The MINI John Cooper Works Clubman is here finally, an answer to your premium compact desires. Offering an all-wheel drive system and enhanced features such as LED headlamps, MINI driving modes, park distance control, comfort access, radio MINI visual boost, multifunction buttons on the steering wheel and cruise control with brake functions, the MINI has taken every care to stuff your Christmas stocking well. Further, it combines the current 2.0-litre petrol tank with a 4-cylinder engine that is twinned with the MINI TwinPower Turbo Technology. Along with a sprint time of 6.3 seconds and innovative shooting brake concept— for the first time in the compact segment— the MINI also sports a “sporty yet chic” look in a Metallic black and Chilli red avatar. Talk about substance with style! With the John Cooper Works logo emblazoned on the radiator grille, side scuttles and the rear, you’ve got a complete package here. It holds five full-fledged seats on the inside, each done in dinamica/fabric and carbon black, with integrated headrests. The steering wheel comes in the signature John Cooper Works leather, with the pedals and driver footrest done up in stainless steel. And its all yours for $30,000. Now that’s one helluva set of wheels!
If you’ve paraded around as a Disney princess in childhood, Jimmy Choo’s here to turn your fantasy into reality. Sparkly ‘glass’ slippers straight from the Cinderella story, designed by creative director Sandra Choi are the perfect way to pamper yourself and the perfect gift for the fairytale woman in your life. “Cinderella is the most famous fairytale with a shoe at its soul. It ignites a love affair and fascination with footwear in childhood that never fades,” says Sandra Choi, who designed the slippers for Disney’s 2015 remake of Cinderella, which are now being offered to customers on a made-to-order basis. The pumps are covered with 7,000 Swarovski crystals, the Cinderella pumps are a quite the breath-taking thing, along with their £3,000 price tag. “It harks back to the innocence of childhood as well as an appreciation for beautiful, jewel-like things,” she says. And the best part, we think, is that they are available in three heel heights, allowing every princess her comfort level. Sandra’s playing the perfect Fairy Godmother, we say!
So you’ve finally got a backpack not just for camping trips but seim-camping ones as well. Helixot has made a backpack so extreme it can keep up with the most daring of cross-country trekkers. The XO 6.2 Backpack is completely waterproof and totally submersible for wherever the trail might go. And just in case some accident were to ever penetrate the special coated fabric, the Helixot XO 6.2 also has a watertight PVC compartment for holding electronics and other important items completely dry. It has a rigid back built right in but is neoprene padded to make it as comfortable as possible for your back. This backpack with an ergonomic design and extraordinary features is all your for $110.
Latest from the stables of the prominent Indian designer is ‘Indian’ a deliciously contemporary and festive collection that coincides with the launch of Arora’s second store in Mumbai’s Kala Ghoda area. Directed at the wild and free spirit of the modern Indian woman the collection takes inspiration from the vibrant, kaleidoscopic traditions of as diverse regions as Russia and Turkey. Combining Banjara Mirror work from Rajasthan with Pointillism, a painting technique that uses colourful dots, and drawing in the elements of Russian imperial art crowns and palace interiors from Istanbul, the collection is a veritable feast of arts and colours, a delight for the senses. To take it up a notch, Arora has added glow-in-the-dark elements to the dresses. The entire collection comprises 35 outfits and is just perfect for the festive season!
Love winter and winter sports but your feet hate the thought? Fear not, Swiss brand +t has just made the cold season a lot better for the cold-soles. Possibly the thinnest warming insoles on the market, the +Winter Heated Insoles are also waterproof and only 2mm thick at the toe and 6mm at the heel. The light insoles charge wirelessly (one at a time) via an included charging pad. Simply slot them inside your ski or snowboard boots, cycling shoes, ice skating boots or any type of semi-rigid shoes and turn them on. Temperature is set via Bluetooth using an application on your smartphone, while the built-in battery is claimed to keep your feet warm for up to 5 hours. Oh, they also want you to know their product is “designed in Switzerland and made in Italy, not in China”! Now that’s what we call catching the fancy. The price of the Winter Insoles is about $98.
Great news for Ducati fans! The marquee has teamed up with acclaimed American publishing house Rizzoli for printing a manuscript that covers the brand’s upswing over the past 90 years of its glorious existence. Titled “Ducati 90 Years: Stile Ducati: A Visual History of Ducati Design”, this book defines the Ducati dream with its chapters written by various authors. The official release is scheduled for February 7th, 2017and the book priced at $90. So auto aficionados, rejoice, for this is when you get an immersive glimpse into the iconic brand’s origins, ideas, course and rise. Now that’s a real New Year Present!
BEASTLY ALLURE | A hardtop version of Rezvani’s two seater roadster, the Beast Alpha is heavier by 150 kg and pumps out 500bhp with a 3.2 second sprint
Among the breed of sleek and jawdroppingly stylish denizens of the road, here’s one that’s truly eye-catching: the Rezvani Beast Alpha, unveiled last month by California-based supercar builder Rezvani. A hardtop version of their two-seat roadster Beast, the Beast Alpha comes with a removable Targa-style top.
