24th Annual Best of the Best

On the afternoon of November 26, 1922, a small group descended a flight of 16 steps that led below ground to a plain stone-and-plaster wall bearing a seal. One of the men pried a stone loose and inserted a candle inside. “At first I could see nothing,” he later recalled. “But presently, as my eyes […]

Rossi Navi is not as well known as many of its yacht-building counterparts in Europe. But with the delivery of Numptia last July, the 30-year-old Italian yard emerged as an industry leader. The 230-foot yacht, Rossi Navi’s largest to date, is a towering testament to the yard’s prowess in building boats that are beautiful both […]

At 220 feet, sailing yacht Vertigo (www.alloyyachts.co.nz; available for charter through YCO, +37.793.501.212, http://www.ycoyacht.com) is the largest build to date from New Zealand’s Alloy Yachts and the largest sailing yacht ever launched in the Southern Hemisphere. When the beautiful ketch hit the water in February 2011, it was also the largest yacht ever created from […]

Delivered last August to longtime Benetti yacht owners, the 213-foot Seanna (+39.0584.3821, http://www.benettiyachts.it; available for charter through Burgess, 212.223.0410, http://www.burgessyachts.com) is a floating showcase of custom fittings and furnishings. Italian walnut paneling with nickel inlays, wenge cabinetry, Botticino and alacatta marble flooring, and a marble stairway with nickel balusters and carved handrails are among the […]

Galileo G (+39.0187.28371, http://www.perininavi.it) is the second launch from the Vitruvius line of explorer yachts, which is a collaborative effort between naval architect Philippe Briand and Italian builder Perini Navi. (The first Vitruvius yacht, Exuma, was last year’s Best of the Best award winner in this category.) Delivered last October, the new vessel measures 183 […]

The dutch shipyard Heesen completed seven yachts in 2011, of which Quinta Essentia (www.heesenyachts.nl; available for charter through Nakhimov, http://www.nakhimov.com) was the standout. Delivered last June as the largest yacht in the 34-year-old builder’s range, Quinta Essentia sports a red-wine-colored hull in reference to the owner’s passion for Italian wines. The yacht’s commodious aft-deck spaces […]

The sleek and speedy Aifos (+39.0584.38191, http://www.cbinavi.com) is a stunning new showpiece for the Italian yard CBI Navi, which the Fipa boatbuilding group acquired in 2005. The 164-foot yacht, which was delivered last July, utilizes an aluminum hard-chine hull with a semiplaning structure and a pair of 4,200 hp MTU engines to reach a top […]

At 120 feet, the 120SL is the grandest vessel in the Azimut Grande series, a line of 100-plus-foot planing yachts with which the Azimut-Benetti Group bridges the gap between custom and semicustom yacht building. Like the rest of the collection, the 120SL features exterior styling by longtime Azimut designer Stefano Righini. Carlo Galeazzi, who also […]

Italian builder Tecnomar designed its new 120-foot planing yacht so that passengers could be as close as possible to the water. The Tecnomar Velvet 36 (+39.0585.50.62.1, http://www.tecnomar.com) features a stern staircase for direct water access, as well as ample windows and areas for outdoor seating and lounging. The yacht’s bow offers a table, sofas, and […]

Pershing, a Ferretti Group subsidiary, may have moved away from the fast-and-furious powerboat market when it introduced the Pershing 108 (+39.0721.956211, http://www.pershing-yacht.com) in July 2011, but it retained its appreciation for speed. The brand’s new semicustom model is powered by three efficient MTU engines, each paired with a surface propeller. This triple-engine arrangement, a first […]

With a striking design from Espen Øino International, the 125-foot Danish Yachts AeroCruiser 38 (+45.9845.4200, http://www.danishyachts.com) might be the most cutting-edge semicustom yacht. Launched in April 2011, the first AeroCruiser 38, christened Shooting Star, features a carbon-fiber hull and superstructure, making the yacht extremely light for its size—and extremely fast. It achieves a top speed […]

The Arcadia 115 (+39.0811.955.4898, http://www.arcadiayachts.it) sports distinct but purposeful styling. The Italian shipyard constructs the 115-foot yacht’s deckhouse from solar-paneled glass, and windows make up most of the superstructure, lending the vessel a unique look and energy efficiency while giving passengers panoramic views. Like the rest of the yachts in Arcadia’s range, the 115 has […]

