The spectacular McLaren Special Operations R Coupe and Spider

McLaren Special Operations (MSO) was commissioned by a client to create a matched set of super cars, and so were born the MSO R Coupé and R Spider. Both vehicles feature a similar design along with a Liquid Silver finish, which is in Satin for the coupe while glossy for the Spider. There is a great deal of carbon fiber in the bodies including the central stripes, twin-element rear wing, bumper, hood, fenders, and roof scoop. The interiors feature black Alcantara trim with red stitching and seats in red Alcantara with black stitches. Both cars feature a central infotainment center and an instrument cluster display, and both are powered by a 33.8-liter twin turbo M838TL V8 engine mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Lotus Elise Cup 260: ultra-rare edition

Lotus has now unveiled Elise Cup 260, the extreme limited edition vehicle that celebrates the 70th anniversary of Lotus’s founder Colin Chapman who built his first car in 1948. Limited to only 30 units worldwide, the Lotus Elise Cup 260 claims to be a benchmark for intuitive handling and driver involvement, integrating latest design philosophies from high-performance beasts such as the Exige Cup 380, the Evora GT430, and the track and competition only Elise Race 250. The Lotus Elise Cup 260 gets an all-alloy, chargecooled supercharged 1.8-litre engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, belting out 245bhp of power and 255Nm of torque. Thus the 0 to 100kmph sprint is covered in 4.2 seconds. The Elise Cup 260 comes with lightweight carbon fibre and composite components as standard and, for the first time on an Elise, adjustable Nitron high-performance dampers. The interiors feature carbon race seats in black Alcantara with contrast stitching in red or yellow, with the cabin’s exposed aluminium and carbon fibre elements including a new carbon fibre instrument binnacle cover. The vehicle also gets an in-car entertainment system with iPod and Bluetooth connectivity.  The Lotus Elise Cup 260 is priced at £59,500 (approx. Rs 5.10 crores) and comes in a glorious Championship Gold to commemorate the forthcoming 70th Anniversary of Lotus.

Mercedes-Benz unveils G65 Final Edition

Mercedes-Benz has ultimately unveiled the G65 AMG Final Edition, the final performance model to roll out for this generation of the legendary SUV. This special edition features cosmetic upgrades both on the inside and outside—with the exterior painted in gloss black. The massive AMG spec 21-inch wheels have been painted in a special shade of brown and sit in front of the silver coloured AMG spec brake callipers. The interiors come with carbon fibre inserts and Nappa leather and of course the whole hi-tech Merc-Benz paraphernalia: climate control, infotainment with floating display and a load of airbags. Powering this beast is a 6.0-litre V12 producing 630bhp and a mammoth 1000Nm of torque, with all this power being sent to all four wheels via a 7G-tronic speed shift transmission and 4MATIC AWD system. So the sprint of 0-100kmph takes 5.3 seconds, with an electronically limited top speed of 230kmph. With a limited run of just 65 units, this adieu will cost a fortune: Rs 2.3 crores (approximately).

Audi reveals 2018 A7 Sportback ahead of official debut

Audi has unveiled the second-generation A7 Sportback ahead of its debut at the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show next month. The 2018 A7 Sportback is powered by a 3.0-litre V6 turbo petrol unit producing 335bhp and 500Nm of torque, mated to a 7-speed double-clutch automatic gearbox which sends power to all four wheels through the quattro all-wheel-drive system. Zipping from 0-100kmph in 5.3 seconds and topping out at 250kph, the new A7 will primarily be offered as a rear-wheel-drive car with the quattro all-wheel-drive available as an option. Other new tech additions include rear-wheel steering and the electronic chassis control system. On the exterior, the A7 Sportback carries over the A8’s single-frame grille. However, the massive grille is wider and sits lower on the new A7 compared to the A8. In addition, the vehicle sports new aggressive looking headlamps available in three different forms: LED, HD Matrix LED, and HD Matrix LED with laser high beam. The interior of the A7 sports a “futuristic lounge atmosphere”, which the German carmaker claims is designed to create a feeling of airiness and space inside the four-door coupe. Hi tech options abound inside, including the dual touchscreen display. The new Audi A7 Sportback will go on sale in Europe in February 2018.

Singapore’s dazzling Diwali-themed trains

Singapore celebrated the Festival of Lights in a uniquely delightful way for the second consecutive year: through stunning Diwali-themed trains decked with Indian motifs and designs! Last year Singapore’s famous Mass Rapid Transit had launched Diwali-themed train on October 15. And this year too, their Diwali celebrations were kick started with these trains, decked with majestic elephants and rangoli motifs, which will continue to ply till the end of October. And this isn’t all. Singapore’s Land Transport Authority also launched five “Deepavali themed buses” as a special surprise celebration for Diwali 2017.