What’s the most arresting feature, visually speaking, of the positively seductive Beast Alpha are its unique ‘SideWinder’ doors that swing out and slide forward, subverting the vertical-opening wing feature of your previous favourite supercar.
The SideWinder doors swing outward and slide forward, easily the most arresting feature of this powerful creature
On the outside, the fascia is quite the same as the standard Beast. But the Beast Alpha makes use of Lotus-derived aluminium monocoque chassis, instead of the Ariel Atom underpinnings of the Beast. Even with the lightweight 19-inch forged alloy wheels, the Alpha is heavier by 150kg than the Beast, as it tips the weight of 884kg. The Alpha uses the same 2.4-liter K24 four-cylinder engine from Honda as the Beast, however, the Beast uses a Rotrex supercharger, whereas the Alpha is turbocharged with intercooler and pumps out 500bhp. With a 6-Speed manual or the optional sequential automatic transmission, the Beast Alpha can do a 0-100kmph sprint in 3.2 seconds before hitting a top speed of 280kmph. Ironically though, this is still slower than the 2.7second sprint of the standard Beast.
The interiors are polished and relatively bare, with an Alcantara and leather finish. The instrument cluster stacks an LCD screen, like the ones you would usually find in a race car, along with a drive mode selector. Air conditioning and airbags come as standard in the Beast Alpha. There are optional carbon fibre fitments for the interior as well. Also, present in the infotainment system is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Beast Alpha uses Lotus-derived aluminium monocoque chassis instead of the Ariel Atom underpinnings of the Beast
The shift lights on the instrument cluster can be pre-programmed according to the driver’s needs to shift for maximum engine horsepower and torque bands. The Beast Alpha also has an economy driving mode.
The Beast Alpha is quite decidedly the beast of choice for those wishing to stand out amid the host of Lamborghinis and Ferraris. Rezvani says they are also working on introducing eco-friendly fuel choices, which makes it even better, we say.
But if you’re beginning to think this Beast is too hot to handle, fear not, there’s a less powerful and tamed 300bhp version on its way. As for the price of the Alpha, you’d have to shell out upwards of $200,000 (approx. Rs 1.35 crore). Nothing too much for a splendid beast with raw, brute power!
To possess the Alpha you’d have to shell out upward of Rs 1.35 crore
The very first Atlantis Resort in the United States is all set to open in the ocean paradise of Hawaii. China Oceanwide, together with its subsidiary, Oceanwide Resort Paradise has entered into a management agreement with subsidiaries of Kerzner International, a leading international developer and operator of destination resorts for the new Atlantis resort in Ko Olina, a 642 acre development on the white sand beaches of the island of O’ahu in Hawaii. This new destination will offer ocean views accented with lush green spaces and endless water experiences, encapsulated in Hawaii-inspired iconic architecture and themed programming. Overlooking both the stunning Honu and Kohola Lagoons, Atlantis will offer a sense of discovery, encompassing over 26 acres of unparalleled excitement and larger than life experiences, revolutionary water play in Aquaventure Waterpark, The Ambassador Lagoon and The Lost Chambers Aquarium and incredible dining experiences. Already a leading holiday destination, the addition of Atlantis to Ko’Olina will continue the area’s transformation as the new centre for entertainment in Hawaii with the addition of this new trailblazing landmark. With approximately 800 luxurious guest rooms and suites, as well as approximately 524 residences, Atlantis Ko’Olina promises to be quite spectacular
Europe’s highest ski resort, Val Thorens in France, has been named the world’s best ski resort for the third time, just a week before its official opening of the season. It is a big boost for Val Thorens, which was momentarily knocked off its perch last year when the title went to Austrian ski resort Kitzbuehel. But at the fourth edition of the World Ski Awards which was held over the weekend, the mythic ski destination reclaimed its crown thanks to continued efforts to innovate and diversify their offerings, organizers say. In 2011, for example, the French resort was the first to equip the ski area with free wifi. Winners of the awards are determined by votes cast by leaders in the ski industry such as senior executives, travel buyers, tour operators, agents, the media and the general public. For the 2016 edition, about 1.6 million votes were cast online from 85 different countries. While Val Thorens took the biggest award of the night, resorts across Europe, Canada, Japan and the Middle East took a few world awards as well this year.
With everything else already having travelled the bling-bling path—from your closet to your living room decor, why should that most intimate of living spaces not have its own fair share of glitter and glow? Ladies and gentlemen, we give you the £100,000, 24-carat gold bath complete with over 250,000 clear and topaz crystals, the ultimate luxe experience for the one that already has it all. Designed by Celia Sawyer, who reportedly described her own creation as ‘opulence gone mad’, this tub was commissioned by a buyer from the Middle East, and features what looks uncannily like a city skyline etched out through crystals. However, the designer describes it is as ‘foam of crystals’ apparently cascading over the sides of the tub. You don’t get more tempting than that! Sawyer worked in collaboration with Robert Grace, who specialises in gold leaf mosaics for luxury sanitary ware. And if you’re already in love with this blingy bath, you can order one for your special Christmas next year. Nothing tops this gift!
