Blohm + Voss (builders of Roman Abramovich's gigayacht Eclipse) will oversee the project. Available in different trims, the yachts will be equipped with completely bespoke interiors with plenty of Rolls-Royce branding. Featuring a steel superstructure and hydrodynamically efficient hull the NVC 85 Ys will be capable of a maximum speed of about 20 knots and a cruising speed of 17 knots with a range of 8,000 nautical miles at cruising speed, with the aim of minimizing fuel consumption and environmental impact. Accommodation for 12 passengers in six double cabins and 22 crew members will be the base configuration, while a helipad on the foredeck assures they will arrive in style. While no price has yet been named, Killian Yacht & Ship Brokers will handle sales beginning with the first completed hull in 2012.

[via JamesList}

Gallery: Rolls-Royce NVC 85 Y Superyacht

Tags: bespoke, Blohm + Voss, Eclipse, Florida, Germany, Rolls-Royce, Roman Abramovich, superyacht

German Newspaper Scores Sneak Peek Inside Abramovich's Eclipse

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Wealth

German newspaper Bild has scored an exclusive sneak peak inside Roman Abramovich's new 557-ft. Eclipse (above), the world's largest and most expensive privately owned yacht which was recently completed by Hamburg shipyard Blohm + Voss at a cost estimated to be near $1 billion. The gigayacht boasts every luxury finish imaginable in its nearly 20,000-sq-.ft. interior, including a master suite upholstered in shagreen (stingray skin) on the topmost sixth deck with a retractable moon roof. On Deck 4 there are two VIP suites and eight guest cabins, while accommodations for the 80 crew members needed to man the massive vessel are located in the bow. The décor however is fairly understated with earth tones predominating, we note. One of the three helicopter landing pads disappears under the deck with the push of a button, and the yacht also features the world's largest onboard swimming pool which converts into a dancefloor, in addition to a wellness center including a fitness studio, hairdresser, massage parlor, sauna, steambath and whirlpool. Bild notes the Eclipse will cost about $100,000 per day, or $36.5 million per year, to operate. Check out some exclusive interior images here.

Tags: Blohm + Voss, Eclipse, Germany, gigayacht, helicopter, megayacht, oligarch, Roman Abramovich, Russia, Russian billionaires, shagreen, swimming pool, yacht

Michael Schumacher's Bugatti EB 110 SS for Sale

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Celebrity Shopping

Seven-time Formula One World Champion driver Michael Schumacher's 1994 Bugatti EB 110 Super Sport (above) is being offered for sale in Germany via global online luxury marketplace JamesList for about $750,000. The bright yellow supercar was used by the legendary driver for about 10 years, though it only has 2,875 miles on it. The car is the only known example of the EB 110 SS (Sport Stradale) fitted with the luxury interior of the EB 110 GT (Gran Turismo). With a 611 hp engine and lightweight carbon fiber chassis, it was the fastest production car in the world of its time, reaching 62 mph in 3.26 seconds with a top speed of 220 mph. Along with the actual car you get a scale model of the vehicle which is part of the Schumacher memorabilia collection.

Tags: Bugatti, Bugatti EB 110, Bugatti EB110, carbon fiber, Formula One, Germany, JamesList, Michael Schumacher, racecar driver

Abramovich's Gigayacht Eclipse Sets Sail

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Wealth

When we last checked in on the progress of Roman Abramovich's new 557-ft. Eclipse (above), the world's largest and most expensive privately owned yacht, the Russian oligarch had installed a high-tech anti-photo shield designed to keep the paparazzi at bay. After numerous delays and costs spiraling to an estimated $1 billion, it seems as if the gigayacht is now finally ready to be delivered. The Huffington Post found some pix of the massive vessel leaving the dock of the Blohm +Voss shipyard in Hamburg, Germany, the other day, a sight to behold (apparently the photo shield isn't working yet). In addition to the paparazzi spoiler, the Eclipse features a military-grade missile defense system, armor plating and bullet-proof windows. It also has three helipads, two swimming pools – the larger of which converts into a dance floor when drained – six foot home cinema screens in every guest cabin, and a master suite where the roof opens to allow Abramovich and his girlfriend Dasha Zhukova to sleep under the stars.

Gallery: The Eclipse Sets Sail

Tags: Blohm + Voss, Blohm Voss, Dasha Zhukova, Germany, gigayacht, megayacht, Roman Abramovic, Russia, Russian billionaire, Russian oligarch, superyacht, yacht

One-Off 9ff GT9-R Prototype for Sale at $1.15 Million

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

The one-off prototype of the wicked 9ff GT9-R (above), the contender for the "world's fastest car" title based on a Porsche 911 Turbo which my colleague Noah Joseph reported on a few months back, is being offered for sale via global online luxury marketplace JamesList for $1.15 million. Only 20 examples are being built for collectors worldwide based on this prototype created by the German exotic auto tuner, though not all will be as powerful as the primogenitor. With 1120 horsepower in a lightweight custom body it boasts a top speed in excess of 414 km/h. Torque clocks in at 1050 Nm which translates to a 0 – 100 km/h time of 2.9 seconds. Incredibly enough it's street legal, at least in Europe.

