russia

Rent a Dartz Kombat on the French Riviera

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Wealth

Getting behind the wheel of a Dartz Kombat, the ridiculous $200,000 Russian grenade-proof luxury SUV, may not be very high on your 'to do' list at the moment, but if you really feel the need head to the Cote d'Azur. Dartz - which earlier announced plans for a $1.5 million version upholstered in whale penis leather, then backed off after Pam Anderson and PETA protested - has partnered with Cannes Car Rental to offer the clownish conveyance for those looking to play the part of an oligarch on-the-go. The rates start at $8,000 per day but you get to choose the color you want and attending bodyguards are also available. Here's Dartz's sales pitch in its inimitable awkward English:

"Dartz Kombat is your soul car. Strong and armored – but friendly and lovely, Your friend car, Your guard car. Car which remember Tzars and Princesses, car which remember wars and rally's, lost's and victory's. Car which were loved by commie Tzars and car which once shocked this world. Dartz Kombat is the most original, luxurious and expensive SUV in the world."

Tags: armored car, ArmoredCar, Cote dAzur, CoteDazur, Dartz, Dartz Kombat, DartzKombat, France, Russia, SUV

Russian Man Builds His Own Rolls-Royce Phantom

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

What to do if you can't afford a brand new Rolls-Royce Phantom? If you're a 24-year-old mechanic from Kazakhstan you simply make your own. Ruslan Mukanov, who hails from Borat's homeland, crafted the impressive looking faux Phantom above from some plaster, fiberglass and an old Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The parts cost him a grand total of about $3,000, including the only authentic item on the whole vehicle, an actual Rolls-Royce emblem. The acceleration's a bit sluggish and authorities weren't quite convinced it was roadworthy, but the Benz's 3.0-litre diesel engine gets a lot better mileage than the real deal. Young Mukanov obviously has the makings of a future oligarch.

Tags: Kazakhstan, Rolls-Royce, Rolls-Royce Phantom, Rolls-roycePhantom, Russia

Russia's Richest Man Plans to Launch New City Car

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Green, Wealth

Mikhail Prokhorov, also known as the Richest Man in Russia and hopeful new owner of the New Jersey Nets NBA franchise, is reportedly planning to launch a new city car through his Onexim Group. Reports coming out of Russia are saying that the vehicle will sport some kind of "advanced technology," which many are taking to mean either a hybrid or fully electric drivetrain.

The car will be built in the Yarovit Motors plant in Russia, and in order to get the new city car into production, Onexim is putting in an estimated $141 million investment. That's an amazingly small amount of money to get a new project such as this off the ground, leading many to suggest that it will never happen unless the government gets itself involved somehow.

In any case, the goal is to put the small eco-friendly vehicle on the road for about $12,500. At that price, the machine would be going up against such well-known and formidable competitors as Volkswagen and General Motors. We'll just have to wait and see how this one plays out.

[Source: Inside Line]

Source

Tags: Mikhail Prokhorov, MikhailProkhorov, onexim, onexim group, OneximGroup, russia, yarovit, yarovit ev, yarovit motors, YarovitEv, YarovitMotors

Russia's Richest Man Wants Deposit Back on Villa Leopolda

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Wealth

Russia's richest man Mikhail Prokhorov is going to court to try and get back the $55 million deposit he forfeited after backing out of a deal to buy the magnificent Villa Leopolda on the French Riviera for $750 million including the furnishings last year. The metals magnate signed a sales agreement for the Villa, and French law stipulates that purchasers lose their deposits if they pull out after such an agreement has been signed. The Villa's owner Lily Safra has said she is donating the deposit to charity. However, Prokhorov's lawyers are now arguing that that the agreement was rendered null and void due to two technical "anomalies", the London Telegraph reports.

Firstly, they say he should have been given the usual seven-day period in which to change his mind, which was denied as Prokhorov signed the agreement under a company name. Secondly, they argue that Safra's notary had "illicitly lumped the furniture price tag with the house price in a declaration to the French state", which they say was grounds for canceling the contract. Safra's lawyer Jean-Michel Darrois disputes Prokhorov's claims and said in a statement to the newspaper, "We have written proof that Mr Prokhorov, via his lawyers, continued to confirm his intention to buy the property well after the sale agreement." A verdict is due in March.

