Hasta La Ideas

Quench your thirst for what’s happening around the world with a new website dedicated to global nightlife and more

Sparkling water may not be the source that springs to mind when planning your next night out, but Perrier hopes you’ll look to them when sorting out where to go and what to do. The just-launched Société Perrier helps keep the discerning global nomad up to speed in the areas of art, music, fashion, travel and nightlife entertainment through its easily navigable website.

An apt symbol for the polished, arts-centered site is Société Perrier’s 1979 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II, bedecked in a custom paint job and soon to see a specially designed hood ornament. NYC party-goers will have a chance to check out the Rolls this summer as it tours the city’s slew of exciting events with a trunk-turned-cooler packed full of Perrier, and the car will travel to other cities and events.

Whether it’s how to star in the next Bollywood film or suggestions from a professional mixologist, the multi-lingual site dishes on the raddest happenings around London, Moscow, Toronto, L.A., Mexico City, NYC, Montreal and Miami (with more cities launching later this year). To know what’s on in your town, sign up for the Société Perrier newsletter or follow the feed on Twitter.

Learning how to tame Jaguar’s most ferocious cats

by Ryan McManus

Now in its third year, the Jaguar R Performance Academy is a one-day driving school designed to train owners of Jaguar’s “R” vehicles how to get the most from their powerful cars. We were invited to attend the inaugural launch of the Academy at the Monticello Motor Club> in Monticello N.Y. to experience the program and the supercharged cars firsthand.

Our first exercise was piloting the XFR, Jaguar’s handsome supercharged sedan, around a small oval at relatively low speeds. With a 510hp V8 capable of pushing the car to 60mph in 4.5 seconds, finding the right balance of braking and acceleration through the tight course on wet pavement was tough. We then switched to the XKR which has the same engine but in a low-slung coupe, providing a great contrast between the cars’ dynamics.

Next up was the figure eight. Our instructor switched off the XFR’s Dynamic Stability Control to demonstrate just how much correction the Jaguar’s computers were doing to keep us on the course. After a few dramatic spins and some flying orange cones, we started to get the feel for when the rear end wanted to break free and swing out, and a few minutes later we were powersliding around the pavement with relative ease. The R Academy also usually includes a timed Autocross in its curriculum, but ours was cancelled due to a little mishap with one of the fleet cars.

The R Academy instructors are either former or current competitive drivers, including Davy Jones, winner of the 1990 24 Hours of Daytona, and former Formula One driver and Indy 500 Rookie of the Year Roberto Guerrero. Each different exercise paired us with a different instructor who had particular style and philosophy to impart. All were friendly and accessible and eager to share some of their knowledge gained from hundreds of thousands of laps.

As the weather cleared and the track started to dry we headed out in a lead/follow formation around Monticello’s challenging track. An instructor in the lead car talked us through each turn over the radio, pointing out the ideal entry, apex and exit points. Each lap got progressively faster and after a dozen or so our instructor has us switch the car’s DSC to “Track” and handling to Dynamic, allowing for a greater (and more dramatic) driving experience. As the afternoon wore on and we became familiar with Monticello’s myriad corners, we began noticing that the DSC wasn’t correcting us as much, meaning we were actually learning something.

Finally, at the end of the day, we got to sit shotgun in an XFR as Chief Instructor Chris Munro took us around the track for a few “hot laps.” As we flew around a long sweeping turn at over 80mph, rear tires breaking loose, it was abundantly clear that we had a long way to go before we’d be spraying champagne on anyone.

Jaguar is currently touring the R Performance Academy in New York, Las Vegas and Miami. The Academy provides the cars, safety equipment, meals and hosts a reception dinner the night before. Participants are only responsible for their travel and lodging. The basic course is complimentary with the purchase of a new Jaguar XFR or XKR (no word on if the XKR-S is included), and for the first time is open to non-owners at a cost of $1,850.

We take a ride in the first Passats to come off VW’s new energy-efficient factory line

Introducing a new streamlined body while lowering the price, the 2012 Volkswagen Passat sleekly updates previous models. The big advancement being that it’s now made stateside at the German automaker’s new sustainably-minded factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee. My recent visit to the plant included a detailed overview of the manufacturing process there, which begins with building the cockpit and continues until all 2,300 parts (excluding nuts and bolts) have been added. With 85% of the car locally-produced, the upshot is a stylish sedan designed specifically for the American market (read: more legroom) but delivering the highly-revered German driving experience.

