Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe Karai

Another week, and rather than just another Mazda, it’s another MX-5 special edition. This one is called Karai, which according to the company is Japanese for ‘sharp’, and it comes to us from Mazda’s European division. The Karai is based on the MX-5 Roadster coupe, which means it is fitted with a retractable hardtop. It boasts a unique lime-green paint called “Metal Green Metallic” for the body and contrasting glossy black finish for metal top, exterior mirrors, trim accents such as the front grille and fog lamp surrounds, as well as the 17-inch multispoke alloy wheels that are shod in low profile performance tires.
On the inside, the MX-5 Karai features a pair of Recaro sport seats trimmed in black leather and Alcantara with white stitching, aluminum pedals, leather steering wheel with white stitching while Mazda says all the interior trim pieces that are usually finished in silver are now painted in a glossy black color.
Power comes from the stock 2.0-liter four-cylinder petrol engine delivering 160-horses, with Mazda also offering an optional sport package that includes an exhaust system, a lowering kit for the suspension plus a few more goodies such an iPod and USB adapter, and an exclusive set of floor mats.
Mazda said it plans to build 165 examples of the Karai for Germany, with prices starting at €30,000 (US$43,500). Sales will start in August and all buyers will receive a special Sinn watch with matching green dials.
The company didn’t say if and when it will offer the special edition roadster in other markets.

Zenvo Announces Special Edition ST-1 50

If you have a couple million dollars lying around and do not know what to do with it, perhaps Zenvo can help. Denmark's first supercar manufacturer and its U.S. importer Red Sea Distribution have announced a special edition version of their ST-1 created exclusively for North America.

Named the ST-1 50, the North American special is offered in a choice of three colors (red, white and blue) and comes equipped with an upgraded version of Zenvo’s own 7-liter supercharged and turbocharged V8 engine pushing out a thundering 1,250 HP and 1,500 Nm (1,106 lb-ft), up from the standard ST-1’s 1,104 HP and 1,430 Nm.

Furthermore, the V8 is now linked to a F1-style 7 speed automatic transmission with paddle shifts instead of the standard 6-speed manual gearbox.

Zenvo made no word on acceleration figures, but we assume it should be slightly faster than the standard 1,104 HP ST-1 that completes the 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint in just 3.0 seconds and reaches a top speed of 375 km/h (233 mph).

Other features exclusive to the ST-1 50 include the individually numbered plaque signed by the engineers and owner, special monogrammed seats, magnesium wheels and a complimentary Swiss made ASPEN Zenvo watch worth $49,000.

Production of the Zenvo ST-1 50 is strictly limited to 3 units, each priced at US$1,800,000 not including taxes and fees.

Cybertrek Cool Watch

While the Cybertrek Cool Watch looks like the sort of time piece that we'd wear sometime in the future, it also smacks distinctly of Sci-fi gone past. Namely, it reminds us on Pocket-lint of the eye of a 1970s Battlestar Galactica Cylon - the big metal ones, not the sleek fleshy ones that look like super models or that bloke from Quantum Leap.

There's one catch (in addition to the one around the back that fastens the strap), you're going to have to swap geek cool for the ability to tell the time.

That's not to say that it's not possible to figure out the current time: The 12 blue LED lights signify the hour, a further 12 red LEDs signify minutes in 5 minute increments, and four lights in the centre signify the minutes in those incremental steps. Just add them all up and bingo, you've got the time. Easy peasy. Erm...

Anyway, strapping this bad boy to your wrist is more of a statement than a practicality, and at least you'll be able to see your way around in the dark. Probably.

The Cybertrek Cool Watch is available from US retailer Gadgets and Gear for a (currently) discounted $69.95 (£42.75) with International shipping to the UK at around $25 (£15.28).

At least you won't need to fork out for a replacement battery anytime soon though, the long-life LEDs are expected to run for 100,000 hours before the 2 CR2016 batteries need changing. Crikey.

AP Royal Oak Offshore Rubens Barrichello

A number of watch brands seem to have actors, actresses, sportsman/woman and musicians as an ambassador for their watch brand. Think Omega and James Bond, George Clooney and former model Cindy Crawford, or TAG Heuer and Tiger Woods and Brad Pitt. Tiger Woods I can understand, he is (or was, I lost track recently) a sportsman that might be depending on his time piece. The same goes for the NASA astronauts from the Apollo program who relied on their Omega watches. But actors? Why would you want to buy a watch only because an actor has one?

Anyways, I can also understand the connection between a high-end Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore watch made out of very special materials and F1 driver Ruben Barrichello. This makes perfect sense since F1 is about hi-tech equipment and materials and this is perhaps why the Audemars Piguet timepiece named after Barrichello is so successful.

There are currently three versions of the Royal Oak Offshore Rubens Barrichello Chronograph, all made in different materials (titanium, platinum and gold). The titanium version is limited to 1000 pieces and has a watchcase made out of the leight weight metal, using a ceramic for its bezel and pushers. The 18ct gold version is limited to 500 pieces and the platinum version is limited to 150 pieces only. The precious metal versions also have ceramic bezel and pushers.

The titanium version has Barrichello’s home country colours in the chronograph hands, namely the Brazilian green, yellow and blue, as used in their flag.

As with the original Royal Oak models, the octagonal bezel of the watch is adorned with eight screws, however, the Royal Oak Offshore Rubens Barrichello Chronograph – or Barrie for insiders – has engine screws (or inbus) in the bezel instead of regular screws. Additionally, the winding crown has the looks of a gearing part and the chronograph pushers should resemble the shape of an air extractor.