Unlike its more classically shaped siblings, the Custom Line 100 (+39.0543.787511, http://www.customline-yacht.com), the first of which the Ferretti Group unveiled last July, features a sporty design with a voluminous, wide-body shape. The 100-foot yacht’s standout features include a fold-down balcony off the main-deck salon, plentiful windows, and strategically placed LED lighting that further brightens the […]

Tilli Antonelli, who founded the Pershing yacht company in 1981, made a splash last April with the debut of the inaugural model from his new brand, Wider. With the Wider 42, the industry veteran and his dream team of engineers and designers have successfully redefined the weekend-cruiser category.   Equipped with a pair of optional […]

With its flexible flybridge and countless other customizable features, the Azimut 45 (+39.011.93.161, http://www.azimutyachts.com) is one of the most versatile yachts in its size range. The flybridge offers 40 square feet of space that owners can configure as a large single-level sundeck, a full dining area with a sofa, or an L- or C-shaped seating […]

Launched last September, the Frauscher 1017 GT (www.frauscherboats.com) is an exceptional racer that represents the pinnacle of performance and design from the 85-year-old Austrian shipyard. The 33-foot 1017 GT (named for the boat’s 10.17-meter length) is equipped with dual 300 hp engines—which can be upgraded to 430 hp apiece—and can reach a top speed of […]

With aggressive and easily identifiable designs, boats from Monaco-based Wally demand attention. The new Wally//One (www.wally.com) is no exception. Designed for use as a day boat or a megayacht tender, the 43-foot vessel, which Wally unveiled last September, is the smallest model the builder has ever produced. But it is certainly not lacking in power. […]

The Riva Iseo (www.riva-yacht.com) is one of the storied Italian brand’s most exciting launches in recent years. The 170-year-old builder, which debuted the Iseo last summer, implemented its first hybrid propulsion system as an option for this 27-foot cruiser. The system features a zero-emission mode, making the boat ideal for use on lakes with emission […]

Practicality, performance, and comfort are trademarks of the Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350i and 250 (316.676.5034, http://www.hawkerbeechcraft.com) turboprops. The $7 million twin-engine 350i is at the top of the 48-year-old King Air line—the all-time best-selling private-aircraft line. With a seating capacity of 11 passengers, a range approaching 2,000 miles, a cruise speed of about 360 […]

If King Airs define the turboprop category, then the Piaggio Aero P.180 Avanti II (561.253.0104, http://www.piaggioaero.com) redefines it. The curious-looking design elements serve specific purposes in improving the aircraft’s performance and the passengers’ comfort. Piaggio, an Italian manufacturer, placed the twin rear-facing engines 8 feet behind the farthest aft passenger seat to minimize cabin noise […]

The capabilities and cost savings associated with the Embraer Phenom 100 (954.359.3700, http://www.embraerexecutivejets.com) have made it the world’s most-delivered business jet in recent years (100 units delivered in 2010 and 41 in 2011). The Phenom 100 can fly as many as six passengers and their luggage 1,000 miles nonstop at a speed of nearly 450 […]

The Cessna Citation CJ4 (316.517.6056, http://www.cessna.com) entered service in late 2010 as an addition to the Wichita, Kan., manufacturer’s Citation CJ line. At nearly $9 million, the CJ4 is about $1 million more expensive than its predecessor, but its improvements are dramatic. Cessna added nearly 2 feet to the length of the cabin to make […]

The category-crossover aircraft from Brazilian manufacturer Embraer are changing the way the industry thinks about business-jet design. The $8.76 million Embraer Phenom 300 (954.359.3700, http://www.embraerexecutivejets.com) has acquisition and operating costs similar to those of a light jet—its 127-gallon-per-hour fuel burn leads the light-jet category—but it looks, feels, and performs like a larger aircraft. The Phenom […]

At sea level, the Cessna Citation XLS+ (316.517.6056, http://www.cessna.com) can take off from a runway as short as 3,650 feet and reach cruising altitude in just 15 minutes. Those performance numbers are comparable to a light jet’s. The Cessna also features a roomy 18.5-foot-long cabin with adequate headroom and an impressive 90 cubic feet of […]

