The Undeniable Future

Considering that one of the first automobiles ever built ran on electrons, we’ve taken a pretty hefty detour in capitalizing on the immense potential of electric vehicles. With the arrival of the Rimac Concept One super car, history is making good for lost time.

It’s been well over a century since the first electric vehicle silently purred into motion, and despite whatever political and technical obstacles that may have stood in the way of progress, the power of the electron is catching up fast. And in contrast with the last century of automotive design – a roster cluttered with German, Italian, and American names – the Rimac Concept One is the brainchild of a Croatian entrepreneur. Go figure. 

History catches up

It's little known secret, but even the simplest of DC electric motors leave combustion engine specs in the dust. When it comes to pure performance, flowing electrons offer more strength, incredible torque starting from nearly 0 rpm, regenerative braking using the drivetrain, and far fewer moving parts – not to mention zero CO2 emissions.

Rimac

The Concept One is the work of Mate Rimac: frustrated with the performance of the BMW E30 that he used for circuit racing, the designer put it through five incarnations before setting it aside completely after realizing that there wasn’t much BMW left onboard. Starting with a sketch-pad, he envisioned a new super sports machine, designed from the ground up to outdo combustion-powered vehicles on every level.

Technology

Four liquid-cooled permanent magnet electric power plants coupled to step-down gearboxes give the Concept One a mind-blowing 1,088 hp and 3,600 Nm of torque. An extensively tested proprietary battery design offers huge power storage at a low-weight cost.

While there are internal combustion-powered cars out there offering all-wheel drive (Audis for example), one of the coolest advantages of electric vehicles is the ability to offer independently controlled power to each wheel – and an electric motor is capable of accelerating and decelerating nearly instantly, hundreds of times per second. This allows for supremely fine tuned handling and extreme acceleration.

With no transmission necessary (and thus no need to interrupt power to shift) vehicles like the Concept One are about to redefine how the auto industry looks at performance.

So what does it all mean?

How about a range of 600 km on a charge, 0-100 km/h in 2.8 seconds, stunning body work and interior design, and a top speed of 305 km/h – priced lower than your average Pagani, Bugatti, or Ferrari?

Despite the Concept One’s zero emissions performance, Rimac is not out on an environmental mission. They believe that the electric power train is a fundamentally better design, and are intent on pushing the limits of automotive design as far and as fast as they'll go.

Sound good? Good luck. A total of 88 examples of the first run, limited edition Concept One will be produced. If you’re interested, hurry up and get in contact with Rimac Automobili.

Famous Stations

Arriving at a train in a foreign city is always exciting. More than just interesting architecture, a railway station is a gateway to the city it serves. We’ve collected together some of the most beautiful and historically significant train stations from around the globe for your entertainment and education.

Antwerp Station –Antwerp, Belgium

Regarded as the finest example of railway architecture in Belgium, Antwerp Central Station was a collaborative effort between three architects: Louis Delacenserie, Clement van Bogaert and Jan Asperen. Each brought ideas and their own structural flavors that were combined together in the final design. Construction began in 1895 and took 10 years. Our favourite part is the easiest one to spot: the impressive main waiting room is 185 meters long and 44 meters high.

Atocha – Madrid, Spain

Atocha is Madrid’s largest train station. After being nearly completely destroyed in a fire in the early 1890s, it was redesigned by architects Alberto de Palacio Elissagne and Gustave Eiffel, and rebuilt on the original site. The current building was completed in 1892, spans an impressive 4000 square meters, and features a beautiful tropical garden inside.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus – Mumbai, India

Construction of this magnificent building was begun in 1878 and completed in 1887, and the doors were opened to the public on the date of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. British architect Frederick William Stevens was inspired by a beautiful watercolor sketch by draughtsman Axel Haig. Its bright Gothic style has made it a world famous architectural landmark, and the busiest train station in all of India. Chhatrapati Station also featured in the 2008 Academy Award winning film, Slumdog Millionaire.

Chicago Union Station –Chicago, USA

The work of famous architect Daniel Burnham, Chicago’s Union Station is a 20,000 square foot classic Beaux style building with magnificent Corinthian columns, a pink marble floor, terracotta walls, and a barrel-vaulted atrium ceiling. The station was completed in 1925 and remains one of the most incredible indoor spaces in the USA.

Choum Station – Choum, Mauritania

Although not technically an architectural work, Choum Station in Mauritania is nonetheless one of the world’s most beautiful train stations. The train that services it is both the longest, and the heaviest ore train in the world, and not actually designed for passengers. Despite its vicinity of the town of Choumto the Western Sahara Desert, a few passengers continue to hitch rides every day.

Gare du Nord – Paris, France

With 190 million people passing through it per year, Gare du Nord is more than just Europe’s busiest train station, it’s also one of the most beautiful. Designed by French architect Jaques Hitroff, the building was constructed with cast iron frame capped with slab stonework. Construction began in 1861 and was completed in 1864. Gare du Nord has has now served as the backdrop for a great many French films, as well as appearing in the finale of the US trilogy The Bourne Ultimatum, Mr Bean’s Holiday, and Ocean’s Twelve.

