Bentley Reveals Luxe SUV: EXP 9 F
The luxury brand's first SUV boasts all the usual Bentley trappings, but raises some debate.
May 04, 2012
Bentley made a statement the night before the Geneva International Motor Show during VW’s Group Night, where each of the parent company’s brands showcased their latest and most spectacular vehicles. The British luxury maker wowed the crowd with its first SUV concept, EXP 9 F.
Massive 23-inch alloy wheels; the signature bold Bentley grille; a powerful 6-liter W12 engine that can make up to 600 horsepower; an 8-speed transmission; a fold-down champagne cooler; and luxury tailgating fit for the Kentucky Derby, seem to overly exceed expectations of consumers looking to purchase an ultra-elite SUV. Bentley’s sports utility vehicle is in competition with other luxe cars like the Range Rover and Porsche’s Cayenne Turbo. While the design and composition keep all the usual Bentley trappings, it is unknown if this foray into SUVs will be met with negative or positive feedback.
Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II: Technology & Tradition
Rolls-Royce’s new Phantom model embodies the brand’s dedication to quality and customer connection.
April 23, 2012
From connecting with their clients via private tours of their plants to throwing exclusive events for owners, Rolls-Royce is a brand that treats its customers like a close-knit family. These individual discussions with owners on what R-R stands for, what customers expect from the company and the product, and what it needs to be in order to move forward are exactly what inspired the brand’s new Phantom Series II model.
“When considering changes to our iconic Phantom, we first carefully listened to customers,” said Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös. “Around the world they explicitly told us, ‘Do not change Phantom too much but introduce new technology where appropriate.’ And this is precisely what we have done.”
The end result is a blend of traditional and classic with modern technology that allows the Phantom to keep up with customer expectations. “It combined the spirit of its famous pedigree with superbly elegant design work, ground-breaking technology, and visionary engineering techniques,” said Müller-Ötvös.
Of note technologically are the full LED headlamps, and the completely revamped satellite navigation system with 3D landscape topography, guided view tours, and more, all on a much larger monitor. Best of all, its famous V12 direct injection engine has been updated with a new eight-speed automatic gearbox and rear differential, which results in 10-percent improved fuel consumption and reduced CO2 emissions.
The car’s appearance has also gotten a few updates. In addition to the aforementioned LED headlamps are a virtual constellation of stars in the interior, and a slightly tweaked bumper. Just as with its unparalleled customer service, the brand will go above and beyond to create a custom luxury vehicle to your specifications—from humidors to drink cabinets to constellations in the shape of your zodiac sign, virtually anything is possible.
“Since its first appearance in 2003, Phantom has reclaimed the pinnacle of automotive luxury and refinement,” said Müller-Ötvös. “It is a completely unique and unequaled achievement that goes beyond its primary role as a car and becomes to many a work of art, a fine piece of jewelry, or a rare and collectible object of desire.”
PAforADay Proves Assistants Are For Everyone
PAforADay provides temporary personal assistants to meet your needs.
April 02, 2012
New York-based PAforADay proves that personal assistants aren't just for celebrities anymore. Now, notoriously time-challenged New York professionals and companies can check a few items off their long to-do lists as they send a temporary personal assistant out to do everything from translating old cassettes to MP3s, to walking dogs and scheduling appointments. Time slots are available for as little as two hours and as long as eight hours per day ($20 per hour), 8 AM-10 PM seven days a week throughout the five boroughs. Even the booking is easy, with an online system that lets you list tasks, choose appointment times and durations, and more. And you won't get just any naive Andy Sachs from PAforADay—the service works to assign an assistant that best matches your needs.
Test Drive: 2012 BMW 3 Series
New 2012 BMW 3 Series sets benchmark for vehicular excellence.
April 02, 2012
Take nearly any luxury sports sedan on the market today—any—and I would bet the farm that from concept to production, the car was benchmarked against the segment standard bearer, the BMW 3 Series. For decades, the 3 Series has ruled the roost. Yes, the Audi A4, Lexus IS, Infiniti G, Cadillac CTS, and Mercedes C-Class are superb cars, but on the road, none of them feel like a BMW.
Under-the-Hood Power & Outward Perfection
For 2012, the new 3 Series is available in three trim levels: Sport Line, Luxury Line, and Modern Line. Outside of mechanical differences depending on your engine choice, each offers subtle changes in interior and exterior appointments. I spent 95% of my “regular” 3 Series time driving the superb 335i. It’s my kind of car: powerful, well appointed, and incredibly fun to drive. Ride quality is sporty yet compliant, and the only noises you’ll hear are the sweet sounds of a BMW engine under power.
Speaking of power, motive force for the 335i comes from a legendary line of straight six engines, and this 3.0-liter unit features dual scroll turbo-charging and outputs 300 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque. Zero to 60 miles per hour sprints come up in a rapid 5.4 seconds. No matter your choice of gearboxes, a six-speed manual or state-of-the-art eight-speed, the gear-changing experience is crisp.
