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Filed under: Wheels

Among the big 3 German premium carmakers, Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz each has its own in-house department dedicated solely to creating faster, better handling versions of their parent’s mainstream cars. Of course none of those three automakers would actually want their everyday products referred to as mainstream since that would neutralize the cache that allows them to charge a premium tariff. That however is a story for another day.

BMW has its M Division, Mercedes-Benz has AMG and Audi has Quattro GmbH. Quattro of course draws its name from the all-wheel-drive system that has been a staple of Audis since the early 1980s. The Quattro group based in Neckarsulm, Germany creates two levels improved Audis which are distinguished by the model names, these being S and RS. The pinnacle of Audi performance is defined by models like the RS6, TT-RS and of course the mighty R8. Many of these models are not offered here in the US market. However, we do get all of the S models such as the TT-S that we drove recently, the S5 coupe and the latest addition, the S4 sedan. Follow the jump to read about our time with the latest S4.

Photos Copyright (C)2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Review: 2010 Audi S4 sedan, Fast and Practical

Review: 2010 Audi S4 sedan, Fast and Practical originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intelligently thought out and laid out architectural plans are the new “in” thing these days. Designed by architects at C.F. Moller, the Dragen Children’s House sets new standards as it has been designed especially for the kids. Everything that has gone in the making of this building are Nordic Swan’ eco-labeled, and the final output has been certified passive-house, in other words using a minimum of energy. Firstly, the design allots a lot more space for the kids to move and run around. The ‘Dragon Children’s House’ has small niches uniformly distributed throughout to suit the children’s development for their learning and growing. The highly insulated construction consumes less than 20 percent of the energy used for a standard building. highly insulated construction will consume less than 20 percent of the energy used for a standard building. Everything sounds good, but my question is why just a pedagogical construction, and not all buildings in future?
[WorldArchitectureNews]

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Sharp and Origin have joined forces to create the ‘Ballarat Solar Park’ which is basically a huge park that will channelize the solar energy in an intelligent way. The Ballarat Solar Park includes tracking panels which are a unique innovation designed to follow the sun in order to capture the maximum amount of sunlight to generate more renewable energy than the standard solar fixed installations. The Park has a series of educational panels to help people visiting the area to learn about solar, renewable energy, how it works and its benefits. The park, which produces enough renewable energy to power about 150 homes, opened on Saturday November 28. In the past too, we have seen almost similar moves being taken where the entire parking lot generated power for its functioning from the sun- the Solasis Parking Lot.
[Gizmodo]

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Climate Change, global warming is our immediate concern and future predictions are very grim. Designers are already gearing up by coming up with futuristic designs. Urban Concept Vehicle is one such design and it is designed for urban poor of the third world in 2030. Designer Nicholàs Chacana has envisioned massive relocation, scarcity of drinking and food. So this vehicle is fitted with water purification system which can recycle water from any resource such as lakes and ponds and makes it fit for drinking. The vehicle is also fitted with hydroponic modules which will help people grow their own food in nutrient dissolved water.

Technological advances may not help us to reverse climate change or global warming but these futuristic designs will certainly enable us to adapt and cope with the grim realities in the future. Urban Concept Vehicle is entirely based on carbon nanotubes technology and hydroponics. Both are new technological fields. Let us hope reality will not be all that grim and that these concepts will help us to implement sustainable living.

Via Tuvie

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‘Freegans’ have become talk of the town in Bristol and elsewhere. They are people who promote alternate living strategies such as not being part of the capitalist and consumer oriented society. In a nutshell they shun the money oriented world and promote sustainable living by recycling wasted food and discarded household items. For instance, Freegan Mark Boyle managed to live an entire year without cash by surviving on food foraged from different supermarkets, shops etc. Their philosophy of recycling makes sense, because in market oriented economy production is in bulk and there is much wastage.