The demanding U.S. customer also expects a higher standard content level, so depending on the model, the cars come equipped with features like iPod docks, a Fender Premium Audio System, Bluetooth connectivity, built-in navigation, keyless entry and more. At four inches longer than the European Passat, VW still kept in mind America’s expansive geography with a fuel economy spanning 28-43mpg.

I had the chance to drive two models—the TDI Clean Diesel and the souped-up 280hp VR6. Making my way through the scenic Tennessee backwoods, I noticed both vehicles have an exceptional turning radius when pulling a few U-turns to look at passed-up landmarks. Paddle shifters on the VR6 added to the winding drive, lending greater control when overtaking other cars and giving the midsize car an even sportier feel. While the VR6 was clearly the more powerful ride, both handled nicely with impressive linear torque.

Starting around $20,000, the new Passat is an affordable car with a lot to offer. Drivers can feel good knowing VW now ships 85% of the American line by rail and that the company is committed to implementing the latest in technology and fuel efficiency, without overlooking the car’s most important factor—a smooth ride.

Masterpieces of Ralph Lauren’s legendary car collection on display in Paris

Starting today seventeen of the world’s finest classic sports cars from Ralph Lauren’s legendary personal collection will be on show at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. “The Art of the Automobile” features select cars from the designer’s prolific stockpiles, one of the most extensive in the world.

Acting as a visual timeline of the evolution of European automobile design through the 20th Century, the cars on display—among them Bugatti, Alfa Romeo, Bentley, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Porsche and Ferrari—are among the most exceptional in the world and have been infrequently shown to the public. Each one, all created between the 1930s and the 1990s, stands as a masterpiece of both technological innovation and impeccable design.

The result is a show of some of the rarest and most beautiful cars by the greatest names in automobiles, including four (a ’31 Alfa Romeo Monza 8C 2300; a
Jaguar XKSS from 1956/1958; a ’60 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Scaglietti and a ’64 Ferrari 250 LM) that have never been exhibited before.

To commemorate the exhibition, a limited run book features each car, its historical and technical significance and an explanation by Lauren himself on what guides his passion for car collection. The book will also showcase many of the same images seen here, all exceptionally shot by renowned automobile photographer Michael Furman.

The show runs through 28 August 2011 and is open to the public for a small fee of €9.

Six stunning debuts from the 2011 New York International Auto Show

This year’s New York International Auto Show had more than a few exciting launches. While not all of these will go into production, the following are the six cars on show for their first time that we want to drive. Stay tuned for auto news of the more conceptual and unusual variety tomorrow.

The design of VW’s new Beetle pays homage to the earliest beetle profile. The choice is somewhat of a departure from 1998’s New Beetle, drawing deeper on the brand’s past but with plenty of details looking toward the future. We particularly love the turbo version, the new led lighting and the Gibson sound system.

As the most powerful Jaguar road car ever released it’s no surprise that the updated XKR-S wows with 550 HP and a top speed of 186mph. Plus, it’s gorgeous.

The new Audi A7 drew our eye right away, but really shines on close inspection. With the functionality of a sedan and the feel of a coupe it has all with the impeccable craftsmanship for which Audi is known.

Mercedes-Benz‘s C63 AMG Coupe sports sophisticated bodylines and an aggressive stance that gets it just right. 0-60 in 4.3 seconds and a top speed of 174 mph seal the deal.

How do you make the world’s most luxurious SUV even more over-the-top? Range Rover’s Autobiography Ultimate Edition ups the ante with two custom colors, ultra-premium leather, wood veneers, metal fittings and a rear seat that would make any baller smirk every time they got in the car. It has the customary “executive” climate and entertainment controls, the chilled bottle holder and champagne flute stands and the veneered desk tray as well as two seat-back iPads and a wireless keyboard which disappear when not in use. Topping it off is the super swank teak paneling in the rear, which features rubber inserts to keep items from moving around. The edition is limited to 500 vehicles, with 50 slated for the U.S. Sitting in the rear and taking it all in somehow makes the $170,000 price tag seem all too reasonable.

The Porsche Semper Vivus was the world’s first functioning hybrid car 111 years ago. A product of collaboration between Porsche engineering and the famed German coachbuilding company Karosseriebau Drescher, this stunning replica was built by a very dedicated Porsche engineer and is just as elegant as the original.