Last year, Diamond Aircraft reintroduced its twin-engine Diamond Aircraft DA42 (519.457.4000,www.diamondaircraft.com) with new power options. Dual fuel-efficient Thielert diesels powered the initial version of the four-seater, which hit the U.S. market in 2005. That airplane garnered significant attention, but engine maintenance proved to be difficult and expensive. In 2008, Thielert declared bankruptcy, forcing Diamond to suspend production of the DA42. Last July, Diamond revived the design to accommodate new engine options: the Diamond-developed Austro diesel, or the traditional Lycoming O-360, which is powered by avgas fuel.
While the Lycomings are tried and true, the smooth and fuel-efficient Austros will appeal to those who prefer to burn Jet-A, which is typically easier to find than avgas. With its 44-foot wingspan, lightweight composite construction, and roomy cabin, the new DA42 is attracting lots of second looks. The diesel version sells for roughly $711,000; the Lycoming-powered version sells for just under $600,000.
As Aston Martin reconsiders its AMR-One LMP1 sports car racing project, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s new AMVOX5 World Chronograph LMP1 ($20,900) continues waving the green flag. Engineered with an easy-to-read, highly accurate chronograph paired with a world time function, the 250-piece limited edition is the latest model to emerge from the seven-year collaboration. Legibility was a priority for designers, who positioned two carbon fiber chronograph counters tracking hours and minutes at 3 and 9 o’clock, while seconds are counted off with a central hand. The dial, which evokes the air-vent grilles on the Aston Martin LMP1 prototypes, is highlighted with a Gulf Oil color scheme of orange and blue. And playing off the cars’ extreme technical features, the case is composed of robust high-tech ceramic mixed with zirconium and yttrium, which is subjected to heat and pressure to yield a material so hard that it can only be shaped with special diamond-tipped tools. (www.jaeger-lecoultre.com)
—Laurie Kahle
#Sartorialist
Polish catamaran builder Sunreef Yachts has a pair of new semicustom models on the drawing board. The first, the 60 Sunreef Power, is currently under construction and scheduled to launch in May; while the second, the Sunreef 75 Ultimate catamaran, was just announced in November as a concept and will not become a reality until it has a buyer.
The 60 Sunreef Power offers nearly 400 square feet of living space thanks to the ultra-wide 28-foot beam provided by the twin hulls. The 60-foot semicustom yacht will give owners a variety of layout options, with enough space to sleep as many as 10 guests in six staterooms, which include five double cabins, plus a smaller bunk-bed cabin—each equipped with a private head. Engine options range from 300 hp to 800 hp twin diesels, the most powerful of which will take the boat to a top speed of 25 knots and a maximum range of 4,000 nautical miles. The 60 Sunreef Power starts at about $2 million.
Sunreef’s new 75-foot yacht joins the brand’s Ultimate line of sailing catamarans, which include 80-, 110-, and 150-foot versions. Sunreef will construct the new yacht from carbon fiber to minimize weight for faster, more efficient sailing. In addition to a pair of 240 hp Yanmar engines, Sunreef will equip the boat with a retractable wind generator on each hull to help power onboard electronics—and there, owners can opt to outfit the boat with solar panels. The Sunreef 75 Ultimate will sleep eight guests and two crew. Pricing for this model has not yet been announced. (954.999.5121, www.sunreef-yachts.com)
Life+Times takes a look inside Bobby From Boston, one of the most-sought after vintage destinations for men. Here, Bobby tells us about his 1960’s influences, why his shop is like a living room, and above all, why Bobby From Boston has both a heart and a soul. (Photos: Satoru Imai)
“What I feel makes Bobby From Boston different from all other vintage stores is the influences that I’ve had throughout my life and brought to my business. There aren’t many black people in the vintage business, especially not men. I never had the opportunity of having a mentor that looked like me. Instead I was heavily influenced at a young age by the 1960′s – James Bond, the bands from Stax, Volt and Motown records – I wanted to dress like all those guys. I was sixteen. I’ve also been influenced by the British and New England lifestyle: fishing, hunting, lawn sports. Nautical and New England coastal styles have been important. My attending a private school in New England paired with the classic American Ivy League style of men’s dress have definitely had an impact on the shop. My African-American cultural influences including Jazz, R&B, teenage trends from the ’40s, ’50s, ’60s and blacks in the military cannot be forgotten or under stated. Ever since then I’ve tried to keep all these diverse influences and that sense of style geared toward the shop. The shop has heart and it has soul. We like people to feel like they’re in their own home when they’re here so they can have the full experience of hanging out and talking all while looking and shopping for the classic pieces of vintage that we offer. You get a good feeling when you come in the door and sometimes you never want to leave. I feel more like a host or an MC than a shopkeeper.” - Bobby Garnett, owner of Bobby From Boston
