Curator Issue 2

Curator W

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NAVIGATING GLOBAL LUXURY

A PLACE FOR SHIRTS At its Manhattan store, Bellucci Napoli takes service to a new level with the ability to create a bespoke shirt in 24 hours. 

A Accelerate A Bentley on ice... and other dream drives A Adorn Handcrafted decorative arts return to watchmaking S Smoke The return of 1980's exceptional tobacco crop J Journey Winslow Homer's Maine studio D Dress With Kiton's Evo, the power suit evolves S Sail Morris Yachts' new take on its classic sailboats

OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2012

EDELMAN LEATHER 速

Hand Stitched custom rugs

Available worldwide T 860-350-9600 edelmanleather.com

S

Smoke

What: COHIBA EDICIÓN DIAMANTE

It was the year Reagan became president, Blondie topped the pop charts and the U.S. Olympic hockey team upset the Soviets for gold in Lake Placid.

Now cigar connoisseurs have an opportunity to savor some of 1980’s exceptional tobacco crop in the new Cohiba Edición Diamante, an ultra-premium cigar topped off by a sublimely silky Cameroon wrapper that has been aged and carefully nurtured for 32 years. ▼ By

National Treasure 1 Daniel Marshall has created high-end humidors (what he calls “smokers’ furniture”) in his Orange County workshop since 1982. Among them is the new America the Beautiful Collection, limited to 100 pieces, each signed by Marshall and decorated with a silver medallion from the U.S. Mint depicting one of the nation’s historic landmarks.

Each humidor holds 100 cigars and is entirely handmade.

Mark Bernardo

To complement its special exterior, Cohiba’s master blenders spent nine years creating a worthy interior, highlighted by a filler blend of proprietary Piloto Cubano leaf grown in the Dominican Republic (where the cigars are also rolled) and accented by a binder leaf from Indonesia.

Impeccably rolled, with a cool, consistently smooth burn, the Diamante is toasty, nutty and richly textured with hints of cinnamon.

Price: $1,495 Contact: info@danielmarshall.com, 800.923.2889, danielmarshall.com

Matters [µ] Size The Edición Diamante debuted in 2011

in six sizes. This year brings a 5 x 50 robusto, cased in a wooden coffin box, and a 6 x 54 toro in a crystal tube. Both come in groups of 10 cigars ($220 for the robusto, $250 for the toro). Available in very limited quantities.

Handmade French 2 Mickael Benarroch’s Paris boutique, Duret, is known for its leather goods and bespoke belts (see page 177). His reputation for high-quality handcrafting led to an exclusive collaboration with a renowned humidor maker whose name Benarroch won't disclose.

Clients can customize their humidor’s size and skin.

Price: Begins at $2,300 Contact: Mickael Bennaroch, contact@duret-paris.com, 33.1.4067.9305, duret-paris.com

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S

Sip

What: 2009 CORISON NAPA VALLEY CABERNET

At around $1,500 a bottle, Screaming Eagle is still making plenty of noise, but the buzz on some more moderately toned producers is getting louder. ▼

OTHERS TO CONSIDER

[µ] Working the Vines Keeping some shade on the clusters and picking earlier than most of her neighbors to moderate ripeness, grower Cathy Corison protects the bright acidity of the grapes, which results in a more modest alcohol level in the wine.

In the 1990s and early 2000s, cabernets of power and concentration reigned supreme as very ripe fruit, plentiful tannins and high alcohol got the attention of collectors and critics alike. The first cult cabs were decidedly New World in style, harnessing the bright California sunshine to create bold flavor. But the trend among connoisseurs is a not-sosubtle shift toward more subtle wines. Depth, finesse and balance are priorities, and the inspiration for these wines is Europe, typically Bordeaux. To gain style points with your sommelier or serious collectors, try ordering a Napa classic such as Corison.

1 Mayacamas Vineyards

You can’t get more classic California than the wines that were included in the famous 1976 “Judgment of Paris” tasting that put California against France with results that surprised the world. Mayacamas Vineyards’ cabernet was one of this distinguished lot, but this winery, founded in 1889, is also celebrated for its chardonnay.

Try the 2006 cabernet, $65.

Contact: info@ mayacamas.com, 707.224.4030, mayacamas.com

2 Philip Togni Vineyard

A winemaker at Mayacamas in 1958, Philip Togni is firmly planted in “founding fathers” territory; he started his own label in 1983. All of the 1,800 cases of cabernet he makes are grown and bottled on the Spring Mountain estate where he lives.

Try the 2009 cabernet, $95.