Stylewise, the 3’s dynamic proportions are shaped by the sweeping hood, short front overhang, long wheelbase, and set-back greenhouse typical of BMW. As expected, LED Corona Rings make quite a statement day or night.
Technology & Safety at Your Service
BMW ConnectedDrive offers a combination of available driver assistance technology and mobility systems. New for 2012 is a full-color Head-Up Display, which projects key information onto the windshield so it appears directly in the driver’s field of view. Also available is Surround View with Side View and Top View, which gives a bird’s-eye perspective of the vehicle and the area around it. In addition, an available Parking Assistant system helps the driver to parallel park. Among the other assistance technology available includes an Active Blind Spot Detection System and Lane Departure Warning System with camera-based Collision Warning system; a navigation system with real-time traffic information and an innovative comfort access function allowing hands-free opening of the trunk lid.
For those permanently wired to their iPhones, BMW ConnectedDrive also offers “apps” connectivity. The BMW Connected iPhone app offers a suite of entertainment and productivity applications for your 3 Series. My favorites are Pandora Internet Radio and MOG music service, with access to millions of songs that can be controlled through your iPhone and fully controlled via the iDrive rotary controller. You can also read Tweets and get Facebook updates at any time. Thousand of additional Internet radio stations from all over the world are accessible with the flick of the iDrive rotary controller.
On the safety front, this is a BMW, so rest assured every major safety feature available is standard. BMW Connected also comes into play here should your airbags deploy in a crash, giving emergency services the severity of the crash and likely trauma levels so they can prep before they arrive. Obviously, it also tells them where you are using GPS coordinates.
Pricing for the 2012 BMW 3 Series starts at $34,900 for the 328i and $42,400 for the 335i. Expect all-wheel drive and updated M3 versions in showrooms soon.
Test Drive: 2012 Aston Martin DBS Carbon Edition
Safety, technology, and luxury combine in the new Aston Martin DBS Carbon Edition.
March 30, 2012
It was a chilly winter afternoon at Aston Martin's Headquarters in Silver Spring, MD when the Carbon Black DBS (also available in Flame Orange and Ceramic Grey) was unloaded off a transporter for my four-day entitlement with the British 2+2 Coupe. The splendor of its progressive profile, elegant lines, and vividly acoustic growl attracted a neighborly crowd on our narrow suburban street. Initially, I drove the DBS timidly while reminiscing on my first few drives of Aston Martin’s team captain back in 2007.
British Beauty Abounds
Everyone that laid eyes on the Carbon Edition must have been under its intense, elegant spell because they stared at it like a resurrection. The car's charismatic intent, posh hand-stitched cabin (70 hours to complete), available power, and quantity of carbon fiber energized my conscience with a minor bit of impetuous arrogance knowing “beauty and the beast” could electrify a crowd and embarrass the majority of myopic sports car owners on the road.
Carbon fiber comprises the side-view mirrors, front chin spoiler, rear diffuser, door trim and pulls, sill plate, and the center stack. I was, however, a bit alarmed that the DBS was outfitted with 20” Pirelli P Zero performance tires in the middle of winter, but nevertheless reminded myself that discretion is the better part of valor. Either way, the vehicle’s 10-spoke black diamond-embossed rims, replete with massive carbon ceramic rotors and black six-piston front calipers (yellow, red, orange, or grey optional) are as mesmerizing as it gets for an in-house designed wheel package.
Sleek Safety & Flawless Function
Now, the DBS isn’t the fastest sports car I’ve ever driven (that goes to the Bugatti Veyron), but it does do a lot of things well—like braking and cornering. It’s not necessarily always about the pure number of horses under the hood—the weight-to-horsepower ratio, which affects acceleration and braking, is actually more important. To my point, the aluminum and magnesium DBS felt so light and fluid that 510 horsepower can easily equate to 600 horsepower in a heavier vehicle. A six-speed Touchtronic 2 automatic transmission may be operated as a normal automatic or the driver can take control through the steering column mounted magnesium alloy and carbon fiber-trimmed paddle shifters
Safety and performance technologies are omnipresent and the key reason why this vehicle performs on such a high-intensity level. Key features include Adaptive Damping System (ADS) with Track mode, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) with Track mode, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD); Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), and, of course, Traction Control (TC). The vehicle impressed a passenger and I when it came to a complete halt from high speeds in a shorter distance than we expected and without skidding.
Everyday Extras
When you prefer to drive the vehicle in a more relaxing manner, simply put the gearbox in automatic mode, connect your iPod, and turn up the volume to the 1000-watt Bang & Olufsen BeoSound audio system. Passengers consistently asked what the two raised, mini towers were from both ends of the dash. These tweeters add style and presence to the DBS.
DBS Carbon Edition prices start at $287,576 for the coupe and $302,576 for the Volante (convertible) and the car achieves 12 mpg city and 18 mpg hwy. My test vehicle totaled $292,278, which included a $2,600 gas guzzler charge, There’s a reason James Bond chose an Aston Martin DBS for his latest installment. I now know why!