Source

Tags: France, Mikhail Prokhorov, MikhailProkhorov, Russia, Russian billionaire, RussianBillionaire, Villa Leopolda, VillaLeopolda

Volna Typhoon Siberia SHCI Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Volna is a luxury watch brand with an interesting slogan - "Russian Heritage Swiss Made." As a luxury watch maker their theme is giant paradox as the Swiss concept of luxury and Soviet Russia are concepts that clash. But ignore that little issue for a moment and you have a unique design niche for a luxury watch maker. In the red tinted vision of old Soviet era military technology, is a brand that celebrates the look and feel of that style of military nationality. In a country where often times the military elite got paid in medals versus money, their military equipment at least needed to have an impressive look and feel.

Volna watches are all about attempting to rethink and recreate that image. The brand's newest watch is the Typhoon Siberia SHCI - a cool if not gimmicky means of adding something fun to the luxury sports chronograph watch segment. The name of the watch sounds like a foreign translation of a Hollywood action movie that might be called "Siberian Storm" - that somehow ends up "Typhoon Siberia." This new model is all in a very good type of grade 5 (G5) titanium and has a unique system that Volna has developed. Strap is rubber.

An irony of many chronograph diving watches is that operating the chronograph too deep underwater will damage the watch by letting water in. So Volna has developed a "Security Hand Chronograph Indicator" (SHCI) that displays a message on the dial of whether or not the chronograph is locked or unlocked for use. Locking it is done vial a turning lever located on the crown.

The watch case is 46.5mm wide and water resistant to 300 meters. There is a propeller engraved into the caseback and the crown. The dial is in black with decorative satin finished ruthenium plates and either red or black on black numerals and hands. Inside the watch is a Swiss Automatic movement that is likely a modified ETA. There are two versions of the watch (red on black or black on black dials), with limited editions of 125 pieces each. Not too sure about price, but it is over $10,000 per watch.

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

Tags: luxury, Russia, SCHI, Soviet, Swiss, Typhoon Siberia, TyphoonSiberia, Volna, watch

Lev Leviev Seeks To Restructure, Hopes For The Best

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wealth

Things haven't been so sparkly lately for diamantaire Lev Leviev. The Israeli billionaire has seen his fortune plummet in recent months. Back in August he told reporters that he would restructure about $2 billion of debt.

Leviev's downfall wasn't diamonds, it was real estate. He invested heavily in the New York City real estate boom. Now Leviev, who made his fortune in the diamond cutting and polishing industry is trying to reach an agreement with the creditors chasing his Africa-Israel company in a bid to stave off having to file for bankruptcy. Bloomberg News reports that a recent proposal presented to the court on Dec. 2 would cut Leviev's personal stake in the company from to 53 percent from 75 percent and he will spend $200 million of his own money shoring up the company.

But let's not feel too sorry for Leviev. He still has plenty of money, lives in a lavish mansion in London and has weathered tough times before. His best hope for a fast financial recovery may come from Russia where he has also heavily invested. In the Bloomberg article, Yuval Ben-Zeev, an analyst at Clal Finance Brokerage Ltd., says that Leviev's recovery depends on Russia and specifically the Mall of Moscow.

Leviev's own high-handed behavior may affect the court's decision on his status as controlling shareholder of Africa Israel. According to an article in Haaretz, Judge Varda Alshech didn't take too kindly to the fact that Leviev had repaid some private debt to banks skirting around the bondholders. Alsech said that any money that hadn't been transferred already should not be and chided the company for pleading insolvency and saying it could not pay bondholders while going on to repay other creditors.