Contact: 707.963.3731, philiptognivineyard.com

3 Dunn Vineyards

[µ] Flavor

Herbal aromas and a pop of acidity followed by mineral, tobacco and dark fruit flavors of plum, cherry and raspberry

Price $75 at corison.com.

Also available at retailers across the country, though it is often out of stock.

Try the 2007 ($97) or 2005 ($102) Howell Mountain cabernet.

Contact Tracy Sweeney, tracy@corison.com, 707.963.0826, corison.com

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Dunn’s Randy Dunn’s more rustic, tannic profile is a bit of an exception here, but like Corison he has years of experience and is known for championing a unique style. Dunn also believes in lower octane levels, even employing winemaking techniques to remove alcohol from his wines if necessary. Less refined on release than some of their vintage-mates, Dunn wines benefit from a few extra years of aging.

Contact: dunnvineyards@ sbcglobal.net, 707.965.3642, dunnvineyards.com

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Adorn

What: ASPREY’S FERN NECKLACE AND THE CARTIER MINAUDIÈRE CLUTCH

English flora inspires jewelry designer Shaun Leane’s collaboration with Asprey, while Cartier turned to its vintage archives to create a new collection of evening clutches. ▼ By

[µ] Movement

Black-rhodium-plated leaves are set with 4.05 carats of emeralds in platinum. Intertwined branches, made of 4.87 carats of white diamonds, pivot.

Jennifer Lee

1 Asprey's Fern Necklace

Asprey asked Shaun Leane, famed for his bold aesthetic and collaborations with fashion icon Alexander McQueen, to design pieces for its high jewelry line. The result is the Woodland Collection.

Inspired by the beauty of the British forest, the collection features oak leaf designs in diamond and gold and pieces that reflect the whimsical charms of acorns, mushrooms and pine cones. A highlight: the fern necklace.

Price $302,000

[µ] Drama

A removable 5.10-carat pearshaped emerald pendant in a diamond frame is hinged at the center of the necklace.

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Craftsmanship The clutch shown here is made of calfskin lace with a solid silver and lacquer clasp and chrysoprase cabochons.

Contact: Kate Hemphill, 212.688.1811, asprey.com

2 Cartier Minaudiére Clutch

Widely known for its jeweled evening bags, Cartier introduced in September a collection of evening clutches inspired by the company's classic designs.

Price $4,800 Contact Available at the Cartier boutiques in Palm Beach and Boca Raton, Fla. 800.CARTIER, cartier.us

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Adorn

What: H A N D C R A F T E D D E C O R AT I V E ARTS RETURN T O WAT C H M A K I N G

Engraving, enameling, painstaking stone-setting— they’re all part of the new focus on artisanal watchmaking. Here are some exquisite examples. ▼ By

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Accent The stone-setter highlights one dove with brilliant diamonds.

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Carving The engraver carves out the delicate forms of the doves on the yellow-gold dial base.

Keith Strandberg

Artisanal crafts have been enjoying a renaissance in watchmaking as watchmakers such as Vacheron Constantin aim to preserve the field’s traditional decorative arts. The new Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art – Les Univers Infinis collection, inspired by the tessellation technique of M.C. Escher, takes this artistry one step further by combining up to four different métiers in one timepiece. The three watches in this collection are limited to 20 pieces each, and the watch pictured here, the Dove, combines engraving, guilloché, enameling and stone-setting. The result is a timepiece, powered by a Vacheron Constantin mechanical movement, that embodies both the history and the future of watchmaking.

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Price: $120,000 Contact: Daniel Adams at the Vacheron Constantin Concierge, 212.713.0707, vacheron-constantin.com

Color The enameller meticulously applies the violet finish to the dial with a fine brush.

1 New Arceau pieces from Hermès incorporate a variety of decorative arts, from miniature painting to enameling. The Arceau Marqueterie de Paille pictured here features the early centuries-old art of straw marquetry, using rye straw from one farm in France.

Price: $60,000 hermes.com

2 The Alexander the

3 The Rendez-Vous

4 The new Patek Philippe

Great Minute Repeater Westminster Carillon Tourbillon Jaquemarts from Ulysse Nardin features five handcrafted moving figures on a man-made diamond dial.

This timepiece takes over three months for a master watchmaker to assemble.

Available by special order only.

Tourbillon Enamel from Jaeger-LeCoultre combines high watchmaking—its inhouse tourbillon—and two decorative arts: The engraved surfaces are visible through the translucent enamel.