The high-performance Gulfstream G150 (912.965.3000, http://www.gulfstream.com) burns 170 gallons of fuel per hour, making it the most fuel-efficient jet in this category, and the one with the lowest variable costs per hour. And yet it offers an exceptional range of nearly 3,000 miles with four passengers on board, as well as a cruising speed of […]

Elbow room should not be an issue in the Hawker 900XP (316.676.0800, http://www.hawkerbeechcraft.com), because its cabin is 5 feet 9 inches tall and a full 6 feet wide, giving the jet a cross section that is noticeably larger than those of other jets in this category. The cabin also is more than 21 feet long […]

The Bombardier Challenger 300 (514.861.9481, http://www.bombardier.com) can take off in 4,900 feet of runway and climb to a cruising altitude of 41,000 feet in less than 19 minutes. It has a maximum cruise speed of 541 mph and a range of 3,500 miles, allowing it to fly nonstop from coast to coast. “I hate to […]

Capable of covering 4,600 miles when carrying four passengers, the Dassault Falcon 2000LX (201.440.6700, http://www.dassaultfalcon.com) boasts the best range among super midsize jets. It can fly from New York to Moscow or from Los Angeles to Lima, Peru—distances usually associated with much larger aircraft. In addition to range, the Falcon 2000LX offers versatility, speed, and […]

For globe-trotting passengers, a roomy and comfortable cabin is not just a luxury, it is a necessity. The cabin of the $49.1 million Bombardier Global 5000 (514.861.9481, http://www.bombardier.com) offers 8 feet of shoulder space and 6 feet 3 inches of headroom. The cabin, which has a capacity of 17 passengers, includes, in all configurations, a […]

Capable of covering 4,600 miles when carrying four passengers, the Dassault Falcon 2000LX (201.440.6700, http://www.dassaultfalcon.com) boasts the best range among super midsize jets. It can fly from New York to Moscow or from Los Angeles to Lima, Peru—distances usually associated with much larger aircraft. In addition to range, the Falcon 2000LX offers versatility, speed, and […]

The Cessna Citation Sovereign (316.517.6056, http://www.cessna.com) is a bit of an enigma. Its price ($17.9 million), low fuel consumption (247 gallons per flight hour), and runway performance (it can take off in less than 3,700 feet at sea level and less than 5,000 feet at high elevations) are characteristic of a midsize jet, and an […]

Formerly known as the Global Express XRS, the Bombardier Global 6000 (514.861.9481, http://www.bombardier.com)—which the Canadian manufacturer rebranded last year to better reflect its place between the Global 5000 and the forthcoming 7000 and 8000 jets—took to the skies in March under its new designation. Bombardier equips the Global 6000 with an all-new Global Vision flight […]

Gulfstream’s Ultralong-Range GV series has long been the private-jet gold standard, and the Gulfstream G550 (912.965.3000, http://www.gulfstream.com) adds to that status. The 43-foot-11-inch-long cabin of the $63.5 million jet, which cruises at 561 mph and has a range of about 7,700 miles, provides four zones and seats 18 passengers. Travelers seeking even more cabin space […]

A descendant of the Savannah, Ga.–based manufacturer’s best-selling GIV line—which has more than 500 jets in operation—the Gulfstream G450 (912.965.3000, http://www.gulfstream.com) has a 45-foot-long passenger cabin that seats 12 to 16, a range of about 5,000 miles, and a cruise speed of 528 mph. “For buyers whose typical missions are 1,000 miles or more, the G450 […]

Since mobile mp 3 players took over the world—namely Apple’s iPod, whose first-generation device launched in 2001—audiophiles have scoffed at the thought of a pocket player providing genuine high-fidelity sound. Using these personal devices with Apple’s stock earbuds makes matters worse, and spending a few hundred dollars on upgraded earbuds only goes so far—none have […]

The new Vertu Constellation (www.vertu.com) is the English mobile-phone maker’s most advanced handset to date. It is also the Nokia subsidiary’s first phone to feature a touchscreen, making it easy to access Vertu’s exclusive services, which include a dedicated 24/7 concierge to arrange most anything, be it “impossible” reservations, private-security details, or advice from such […]