Source

Tags: diamonds, israel, lev leviev, LevLeviev, real estate, RealEstate, russia

Pamela Anderson Protests Whale Penis Leather SUV

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Green

Last month we wrote about the Russian-made $1.5 million Monaco Red Diamond Edition luxury armored SUV, featuring gold and diamond accents and an interior upholstered in whale penis leather. The unnerving upholstery is apparently in tribute to Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, who had whale penis leather aboard his yacht the Christina. Now pneumatic actress and animal rights activist Pamela Anderson, Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Federation have complained to Dartz, the company responsible, causing them to ditch plans for any whale genitalia to be used in making the insane vehicle. We can't imagine anyone but the Prince of Brothels would ever buy one anyway. Dartz's Leonard F. Yankelovich has now issued an unintentionally hilarious apology of sorts, in Russian-inflected English:

"We have no ideas to kill the whale or something like that," he insists. "All we want - to make just luxury car. Real luxury car which will be world number one car. We just looking for most expensive products for this car - and that's why we choosed whale penis leather when we checked it is most of most. After wave of protest we realised our mistake and make a decision not to use natural leather at all. We will focus on world most advanced nanotechnologies to achieve interior highest quality using artificial materials which also was never used for cars. We want to tell our hello to all whales: 'Our Sea Brothers! We all know that earth are stand on three whales - we will keep You live! We don't want Earth fall down to Ocean!'"

Source

Tags: animal rights, AnimalRights, Aristotle Onassis, AristotleOnassis, celebrity, Dartz, leather, Pamela Anderson, PamelaAnderson, Russia, SUV, whales

Karat Caviar, Outstanding Osetra from Israel

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Crystal Clear spring water from Mount Herman and the finest selection of many generations of pure Russian Sturgeon go into making Karat Caviar, a recently introduced aquacultured Osetra caviar from Israel that took 16 years to develop, with incredibly delicious results. Karat uses the same Russian Sturgeon species (Acipenser Gueldenstaedtii) found in the famed Caspian Sea, raised in the most natural settings under pristine conditions to produce an imperial grade product usually associated only with increasingly scarce wild sturgeon.

Karat Caviar is produced by Caviar Galilee, one of the longest running fish farms in Israel, which has been involved in aquaculture since 1939. The Caviar Galilee Farm began growing Russian Sturgeon in 1992, when the first fertilized eggs were imported directly from Russia. The Farm is located in close proximity to the main source of the Jordan River – the Dan Springs, which flow with crystal clear snow waters from the peaks of Mount Hermon. The natural flow of water which gravitates through the Farm enables fish breeding in water that is clear, pure and rich in oxygen.

The Russian Osetra is produced from ten to eleven year-old fish. During the production process, the caviar is produced separately from each single fish and is then packed separately ensuring the product's purity, without mixing caviar from different fish. Freshness, consistent high quality, large pearl size, fine taste and texture and sustainability are the watchwords of Karat, which aims to put the rest of the farmed caviar trade to shame. Karat's exclusive 100% pure Russian Osetra is now available at Dean & DeLuca under the Galilee label, as well as at Zabar's and Whole Foods in the Southeast.

Tags: Caspian Sea, CaspianSea, caviar, Dean DeLuca, DeanDeluca, food-awards, Israel, Karat Caviar, KaratCaviar, luxist-awards, Russia, sturgeon

$1.5 Million Monaco Red Diamond Armored SUV

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Back in May we wrote about he Russian-made Dartz Kombat grenade-proof luxury SUV debuted at Top Marques Monaco. Now the company has unveiled plans for a $1.5 million special edition featuring gold and diamond accents and an interior upholstered in.... whale penis leather. Apparently this is not a joke. The Monaco Red Diamond Edition will be shown under the name Prombron at the 2010 Top Marques show. The Red Diamond is being billed as the world's most expensive, luxurious and strongest armored car. It features a matte ruby red paintjob, gold-plated bulletproof windows, 22′ Kremlin Red Star bulletproof wheels, tungsten and white gold gauges decorated with diamonds and rubies, an additional outside kevlar coating, and a custom Vertu mobile phone with a panic button in addition to the disgusting-sounding interior. It also comes with three bottles of the world's most expensive vodka, RussoBaltique, another Dartz sideline adorned with yet more gold and diamonds.

