For the original manual-only Aston Martin V12 Vantage, launched in 2010 (as a 2011 model), the British marque stuffed its largest engine into its smallest body. Flash forward three years and the model has become a cult favorite among serious driving enthusiasts. For the 2015 model year, the Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Roadster draws more power from the naturally aspirated 6-liter engine—565 hp and 457 ft lbs of torque—and is available with a folding soft top. However (and perhaps sadly to some), the manual gear…

Following its success with the first-generation Xeo wireless loudspeaker systems, the Danish audio brand Dynaudio has released a second generation. The new Xeo 4 bookshelf speakers ($2,300 per pair) and Xeo 6 floor-standing speakers ($4,000 per pair) come with a handful of upgrades, including compatibility with higher-resolution music files (up to 24 bits/96 kHz), better driver tuning, and improved digital-signal processing. The speakers are made for pairing with the new Xeo Hub ($300), which sends the audio s…

As professional sports teams spend half their time on the road, the Seattle design firm Teague has created a jet concept designed to meet their needs. Working in collaboration with the sportswear company Nike, the Teague designers consulted with doctors, coaches, operations staff, and sleep specialists from professional sports teams, as well as with Nike’s designers and training experts. Following this extensive research, Teague concluded that a jet interior customized for a traveling sports team could provide…

Bernardus Lodge & Spa, a wine-country retreat in Carmel Valley, Calif., recently announced a travel package to help celebrate its 15th anniversary. Priced at $15,000, the bundle includes two round-trip flights through the nearby Monterey Regional Airport, a four-night stay in one of the resort’s 625-square-foot suites, a wine tasting at the Bernardus Winery, and a round of golf for two. A hands-on cooking lesson at the resort’s fine-dining restaurant Marinus with chef Cal Stamenov, behind-the-scenes access…

Adding to its already sizable and diverse fleet, the shipbuilder Azimut Yachts took the occasion of the 2014 Cannes Boat Show in September to introduce three new models: the 50 Fly, the 77S, and the Grande 95RPH.

The Azimut 50 Fly has one of the largest flybridge decks of its class—offering more than 188 square feet of space. Inside, it is equipped with a saloon and dining area that doubles as a lounge. Able to sleep as many as six guests, the boat features a full-beam owner’s cabin amidships, a VIP cabin a…

The new Steinway Lyngdorf P200 surround-sound processor serves a very specific and important role in a home theater. It receives the audio signal from the source and distributes it to the amplifiers driving the speakers. For those who prefer to use their sound system for a variety of functions, the P200 possesses a unique feature that allows it to serve multiple speaker sets—each configured for different listening applications. For instance, a user employing the P200 could set up a system with separate speaker…

 

This is part three in our special report series on breast cancer in honor of October’s Breast Cancer Awareness month. In this article, we hear from two award-winning scientists: James Hicks, PhD, of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, and Peter Kuhn, PhD, of the University of Southern California. Both work with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) on the cutting edge of using personalized medicine to treat and diagnose breast cancer.

 

What is personalized medicine as it relate…

Istanbul’s new Raffles goes above and beyond.

Why Go: Zincirlikuyu was not a destination detailed in Istanbul guidebooks until 2013, when the four-tower, $2.5 billion Zorlu Center opened in the hilltop district. At the complex, among Turkey’s largest performing-arts center, a high-end shopping mall, residences, and office space, Raffles Istanbul welcomed its first guests in September. Panoramic views over the city are one of the 181-room hotel’s biggest selling points, and its metro-accessible location is m…

To show off the speed and athleticism of its two new aftermarket Volvos, the Swedish tuner Polestar has brought the racecar driver Thed Björk—winner of the 2013 and 2014 Scandinavian Touring Car Championships—to the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., to put the 2015 Volvo S60 Polestar and V60 Polestar through their paces. Björk deftly whips the S60 through the turns and tears down straightaways, demonstrating the impressive capabilities of this special-edition automobile.

After Björk pulls the S60 off t…

Founded by Jules Leleu in 1924, the French interior design studio Maison Leleu is best known for the art deco pieces it produced during the 1920s and 1930s. The Maison Leleu: 1960s exhibition and sale at New York City’s Maison Gerard gallery, however, will display 60 pieces of furniture, lighting, and carpets from Maison Leleu’s post–World War II years, when the studio began to introduce elements of modernism into its designs, using materials such as aluminum, steel, glass, fiberglass, and even plastic.

The…