Not so many years ago, driving a exotic supercar while clearly demonstrating the owner's financial wherewithal to own such a vehicle was not always such a pleasant experience. Such cars were typically built by small financially shaky companies that didn't have the resources necessary to properly develop the vehicles to be reliable and robust. The interiors were often poorly built and outfitted and were afflicted by assorted mechanical and electrical glitches.

Then in 1990 things suddenly changed when Honda rolled out the NSX. Instantly people realized that there was no reason why a high performance, mid-engine exotic sports car couldn't be just as a reliable and hospitable as an Accord. By the end of the 1990s exotic car builders like Ferrari, Lamborghini and Aston Martin had all come under the wing of major automakers like Fiat, Volkswagen Group and Ford and the engineers began tapping into the parents resources to improve their cars.

Lamborghini in particular took advantage of its relationship with Audi to help develop the Gallardo, the best selling Lambo ever. Audi in turn decided to reverse the process with a supercar of its own to celebrate its decade long dominance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and used the Gallardo as the jumping off point for the R8. We recently got to spend some quality time with the fastest R8, the 5.2 FSI V10 and you can read about it after the jump.


Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Max Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

What are you doing right now? Are you sitting down? What do you think about the chair you are in? Is it stylish, supportive? Have you ever really thought about it before? I didn't until a couple of years ago when I realized I was doing myself a disservice by sitting in the chair equivalent of a backache. "Ergonomic stuff is for the weak and elderly," being the type of perception I used to have. I eventually realized that sitting in a "nice" chair helped comfort and productivity a lot, but it wasn't easy finding the right seat. Most "ergonomic" items these days are gimmicks, and finding something specially designed for your comfort and health is hard. Well here is one item you don't have to stress-out about.

Here is my personal review of the new Herman Miller Setu task and desk chair. The brand well know for the universally popular Aeron desk chair has a few other products you should know about. One of them is right for you. In short, in the Herman Miller line of chairs, the Setu is made for simplicity and ease of use. No complex or frustrating levers and micro adjustments. The chair is designed to naturally fit to you, without having to adjust it. An added bonus is that multiple people can enjoy the same seat (no, not at the same time), without having to disturb your unique ergonomic settings.

To continue reading, click on the link below.

When Audi introduced the first generation TT a decade ago, it was largely a case of style over substance. The diminutive coupe and convertible were based on the platform of the Volkswagen Group's compacts which include the Golf and the Audi A3. The original had a clean, spare look that recalled an inverted bowl. While Audi promoted the TT as a sports car, it didn't really drive like one in part because it was rather heavy for its size.

A couple of years ago, Audi brought forth an all-new TT that retained the basic shape of the original while incorporating some of the latest Audi design language. Of course like most new generations of cars, it got bigger than the first model although Audi engineers managed to make the car lighter. The new TT is generally considered to be a much better driver's car than the original. But is it a true sports car? We recently had the opportunity to spend a week with the top of the line TT-S coupe to find out, so read on to for our assessment.


Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

It's full of cat fur now. It's been obsessively shop-vaced clean, but when something is as comfortable as the Puppy Hugger's pet beds, you're not going to keep sybaritic animals away. Of course, I had to wrest it from the clutches of my children first. They thought it made a fine television-watching lounge pillow. Yes, that's right, the bed is made by The Puppy Hugger, and we used it for cats and kids, not a canine in sight. That doesn't change the fact that it's a super-luxurious pet bed with a great design.

The Two's Company bed that my lounge-tastic kitties are trying out has two hollows in the middle that will hold smaller dogs, and of course cats, in hammock-like comfort. The deeply padded sides of the bed give animals something to snuggle up against, a posture that's comforting to many stripes of beast. Covered in a variety of very soft faux fur, and filled with polyester fiber that's marshmallow soft, the handmade beds cuddle your pets when you can't. Don't be offended if Muffy starts to prefer it over your lap.

Continued after the jump.

Photos copyright ©2009 Dan Roth / Weblogs, Inc.

