The Supercar To Run Laps Around All Other Supercars. The McLaren P1 Is Unveiled.

When in the concept phase, this 200mph supercar was called the P12. Now renamed the P1 and unveiled to the public next week at the Paris Auto Show, the new flagship two-seater from McLaren goes from 0 to 62 mph in under three seconds. When it goes into production later next year, it will sit above the existing 12C and 12C Spider, in terms of both price and performance with a price of around $1.3 Million (£800,000).



press release, September 18, 2012:
McLaren Automotive will use its first ever international motor show appearance to preview its next generation ultimate supercar – the McLaren P1 – which takes much of its technological and spiritual inspiration from the company’s Racing division. The McLaren P1 has one simple goal: to be the best driver’s car in the world on road and track.



At the Paris Motor Show, Mondial de l'Automobile 2012, the McLaren P1 is previewed as a design study. Next year a production version, which the company aims to put on sale within 12 months, will be revealed.



‘The McLaren P1 will be the result of 50 years of racing and road car heritage,’ says McLaren Automotive Executive Chairman Ron Dennis. ‘Twenty years ago we raised the supercar performance bar with the McLaren F1 and our goal with the McLaren P1 is to redefine it once again.’



‘Our aim is not necessarily to be the fastest in absolute top speed but to be the quickest and most rewarding series production road car on a circuit,’ says McLaren Automotive Managing Director Antony Sheriff. ‘It is the true test of a supercar’s all round ability and a much more important technical statement. Our goal is to make the McLaren P1 the most exciting, most capable, most technologically advanced and most dynamically accomplished supercar ever made.’



When the McLaren P1 goes into production later next year, it will sit above the 12C and 12C Spider, in terms of both price and performance.

McLaren Automotive heritage:
McLaren Automotive has a 20 year heritage in producing landmark sports cars for the road: the McLaren F1 road car, which was launched in 1992, set the world land speed record for a production car, and is regarded as one of the iconic sports cars of the modern age. The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren (2003 – 2009) is the most successful supercar ever in its price bracket, having sold twice as many cars as its nearest carbon-based rival.

McLaren Automotive has now moved from these successful automotive projects to launching a new car company that will design, develop, and distribute a range of high performance, highly efficient and technologically innovative sports cars through a global network of highly respected premium car retailers in every major automotive market.

Around 4,000 sports cars will be built annually by the middle of the decade in the advanced new manufacturing facility, the McLaren Production Centre. McLaren Automotive’s debut model is the 12C. Drawing on the company’s long-standing Formula 1 experience in its concept and development, the 12C is lighter, faster, more powerful, more fuel efficient and more exclusive than its key competition. It supports its performance benchmarks by introducing a unique one-piece moulded carbon chassis into the ‘core’ sports car segment in a new production method that brings the performance of £500,000 cars to market at a third of the price. All future McLarens will continue the themes presented by the 12C: innovation, integration of Formula 1 technology, and ultimate performance.

In 2011 McLaren Automotive announced the launch of McLaren GT; a new race car manufacturer combining the expertise of McLaren Automotive, McLaren Racing, McLaren Electronic Systems, McLaren Applied Technologies and CRS Racing. McLaren GT is responsible for developing the first racing derivative of the 12C sports car, the MP4-12C GT3. Twenty-five examples of the MP4-12C GT3 are now racing with private teams in Europe in 2012.

More information will be released following the McLaren Automotive press conference scheduled for 17.45 CEST (16.45 BST), on Thursday 27 September 2012.

McLaren Automotive

Shoes With A Built-In GPS System. There's No Place Like Home by Dominic Wilcox.

Designer Dominic Wilcox has created a fully functional prototype pair of shoes that will guide you home no matter where you are in the world.

"I was commissioned by the Global Footprint project in Northamptonshire*, a place famous for shoe making, to create some shoes. I decided to make a pair of shoes that can navigate you to anywhere you wish to travel to. I thought about the Wizard of Oz and how Dorothy could click her shoes together to go home. After uploading your required destination to the shoes via a piece of custom made mapping software and a USB cable, the GPS, which is embedded in the heal, is activated by a heal click. It then communicates to the wearer via a ring of LED lights to point in the required direction. The shoe with the GPS wirelessly communicates with the right shoe that has a progress bar of lights to show how close you are to the destination." - Dominic Wilcox

Wilcox etched little illustrations onto the sole and chose a red calf leather for the inside as a small reference to Dorothy's red shoes in the Wizard of Oz:



The progress bar starts with one red light at the beginning of the journey and ends on the green light when you arrive.



The correct direction to walk is shown by the illumination of one of the LED's on the circle:


A little piece of software was created to plot your preferred destination on a map. This is then uploaded via USB to the shoe. The GPS is powered by a battery similar to those found in mobile phones. The data from the GPS in the left shoe wirelessly communicates with the right shoe which shows the progress made on a row of lights:


The perforated arrow detail is a nice touch:


The red tag at the back contains the GPS antenna which is positioned to point upwards. The shoes are built around two microcontrollers called Arduinos:


A magnet in the right shoe and sensor in the left shoe detects when the magnet is near and tells the microcontroller in the left shoe when the heels have been clicked to start the GPS.



