Art

In efforts to attract more of the burgeoning Chinese and Asian luxury car markets, Rolls Royce is offering a special edition ‘Year of the Dragon’ Phantom in China. The Year of the Dragon is a very important year on the Chinese Zodiac, and China is very important to Rolls Royce, so the extra measure makes perfect sense.

Rolls Royce Year of the Dragon Phantom

Scheduled on the fashionable heels of the Miami Beach Art Basel, you may think that the Miami International Art Fair has an impossible act to follow, and that would be correct. To remedy that, the Art Fair is being hosted onboard a luxury yacht this year!

SeaFair mega yacht will host this luxury event in style

The Miami Beach Art Basel was an outstanding success again this year, and below is a quick video recap featuring Pharrell Williams, Yelawolf, CRAZE, NinjaSonik, Tamara Sky and more celebrities who turned out for this year’s all-out art party weekend! Follow link for a top 10 2011 Miami Art Basel Event List.
 

Basel Castle from OVERTHROW on Vimeo.

Art du jour

If you are hitting the 2011 Miami Beach Art Basel, the endless procession of events and “can’t miss” flyers can be enough to overwhelm the sturdiest of art-lovers. Seriously though…last year I was reduced to a quivering heap of panic somewhere along the shoreline, frantically wondering if my plan to forgo a plan of action was smart…it wasn’t.

Preparations are under way!

One of our favorite luxury auto brands, BMW, is poised to create a jolt at this year’s Miami Art Basel with the BMW i luxury hybrid car! BMW is to support the 10th annual eclectic event, perhaps the most prestigious annual event to hit our shoreline from December 1st-4th, 2011. So how exactly does the brand intend to up the ante this year?
   
For the fans, clear your schedule for Friday, December 2nd and attend BMW’s “The Future of Design & Sustainability” event, where you can absorb the details of the BMW i electric car and a tasty cocktail. There will be an exclusive press event with Benoit Jacob during that time!

   
According to BMW’s Head of Brand Management, Dr. Uwe Ellinghaus,

Exotic cars create inspiration for many things, so it comes as no surprise that UK artist Benedict Radcliffe was so inspired by the Lamborghini Countach that he created a life-size wireframe replica of the supercar! As you can see from the photos, Radcliffe is quite talented in his trade, and managed to creatively communicate the raw and sporty vibe of the model using just wire!

Dubbed the "Koenig Countach," 10mm steel rods were used to form the fluorescent orange masterpiece. Radcliffe said the color was “uncompromising”, like the car itself. Err…ok…that or it is dressed to direct traffic.

Why are there so many million-dollar luxury car models out there? Because there are deep pockets with pulses who are willing to buy them. Case in point: A diamond and gold encrusted Lamborghini Aventador model created by Robert Gulpen is set to hit the luxury car auction block and expected to bring in about 3 million British pounds, which is around $4.7 million USD. Um…need I point out that you can buy a real Aventador for just under $400,000 USD?

Aventador model

For all the Johnnie Walker Blue Label lovers out there, things just got a whole lot smoother! Porsche Design House has created a private bar for the elite drinkers of the high-end scotch, for just $150,000. You can almost own a Porsche for that price, or you can buy the bar and a Porsche rental…though you may require a chauffeur if you spend too much time at it!

Porsche Designs Johnnie Walker Luxury Bar

Ferrari has one of the most recognizable logos in the automotive industry, perhaps even the world! If you have ever wondered how the black horse with the electric yellow backdrop came to be, view the video below for a brief minute and a half history of the logo. The history behind the prancing horse is as cool as the logo itself, and spans back in time to the early 1900s!

In the short clip above, the story of the Ferrari logo is outlined. It is a story that Enzo Ferrari told just once, so pay attention!

Just a friendly reminder that one of the biggest SoFl events of the year is approaching fast, the Miami Art Basel will be here in just a couple of months! I know December feels far away, but now is the time to secure the necessities for the festivities, like your favorite exotic rental car in Miami and a fabulous luxury hotel like the W South Beach or Fontainebleau. This event is a celebrity magnet, and you want to go Miami glam.

For those of you who just love unique luxury items, check out this Rolls Royce piano with a bright Ferrari red finish! I do not know if it inspires me to slip into a red Ferrari rental or a classy Rolls Royce rental! It seems Lamborghini is not the only brand trying to steal Ferrari's thunder!

The Rolls Royce of pianos

Here is a deal, for the price of about ten Lamborghini hypercars, you can snag a model LP 700-4 that fits in the palm of your hand! Why, oh why would anyone ever buy that? Seriously, if you have $4.8 million dollars, spend it on adding to your fleet of luxury cars, no kid is going to be jealous of your new toy, and your adult counterparts will question your sanity. This will be a luxury car auction of miniature proportions! (video at bottom of post)

Most expensive toy Lamborghini

Some luxury car owners simply prefer to color outside of the lines, as is clear by this custom crocodile skin Bentley! Before I get a backlash from the pests of PETA, note that it is not actual croc skin, but rather, the painstaking work of several artists that complete the effect. While it is a remarkable finish, I daresay it would be too distinctive for our collection Bentley rentals. Don't miss the unveiling video at bottom of post!

Custom Crocodile Bentley

The Miami Art Basel has enriched and enhanced since 2001, transforming South Florida into a cultural mecca of unmatched art, design, entertainment, excitement and raw creation. The annual four-day contemporary art exhibition has remained largely unchanged since its launch, drawing art collectors, luxury brands and celebrities from every corner of the world to Miami!

Art Basel Miami Beach