The Apple iPad (www.apple.com) is yet another testament to the vision of Steve Jobs, who introduced the first version in early 2010. The third generation of the tablet, which Apple debuted in March—and famously sold 3 million units of in the first three days on the market—offers an unrivaled user experience. Upgrades from the two […]

In 2008, Australia-based financiers and audiophiles Murali Murugasu and David Payes brought together a dream team of designers and engineers to create a new standard for audio componentry. Last summer, with the unveiling of the Sirius high-definition digital music source and multiformat player, the final addition to the Constellation Audio Reference Series (805.201.2610, http://www.constellationaudio.com), the […]

Dave Wilson has a clear goal when designing his loudspeakers. “I try to make my speakers sound like the real thing,” says the founder and lead engineer of Provo, Utah–based Wilson Audio, which began shipping its new model, the Alexandria XLF, in January. But achieving this goal is not entirely dependent on the design of […]

A triumph of form and function, the KEF Blade (732.683.2356, http://www.kef.com) is a standout loudspeaker in its price class for its superb coherence and ability to reproduce complex audio at all frequency levels without distortion. The Blade, priced at $30,000 a pair and produced in honor of the British company’s 50th anniversary, owes much of […]

Danish audio wizard Peter Lyngdorf—inventor of two audio systems previously named Robb Report’s Best of the Best—has outdone himself with the Steinway Lyngdorf S-Series(www.steinwaylyngdorf.com), which began shipping last June. The true innovation behind this compact system is the series’ S-15 speaker units, the design of which splits the rear-firing audio radiation to produce what is […]

Not since the 2008 release of Pioneer’s fabled Kuro Elite plasma TV has a display panel hit the market with such a refined picture as that of the new Elite LCD TV. After Pioneer shut down its plasma business in 2009, Sharp Electronics, which acquired a stake in Pioneer in 2007, took over Pioneer’s Elite […]

With the Kaleidescape M700 Disc Vault (650.625.6100, http://www.kaleidescape.com), the Sunnyvale, Calif.–based producer of home-theater servers and playback systems has eliminated the inconveniences associated with Blu-ray Disc viewing while also addressing movie-industry concerns about illegal content sharing. The $6,995 M700, which Kaleidescape began shipping to dealers last summer, copies the contents of Blu-ray Discs to a […]

When Marwan Rizek, president of Cameo Kitchens and Fine Cabinetry, decided to update the front display at the company’s Toronto showroom, he resolved to fill it with the kitchen of tomorrow. The result is Fusion ($250,000 as shown), a compelling kitchen design that utilizes new technologies to foster perhaps the oldest human social activity: bonding […]

Last year’s arrival of Bisazza Bagno, a new bath division from the Italian mosaics company Bisazza, introduced unprecedented artistry to the room that needed it most. The company’s first two collections feature rich materials, unusual shapes, and ornate mirrors, lamps, and other accessories that would be just as desirable in a living or dining room. […]

Since its founding in 1979, Fraenkel Gallery in San Francisco has featured virtually everyone in the photographic pantheon, from Eugène Atget to Diane Arbus to Walker Evans. Four consecutive exhibits that the gallery mounted in 2011 testify to its enduring strength and power. A decades-spanning group of images by Sol LeWitt shed light on an […]

It was not D-Day, but it was a complicated maneuver covering three continents and six time zones. On January 12, Damien Hirst: The Complete Spot Paintings 1986–2011 opened simultaneously in all 11 Gagosian Gallery spaces around the world, a feat of unprecedented ambition for a private art gallery. The New York, London, Athens, Paris, Geneva, […]

Calvin and Hobbes creator Bill Watterson is the J.D. Salinger of comic-strip artists—worshipped by his fans and pathologically media-shy. So when Heritage Auctions offered an original Watterson artwork featuring the 6-year-old Calvin and his faithful tiger Hobbes, it became the latest in a string of coups for the Dallas auction house, which launched in 1976 […]

Few art galleries can claim a continuous history under the same name for nearly two centuries. Yet C.G. Boerner has been purveying prints and drawings by the Old Masters since 1826. Founded in Leipzig, Germany, the gallery’s early customers included Goethe and European royalty. Today it sells to the world’s top museums and institutions, and […]

