For more than 100 years, the hub of the American automobile industry has been Detroit. And a look back at a century of the motorcar reveals a history of invention and achievement in the city that enthusiasts think of wherever the word car is spoken. Every year, Detroit is host to the famed Woodward Dream Cruise. Now, the inaugural AutoMoto Detroit International Film & Arts Festival offers car lovers another vantage point—the theater seat—to gather, share stories, and learn.

From May 28 through 30, three…

The Fresnel Hydrofoil Trimaran might look like a sci-fi writer’s fantasy, but it will soon become a reality for its new South African owners. The futuristic sailboat is the brainchild of Dr. Margot Krasojevi?, a London-based architect whose career has focused on creating eco-friendly projects that shift existing paradigms. Recent projects include a Canadian prison with its own hydroelectric dam, a coastal home in South Africa powered by the tides, and a water-purifying bridge in Amsterdam.

The Fresnel (name…

On May 1, Brad Grimes, the winemaker at Napa Valley’s Abreu Vineyards, will host a dinner at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House in Chicago, pouring several of his California cabernet sauvignon–based blends. Abreu Vineyards is known for its exceptional wines and extremely limited production of less than 500 cases of each release. The five-course pairing menu—created by the Chicago eatery’s chefs Jim Teutemacher and David Holben—will begin with amuse-bouches, including Montrachet goat cheese mousse and foie g…

The refresh of the BMW Alpina B6 xDrive Gran Coupe, which first debuted in Geneva, made its North American arrival at the New York International Auto Show in April. Styling elements distinguishing this car from the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe include trademark Alpina elliptical twin tailpipes, blue brake calipers and door-sill trims with Alpina lettering on the front, and wood trim in Myrtle or Piano lacquer. The coupe also features a subtly changed BMW kidney grill and a more aggressive front spoiler.

The car’…

Aston Martin brought a unique combination of luxury and environmentally friendly technology to the recent Geneva International Motor Show, with the Aston Martin DBX concept. The all-electric sports car intends to be an innovative step forward in the high-luxury, grand-touring segment, enhancing the British carmaker’s elegant design language with more family-friendly (and eco-friendly) touches.

Because the DBX concept has no engine compartment—it is powered by electric inboard-of-wheel, lithium-sulphur power…

The legendary Savoy Hotel, located in London’s central Covent Garden district, will celebrate its legacy by giving some of it away. The Savoy 125th Anniversary Single Malt Scotch—a rare sherry-cask-aged, 48-year-old Macallan—comes with a polished piece of the original bar top from the hotel’s famous American Bar. Built in 1893 and renovated in 2010, the American Bar lays claim to the title of the oldest surviving cocktail bar in England. Over the generations, the bar has played host to an array of celebrities,…

The McLaren 570S is the first model in McLaren’s new entry-level Sport Series. Described by the British carmaker as a sports car, as opposed to a supercar, the $184,900 570S—which debuted at this year’s New York International Auto Show—becomes the most attainable McLaren available in North America. However, it offers performance numbers on par with those of many flagship supercars.

With a twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V-8—which shares most of its components with the power plant used in the $240,000 McLaren 65…

Travelers visiting Los Angeles can find plenty of room to relax and entertain guests in the Penthouse Inspired by Vivienne Westwood. The new suite at the London West Hollywood hotel is scheduled to open next month, and it will be the largest in the city at 11,000 square feet. The 10th-floor, bi-level penthouse ($25,000 per night) boasts a bright and open design conceived by the British fashion designer Vivienne Westwood in partnership with Richmond Design and includes many original pieces from her interior-dec…

Created by the naval architect Ken Freivokh, the 351-foot Stiletto has a futuristic profile and sweeping interior that makes this Oceanco concept yacht one of the most interesting designs of the year. Freivokh’s inspired exterior features several aft terraces—one equipped with a 25-foot-long swimming pool—that provide exceptional views of the water. The enormous forward social area—unusual even for a yacht of this magnitude—has another swimming pool, bar, recliners, and a shading system. The yacht’s helipad si…

Despite all the fanfare over the recent resurgence of vinyl, veteran audiophiles have long stood by analog audio and the vacuum-tube-powered equipment that was popular in the 1950s and ’60s. Hidden in the suburbs of Chicago is an artisan company called Decware that produces vacuum-tube audio gear to a level of quality that a Swiss watchmaker would be proud of. Eschewing the current steampunk rage, Decware amplifiers possess a timeless, elegant simplicity and functionality. The company’s owner, Steve Deckert, d…