Tags: 9ff, 9ff GT9-R, auto tuners, Germany, Porsche, supercar, worlds fastest

Temption CGK204 Yellow Watch For 2010

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

You will not likely have heard about boutique German watch maker Temption unless you are a major watch enthusiast. In America the brand is very rare (but available), but one of my favorites. They combine elements of modern design and Bauhaus (very German), with really satisfying results. While the Temption CGk204 is not a new piece, this year it gets a yellow trim treatment. It is a satisfying and sporty note against the purposeful black and white of the dial, and steel case. The case is 43mm wide and very finely made with lots complex details. I love the column engraved siding and the onyx cabochons in the crown and chronograph pushers.

The watch is attached to a black calf leather strap with yellow stitching that matches the chronograph hands on the dial. Inside the watch is a Valjoux 7751 automatic movement that has a lot of complications for the money. It has the time, 12 hour chronograph annual calendar (with day, date, and month). There is also a synchronized 24 hour hand and a moonphase indicator. Temption does a great job of working with this hard to design around movement layout. You can see the decorated movement through the sapphire caseback window. For a watch this nice from a brand that makes less than 1000 watches a year, price isn't too bad at about $3620. Available soon in yellow, with other tones available for the existing Temption CGK204 watches.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: 2010, cgk204, Germany, temption, watch, yellow

Kaiser Wilhelm II's Silver Cigar Set for $85,000

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cigars, Men's Style

A stunning bespoke sterling silver traveling cigar set in a leather carrying case made in 1885 for Kaiser Wilhelm II, the last Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia, if being offered for sale by London's Pullman Gallery for $85,000. The leather case contains four matching sterling silver cigar boxes, a giant matchbox holder and a set of 10 monogrammed cigar holders. Each piece features an applied gold and red-enameled 'W' with the Royal Prussian crown on the lid, and the cover of each box is also engraved inside with the signature "Victoria", for Wilhelm's mother Princess Victoria (1840-1901), wife of Prince Friedrich Wilhelm, later Emperor Friedrich III. The fitted purple grained leather felt-lined traveling case features an applied gilded bronze Royal Prussian crown and is marked J. Wagner und Sohn, Berlin.

Tags: Germany, Kaiser Wilhelm II, KaiserWilhelmIi, luggage, Prussia, royalty, smoking, sterling silver, SterlingSilver

Porsche Tuner Uwe Gemballa "Missing", Shadow Company Established

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Crimes and Misdemeanors

It wasn't so long ago – just a matter of weeks, really – that Gemballa had one of the best names in the business. And that business was tuning Porsches, among other exotic automobiles. But that was before the company's founder and chief Uwe Gemballa dropped off the radar, and things began to unravel in his absence.

The initial reports began surfacing last week, indicating that Uwe Gemballa had gone missing while on a trip to Johannesburg, South Africa. The reports seemed credible enough, as Jo'burg is known as one of the most dangerous cities in the world, where kidnapping is commonplace and violent crimes the order of the day. But while German authorities and Interpol began coordinating with their counterparts in South Africa, things started getting a little shady.

First came reports that the authorities had raided the Gemballa headquarters and seized the cars on the premises. Now further reports indicate that shortly before his disappearance, Uwe set up a second company with his 79-year-old mother as the sole shareholder, and granted his wife power of attorney to declare the principle company insolvent. The plot keeps thickening, and we doubt this will be the last we've heard of Gemballa and his trouble with the law.

Source

Tags: gemballa, germany, interpol, johannesburg, missing, missing person, MissingPerson, south africa, SouthAfrica, uwe gemballa, UweGemballa

$550,000 Graf Ipanema Mahogany Powerboat from Germany

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing

This beautiful mahogany power launch looks like a classic Italian model at first glance, but actually hails from the Graf boatworks nestled between Munich and Lake Constance at the foot of the Alps. The 29.5-ft. $550,000 Graf Ipanema is made entirely by hand using only traditional tools in the boatbuilder's yard to shape the wood, leather and metal. Powered by twin 400 hp Volvo Penta engines for a maximum speed of 40 knots, it features a hull planked with triple skin diagonal mahogany. Teak, larch, oak and okourné wood are also used on the craft, along with fine oxhide and alcantara, high-grade woollen materials, brass, chrome and stainless steel. A mahogany table with seating for six and compartments for champagne flutes can be folded and stowed away, while the leather-upholstered solarium aft steps down to the teak anti-skid swim platform.

[via JamesList]

Tags: boat, Germany, Graf Ipanema, GrafIpanema, mahogany, powerboat, speedboat, yacht

The Classicist: A Perfect Pictorial History of Porsche

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Books, The Classicist

"Porsche means looking at the world from a different angle. The fact that, unlike other cars, the ignition switch is located to the left of the steering wheel is just one indication that this company, these sports cars and this family are different from other automobile dynasties." Thus begins Generation Porsche, a brilliant new volume published by teNeues in the wake of the opening of the new Porsche Museum at Zuffenhausen's Porscheplatz in Stuttgart. The most comprehensive and best-designed pictorial history of the marque we've seen to date, it contains a brilliantly curated collection of artfully layered images, taking full advantage of the museum's archives and displays showing how three generations of the Porsche family have defined automobile history, and in particular the saga of the sports car. Until you can actually get over to Germany, this book is the next best thing.