In order to create the fully functioning prototype shoes Wilcox worked with interactive arts and technology expert Becky Stewart and local Northampton shoe maker Stamp Shoes to create the bespoke leather shoes.



The bespoke made GPS prototype shoes are currently on display at Dominic Wilcox's solo exhibition at KK Outlet, 42 Hoxton Square, London, until the 26th September.

*Global Footprint delivers an innovative and ambitious countywide programme of contemporary ‘living heritage’ events and exhibitions, using visual and digital arts to showcase and celebrate Northamptonshire’s defining cultural heritage and identity: its boot and shoe industry.

The industry will be brought to life by a series of special commissions, exhibitions, events, trails, projections and talks that utilise a range of new digital technologies to explore the boot- and shoe-making’s continued importance to the national and international economic, creative and cultural profile of the county.

Key partners include Northamptonshire County Council, Northampton Museum and Art Gallery, the University of Northampton, Fishmarket Gallery and numerous independent museums and heritage organisations.

images courtesy of Dominic Wilcox and inhabitat

Focallength. Colorful Camera-Shaped Cement Candle Holders by Herr Mandel for Designspray.

Herr Mandel's Focallength candle holder for Designspray will delight both photographers and design lovers.

The "camera" functions as a candle holder and is made from poured and dyed concrete. Available in 6 fun colours with a colored candle. It even has small protective feet on the bottom so as not to scratch any surface!








material: dyed concrete
size: 13 x 7 x 4,5 cm, candle ø 60 cm
price: 20 € (shipping not included)
Shipping can be done to: Germany (without charge), EU countries, worldwide

buy them here.

Passionate, Poignant and Personal - The Portrait Photography of Heward Jue.

Heward Jue began his career as an advertising art director, creating campaigns for some of the most visible brands in the country. He developed a keen interest in photography while working with photographers on commercial productions. “It became clear to me that the camera was a very powerful tool for not only bringing my advertising ideas to life, but for expressing my personal view of the world.” Eager to define that vision, Heward developed a love affair with travel and a passion for travel portraiture. His favorite subjects are children. “They are always the most generous in spirit, and remind me of the beauty of simplicity.”

Capitalizing On The Catacombes. Morbid Luxury From Philippe Tournaire for S.T. Dupont.

The Catacombes Limited Edition Collections in bronze, and new 2012 Catacombes Black Diamond collection by Philippe Tournaire for S.T.Dupont consist of fountain pens, lighters, cigar cutters, cuff links and ashtrays inspired by the Paris Catacombs and their dual symbolism. The french jeweller has designed these limited editions especially for S.T.Dupont, dedicated to this morbid underground side to architecture.



A little history first: The Catacombs of Paris, created in the late 18th century, refer to an underground ossuary holding the remains of about 6 million people.


above: inscribed sign in the Paris Catacombs reads "Stop, This Is The Empire of Death"

In the beginning of the 10th century, many parish cemeteries became overcrowded because of a rapidly growing population. During the 12th century, the city opened a central burial ground named Saints Innocents Cemetery. But a few centuries later the cemetery became saturated and sanitary conditions were absolutely unbearable.

The idea to use empty undergrounds on the outskirts of the city was launched in the late 18th century. All the dead were then transferred to the place named Denfert-Rochereau today.



The Catacombes of Paris have been opened to the public since the 19th century. They attracts many visitors, curious to discover the obscure and narrow galleries decorated with bones.



New Catacombes Collection (Sterling Silver and Black Diamonds)

Following the success of the 2011 release of the S.T. Dupont Catacombs cast in bronze) shown later in this post); Philippe Tournaire will be releasing the series in Sterling Silver embellished with black diamonds. Only ten pieces of each item will be released this Fall 2012. All are cast in solid sterling silver and finished with black diamonds.

Lighter:


Cigar Cutter:


Fountain Pen:



Cuff links:


The Sterling Silver and Black Diamond Catacombes collection can be purchased here

Catacombes Collection (Bronze)
Shaping, engraving, finishing and patinating the Tournaire and St. Dupont collections required no less than 70 hours’ work. The bronze editions are limited to 66 copies per object, a divine, sacred number.

The beautiful cigar ashtray seems to be available only in the bronze:




Lighter:



Cigar Cutter:


Fountain Pen:



Cuff Links:


You can purchase the bronze Catacombes collection here.


Catacombes Guitar /Hard Rock version
The Hard Rock or Guitar version of the Catacombes lighter and fountain pen weremade exclusively for the US and is limited to 31 pieces. Sculpted in bronze and cast in silvertone:




Hard Rock Catacombes fountain pen:



For nearly 140 years, S.T. Dupont has been successfully creating exceptional pieces that have won over the world’s most powerful people, as well as aesthetes and enthusiasts of fine craftsmanship.

For over 40 years, artist/jeweller Philippe Tournaire has been creating pieces that combine architecture and high end jewellery.