Entering Kunstkammer Georg Laue is akin to walking into the 16th-century library of a learned nobleman or eccentric scholar. The gallery features a bewildering assortment of antique treasures, from exquisite inlaid chests to precious sculptures and objects in wood, ivory, silver, and gold. Religious artifacts, scientific instruments, and even natural-science rarities occupy the magical landscape. […]

Now in its third generation, the Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG (www.mbusa.com) comes with an all-new twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V-8 engine (the same one that powers the CLS63 AMG), which produces 550 hp and 560 ft lbs of torque when equipped with an optional performance package. All of this power pulsates through a 7-speed transmission and 4Matic AWD […]

When the third-generation Lexus LX570 (www.lexus.com) debuted in 2007, it embodied the automaker’s “Pursuit of Perfection” tagline. Not surprisingly, Lexus has made only negligible changes to the drivetrain options and technology packages accompanying the $81,000 eight-passenger SUV’s mid-cycle refresh. The stalwart 5.7-liter V-8 engine and the optional Mark Levinson surround-sound audio system, heated steering wheel, […]

At last count the Range Rover Evoque had collected more than 100 motoring awards. They include a pair of automotive Oscars: North American Truck of the Year for 2012 (selected by a panel of 50 American and Canadian automotive journalists) and Top Gear’s Car of the Year. Even China’s Sohu.com and Guangzhou Daily have honored […]

Once again a symbol of ascent, upscale SUVs have become the high-performance fashion statement on roads from Malibu to Mongolia. Now America can claim a competitive edge with the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 (www.jeep.com), which is new this year and every bit the luxury high-rider that its competitors from Germany, Britain, and Japan are. Possessing […]

With a starting price of just over $40,000, the Infiniti JX35 (www.infiniti.com) is one of the more cost-effective vehicles ever featured in a Best of the Best issue. It might also be the only selection ever that comes with its own concierge service. Infiniti Personal Assistant is a 24-hour service to which owners have free […]

The Aventador LP 700-4 is as ferocious as its namesake, a Spanish bull that performed in a notoriously violent fight in the early 1990s. It is big and imposing and no gentle giant. Powered by a new 6.5-liter V-12 engine that churns out 700 hp at 8,250 rpm, and 509 ft lbs of torque at […]

By the numbers, no sports car has more loyalists than the Porsche 911. With nearly 50 years under its belt, the 911 series has undergone seven fundamental changes while remaining true to the original 1963 design. But unlike most sequels, the newest 911, specifically the Porsche 911 Carrera S (www.porsche.com), betters its predecessor on all […]

The Nissan GT-R (www.nissanusa.com) is a car in search of a track—or possibly a runway. This $97,000 machine is built to obliterate any competitors in a straight sprint. It is not pretty, polite, or plush. It is a monster that has rightfully earned the nickname Godzilla. Equipped with a 3.8-liter turbocharged V-6 engine, the GT-R […]

After a few fits and starts, the McLaren MP4-12C (www.mclaren.com) finally has made it to America. We were sorry that McLaren chose not to participate in this year’s Robb Report Car of the Year contest, but this automaker does things differently from the rest. Who else could build a series-production supercar essentially from scratch, bringing […]

With a 560 hp v-10 engine snitched from the Lamborghini Gallardo, a top speed of 199 mph, and a zero-to-60-mph time of just a sniff over 3.5 seconds, the Audi R8 GT (www.audiusa.com) is a race-ready supercar by any definition. Foreign models come with a roll cage and competition bucket seats, and carbon fiber abounds. […]

The four-door, six-seat TLC Icon FJ44 made the Best of the Best list last year for its refreshing take on the Toyota Land Cruiser and for its purposeful design. Now company founder Jonathan Ward has reimagined the Ford Bronco. Ward collaborated with Ford designer Camilo Pardo—known for his work on the Ford GT—to establish a […]

The first Shelby Mustang G.T.350 (model years 1965 and 1966) expressed a purity of purpose unmatched by later models. It was nearly race-ready off the showroom floor. Today, originals are coveted collectibles that win in vintage races and on the car-show circuit. For those who want a perfect example of Ol’ Shel’s original but with […]