It may not be practically possible to switch to ‘freegan’ way of life but we can at least know that the food that goes waste can feed hundreds of people, the rundown houses and urban dilapidated spaces can be shift homes and electronic items, furniture, clothes that we discard for better trendy ones can go to others or be recycled instead of adding more scrap to junk yards. Freegan’s thoughts about community living and sharing of resources for sustainable living make sense too. We can save environment by minimizing wastage and recycling every resource wisely including food.

Via BBC

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Wooden floors are high on maintenance and need to be replaced occasionally. If you are looking for more viable options, then let Boston-based Company EcoModern Design show you how to make the flooring of your house both classy and sustainable at the same time. Their new product EcoLux flooring comes in gold, silver, copper-leafed, imitation gold leaf, Forest Stewardship Council-certified hardwood, bamboo, or engineered maple. This flooring is made with metal gilding using a 2,000-year-old technique which was originally used to restore paintings.

The floors come with custom-designed borders that can be used as wall panels or veneer wallpaper. EcoLux is sold at a square foot rate and measure either as normal borders or in replicated border patterns.

[Luxist]

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Here is a normal trick to garner attention. Take a gadget and clad with crystals or drench it in precious metal-plating and dazzling stones to make it to headlines that cannot be missed by anyone. Not even by the ones (like me) who cannot afford such luxury. And Smartbook AG has adopted this mantra to promote its GC SmartBook Zenide OSC. Festooned with Swarovski crystals, they have dubbed it as SmartBook Zenide GC CRYSTAL Limited Edition. For 2001 Euros (about $3,000), this smartbook packs in Intel Atom Processor N280 [1.60 GHz], original Windows 7 Home Premium, 2GB DDR2 RAM and a 10.2 ” NG WXGA LED screen with 1024×600 resolution. The product page also says that it ships along with a 750ml bottle of Champagne Moet & Chandon Brut Impérial “Be fabulous gold” which is also adorned with Swarovski crystals. Limited to only 20 pieces, it will reach your doorstep in a flight case of ProCase. That is if you are going to place an order for SmartBook Zenide GC CRYSTAL Limited Edition.

[Engadget]

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To have a completely luxurious home, it needs to be done up in style from floor to roof. Well then let Boston-based Company EcoModern Design show you how to make the flooring of your house both classy and sustainable at the same time. Their new product EcoLux flooring comes in gold, silver, copper-leafed, imitation gold leaf, Forest Stewardship Council-certified hardwood, bamboo, or engineered maple. This flooring is made with metal gilding using a 2,000-year-old technique which was originally used to restore paintings.
The floors come with custom-designed borders that can be used as wall panels or veneer wallpaper. EcoLux is sold at a square foot rate and measure either as normal borders or in replicated border patterns.

Via - [Greenlaunches]

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After launching the Vertu Ascent Ti Carbon Fibre collection, the Vertu Ascent Ti Neon collection and the Vertu Ascent Ti Mixed Metal collection, Vertu the manufacturer of luxury mobile phones, has finally launched a product from its heart! The brand new special edition of the Ascent Ti in support of the Institute for Brain and Spinal Cord Disorders (ICM) has been launched with an idea to raise funds for the ICM charity. The sale proceeds of each of these special edition phones will be forwarded as donations.
These special edition Vertu Ascent Ti phones have a designe inspired from supercars, which is supposedly a favorite of the ICM President Jean Todt. Handcrafied from England, the phone’s body is made of sandblasted titanium, silver ceramic and the finest leather in the ICM colors. The phone comes with customized graphics and has “ICM Special Edition” engraved on the back of the phone case.

[Lussorian]

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Music is said to be the food for the soul, then doesn’t your soul deserve music rendered in its perfect pitch? Then you definitely would want to lay your hands on the creatively handcrafted German Thomas Labusga Sonic Diffuser. With prices starting from $10,800 onwards, this beautiful curvilinear wave design wall piece’s primary functionality is to create a surface to scatter sound waves uniformly but also reduce their energy significantly, which means that the music comes to your ears directly from the speakers. The latest design is available in a stainless steel design is also available in wood veneer, piano lacquer and leather finishes.

