Given its remote setting in New Zealand’s Southern Alps, it is no wonder that helicopters are an ordinary means of transport at the 65,000-acre Minaret Station resort. Given its proximity to some of New Zealand’s most varied and beautiful natural wonders, the resort was the obvious choice to host London-based travel outfitter Black Tomato’s Heli-Biking New Zealand itinerary ($9,344 per person for seven nights, all-inclusive), which promises to take guests on some truly memorable, wild rides.

Long before cli…

Known for its quick and aggressive ships, Monaco’s Wally Yachts has officially launched Galateia (the third ship in its popular Wallycento series that includes Magic Carpet). The 100-foot Galateia is the lightest sailing yacht in its class and currently holds the fastest time at a regatta in Majorca.

Like its predecessors, the boat is extremely technical and ideal for racing. Built like a true maxi yacht, Galateia is equipped with a newly designed bow thruster that helps reduce wind impact and improves the …

It was a perfect day for flying. Greg Zackney—who served as a Harrier pilot for the U.S. Marines before becoming a contract pilot for Icon—powered up the Icon A5, popped open my passenger-side window, and started out over Manhattan’s Hudson River. The propellers whizzed and whirred as we zipped across the water like a Jet Ski, quick and agile, making hairpin turns with the greatest of ease. Then Zackney straightened out and, at full speed, headed directly for the George Washington Bridge. Suddenly, we were air…

Originally published in the November/December issue of Robb Report Home & Style as “Design Seen: In Living Color”

A new series of vessels at Ralph Pucci casts a chromatic spell. 

Glass is luxuriant with dichotomies. Fragile and commanding, it is born from brawn and fire, but stands so evocatively and delicately that it can soften cynics and reform bullies. It is also an act of discipline to produce. Maestro Andrea Zilio engaged in an ancestral choreography to create the Granzioli collection. The…

Will the Tesla Model S P90D be Robb Report’s 2016 Car of the Year?

<< Back to Car of the Year 2016

 

One can learn a lot about Tesla’s latest electric sedan, the Tesla Model S P90D, by analyzing its name. The P stands for performance; the D references the car’s dual-motor setup (one on each axle), which provides all-wheel drive; and the 90 is a designation for the sedan’s 90 kilowatt-hour battery pack, which increases the car’s range by 6 percent over the P85D. That amounts to almost 270 mi…

Will the Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS be Robb Report’s 2016 Car of the Year?

<< Back to Car of the Year 2016

 

In 1965, Porsche unveiled its original Targa at the International Auto Show in Frankfurt, Germany. This year, to celebrate the car’s 50th anniversary, the automaker introduced the Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Equipped with a standard 7-speed manual transmission, the car is capable of sprinting from zero to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and ca…

A towering oak tree stands watch over the newly constructed Meadowood Spa, an all-suite spa at Napa Valley’s charming Meadowood Napa Valley resort. Inside, rustic reclaimed-wood beams and a fireplace, accented with hand-forged steel, mirror the muted olive-green and brown colors of the surrounding forest. Fountains made of wood, steel, and stone lead the way to the spa’s standout feature: eight individual treatment suites, each equipped with private bathrooms, steam showers, built-in lounge areas, and sliding …

After rolling through the record books, the Ex-Fangio 1956 Ferrari 290 MM promises to take pole position once again, this time at RM Sotheby’s Driven to Disruption auction in New York on December 10. The monumental piece of motorsport history had been piloted by the premier names of Formula 1’s formative years, in races still revered to this day.

Enzo Ferrari had the racecar designed specifically for Argentinian driver Juan Manuel Fangio (already a five-time Formula 1 world champion), and it was one of four…

McLaren entered the production sports-car world a few years ago with the McLaren MP4-12C. More recently, the British automaker unveiled its second production model, the 650S and 650S Spider, and retired the 12C. Though roughly 75 percent of the 650S is carried over from its predecessor, the changes are significant.

The convertible’s design appears to derive more from the McLaren P1 supercar than the 12C, and underneath its body panels is an improved chassis that provides better handling than the 12C. In tur…

Originally published in the October 2015 issue of Robb Report Collection as “The Next Pinnacle”

The first-generation BMW M3—the most successful racecar of its time—is now gaining traction among collectors.

The hood of our Henna Red 1989 BMW M3 seems to glow, contrasting with the snow drifting across our path on a steep Alpine road. We are driving one of a very few pristine, stock examples of the first generation of the car, known as the E30 among the professionals at BMW and enthusiasts ar…