Oct 18, 2014

A decadent dream of Lobanov's exquisite design - Phoenicia II !

lobanovdesign.com


Designer Igor Lobanov has revealed his latest innovative design concept to Super Yacht Times. He stated that Phoenicia it is an explorative study, focusing purely on the design elements themselves. This concept amalgamates various historical influences with a new modern design. The model explores a 100+ meter super-yacht with generous open deck space, particularly aft of the yacht including a helipad; a feature which is usually seen on large motor yachts rather than a sailing yacht.
























Additionally Phoenicia has a very unconventional bow, which has a hint of ancient Greek influence. This design gives the feeling of 1000 years of history of an “ancient royal ship” with the appropriate name concept of "Phoenicia". Phoenicians are believed to be the people who influenced the Greek alphabet. From the Greeks it was then passed to Romans as Latin and to Slavs (and even Mongols) as Cyrillic. As a result a wide range of nations from Australia to Russia are now using letters that derive from those once created in the small area of Phoenicia.

Phoenicia II
















Also known for trading across the whole of the Mediterranean, the Phoenicians influenced many nations and cultures that lived around sea. The Phoenicians are a link between East and West, between modern Muslim and Christian cultures. Hence, this name is symbolic and appropriate to the design of Phoenicia. This concept is an expression of how we should continue to explore different shores, different cultures and the various way of life.

Oct 11, 2014

Over the Top; Meet the Yacht Project Star of the Future !


We come across a lot of cool design projects on our quest for luxury news, however, this one really caught our eye.

An initiative designed by Lobanov Design and BMT Nigel Gee, Project Star came about from a conversation between Alex Malybeav from Firma branding agency and yacht designer, Igor Lobanov. Having come to the conclusion that all yachts look the same to those outside the marine industry, Malybeav took out a napkin and doodled a picture of his perfect yacht. Lobanov loved it so much that he set out to prove that the design could indeed become a reality.

Created to be the world's most exclusive private hotel yacht, it measures 132m in length, 60m in height and boasts 3,500 square feet of interior room. The vessel has a maxium speed of 18+kts. Its "technical development features a symmetrically fore & aft double ended hullform, with all electric architecture and fully azimuthing propulsion." Its ground breaking design allows the yacht to rotate within "her own length to track the arc of the sun free from the constraints of traditional anchors."

Added to all of the above, it boasts four lifts that provide access across 8 decks while lifts 1 and 3 extend from a sub-marine viewing area up to a viewing platform on the eight deck allowing passengers to enjoy a spectacular view of over 20km.






















Speaking about Project Star, Yacht Design Director of BMT Nigel Gee was optimistic about the initiative stating that:

"Historically yacht design has been described as both an art and a science. STAR is a tangible view of a 21st century interpretation of art and science. We are fortunate to live in an era where technology makes the delivery of bolder designs more possible – for clients who are adventurous innovators anything is truly possible." ref: www.luxehighlife.com 

Oct 2, 2014

Rolls Royce Phantom, drophead Coupe a Limited edition of 35 to be built !

Rolls Royce, Phantom drophead Coupe - Ltd Edition of 35.

Rolls-Royce launches special edition Phantom costing £450k to celebrate Sir Malcolm Campbell's water speed record

For the average motorist, the £450,000 price tag of this electric-blue beauty may alone be enough to make your eyes water.

But the exclusive new Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé Waterspeed, which has its world premiere in London today, is aimed at drivers made of sterner stuff – and with much deeper pockets.

It costs nearly £200,000 more than the £253,000 price tag that official ONS figures put on the average home and a shade less than the £458,000 cost of the average London home.

Yet the attention to detail in a car that honors British hero Sir Malcolm Campbell and his record-breaking Bluebird cars and boats can’t be faulted.

For the first time ever Rolls-Royce has even painted the engine – blue, naturally.

Only 35 of this luxuriously hand-crafted, limited edition open-topped limousine are being produced in honour of the derring-do and record-breaking nautical speed achievements of the great British hero of the 1920s and ‘30s.

And they will be available in any colour – as long as it’s blue. Officials said the car offering the ultimate wind-in the hair motoring was ‘the most highly bespoke Rolls-Royce of the modern era.’

The new Waterspeed collection takes its inspiration sand styling cues from the Bluebird K3 speedboat – powered by a Rolls-Royce R Engine - in which he set a world-record 126.33mph on Italy’s Lake Maggiore on September 1, 1937.