[HEMagazin]

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When you’re stinking rich, you need to smell eternal right? Then let the Lux edition of Guerlain Idylle Baccarat teach you how! Created by Ora Ito this new fragrance is a piece of art inside out. The flacon of this perfume is gold plated and its stopper is created with 18 carat gold and this vile is placed in a bubble made of Baccarat crystal. The Idylle Baccarat is a limited edition essence packaged in a lacquered coffret and is priced at $ 45,160.

[Fragrantica]

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If recession doesn’t manage to add a frown your brow, then it’s time for you to splurge a bit more! At the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) 2010 Cartier will unveil its new model called “Captive”. This “Captive de Cartier” watch will feature an 18 carat rhodium-plated white gold diamond-paved central dial having a 35mm diameter. The bezel and dial is said to be set with round diamonds. The watch crystal protecting the face of the watch is made of sapphire. The water resistance capacity is set at 30 meters. The internal winding mechanism is made quartz supported by diamonds weighing in at three carats.
The folding clasp, also made of 18 carat rhodium-plated white gold, is adjustable with the light grey brushed canvas strap.

[WorldTempus]

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If you like pearls, you will be very interested to know that Bonhams and Butterfields will auction off what is believed to be the world’s second-largest documented pearl. This beauty is a five-pound gem found off the coast of the Philippines that has been dubbed the “Palawan Princess.” This is an extremely precious, rare and expensive natural non-nacreous pearl. It was found in saltwater near the Philippines’ Palawan island. It seems that the only pearl bigger than this one is the 14-pound “Pearl of Allah”. The pearl in question bears an uncanny resemblance to a human brain which makes it quite unique. To give you the details of the Palawan Princess, it is a blister pearl measuring six inches in diameter and accompanied by the lower half of its original giant clam shell. The price of this is estimated to be somewhere between $300,000 and $400,000. It will be auctioned off on December 6. Something this big in gems is rarely ever seen.

[NationalJewelerNetwork]

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Dallas is going green in a total planned way. Recently a competition was held to redesign a rundown block in downtown Dallas and among all the architects, designers who submitted their plans, Forwarding Dallas, a Portuguese based architectural firm was picked as a winner. Their design is high both on eco-sustainability and aesthetics. The residential blocks have a typical hill-side structure which will be used to grow plants and it incorporates renewable energy sources like solar panels and wind turbines to supply power. There are plans in place for rain-water harvesting as well. So this community housing will be sustainable and green all the way.

Design of Atelier Data and Moov is atheistically extremely appealing and high on affordability too, it plans to recreate beautiful hills and valleys with prefabricated construction materials. The actual construction of this green haven is expected to begin in 2011. With such eco-sustainable housing designs becoming a reality, eco-conscious souls can make plans to shift out to green havens in next decade.

Via Inhabitat

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UK’s largest data centre will be coming up in Dumfries and Galloway and according to the plans announced renewable energy sources will power the new facility. Once again integrated alternative energy plans are being mulled which include localized gas production and even tapping of heat energy that will be generated by hi-tech IT equipment. Keysource, which designs and builds data centre have already announced their plans.

Data centers need constant round the clock electricity and are most essential of all modern facilities because important millions of data can be lost due to abrupt power failures. If UK manages to use renewable energy for all such essential facilities then it will surely meet the emission reduction targets. It will also set an example that renewable energy can be non-stop power source. Incorporating renewable energy in modern infrastructure and construction is a good way to make a beginning of adapting to green ways and reduce carbon footprint.

Via Big Green Smile

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Designer Flavio Adriani calls his new creation a tribute to Countach Lamborghini by Marcello Gandhi since the design is inspired by it and is essentially a redesigned electric version of the car. This redesigned version looks extremely elegant and luxurious, so it is kind of reassuring for luxury brand fans that ‘green’ version of cars and accessories will definitely not be drab and boring. The concept design is awesome because it integrates all solar panel, wind turbine and batteries. Integrating alternate energy sources seems to be the best way ahead to convert the world into greener one.