What engines are for car freaks, mechanical movements are for watch freaks. The mechanical automatic movement inside these Barries is AP calibre 2326/2840. This is an impressive chronograph movement that consists of 370 parts of which 54 are jewels. The movement itself has a diameter of 26mm and a height of 6.15mm. When fully wound, the power reserve of the movement is 38 hours. All parts of the movement are decorated by hand, the mainplate is rhodium plated, bevelled and circular-grained. The bridges are adorned with the famous Côtes de Geneve striping.

Prices of the Barries are:
23.000 Euro (+/- 33.000 USD) for the Titanium model (ref.nr. 26078IO.00.D001VS.01)
44.000 Euro (+/- 63.000 USD) for the 18 ct gold model (ref.nr. 26078RO.00.D001VS.01)
74.000 Euro (+/- 106.000 USD) for the platinum model (ref.nr. 26078PO.00.D018CR.01)

Richard Mille Felipe Massa RM 004-V2 / RM 008-V2 Limited Edition

Richard Mille and Felipe Massa continue their close collaboration with the presentation of two new limited edition models bearing the name of the brand’s Formula 1 “private test driver”. The Felipe Massa RM 004-V2 in an edition of 40 pieces and the Felipe Massa RM 008-V2 limited to 10 pieces. Both watches sport the colors of the Brazilian flag on the inner bezel as well as a red collared crown.

In 2004, Felipe Massa took up the challenge of driving in a Grand Prix race with a Richard Mille tourbillon watch on his wrist, the RM 006 Felipe Massa. This watch was a radical innovation, the first to utilize a carbon nanofiber baseplate, a highly stable, isotropic composite material. The RM 006 wasdesigned to resist the violent accelerations and vibrations experienced during a Formula 1 Grand Prixrace, and its success initiated a series of fine watches dedicated to the Formula 1 high-tech universe. After the RM 006, the RM 009 (29 grams without strap), and the RM 011 LMC editions, the limited runsof the RM 004-V2 and the RM 008-V2 will now take their place manifesting Richard Mille Watches dedication to the world of motor sports.

These two manual winding watches are both equipped with a carbon nanofiber baseplate and a split-seconds mechanism. In the case of the RM 008-V2 this is also combined with a tourbillon escapement. The split-seconds mechanism has been optimized through the virtually complete eradication of the jumping of the chronograph hands when starting and stopping, resulting in a timekeeping instrument of irreproachable reliability and precision.

As always with Richard Mille Watches, these two highly complex timepieces combine innovative technical characteristics with handmade finishing that respects the grand traditions of Swiss watchmaking. With totally ergonomic cases and state of the art movements they are fully adapted to the most intensive environments, such as participating in a Formula 1 Grand Prix race on Felipe Massa’s wrist.

Caliber RM 004-V2 Felipe Massa:

Manual winding movement with chronograph, split-seconds, hours, minutes, running seconds, 30-minute totalizer, power reserve, torque indicator, function indicator. Limited Edition of 40 pieces: 25 in 18ct red gold, 10 in 18ct white gold and 5 in titanium.

Caliber RM 008-V2 Felipe Massa:

Manual winding tourbillon movement with chronograph, split-seconds, hours, minutes, running seconds, 30-minute totalizer, power reserve, torque indicator, function indicator. Limited Edition of 10 pieces: 5 in 18ct red gold and 5 in 18ct white gold.

Richard Mille

Richard Mille RM027 Tourbillon Rafael Nadal

48 mm x 39.70 mm x 11.85 mm

Limited edition 50 pieces — Estimated price $525,000

Richard Mille excites us with another ultra-expensive timepiece with an interesting bragging point. This complex tourbillon mechanical watch weighs just 20 grams (with the strap). An incredibly light timepieces, which boggles the mind given its complex movement (which itself weights just 3.83 grams). Amazing! Probably the lighted luxury watch of its type ever. Adding to the the wow factor is the intended durability of the watch. The piece marks the official partnership between Richard Mille and tennis player Rafael Nadal - who will actually wear the watch during his tennis matches. Watch lovers understand that this last point is bound to raise questions. An ultra light weight watch, with a tourbillon, made to survive the abusive stress of a wrist while playing professional tennis? Yes. 

A few years ago Tag Heuer was proud of its special golf watch for Tiger Woods, made to be worn (and be comfortable) while playing golf. This new announcement by Richard Mille makes the prior Tag Heuer watch seem almost irrelevant. Though there is a price. The RM027 Tourbillon watch will cost a whopping $525,000 and be limited to just 50 pieces. So what makes it so light and durable?

The answer is all in the materials. The case itself is 48mm by 39.7mm in size, and just 11.85mm thick. It is made from a composite of mostly carbon. Richard Mille isn't clear on the crystal, but it is probably something other than sapphire, and is said to have a high degree of durability and flexibility. The watch strap is a flexible polycarbonate. All the magic is in the movement. It is a manually wound caliber RM 027 with a tourbillon and 48 hours of power reserve. It is with a titanium baseplate, and bridges made from something called aluminum lithium (LITAL). The exotic metal alloy is extremely light and used for some high-profile industrial or aeronautical uses. By using interesting materials that are light and strong, Richard Mille has succeeded in developing arguably one of the most important luxury sport watches ever. With its ultra light weight and durability, Richard Mille should continue to be looked at as a maker of "useful" luxury watches for the highly privileged watch lover.