For some reason automotive manufacturers are all about limited edition books these days. First it was BMW with their CULTURE book, then it was Ferrari with their ridiculously overpriced The Official Ferrari Opus, and now it’s Bentley Motors’ turn. Except that instead of featuring a history of the company, Bentley’s got a tie-in with the new James Bond book- Carte Blanche.
Instead of the Aston Martin Bond was most commonly seen driving in the films, in his latest book he gets behind the wheel of a Bentley Continental GT, a brand he’s piloted a few times before in the original novels. And to commemorate the reunion, Bentley Motors, working with Hodder & Stoughton, created a limited edition version of the new book which comes in a custom polished aluminum case. And the book itself? Well they’ve gone a little overkill there since it even includes a bullet hole and 9mm numbered bullet hidden inside:
In deference to the title Carte Blanche, the book itself is bound in white Nappa leather, the same outstanding grade of leather used in a Bentley’s interior, mimicking the interior of the GT with its contrast of white leather trim and Pillar Box red edging. The title, author’s name and the familiar wings of the Bentley logo are carefully embossed into the front and foil-blocked onto the spine. The text is printed in two colours, black and red, on sumptuous ivory paper, with endpapers of a matching red leather. The pages are expertly cut and trimmed to reflect the handcrafted techniques of the Bentley construction process. As with the other details of the special edition, the colours are carefully selected from the Bentley range. The book sits on a base of black anodised aluminium, chosen not to mark the white leather.
In one last twist, playing on the idea of an agent being given Carte Blanche, is one of the most dramatic features of the design: a die-cut bullet hole that pierces pages of the book. Hidden within the pages is a single polished 9mm bullet, individually marked with a number distinct to each copy, making the edition truly unique.
The Carte Blanche SE is available for pre-order now for ~$1,650(£1,000) and is limited to just 500 copies so you better order soon!
It’s not an April Fool’s Day prank given it was posted just last week, but I’m pretty sure the QTVan trailer, which was developed by Britain’s Environmental Transport Association, is not actually available for sale. They claim they “developed the QTvan to highlight the estimated 220,000 people who use a mobility scooter without breakdown cover and face the prospect of a very long wait should they suffer a mechanical fault or their battery runs flat.” And since the ETA just happens to also sell insurance specifically designed for electric scooters, I’m pretty sure we’ve stumbled across another viral web campaign.
Which is unfortunate because the ETA website points out the many highlights and amenities of their $9,000+ (£5,500) QTVan trailer like its 19-inch LCD TV, radio, alarm clock, book shelves, full-sized single bed and kettle, making it seem like a pretty awesome place to crash if your scooter isn’t going to make it home. They also point out that it makes waiting in line for a glimpse of the royal wedding procession later this week a lot more civilized than sitting on the sidewalk on a lawn chair or in a tent.
Ferrari owners clearly have a taste for the finer things in life. That or they just like to show off, which Ferrari is clearly hoping to capitalize on with the release of their new coffee table book, The Official Ferrari Opus. The 82 pound tome is 852 pages long and contains some 150,000 words and 2,000 images covering the complete history of Ferrari, including every vehicle and driver affiliated with the company.
And just like with their supercar lineup, there’s a version of the book available for every budget- well almost every budget. At the top of the heap is the Enzo Diamante edition which sells for a ridiculous $275,000 thanks to a diamond-encrusted prancing horse on the cover. What’s even more impressive though is that it will be limited to just a single copy per country, which is sure to result in some outrageous eBay bidding wars… unless fans will realize they can get an actual Ferrari for that kind of scratch. Less limited, though similarly impressive editions of the book are also available ranging in price from $37,500 for the regular Enzo edition, $7,000 for the Cavallino Rampante edition, and a mere $4,100 for the Classic edition, which by the way each sport signatures from notable Ferrari employees and racing celebrities.
If you remember our post about the $55k real-life Tron Lightcycle, then you’re probably already aware that Parker Brothers Custom Choppers have a thing for creating unique rides. Their latest creation is a full-sized version of the classic Green Machine ride-on toy, that forgoes pedal power for an 80-cubic inch Harley-Davidson Evo engine.