The famed marque officially celebrated its 60th anniversary last year, but its history in fact goes back 110 years to 1900 and 24-year-old Ferdinand Porsche's visionary Lohner electric car concept, debuted at that year's World's Fair in Paris; that's where Generation Porsche kicks off. In merging the highest standards of design with advanced technology, Porsche has since become a byword for four-wheeled works of art, ranking among the most coveted cars in the world. As avid Porsche collector Jerry Seinfeld puts it, "Driving a Porsche always gives you a futuristic feeling." The high-tech museum certainly conveys that. Construction began on the building, designed to be an architectural emblem of the Porsche brand, in October 2005, making history as the most spectacular building project ever undertaken by the company. In addition to 80 ever-changing exhibits, the museum also features workshops, a Porsche boutique, the Porsche archive, a restaurant, a café and event space.

Gallery: Generation Porsche

Meanwhile teNeues has published a second work entitled Porsche Icons, showcasing the influence and history of the legendary Type 64, one of the most mysterious yet influential car designs ever, which many consider to be the first true Porsche. Ferdinand Porsche established an independent engineering office in Stuttgart in 1931 and went on to make automotive history with pioneering developments in motorsports. Over the next several decades Porsche introduced innovative production models such as the 356, 911, 914, 924, 944, 928, the Boxster, the Cayenne, and, most recently, the four-door Panamera, while continuing its strong showing in the world's most important auto races. Check out the gallery for a preview of images from Generation Porsche.

Tags: Ferdinand Porsche, FerdinandPorsche, Germany, Porsche, Porsche 911, Porsche Museum, Porsche911, PorscheMuseum, Stuttgart, teNeues

The Classicist: Back to the Future in the New BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, The Classicist

The GT or Gran Turismo ("grand tourer") designation, first used by Italian marques in the 1920s to denote a vehicle combining sports car performance with luxurious appointments and enhanced luggage capacity for long-distance travel, has been abused to the point of absurdity - hello Ford Escort GT. But BMW has brought it back to life in a wholly modern incarnation with their newest creation, the 5 Series Gran Turismo, managing to invent something brand new in the process. These days "brand new" has also lost its appeal when it comes to automotive styling outside of supercars and ultra-luxury rides; witness the deluge of melted minivans and beastly breadboxes clogging up the freeways. The 5 Series GT triumphs because while undeniably breaking new ground, at heart it's basically a mélange of two of the famed German marque's longstanding successes: the X5 Sports Activity Vehicle and 7 Series luxury sedan.

There's been a lot of debate about whether the 5 Series GT should be considered a car, a mini-SUV, a crossover or some other damn thing altogether. What we can tell you is that when we recently took one on a drive up through the scenic byways of New England that was the furthest thing from our mind. The inside is incredibly spacious, with the same legroom as the 7 Series combined with the headroom of the BMW X5, the elegance, comfort and class of both, and an extremely practical, well-designed and capacious rear cargo area with a two-piece tailgate adaptable to a number of different configurations. A stretched and sleek coupé-like roofline, frameless windows, a commanding, slightly elevated seating position, large windows and a panoramic glass roof, upright BMW kidney grille, large air intakes and dual round LED headlights slanted back at rakish angle all give the car its distinctive good looks.

Under the bonnet, the V8 TwinPower Turbo engine delivering a maximum output of 407 hp borrowed from the stellar 750i is paired with the innovative eight speed automatic transmission that can otherwise only be found in the new twelve-cylinder 760Li. In the 550i GT that means a masterful 0–62 mph time of 5.5 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph. A fourth generation iDrive system, black panel instruments and giant displays give the cockpit the feeling of a private jet. Add options like high beam assist, night vision, and even an electrically swiveling trailer hook and you begin to see the versatility of a vehicle of this caliber. Expect to see the competition rushing out copies in record time.

Gallery: BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo

Tags: BMW, BMW 5 Series, BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo, Bmw5Series, Bmw5SeriesGranTurismo, Germany, SUV

Lamborghini Ankonian Concept

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

A German design student has come up with a killer concept for a next generation Lamborghini that's a cross between the Reventon and the Batmobile. Slavche Tanevsky's vehicle is dubbed the Ankonian after a breed of black-haired bull in a nod to the famed marque's mascot. It features a fairly narrow body, cab backward classical GT silhouette, and a mélange of soft and angular surfaces. Tanevsky, a design student at Munich University, says the main themes behind the concept are "underground" and "hardcore", reinforced by a combination of shiny black and matte charcoal finishes. Lamborghini's engineers, who are apparently impressed with Tanevsky's work, helped him render the concept which could one day make it's way into production.

Tags: car design, CarDesign, concept car, ConceptCar, Germany, Lamborghini, Munich

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