Once again, Becker Automotive Design has taken a winning formula and improved it. For the Becker Cadillac Escalade ESV, the Oxnard, Calif., company transforms the capable and comfortable SUV into a powerful, versatile mobile office that enables every minute of travel time to become get-it-done work time.   The latest version of the Becker ESV, […]

Morgan motor company was founded in 1909 in England as a maker of three-wheeled vehicles that it called “cyclecars.” Not until 1936 did the company produce its first four-wheeler, and even then, a three-wheeler remained in the product lineup until 1952. The new 3 Wheeler, which is available through several U.S. dealers, including Morgan West […]

For drivers old enough to have experienced the original M5, BMW holds special significance. That car’s small, trunk-mounted M badge struck terror in the hearts of Porsche and Ferrari owners; the prosaic, pugnacious German sedan redefined the limits of four-door performance. Umpteen iterations later, the M5 remains true to its mission, even as the sports-sedan […]

Mercedes-Benz’s CLS 500 arrived on the market seven years ago as a brilliant optical illusion with an oxymoronic classification. Its low, descending lines fooled the viewer into thinking this four-door sedan was a two-door coupe. Jaguar, Porsche, Aston Martin, BMW, and even Hyundai eventually followed Mercedes-Benz into the four-door-coupe segment. Now comes the Audi A7 (www.audiusa.com). […]

The latest and eighth addition to the carmaker’s four-door-coupe model line, the Porsche Panamera GTS (www.porsche.com) should resonate with 911 owners—the Porsche purists. Equipped with a naturally aspirated 4.8-liter V-8 engine, the $109,000 Panamera GTS sits one slot below the Panamera Turbo models in terms of performance (and pricing). The automobile’s front-mounted engine produces 430 […]

The big man on Audi’s campus is the long, luxurious 12-cylinder version of the new A8 sedan, the Audi A8 L W12 (www.audiusa.com). No other automobile offers so much performance, luxury, and refinement in such an understated package. Priced from $133,500, the new W12 is for those who want it all but prefer flying under […]

Chrysler’s dark and serious television commercials convey the message that the brand’s 300 sedan is imported from Detroit. Drive the Chrysler 300 SRT8 (www.chrysler.com) and you will understand what narrator Joe Mantegna is getting at. This high-performance version of the mainstream 300C borrows noticeably from the Europeans. Its high-end technology and performance is definitely Teutonic, […]

The Granturismo MC dispels the notion that Maserati is a second-tier player among Italian sports-car brands. The beauty of the GranTurismo is indisputable, and its Ferrari-sourced 4.7-liter V-8 engine sends 444 hp and 376 ft lbs of torque to the rear wheels, enabling the MC to reach 60 mph from a standstill in just 4.5 seconds […]

Equipped with a 6.2-liter V-8, the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 (www.chevrolet.com) is the most powerful Camaro ever. The engine produces 580 hp, enabling the ZL1 to dash from zero to 60 mph in less than four seconds, or more quickly than the 510 hp Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Black Series. It is tempting to drive this […]

In an age of paddle-shift automatics, button-controlled suspension modes, shift-mapping software, and driver-tuned exhausts, the Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca (www.ford.com) is a welcome throwback to the get-in-and-drive days of its progenitor.   The original 1969 Mustang Boss 302 was a race-bred machine developed by Ford for the hotly contested Trans-Am series. Today’s Boss […]

Most Jaguar disciples considered the standard Jaguar XK coupe and roadster—with their 5-liter engines and 385 hp—naughty enough. Then came the XK-R, which added a supercharger and 125 units of horsepower. Arriving this year, the Jaguar XKR-S (www.jaguar.com) is one really bad cat. Jaguar has tuned the supercharged engine to produce a tarmac-munching 550 hp, […]

The standard version of the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe is not in short supply of power, with 451 hp pumping to the rear wheels. But the AMG engineers who designed and built this car from the ground up knew that it was capable of more. Enter the limited-edition Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Black Series (www.mbusa.com). […]

Ferrari purists seldom are followers of soft-top fashion, preferring the marque’s rigid berlinettas and their beautiful flowing forms to the canvas-roofed spiders. However, Ferrari’s latest mid-engine marvel, the 458 Italia, has morphed into a convertible without the fussy fabric flying buttresses of its predecessors. The 458 Spider features a folding aluminum hard top that transforms […]