Grand Central Terminal – New York, USA

Grand Central Station! The world’s largest train station has 44 platforms that serve 67 tracks. The subject of many stunning photos, literary, and musical works, this masterpiece of turn-of-the-century American architecture was constructed between 1903 and 1913 from a mix of Bedford limestone, granite, Tennessee and Botticion marble, and Caen stone. Architectural firms Reed & Stern, and Warren & Wermore collaborated on the Beaux Arts-style design, which measures 39.6 metres tall at its highest point. More than 750000 people pass through Grand Central Station daily, each stopping for a few seconds to catch their breath…

Haydarpasa Station – Istanbul, Turkey

Considered the “Gateway to the East”,), Haydarpasa Station in Istanbul is situated on the Asian shore of the Bosphorous, and was completed during the final years of the Ottoman Empire in 1909. German architects Otto Ritter and Helmut Conu collaborated on the current building’s striking neo classical style, which features intricate masonry crafted by German and Italian stonemasons.

Kuala Lumpur Station – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Completed in 1910, Kuala Lumpur is a bizarre and harmonious blend of Eastern and Western architectural elements. The station was designed by British architect Arthur Benison Hubback, and its design shows heavy Indian influences –no doubt as a result of the years that he there. Originally constructed at a total cost of $23,000, it rises above the city like a strange fantasy castle for extra-terrestrials. The station no longer serves intercity trains, but some commuter trains still stop there.

World Glass Roof Station – Shanghai, China

The world’s first train station of its kind, the World Glass Roof Station feautres a 278 meter-diameter glass and steel disc, which was specially designed to let in natural light above the waiting room – that can hold as many as 10,000 people at any given time. Shanghai Railway station has now become one of the most important hubs in the entire Chinese rail network.

Kiev Passenger Railway Station – Kiev, Ukraine

The foundations of this station were designed and built between 1868 and 1870 in the Old English Gothic style. The new and impressive part of the station was built between 1927 and 1932 in the style of Ukrainian Baroque with some elements of constructionism and was designed by architect O. Verbytskyi. Ukrainian Baroque style marks the station's palace-like decoration, enriching the lives of the more than 170,000 passengers that pass through daily.

West Beijing Railway Station- Beijing, China

The second largest railway station in Asia, West Beijing Railway station was constructed between 1993 and 1996 and covers 510,000 square meters. The station cost three-quarters of a billion dollars to construct and serves an average of 180,000 passengers per day. The whole building is constructed to assume the shape of the Chinese character ‘品’ which loosely translated means quality and class.

Now get out there and visit them!

A Very Special Port

In celebration of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee, W & J Graham’s has opened up the vaults and released a limited edition commemorative bottling.

The Graham’s tawny port used for Diamond Jubilee edition was originally made in 1952, and has been carefully tended and monitored over the last 60 years by generations of the Symington family. While port wine generally isn't considered particularly luxurious – quite the opposite in fact – there are exceptions to every rule, and this one bears a royal seal to prove it.

A few words about W&G Graham’s and the Queen

Founded in Oporto, Portugal in 1820 by William and John Graham, the company has now been producing some of the world’s finest port wines through three centuries. But the story of Graham’s is really a story of two families, and dates back even earlier: the Symington family – the current owners of the Graham’s enterprise – are directly descended from a 17th century port merchant, and have been involved in the making and distributing of Port wine since its very beginnings. After 350 years and 13 generations, W&J Graham’s is the only remaining family-owned British Port producer, and a proud member of the prestigious Primum Familiae Vini – an exclusive group of 11 famous winemaking families. Queen Elizabeth II herself also has a long history with the company, including a visit to the Oportu factory in 1957.

The Diamond Jubilee Tawny Port

Port wine is famous for its longevity, and its ability to slowly evolve and improve over exceptionally long time periods. Correspondingly, planning for the Diamond Jubilee Port has been a long time in the making. The port used was first put to its seasoned casks 1952, and – per tradition – consists of a blend of wines which were all between seven and nine years old at the time of their selection. Sampled over the years at regular intervals to check its progress, the Symington family noticed that it was slowly becoming a most exceptional wine. After a final tasting in November 2011, it was decided that the remaining six casks would be used for the special limited edition bottling. Each bottle bears a unique number, and may be purchased alone or in groups of three in a special oak presentation case.

First tasting & Sale

The Diamond Jubilee edition port will be available in the UK and in Portugal through Berry Bros. & Rudd. The first bottle to be made available for public sampling will be at London’s “The Goring” hotel. A venerable institution with extensive connections to the European royalty, The Goring is the perfect location for such a historic moment.

Complete with royal seal, single bottles will retail at a cost of £275, the commemorative three-bottle set will be available for £795, and for those looking to throw a larger party fit for a Queen, a 450 cl Jeroboam will be available at a cost of £1800.