And the two-door four-seater grand tourer is no slouch itself, accelerating from rest to 60mph in just 5.6 seconds and with a top speed of 149mph.

Fittingly the new car is to have its global unveiling to VIPs and potential customers today at the Bluebird café in the trendy King’s Road, Chelsea – hosted by top dealership HR Owen - on the very site of the garage in which Sir Malcolm built his record-breaking Bluebird cars and boats.
And the hand-crafted detailing pays homage to the feats of the man and machine which inspired it.

The car is finished in a specially developed ‘Maggiore Blue’ exterior paint, inspired by Bluebird’s famous color-scheme.

Nine layers of paint are applied before the surface is exhaustively hand-sanded and then sealed with a powdered lacquer to ensure an impeccable finish.

A Rolls-Royce spokesman said: ‘For the first time in Rolls-Royce history the exterior finish also extends to the engine which is also painted blue, creating a visually striking homage to the power behind Campbell’s records.’

The exterior is completed with a hand-painted ‘coachline’ - an upmarket go-faster stripe - that culminates in a Bluebird motif which took the firm’s master craftsman four hours to apply by hand.

A touch of the blue finish also adorns the car’s fully-polished eleven-spoke wheels for the first time.

The brushed-steel rear decking was individually panel-beaten by hand for 70 hours after the initial mechanical pressing. A Rolls-Royce craftsman then hand-brushed the metal for more than ten hours.

The two-tone steering wheel features Magiorre Blue accents to balance traditional black leather.
Blue and brushed metal highlights and accents on the dash-board complement the ‘Windchill Grey’ interior leather.






















The leather armrests alone take 8 hours to complete.
There are even hand-engraved polished stainless steel door armrest caps featuring a new interpretation of Campbell’s famous Bluebird motif.

Black Abachi wood veneer also makes its Rolls-Royce debut in Waterspeed. The wood, which cool and satin-like to the touch is ‘bookmatched’, or mirrored, to face at an angle to echo the wake left by a boat moving at speed.

The new Rolls-Royce ‘Waterspeed’ is powered by a massive 6.75 litre V12 petrol engine developing 453 brake-horsepower.

But it’s thirsty, averaging just over 19 miles to the gallon, and only 12mpg around town. And CO2 emissions are a whopping 347g/km The ‘power reserve’ dial on the limousine’s brushed-aluminium dashboard has also been styled to echo a speedboat.

A Rolls-Royce spokesman said: ‘As the driver presses on, the dial moves backwards towards a yellow and blue zone, echoing Campbell’s original K3 boat’s ‘going into the blue’ at maximum engine revolutions.’

A bespoke front-lit carries Bluebird’s ‘infinity’ symbol and the dials are hewn from a block of aluminium to further evoke the Bluebird K3.

The glove-box even features a hand-embroidered panel citing the records Campbell achieved at Lake Maggiore in Italy and closer to Coniston Water in Cumbria.






















Donald Wales, grandson of Sir Malcolm Campbell and himself a land-speed record holder, who will attend Tuesday’s world unveiling said: ‘This very special motor car serves to pay a perfect homage to my grandfather’s remarkable acts of British daring and endeavor.

‘The extraordinary attention-to-detail and commitment to engineering excellence so evident in these motor cars perfectly echoes the lengths my grandfather and his colleagues went to in their pursuit of the water-speed records.’

Chris Harris, customer director of HR Owen who are hosting the launch said: ‘This is the most highly bespoke Rolls-Royce of the modern era. It’s a delight to the eye. Only 35 will be made and each is a jewel of hand-craftsmanship.’

The Bluebird Café location for the global launch is on the site of the original Bluebird Motor Company building which was commissioned in 1923 to be Europe’s largest garage.

It was built in the era’s characteristic Art Deco style, a style which it preserves today.
The business would ultimately help fund Campbell’s pursuit to wrest the Waters-peed record from its American holders. The firm is based at Goodwood in Sussex and is owned by Germany’s BMW.

Price: £450,000
Limited edition: just 35 to be built
Length: 18ft 5 inches
Width: 6ft 6inches
Height: 5ft 2 inches
Weight: 2.63 tonnes
Seats: 4
Doors: 2
Engine: 6.75 litre V12 direct injection petrol
Top speed: 149mph (governed)
0-60mph: 5.6 seconds
Average fuel consumption: 19.1mpg
Around town: 12.4mpg
Cruising: 19.1mpg
CO2 emissions: 347g/km
read more @ www.thisismoney.co.uk