Aston martin is a boutique builder of beauties—luxury sports cars that cling tightly to the past yet never show their age. Silhouettes have remained similar for decades, and even today they continue to display signs of the ’60s and traces from the legendary DB5. The brand might be emulating Porsche and its glacial evolution of […]

An advocate of excess, Oscar Wilde would have made a perfect pitchman for the Bentley Continental GTC (www.bentleymotors.com), a heavy and heavily handcrafted vehicle that coddles driver and passengers and has a performance envelope that is more locomotive than automotive. Bentley’s use of only the finest leather and mirror-matched woods is well publicized, but few […]

Replete with style, speed, and a set of wings that stretch skyward, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG coupe (the modern-day Gullwing) became one of the most coveted sports cars when it arrived in the United States in 2010. The car—with its guttural muscle-car exhaust note and nostalgic wings—captured the hearts of our Robb Report judges and […]

If BMW’s slogan of “building the ultimate driving machine” refers to its vehicles’ muscle and punch, it does not apply to the BMW 650i convertible (www.bmwusa.com). Though the $91,000 car receives 400 hp from a twin turbocharged V-8, delivery of that power is passive, and progress is languid. This, however, is the smooth, indulgent, and […]

Touring bikes are specialized machines designed to make the miles melt away, but their narrow purpose is their drawback. Most touring rigs endure months of downtime, while more versatile steeds see daily action.   Harley-Davidson addresses this problem with its new Switchback, a touring bike that performs a presto personality change into a cruiser. Thanks […]

Confederate Motors has been building ambitiously designed, hand-assembled motorcycles since 1991, but for its latest creation, the Birmingham, Ala.–based manufacturer has introduced a new platform that eliminates many of the complicated steps involved with building its earlier bikes. For the new X132 Hellcat, instead of mounting the powerplant onto the frame with bushings, the Confederate […]

As sportbikes continue to shed weight and gain power, such improvements might reach a point of diminishing returns. The ruthless pursuit of acceleration and razor’s-edge handling could lead to such radical transformations that a bike becomes a soulless beast built only for statistical domination.   Ducati was at a crossroads when updating its venerable 1198 […]

Singular style and robust brawn typically distinguish the most compelling cruisers from lesser specimens, but those qualities often come at a premium. Bucking the high-price trend is the new Raider SCL from Star Motorcycles, an American brand of cruisers produced by Yamaha. The bike incorporates custom-style details and a muscular motor into an off-the-shelf package […]

On Barbados’s Platinum Coast, One Sandy Lane reigns. Designed by Larry Warren, the local architect who also built the legendary Sandy Lane hotel nearby, One Sandy Lane is an ultraexclusive enclave centered on a regal 100,000-square-foot edifice housing just eight villa-style residences. The homes came on the market last fall (seven have sold), and prices are […]

Since their introduction nearly 14 years ago, destination clubs have become popular with affluent travelers looking to vacation in, but not own, multimillion-dollar homes worldwide. But with the economic downturn came the faltering of the nascent industry; some clubs filed for bankruptcy, and members took large investment losses on their membership deposits. Those troubles, however, […]

Space is at a premium in London, relegating many establishments, spas included, to the dark and dank confines of the city’s basements. Not so at the Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane, which reopened last year following a two-year, $200 million renovation. Set in a steel-and-glass aerie that architect Eric Parry describes as looking […]

High above the chaos that is Bangkok’s central business district, the Elemis Spa at the St. Regis Bangkok (+66.2.207.7777, http://www.stregis.com) seems to float, heavenlike, in midair. Visitors enter the hotel’s white-marble oasis on floor 15 of a new 47-story tower that opened in April 2011. Accompanying 16 mostly white- and cream-hued treatment rooms, a color-therapy […]

Spread across three basement-level floors of a new 15-story, 78-room hotel, Espa at the Istanbul Edition (+90.212.317.7700, http://www.editionhotels.com) opened in March 2011 in the bustling residential district of Levent. Adorned with woven-horsehair wall coverings and bronze-and-leather flooring, the 20,000-square-foot spa includes an indoor swimming pool, 10 treatment rooms, a VIP suite, whirlpools, a snow cabin, […]