Over the last two years BMW has started making a major push for its new EfficientDynamics technology in Europe and more recently in North America. The premise is that the company that has long promoted itself as the "Ultimate Driving Machine" can retain all the qualities that made it so ultimate while drastically cutting fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. In Europe, BMW offers a suite of technologies like automatic start-stop for engines, brake energy regeneration and smaller four cylinder engines. The most important near term technology however is diesel engines.

Late in 2008, BMW launched its first two new clean diesel vehicles here in the United States, the X5 xDrive35d SUV and the 335d sedan. We recently had a chance to spend a week with the 335d to determine if it truly can provide the driving experience that customers expect of a BMW with better fuel efficiency. Read on to find out if the automaker succeeded.


Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Since General Motors debuted its two mode hybrid system two years ago on the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon it has gradually been expanding availability to other examples of its GMT900 full size truck family. One of the newest examples is also by far the most luxurious and most expensive version yet. In fact the Cadillac Escalade hybrid Platinum Edition is the second priciest hybrid available today after the Lexus LS600h.

The base Escalade hybrid is built on the same platform and powertrain bits as its more pedestrian siblings. However, Cadillac has outfitted its version with appearance and equipment that customers of the "wreath and crest" brand expect. For the new Platinum, Cadillac has taken the Escalade several steps beyond that. We were able to spend a week with the big platinum on the South Carolina coast recently and you can find out if it lives up to expectations after the jump.



Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

In these troubling economic times, the 2009 MINI Cooper Convertible could be viewed in a couple of different ways. Loaded up with lots of goodies, it could be seen as an entry point into the world of luxury open-top motoring. Alternatively, when times are tough it could be seen as a way to be more financially responsible without giving up all of the amenities you might have come to expect. Either way, the MINI is designed to put a smile on the face of those who drive one.

If your brand is going to be called MINI, you would certainly expect the products to have diminutive dimensions. BMW's British outpost is dedicated to building cars sized commensurate with the brand's name. This August marks the 50th anniversary of the debut of iconic original and while MINIs today are much larger than the originals, they are still among the smallest cars on the road. The second generation of the modern MINI convertible debuted in January at the Detroit Auto Show and went on sale in the spring. We had the opportunity to spend a week in a trimmed out MINI. Read on to find out if it inspires smiles or frowns.


Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Max Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

I used to wonder why my older laptop backpack was so large. All I had in it was a computer, some cables, and an accessory or two - I looked like a trail hiker walking around with it. I was recently presented with the Loopbag Vanguard laptop backpack and I realized I can finally carry around my computer essentials without looking silly - In fact the backpack looks pretty good. Aside from this backpack in several colors, Loopbag makes a range of bags, packs, and other portable computer essentials in a fun range of colors that will remind you of Timbuk2 and Crumpler.

The namesake of the backpack makes sense when looking at it head on as you see two zippered areas that form two loops. It makes for a hip, modern look, and one that is simple enough to have broad appeal. I get the impression that the backpack was designed based upon a functional concept as opposed to just a look, and the system is pretty clever. It gives you multiple access points so things inside are easier to find, which is good because you don't have to unload everything to get to things buried inside, as you can access the main compartment from the front or rear on both sides. Inside the back is a whole range of little pouches - mostly zippered - for any manner of small or large items. I enjoy frequently finding new areas to store little items on the Loopbag such as a small pouch for cash or keys located on one of the shoulder straps.

February in Chicago would hardly seem like the appropriate backdrop for the debuting a new convertible but that's exactly where Lexus unveiled the new IS. Fortunately the conditions for the IS-C's on-sale date and first drives are somewhat more amenable to top down motoring. We recently had a chance to spend some time with the new IS convertible in both IS250 and IS350 forms.

Like the existing Lexus SC460, chief rival the Infiniti G37, and of course the BMW 3-series, the new IS C has a retractable hard-top that folds into the trunk. The IS is the second best selling model in the Lexus lineup and in the segment it competes in having a convertible seems a natural fit. Come along for the ride and find out if the IS convertible is for you.


Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

This is a curious watch, but kind of a cool one. The limited edition Louis Moinet Chronovintage has a movement from the early 1970s and is a special type of chronograph. It measures 60 minutes, but only the minutes. Thus, you don't get a count for the seconds. Still, when you activate the chronograph the hand moves slowly from one minute to the other, so you do actually get some visual idea of what part of the minute you are stopping in. It is sort of a variation on the functionality that a rotating diver's watch bezel provides.

The tonneau shaped case is 40mm wide in steel with two available dial colors (white and black). The dial decoration is rich and complex with a fantastic level of depth. Turn the watch over and you can see the decoration of the vintage movement. The addition of the 9 o'clock orientated subsidiary seconds dial enhances the vintage feel. I think a watch like this Chronovintage fits in well with the Louis Moinet line, but the theme of the brand is to be "retro." The Chronovintage is part of a limited edition of just 60 pieces. Available now at select Louis Moinet timepiece dealers.

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

Ulysse Nardin surprised the haute horology world a few months ago with the announcement of a luxury smart phone. I originally discussed the Ulysse Nardin Chairman here, but recently got to sit down and personally experience three of the Chairman models my self. I also got to learn a lot more about what makes the Ulysse Nardin Chairman a real luxury of a mobile phone. I got to see the blue and satin steel, the black-toned model (very sexy!), and the blue steel and rose gold (very Ulysse Nardin!). The phone is large and pleasantly hefty - I would describe it more as comfortable and solid feeling rather than intimidating.

The back piece of the watch is made of a carbon fiber plate and a black ceramic plate (mobile phone antenna radio signals do not travel through metal well). The keypad features large comfortable keys and excellent backlighting - and the screen is one large sapphire crystal. Ulysse Nardin finally confirmed that the phone's operating system will be unique to the phone rather than just a skinned version of an existing mobile phone operating system.
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Ever since BMW unveiled the new 2009 Z4 at the Detroit Auto Show last January, the automaker has been scrupulous about not referring to it as a sports car. Instead the Z4 is the latest generation BMW Roadster. BMW's roadster heritage dates back to the 1930s but this is the third generation of the modern drop top two seaters that began with the Z3 in the early 90s. Like the last transition that saw the Z3 become the Z4, this one has grown and become more sophisticated than its predecessor.

That means it is both more feature rich and heavier than before. The most significant change is the adoption of a retractable hard top for the first replacing the soft top of previous models. The Z4 is the second BMW following the 3-series to go down this path and as with most other examples the two-seater is far more visually appealing. The new Z4 is also more aesthetically pleasing in other ways was well. To learn more about the Z4 including whether it lives up to its tag-line "an expression of joy" continue reading after the jump.


Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Who hasn't been curious about what it is like to tool around town in a Rolls Royce Phantom. Autoblog's Alex Nunez lived the dream taking home a 2007 Phantom for a weekend. Is the Rolls worth the money? Is Alex spoiled for all other cars forever? Did women, drawn by the awesome power of this ultimate chick magnet immediately drape themselves all over the vehicle? The answer to these questions and much more is in his comprehensive review which is full of all sorts of eyecandy shots. The takeway from the review is, in Alex's words summing up the experience :"Four days later, I wasn't intimidated. I was impressed."

SnoWonder, which I mentioned yesterday, is a powdered plastic polymer that turns to snow instantly when a small amount of water is added to it. I got the opportunity to try it first hand yesterday, only hours after my first mention, and am pleased to say that it is all that it promised to be.

The snow looks and feels very real and is slightly cold, since it maintains the temperature of the water that makes up 99% of the product. The only things that mark it as less- than-natural are the facts that it will not melt and isn't sticky in the least, so packing it down could be a challenge. For home use, however, these are not drawbacks. The "snow" will not ruin floors, carpeting or other surfaces because it retains water and it can easily be brushed off anything that you don't want to see it on. You can even vacuum it up, if necessary, although the water will evaporate (unless it is refreshed, of course) in about two weeks, leaving behind the original plastic powder that can be reused again and again.

It's probably too late to order this online in time for Christmas, but I found my "snow" at a local mall, so keep your eyes out while doing last minute holiday shopping. It adds a great look to any Christmas display!