Décor Pick: A Chic Light Fixture
This bubbly fixture adds glamour and light to your bedside or dressing table.
March 22, 2012
This ball light ($725) can be attached to a wall or ceiling and would fit perfectly in a home with a sparse, modern vibe. Designed by Michael Anastassiades, it's available in gold, nickel, and black at Matter. 405 Broome St.
Stylish Storage: A Trusco Toolbox
An electric blue toolbox that you don’t have to hide away.
March 14, 2012
Get a jumpstart on your spring cleaning and home improvement with this steel toolbox from Japanese brand Trusco ($90). The Cooper-Hewitt Shop, 2 East 91st St.
Fitness Find: A Vigorelli Bicycle Frame
Take your bicycle up a notch with a sporty Italian frame.
March 09, 2012
If you want to take your love of cycling to the next level, start with the glamorous work of Italian designer Vigorelli. The brand’s 2012 track frame ($899.95) is made of aluminum, with rear-facing, steel insert horizontal track dropouts and includes a Cinelli sealed headset and seat clamp. Chari & Co., 175 Stanton St.
Gym Review: Peak Performance
Joe Dowdell and his team will whip you into summer shape, one hour-long session at a time.
March 07, 2012
Spring is officially peeking its head and the pressure to get in shape is on. To pull us out of our winter rut, we recently put in a workout at Midtown’s 10,000 square-foot Peak Performance studio.
During our hour-long session, several of the gym’s certified trainers took us through a series of stations. We spent ten minutes at each stop, working on specific parts of the body. Each of the six rotations used different equipment, including classics like weighted medicine balls and tension bands, as well as the more advanced free-speed treadmill and Jacob’s Ladder, both of which move at the pace of the user. The variety of the workout made the hour fly by and left our heart racing and our muscles burning. We could almost feel the calories dissipating.
To give his clients solid results, Peak Performance founder and CEO Joe Dowdell spent the last 16 years studying and perfecting the ideal workout routine. His bespoke brand of fitness begins with a physical assessment, wherein Peak’s conditioning specialists determine a personal program to fit each individual’s needs. From there, the one-on-one training begins. Single sessions are available ($150), but the Peak 90 Program ($8,020–$8,350), which spans 90 days, comprises 45 sessions, and includes meal plans, nutritional counseling, and six soft tissue recovery and regeneration sessions, is a no-excuses, full-throttle route to reaching “peak” condition. 54 W. 21st St., 212-229-3670
Top Photography Galleries
A guide to the best fine art photography hubs in Manhattan.
March 05, 2012
Aperture Foundation Gallery
The not-for-profit Aperture Foundation, founded by photographers Ansel Adams, Dorothea Lange, Barbara Morgan, and Minor White, and its gallery—which toasts its 60th anniversary this October—has been home to past exhibits such as “Bruce Davidson: Subway,” and a limited-edition program featuring prints from Annie Leibovitz and Edward Steichen. “Our space not only serves as a gallery and exhibition venue but as a place of engagement and connection for the photographic community,” says director of limited-edition photographs Kellie McLaughlin. 547 W. 27th St., Fourth Fl., 212-505-5555
Howard Greenberg Gallery
Susan Sarandon, Ralph Fiennes, and Katherine Waterston are among the fans of this gallery, which emerged out of founder and chief curator Howard Greenberg’s small nonprofit school and Photofind gallery in Woodstock, New York. Although he is now opening its doors to more contemporary works, Greenberg is most interested in representing artists with traditional or classical viewpoints such as Berenice Abbott, William Klein, and André Kertész. “I’ve always liked photography rooted in work that combines craft and vision,” Greenberg says. “I’m very interested in the history of it.” 41 E. 57th St., Ste. 1406, 212-334-0010; howardgreenberg.com
Marian Goodman Gallery
“Marian Goodman Gallery is best known for introducing international artists to a New York audience,” says Karina Daskalov, a director at the gallery. Over the past two years, the gallery’s photographers—including Steve McQueen, Jeff Wall, and Francesca Woodman, whose works light up the Guggenheim beginning March 16—have also shown at MOMA, the Whitney, and the Met. 24 W. 57th St., 212-977-7160
Staley-Wise Gallery
Photographs from Cecil Beaton, David LaChapelle, and Herb Ritts adorn the walls of this Soho gallery, opened by Taki Wise and Etheleen Staley in 1981. “We had both come from the fashion photography field as stylists and editors, and the commercial and editorial work [we encountered] was equal to the work that was being shown as artwork,” says Wise. Showcasing fashion photography, nudes, and celebrity portraits as works of fine art, past exhibitions have included the many faces of Marilyn Monroe and the connections between music and fashion from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s. 560 Broadway, 212-966-6223; staleywise.com
James Beard AwardsStephen Fried talks to New York's best chefs on the red-carpet of the 2012 James Beard Foundation Awards.