The Stealth Car

When we start talking about Lamborghini, superlatives are boring and repetitive. But at a cost of 1.5 million euro, and with a total of 20 ever built, the Lamborghini Reventón definitely holds claim to the titles of “Most Expensive”, and “Most Exclusive”.

While there has always been a close association between high-performance super cars and super sonic jet aircraft, the Lamborghini Reventón so closely resembles the lines of stealth fighter jets that the connection is impossible to ignore. The official press release stated somewhat vaguely that it was "inspired by the fastest airplanes", but a closer look (see our gallery) reveals that the design language used can be directly traced to the jagged, angular lines and energy-absorbing paint that the Mcdonnell Douglas F-22 Raptor or Northdrop B-2 Stealth Bomber use to confuse enemy radar.

A stealth car in bull’s clothing

In keeping with the Lamborghini tradition, the Reventón bears the name of a famous Spanish fighting bull that killed a legendary bullfighter in the early 1940s. The word can be interpreted in a few different ways: a burst or small explosion, a flat tire, a big party, or to describe a particularly powerful quality when used as an adjective.

Concept and design

Despite its striking exterior, the Reventón is a typical mid-engine Lamborghini, based almost exclusively on the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce design. The pair share the same frame layout, and the same 650 hp 6.5-liter V12 engine. With its all-new carbon-fiber body design, a top speed of 356 km/h was registered during testing in Dubai. The cockpit features LCD instrument panels and a special G-force meter (just like in jet aircraft!) so that you can see just how extreme your curves really are. A full complement of LED arrow-pattern lighting completes the package.

Famous owners

When word got out about the Reventón, the usual suspects showed up immediately for a chance at one of the 20 examples to be produced. Each car bears a numbered stamp between the driver and passenger seats. Number 1/20 went to Khalid Abdul Rahim of Bahrain, whose taste in expensive cars is the stuff of legend.

Other buyers include Jay Leno (7/20), Chechen president Ramzan Kadyrov (unknown), and various other Arabian royalty members.

A Collector's Camera

Two monumentous recent events have served to further reinforce Leica's reputation as an indisputable monarch in the world of high-end photographic equipment: A Leica camera from 1923 sold for a record-breaking price at auction, and the company has released a special limited-edition collector's version of their M9-P model.

The Leica M9-P ‘Edition Hermès' follows in the footsteps of previous M-System cameras (the Leica MP and M7) to bear the work of Parisian fashion house Hermès. Both companies have a passion for master hand craftsmanship, and their partnership maximizes on this passion to create a one-of-a-kind masterpieces that are as beautiful as they are functional. Make no mistake, with the price tag these models command, they are aimed at only the most affluent of collectors, but for photography lovers with the necessary finances, they truly are a breath-taking investment. And judging by the 2.16 million euro recently brought at auction by a limited production prototype Leica camera from 1923, it's an investment that seems likely reward the lucky few who manage to snap one of these up handsomely.

Leica M9-P

At its heart, the ‘Edition Hermès' is a modified Leica M9-P – the smallest digital camera on the market to feature a full-format sensor. With a specially designed 18-megapixel sensor and highly refined proprietary processing, the M9-P is widely recognized as one of the great triumphs of digital camera design. As its name implies, all of the hugely powerful M-series lenses can be used, and the camera's digital sensor has been  specifically optimized for these optics. For instant photo reviewing, a tough sapphire-crystal LCD monitor with dual-sided anti-glare protection provides ultra-high resolution image reproduction.

‘Edition Hermès'

The special edition MP-9 ‘Edition Hermès' is set apart by a few small but lush details. The most immediately obvious of these is the luxurious ochre-colored ‘Veau Swift’ calfskin leather finish. Matching leather is also used for the camera’s strap. The camera body itself sports a few minor stylistic refinements: The Leica logo, frame selector, and accessory shoe are conspicuously absent from the camera’s top plate, and the multifunction wheel, shutter speed dial, and shutter release have all received exceptionally sleek re-styling. A silver chrome finish is paired with immaculately matched lenses finished in silver chrome.

Two collector’s sets

Currently, the Leica M9-P ‘Edition Hermès' is only available in a limited edition set of 300 examples boxed with the Leica Summilux-M 50 mm F/1.4 ASPH lens. The price is 20,000 euro.

As of June 2012, a second set will be made available, the Edition Hermès - Série Limitée Jean-Louis Dumas featuring three lenses – a Leica Noctilux-M 50 mm ASPH, a Leica Summicron-M 28 mm F/2 ASPH, and a Leica APO Summicron-M 90 mm f/2 ASPH. For the serious professional photographer, this is enough glass to capture anything you could possibly dream of. The second set also includes an exquisitely detailed matching Hermès shoulder-bag for carrying the camera and spare lenses, and a two-volume bound collection of black and white work by Jean-Louis Dumas shot on a Leica M camera.

The Edition Hermès - Série Limitée Jean-Louis Dumas will be limited to 100 pieces worldwide, and will be available at a price of an incredible 40,000 euro.