[via JamesList]

Tags: armored car, ArmoredCar, bulletproof, Dartz, Dartz Kombat, DartzKombat, diamonds, gold, Russia, SUV, Top Marques Monaco, TopMarquesMonaco

Art Moscow to Start, Optimism not Invited

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art

Are there any billionaires left in Russia? The last year has been pretty brutal on Russia's upper crust, and we haven't seen a whole lot of they guys who used to drop cash like it was vodka. Art Moscow, the largest art fair in Russia, opens tonight, and gallery owners are artists are hoping the likes of Roman Abramovich will see fit to plunk down some roubles on canvas.

Art Moscow features works from 40 galleries – both from Russia and around the world. Originally, the art fair was supposed to run in May, but Expo Park Exhibition Projects Ltd., its organizer, pushed it back to hit at the same time as the state run Third Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art. The dual event may bring a bigger turnout, but it will have to overcome a 10 percent contraction in the Russian economy.

Counting against Art Moscow ... aside from general economic malaise ... is the fact that the sale of Russian artwork is down. The major auction houses in London moved only $48 million in Russian art in June, down more than half from the same auctions in 2008.

So, how likely is a stream of cash? Igor Markin, a big-time collector and owner of the Art4.ru museum, says he "hasn't bought anything in a long time."

Tags: art, art auction, art auctions, art fair, art galleries, art gallery, ArtAuction, ArtAuctions, ArtFair, ArtGalleries, ArtGallery, artwork, billionaire, galleries, gallery, london, moscow, moscow russia, MoscowRussia, roman abramovich, RomanAbramovich, russia

Abramovich Installs Anti-Photo Shield on World's Largest Yacht

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Wealth

In addition to the military-grade missile defense system, armor plating and bullet-proof windows featured on Roman Abramovich's new 557-ft. Eclipse (above), the world's largest and most expensive privately owned yacht, the Russian oligarch has installed a high-tech anti-photo shield designed to keep the paparazzi at bay. The system relies on lasers to block any digital camera lenses nearby, the London Times reports. Infrared lasers will detect the cameras' electronic light sensors, known as charge-coupled devices (CCDs), and then fire a focused beam of light at the camera, disrupting its ability to record a digital image. The Times, which also claims the total cost of the Eclipse has now ballooned over the $1 billion mark, reports the yacht set off on a sea trial last week with 150 engineers and maritime experts aboard who will put it through its paces over 10 days. Abramovich, who just paid $89 million for a villa in St. Bart's, is due to take delivery of the yacht on December 22.

Tags: Eclipse, megayacht, oligarch, Roman Abramovich, RomanAbramovich, Russia, russian billionaires, RussianBillionaires, security, yacht

Vladimir Putin Hands Over His Blancpain Watch To Russian Metal Worker Upon Request

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Charity

In a ballsy move, a metal worker at a Russian weapons factory asked the powerful former Russian President and current Prime Minister Vladimir Putin for his wrist watch. More surprising is that Viktor Zagaevsky actually got Putin to hand over the watch, for good.

The story is simple. While in the Russian town of Tula, Putin was touring a weapons factory and doing a speech on the economy of the region. Putin is extremely well regarded in Russia, and his actual place in politics has been debated as it sometimes seems that he does more than merely sit as a former Prime Minister. Another area of inquiry regard how Putin can afford his lavish lifestyle. Russian politicians report their annual incomes, and while they aren't minuscule, they certainly don't allow for a collection of luxury Swiss watches - among other luxuries that Putin enjoys (such as sport diving in a submarine). While the questions are valid, they are a bit naive. As a former Prime Minister, and currently an extremely powerful man in Russian, Putin is bound to have "alternative" sources of income of wealth upon which to draw from. The former KGB man is no novice at secrecy. Still international questions arise as to Putin's actual status in Russia. Nevertheless, the Russian people seem not to mind. Putin is considered a national hero and symbol of Russian pride. He is fiercely nationalistic.

It was not the first time that Putin was known to gift a watch, but he is not exactly known for it. No one is to my knowledge. Putin is known as an avid fan of luxury watches, and is seen wearing them even while engaging in sporty activities where even most luxury watch owners would sport nothing more than a Casio due to fear of timepiece harm.

