above: The cover appears to be the work of Yulia Brodskya
The most chichi gifts include exclusive versions of the Mission One Electric Motorcycle, A special Jaguar Supercharged XJL, The ICON A5 Aircraft, complete with pilot training for two and the sweetest, literally, which is also the silliest..... The electric Cupcake Car.
The Cupcake Car
First introduced at Burning Man and Maker's Faire a few years ago, The Cupcake Car, an electric vehicle built (baked?) for one by Bay Area designer Lisa Pongrace is definitely this year's most odd item in the annual Marcus Neiman Christmas Book.
For $25,000, you can have your own 24 electric volt vehicle that tops out at a sweet and safe 7 miles per hour. And you can have it made in your choice of flavors...er, I mean colors.
buy it here.
For those who prefer a less fattening ride, there's a limited-edition Mission One electric motorcycle for $73,000 or an Icon A5 airplane — complete with training for two people — for $250,000. Both of which I have blogged about before.
The Mission One Electric Motorcycle
The clean, pure ride you’ve been waiting for is here, with 150 mph of quiet, gorgeous power. Say “Hi” to the Mission One, the world’s fastest electric sport bike. It debuted at this year’s TED Conference to rave reviews—and giddy celebrity pre-orders. What it isn’t: another lame-tech exercise in green disappointment. What it is: the official obsolescence of internal combustion cycling. Crank it up to 150 with an amazing 100 ft-lbs. of instantaneous torque at every speed.
With zero carbon emissions, the ear-splitting tailpipes and planet-killing exhaust are history. Its liquid-cooled AC induction motor and single-gear transmission also eliminate the distraction of shifting. There’s no need for a gas tank, with a next-generation lithium-ion battery pack that runs a full 150-mile range between charges. Use the interactive interface (just like pro racing teams use) to collect data on your laptop, adjust the throttle maps and tweak the regenerative braking system to suit your riding style.
The amazing profile and clean lines are from world-renowned designer Yves Behar. Our exclusive edition is limited to just 10 bikes tricked out with numbered NM plaques, exclusive wheels, and a special paint job. Come to San Francisco to meet your bike and the people who designed it. You’ll get one-on-one training with a pro on a test track, learning the nuances of handling for optimal performance.
For more information on the Mission One Motorcycle, please visit http://www.ridemission.com or see my post on it here.
The Amphibious Icon A5 Aircraft, trailer and training for 2:
Exclusive 2009 His & Hers gift package: the game-changing ICON A5 sports aircraft. It’s from a world-class team of engineers and designers who helped create the groundbreaking Virgin® Global Flyer and X Prize®-winning SpaceShipOne® (among other things). It’s been rigorously tested, meets or exceeds all FAA standards, production is about to begin, and the waiting list is stacking way up.
Some of the features:
1) An amphibious hull and landing gear to take off and land just as easily on water as on land.
2) The ability to run on automotive gasoline or aviation fuel.
3) A sexy, streamlined two-seat interior with intuitive controls, including
4) FAA-approved flight instrumentation and
5) a state-of-the-art GPS system, so you don’t get lost.
6) A range of 345 land miles or 300 nautical miles.
7) A next-generation lightweight carbon fiber frame.
8) Spy-movie wings that rotate up and fold back out of the way.
9) Removable side windows to dangle your arms out into the wind and sun.
10) A custom, high-tech trailer for fast and easy loading and unloading from land or water.
Your package includes one ICON A5 sport aircraft with NM exclusive exterior and interior luxury upgrades, a custom trailer, and full FAA-certified Sport Pilot License training for two. Load “your” song onto an MP3 player and slip it into the dashboard dock and there it is, the perfect way to float through the clouds, just the two of you.
For more information on the ICON A5, please visit www.iconaircraft.com or see my post on it here.
The 2010 Jaguar XJL Supercharged Neiman Marcus Edition:
Especially designed for NM, only 50 will ever exist. The all-new frame is pressure cast from aluminum and magnesium to give the XJL a strong, light architecture that improves fuel efficiency and structural rigidity. The new panoramic safety-glass roof provides a tremendous sense of spaciousness in the cabin and an amazing view for every trip. The powertrain? A new third-generation supercharged 5-liter V8 that delivers 470 horsepower. The Jaguar Sequential ShiftTM six-speed ZF automatic transmission adapts to its driver, with wheel-mounted shift paddles and Sport, Standard, and Winter modes.
Instead of dull dials, there’s an interactive 12.3" high-def screen to display all the pertinent info in your line of vision. An integrated navigation and entertainment system is at your fingertips to access audio, Bluetooth® 2.0, hard-drive based GPS navigation, and climate control systems via touch screen or by speaking your commands into the Interactive Voice™ system. There’s a media hub with docks for MP3 players and USB devices, a Bowers & Wilkins® 1,200-watt premium sound system with Dolby® ProLogic® IIx Surround Sound and an aural-inspiring 20 speakers throughout the cabin.
Massaging front seats, electric sun blind, heated steering wheel, four-zone climate control, integrated security system and more.
The Neiman Marcus edition also features an exclusive Celestial Black metallic paint outside and the NM nameplate on the custom interior intaglio, of course. Dazzling 20" double-10 spoke polished alloy wheels complete the exterior. Inside, there’s a custom interior of butter-soft navy and ivory leather and Zebrano matte wood accents.
Other refined details of the automotive masterpiece include illuminated tread plates and trunk finisher. They even throw in a five-piece set of matching Jaguar luggage, in navy blue leather.
Price? $105,000.00
Visit www.jaguarusa.com/neimanmarcus for all the details.
Also worth noting:
While it won't get you from point A to point B, this gift is really amazing.
A $200,000 dinner; The Algonquin Rountable Experience, that lets you break bread with this list of accomplished literati: Christopher Buckley, Roz Chast, Delia Ephron, Nora Ephron, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Malcolm Gladwell, Adam Gopnik, Lewis H. Lapham, John Lithgow, Anna Deavere Smith, George Stephanopoulos and Ali Wentworth learn more about that here..
most images and item information courtesy of Neiman Marcus. Additional photos courtesy of Icon Aircraft and Mission One