Los Angeles’s iconic Hotel Bel-Air—a woodsy, storybook getaway complete with resident swans—has been the preferred city retreat of Hollywood royalty for 65 years. Now, after completing a two-year, $100 million renovation, the famed hotel has a retreat of its own: the Hotel Bel-Air Spa by La Prairie (310.909.1681, http://www.hotelbelair.com). Opened in October, the 4,100-square-foot, Alexandra […]

The International Commerce Center was designed to be Hong Kong’s highest building, piercing the sky at 1,883 feet. Government regulations, however, forbid structures from standing taller than the surrounding mountains, so architects had to downsize it to 1,608 feet. Even so, the Kowloon-side skyscraper still rises nearly 250 feet higher than its closest competitor in […]

Set on the Thames riverfront in a sprawling Victorian-era Belle Epoque building, the Corinthia Hotel London (+44.20.7930.8181, http://www.corinthialondon.com) has reshaped London’s luxury-hotel landscape since opening in April 2011. Built for roughly $480 million—in a shell that previously housed the Hôtel Métropole and, later, offices for the Ministry of Defense—the groundbreaking 294-room property took four years […]

After the British took control of India in 1858, King George V moved the capital city from Calcutta to Delhi. British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens was commissioned to plan a new district in the city, aptly named New Delhi. Amid the chaos for which Delhi is both loved and loathed, Lutyens installed an enclave of […]

Location is not everything at Mandarin Oriental, Paris (+33.1.70.98.78.88, http://www.mandarinoriental.com), but the modern eight-story retreat is certainly well situated in the City of Light. The hotel’s address along rue Saint-Honoré—between Chanel and Place Vendôme—is convenient to premier shopping grounds and to such requisite stops as the Louvre, the Tuileries Palace, and the Paris Opéra. Entered […]

Built in 1822 as the home of British baronet Sir Charles Coote, Ballyfin Demesne was once Ireland’s most lavish Regency mansion, the centerpiece of a 614-acre estate of esplanades, parkland, woodland, and a lake at the base of the Slieve Bloom Mountains. Adding to the milieu, Lady Coote commissioned for the grounds such follies as […]

Opened in December, Amanruya (+90.252.311.12.12, http://www.amanresorts.com) is the third Mediterranean resort and 25th property worldwide from Singapore-based Amanresorts. The 36-villa retreat—located outside Bodrum, Turkey, on a hill overlooking Mandalya Bay—recalls an ancient Mediterranean village, with a collection of locally designed structures modeled after nearby farmhouses and traditional Ottoman buildings. The cottage-style accommodations feature white-marble flooring, […]

Based strictly on accessibility, Minaret Station (+64.275.8898.65, http://www.minaretstation.com) is arguably the most exclusive resort in the world. Visitors fly in to this stunningly beautiful 65,000-acre property in New Zealand’s Southern Alps via helicopter from Wanaka, soaring over snowy ranges and blue glaciers. The camp, which opened to outsiders for the first time in February 2011, […]

The Rosewood San Miguel de Allende (+52.415.152.9700, http://www.rosewoodhotels.com) has brought a new level of luxury to San Miguel de Allende while staying true to the traditions of this former Spanish colonial outpost. Long considered one of Mexico’s most romantic destinations, this once silver-rich town in the Sierra Madre lies just three hours north of Mexico […]

A fixture on Wailea Beach for more than two decades, the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea has long been the preferred hideaway of celebrities and VIPs on the Hawaiian island’s famed southwest coast. So it is only fitting that the 15-acre resort’s latest addition—the cliffside Serenity Pool Terrace—has all the trappings of an exclusive […]

The Bay Course at Costa Navarino (www.costanavarinogolf.com) is the second of what will eventually be at least four courses at the sprawling Costa Navarino resort in Messenia, a historically significant region in Greece’s southwest Peloponnese. True to its surroundings, the course is “an authentic and memorable golf experience that you’d only be able to find […]

Golf has a rich tradition of amateur architects, design neophytes who put their passion into a project and, on occasion, create something special. Though an unlikely pair of shaping savants, the brothers Charlie and Stanley Pasarell have certainly created a special golf course. Tennis champions in the 1960s and ’70s, the Pasarells are also avid […]