The watch that Putin happened to have on at the time was his well-loved Blancpain Aqua Lung Big Date, as he has been seen wearing it often. It is a steel cased watch of a modest size and very thin for a mechanical timepiece. It has a big date complication and water resistant to 100 meters with a soft black leather strap. New, the watch goes for about 6,000 euros. For Viktor Zagaevsky, the watch will certainly have a great deal of sentimental value, not to mention be a new luxury for someone who likely has never purchased more than a bargain watch. I feel that Putin made a prudent decision as the good-will attached with the move is invaluable.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com

Tags: aqualung, blancpain, gift, russia, russian, vladimir putin, VladimirPutin, watch

$28 Million Superjet Made in Siberia

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

Is the world ready for a $28 million Siberian superjet? Russian aerospace firm Sukhoi hopes so as it plans to begin deliveries of its Sukhoi Superjet 100 in December, undercutting established jet builders like Embraer and Bombardier. Cheap Siberian labor lowers the cost of the planes, but Sukhoi insists quality will not be compromised as it was developed in collaboration with Finmeccanica of Italy subsidiary Alenia Aeronautica, fetauring optional interiors by famed Italian design firm Pininfarina and the same parts found in more coveted craft. Its 5-seat rows setup, combining style and ergonomics, will be among the largest ever installed on regional transport aircraft thanks to a fuselage almost 18 inches larger than those of competitors.

Tags: jet, Pininfarina, private jet, private plane, PrivateJet, PrivatePlane, Russia, Siberia, Sukhoi

Renovated Hotel Ukraina Scheduled to Reopen in Moscow in December

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

The historic Hotel Ukraina, a city landmark in Moscow, Russia, is about to reopen as the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel. The property will have undergone a substantial renovation and its new look and feel is sure to impress.

The property will offer 507 guestrooms, along with 38 serviced apartments. The rooms will be 345 square feet in size, and the apartments will be quite large – from 540 square feet to 2,750 square feet. All rooms and apartments will be equipped with high-speed internet access.

What really makes the reopening interesting, though, is the connection between old and new. The property's art collection will be featured, consisting of nearly 1,000 paintings from the socialist realism school of thought, the "official" movement of the Soviet Union for more than six decades. Murals and ceiling frescoes will be restored and on display through the hotel's public spaces.

To enhance the experience, the hotel will feature a 43,000 square foot spa and wellness center, with a Turkish bath, Finnish sauna and six-lane swimming pool. There will also be a dedicated kids' club, giving parents some much-needed time to relax. After unwinding, dash up to the 31st floor bar and enjoy the views of Moscow. For another perspective on the city, you'll be able to take a culinary boat tour on the Moskva River.

"This hotel is another milestone in our history," says Kurt Ritter, President & CEO of Rezidor, which owns the property. "Rezidor, the international pioneer on the Russian hotel market, is today the leading international hotel operator in Russia and the CIS countries – and now manages an additional key property in Moscow, which is one of the most remarkable hotel structures in Europe."

Tags: art collection, ArtCollection, hotel, hotels, luxury hotel, luxury hotels, LuxuryHotel, LuxuryHotels, moscow, moscow russia, MoscowRussia, radisson, rezidorhotelgroup, russia, sauna, saunas, soviet, soviet union, soviet-era, soviets, SovietUnion, spa, turkish baths, TurkishBaths

Russian Soccer Fans Told To Stay Home, Or Drink Whisky

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Sports

Russian soccer fans are being some interesting advice to prevent swine flu. The Moscow Times says that chief sanitary doctor Gennady Onishchenko first said that Russian students should be banned from studying in Britain because of the swine flu outbreak and then later said that the ban should be extended to soccer fans. A 2010 World Cup series game between Russia and Wales is set to take place in Cardiff on September 9. Onishchenko called the trip "unnecessary" and said that shouting in the stadium could help spread the disease. Russian fans get a bit of relief from the ead of the All-Russia Union of Sports Fans, Alexander Shprygin, who said that fans who do travel to Wales shoud drink the local whisky to protect themselves from the swine flu. He went on to say that by doing this the Russian fans would also be saving the whisky industry because many have stopped drinking whisky in England. Some Russian sports fans have canceled planned trips because of swine flu fears.

Source

Tags: cardiff, russia, soccer, wales, whisky

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