Longtime readers might remember a post about the Green Machine way back in 2007 as Huffy created an updated version of the toy, though it was still designed primarily for children. Thankfully the Parker Brothers decided kids shouldn’t have all the fun, so their version of the Green Machine also features in intimidating 45-inch front wheel, rear-wheel steering like the original, and has managed to reach 50mph in their testing. Sadly because of the rear tires their version isn’t DOT approved, so don’t expect to be placing orders for one anytime soon.
The market for racing game simulator seats is getting a little crowded, but Playseat has managed to create something relatively unique with their F1 model, which now comes in a special edition version featuring the Red Bull Racing team’s livery. As the name suggests, the F1 seat accurately reproduces the position that drivers use in Formula 1 cars, with the seat angled back and the pedals elevated. I’m not entirely sure if the setup warrants the $1,300+(£819) price tag given it doesn’t include any of the necessary gaming hardware like a wheel or pedals, but if you’re hooked on driving the Red Bull X1 prototype in Gran Turismo 5, you’re doing yourself a great disservice by not ordering one of these.
When it comes to gaming the iPhone isn’t the perfect platform for every genre, but thanks to its built-in rotation sensor, it’s not too shabby when it comes to racing titles. And while I hate to give crapcessories like the countless number of steering wheel accessories any credence, they at least make it easier to hold your phone during a nail-biting race. Just don’t expect it to feel like you’re sitting in one of those gimballed simulators, even if they’re packing a bit more oomph in the sound department like this one.
Sitting just above where you mount your iPhone this wheel includes a set of 27mm speakers that connect to your device via its headphone jack. They’re not particularly massive or impressive, but they are powered by their own 3.7V li-ion battery so they should actually have a bit of kick, particularly since you’ll be holding them right in front of your face. $22.20 from Focalprice.com.
I can’t decide if this comes across as clever or too gimmicky, but BMW (which are always known for their performance parts, such as the air filter, and exhaust systems) decided to celebrate their 40 years of supporting more than 100 cultural endeavors around the world, so they hired graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister (seen leaving his John Hancock in the top photo) to create a limited edition book simply called CULTURE. Besides appealing to design types, the book should also appeal to BMW enthusiasts, and 5 year old kids, since it features an integrated remote control car as seen in action at the end of this promotional video.
Only 1488 copies of the book are being produced, each one signed by Stefan himself, but don’t excitedly head over to the BMW website just yet since the books won’t actually be available for sale. Presumably they’ll be given away to preferred customers, or those who’ve been a part of the projects actually covered in the book. At the least it’s a unique idea, and makes me hope that NASA does a similar thing…
It’s kind of hard to complain when you’re wealthy enough to own a high-powered supercar, but while they excel when it comes to performance and handling, they’re typically not known for their abundance of trunk space. At one point it was a trade-off the rich and well-to-do just had to learn to live with, but Koenigsegg feels it doesn’t have to be that way.
Their new 1115HP Agera R supercar has a 0-62mph time of just 2.9 seconds (…sorry, just had to wipe a tear away there) and while it includes a luggage compartment with a 31.7 gallon capacity, that’s just not enough storage for an extended road trip. So the Agera R features an optional roof box that looks as aerodynamic as the car itself, capable of holding a couple sets of skis or a really flat suitcase. The box actually replaces the vehicle’s standard roof, which can be stored in the luggage compartment, and while it probably won’t be hitting the same 0-60 times with it attached, at least it means you can still pack more than a couple of toothbrushes.
It’s not the first Nutmobile that Planters, and presumably their CEO Mr. Peanut, have commissioned, but the company’s latest promotional tool will certainly be one of the greenest and gaudiest creations rolling about the country this year. Built on a 2011 Isuzu NPR box truck, with the box bit swapped for a giant fiberglass peanut reinforced with a steel frame, the new Nutmobile can hold up to 3 passengers plus Mr. Peanut himself should he need to make a public appearance. (I hear he’s actually a bit of a recluse though, and is rumored to have a cannibalistic addiction to peanuts.)
And while it doesn’t appear to be in competition with the Volt or anything, the new Nutmobile is a shining example of promotional eco-friendliness. The engine runs on a mix of biodiesel and regular diesel, the windshield is made from 100% recycled glass, the interior features wood flooring reclaimed from an 1840′s barn and the vehicle’s batteries are charged with a combination of solar panels and a wind turbine built into the roof of the cab. And I’m just going to assume/hope that like Powell Motor’s disastrous ‘The Homer’ the new Nutmobile is also equipped with rack and peanut steering.
Related Tags: automotive, luxury
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