Electric versions of vehicles are definitely futuristic not just because of new technology but because we must brace ourselves for the times of fuel crisis. Hope electric vehicles will become trendy for all and there would be whole range of them from luxurious versions to regular versions. And as far as fuel crisis is concerned, the scary future is almost at the door step. More than fuel we are running out of clean air to breathe and are feeling heat of climate change. It is time to switch over to ‘green’ electric transport to reduce carbon foot print and fuel dependency.

Via Tuvie

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Filed under: Jewelry, Wheels, Men’s Style

UK-based TMB Art Metal is launching a limited edition set of cufflinks handmade from metal taken from the Aston Martin DBR1 race car that won Le Mans and the World Sportscar Championships in 1959. TMB’s exclusive Aston Martin DBR1/2 Essence of Form links are crafted using original pieces of aluminum body panel removed from the the famous car that was driven by Carroll Shelby, and was victorious with Sir Stirling Moss behind the wheel in the 1959 World Sportscar Championship. Two versions of the cufflinks, with arms and drivers made of solid 18ct gold, are being issued accompanied by certificates of authenticity signed personally by either Shelby or Moss. Each version is limited to just 50 pairs worldwide, priced at £1,795 or about $3,000 each. The winning Aston Martin, one of the most famous cars in the world, is today believed to be worth around $25 million.

1959 Aston Martin DBR1 Cufflinks Are a Piece of Motor Racing History originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Jewelry, Wheels, Men’s Style

UK-based TMB Art Metal is launching a limited edition set of cufflinks handmade from metal taken from the Aston Martin DBR1 race car that won Le Mans and the World Sportscar Championships in 1959. TMB’s exclusive Aston Martin DBR1/2 Essence of Form links are crafted using original pieces of aluminum body panel removed from the the famous car that was driven by Carroll Shelby, and was victorious with Sir Stirling Moss behind the wheel in the 1959 World Sportscar Championship. Two versions of the cufflinks, with arms and drivers made of solid 18ct gold, are being issued accompanied by certificates of authenticity signed personally by either Shelby or Moss. Each version is limited to just 50 pairs worldwide, priced at £1,795 or about $3,000 each. The winning Aston Martin, one of the most famous cars in the world, is today believed to be worth around $25 million.

1959 Aston Martin DBR1 Cufflinks Are a Piece of Motor Racing History originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Until now, alternative sources of energy like wind and solar energy that is available in abundance has been well exploited as efficient sources of electricity. But since wind and sun are highly unpredictable forces of nature, there is a high probability that these may not be used to their fullest advantage. As a result, MIT professor Donald Sadoway - he has developed the first ever pure liquid battery, that can store this power for later use. To keep the battery in liquid form, it’s kept under constant high temperature of around 700 degrees Celsius. Its layers are made of liquid metal alloys that are very cheap and available in plenty, thus making it a cheap storage technology.

Energy from the renewable energy source is stored in the metal alloys, and when the battery needs to supply energy, ions from one of the alloys travel through the salt electrolyte, out of the battery. Oil company Total has also invested $4 million in a joint venture with MIT for the development of a battery for homes and buildings using the same technology. But still, researchers have to do some further studies to understand and exploit the technology to the fullest and begin mass production at competitive costs.

[GoodCleanTech]

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So many of us want to do so much for the environment, but how many of us actually end up doing something for it? David Murray has been one such man from Texas who has built his very own electric car right in his garage. No, it’s not a hybrid, but a complete electric car. All he did was spent $750 to buy 1993 Eagle Talon form a junkyard and then another $4000 in converting it in to a plug-in electric car. Powered by only a small electric motor, with no emissions David has successfully managed to make the car hit 55mph. The total costs for charging it is just 7$ for it go about 300-miles. Isn’t that amazing? Now only if we have more such enthusiast who would really like to get down to doing something as impactful, will the environment benefit sooner.

[Techeblog]

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