Oris Big Crown D.26 limited edition timepiece

The Oris Big Crown D.26 is a limited edition timepiece that takes its inspiration from the vintage Dewoitine D.26 aircraft used as a trainer by the Swiss Air Force before World War II that was restored by aircraft enthusiasts Hanger 31. A re-interpretation of the original Oris Big Crown 1938 model, this aircraft-inspired timepiece comes with a 40mm steel case and features a green dial that matches  the cockpit color of the aircraft it is named after. The signature oversized crown comes with a fluted bezel and domed sapphire crystal, while the Arabic numbers and polished nickel hands flaunt a Super-LumiNova coating for visibility. The solid caseback has an engraving of the Dewoitine D.26 along with the authentication number for each of the units in a limited run of 1,931. The strap is available in both light and dark brown leather.

Feast your eyes on Punk-inspired jewelry from Hermes

Hermès will be exhibiting thirty-five designs from the Chain d’Ancre Punk jewelry collection at their Beverly Hills store until October 28. The limited-time exhibition will feature new punk-inspired pieces conceived by creative director Pierre Hardy. The collection features necklaces, bracelets, rings, cuffs, earrings and brooches inspired by the original maritime-inspired Chaine d’Ancre choker necklace (first unveiled in 1938), fusing it with details pulled from the 1970s punk movement. The collection comes in gold, rose gold, and silver, with prices ranging from $650 to $10,200. Among the collection’s standout pieces are a thick silver cuff bracelet pieced through its side with a curving safety pin, a sinewy sautoir with silver and gold links, and a rose-gold-and-diamond bracelet that melds the original chaine d’ancre motif with a single gracefully elongated pin.

Thomas Pink UK launches Autumn Winter Collection

Thomas Pink UK’s Autumn Winter Collection is here with both business and casual wear. The 1984 and IMPERIAL collections, alongside Thomas Pink’s PERSONALLY PINK Made to Order service, showcase the craftsmanship in the brand’s Made in the UK designs created by specialised shirt makers who have worked in the industry for decades. The designs feature almost indecipherable details  such as exceptionally flat stitching, buttonholes being not only of a high density but also hand-trimmed, the placket of a patterned shirt being matched to the pattern on the body, the way the sleeve is set perfectly into the body of a shirt and that the fine fabrics used hold no tension. The casual look features winter linens and cashmere blends, with the ARNOR classic blue and white check shirt in 100% linen, offering a unique fit due to the looser weave of the linen fabric. 1930’s and 40’s winter sports heavily influence further casual designs, where fabrics are made layer-friendly with the lightening of traditional flannel bases and given a rich and warm handle by working with cashmere blends for ultimate winter luxury. Retrospective Nordic living inspires the DOULTON collection, blending luxurious cashmere designs, with soft herringbone pattern accents in a palette of colours inspired by natures hues of deep blue, pale grey and pale blue.

Italy to get its first W Hotel

W Hotels Worldwide has recently announced plans to open W Rome, marking the first time that the iconic W chain will open doors in Italy. The hotel is set across two historic buildings in the energetic Via Veneto neighborhood and will connect guests to what’s new and next in Rome as of 2021. Situated near the famous Spanish Steps and the fashionable boutiques of Via Condotti, W Rome will feature 159 stylish guest rooms and suites, including a decadent Extreme WOW suite (Presidential Suite, for the uninitiated). Social spaces at W Rome include the W Living Room (the W brand’s spin on the hotel lobby) along with two vibrant restaurants and over 120 square meters of ultra-modern event space, and of course the FIT® workout facility and spa. The hotel also offers guests unlimited access to the signature Whatever/Whenever® service, which brings to them whatever they want, whenever they want it.

Samsung unveils limited edition Star Wars Powerbot Vaccuum

Samsung has released two limited edition models of their highly popular POWERbot robot vacuum cleaner, the VR7000—and these are Star Wars versions that hug the ground like a Mouse droid. With heights of less than 4 inches, one is crafted in the image of Darth Vader’s helmet while the other one looks like his Clone Stormtroopers. Both vacuums feature a 10 Watt suction power motor with patented CycloneForce technology for close-up wall and corner cleaning. They can also remember the contours and various surface details through multiple rooms. They also come with remotes and are wi-fi enabled, allowing access to the programming function and mapping technology. They can be linked to Amazon Echo to unlock voice-activated command functions as well. To complete the effect, each of the versions features special character-specific sound effects as it works. For extra gothic touches, the Darth Vader model emulates his raspy breathing as it goes about cleaning the floors.