7099R Ladies Gondolo blends the decorative art of diamond-setting with handguilloché. The case of this watch is set with 480 diamonds in the labor-intensive random setting, while the guilloché gold dial is adorned with 367 diamonds (even the prong buckle showcases 26 diamonds).

Price: $123,000 jaeger-lecoultre.com

Price: $716,887 in rose gold ulysse-nardin.com

Price: $116,000 patek.com

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D

Dress

What: KITON'S EVO

Italian luxury brand Kiton aims for future continuity with its new power suit. ▼ By

Jennifer Lee

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Easy Kiton is renowned for its tailoring, and this suit has a malleable structure that makes it lightweight and soft.

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Careful Each piece is cut and sewn by hand, then meticulously assembled to ensure the proper contours. Twenty-four hours are spent constructing each jacket.

Kiton’s latest power suit, Evo, is designed to be revised, not reinvented, each season, shifting to fit the needs of the man who requires versatility in his wardrobe but isn’t searching for a completely new look.

Short for “evolution,” Evo debuts in October with a slim fit, shorter jacket and soft shoulder.

Available ready-to-wear, the suit will be tweaked again in the spring and with each new season; delicate modifications may include taking in the waist, trimming the lapel or adjusting the shoulders.

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Price: Evo, $9,600. Cotton shirt and silk necktie, also by Kiton, $549 and $265.

Contact: Dan Wolman, Kiton’s flagship U.S. store at 4 East 54th St., New York, 212.813.0272, kiton.it

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STIAN ROENNING

Choices Woven exclusively for Kiton, fabrics can include cashmere, wool and silk. The version shown here is a navy pinstriped double-breasted Evo made of 90 percent cashmere and 10 percent silk.

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Adorn

What: D U R E T P A R I S B E LT, D E N T S G LOV E S , T I F FA N Y & C O .

C U F F L I N K S , PA U L S T U A R T T I E

It's not just the shoes that make the man.... ▼ By

Jennifer Lee

1 Duret Paris Belt Mickael Benarroch’s path to crafting luxury leather goods had a humble start. He began as a cobbler, fixing old shoes using traditional methods and quality leathers. As his reputation for excellence and service spread, he was sought after by prestigious brands such as Shipton & Heneage and Aubercy. In 1988, he began producing leather goods through Duret, a brand of his own creation. Bespoke belts are among his most popular offerings.

Clients select from a library of luxurious hides. Vegetable dyes are then used to create the exact desired color, and Benarroch-designed solid brass buckles are individually crafted, hand-finished and polished.

Price: 350€ to 1,400€, depending on materials Contact: Mickael Benarroch, Duret Paris, 29 rue Duret, Paris, 33.1.4067.9305, duret-paris.com

2 Dents Gloves Handsewn in Wiltshire, England, Dents’ gloves are made of fine and rare leathers. The gloves are part of the company’s Heritage Collection, symbolizing the essence of traditional British glove making.

Dents’ heritage dates back 235 years. The skins are selected by artisans, then handstretched and bench-cut. It takes up to eight hours to create each pair of gloves. Clients can choose among several styles, skins, stitchings and linings.

Most commonly selected: the peccary gloves with a Scottish cashmere lining, seen here.

Price: $375 Contact: Jim McKenry, jmckenry@birddoggroup.net, 212.757.4664, dents.co.uk

3 Tiffany & Co. Cuff Links Tiffany’s Lucida cuff links—the name refers to the brightest star in a constellation—feature two diamonds embedded in 18-karat white gold. Designed in-house and featuring the company’s iconic trademark, the cuff links embody Tiffany's design aesthetic: simultaneously innovative and classic.

Price: $3,000 Contact: Tiffany & Co., 800.843.3269, tiffany.com

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4 Paul Stuart Tie Paul Stuart has been an authority on elegant dressing for American men since 1938.

Handcrafted in luxurious fabrics, Paul Stuart suits are known for their attention to detail: The company was the first in the U.S. to offer side vents and the three-button suit.

To dress up the suits, Paul Stuart offers a blue-andlavender striped tie that is handmade and hand-finished of woven Italian silk. Fully lined, self-tacked and tipped, it’s available in Paul Stuart stores or online.

Price: $128.50 Contact: Paul Stuart, 10 East 45th St., New York, 800.678.8278, paulstuart.com

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Dress

What: C A N A L I OV E R C O AT

Canali goes English for fall. ▼ By

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Jennifer Lee

Edwardian Echoes A velvet collar softens the look and adds a touch of glamour.

Canali’s fall collection of luxe ready-to-wear garments is heavily influenced by English fashion history.

Creating a dandyish profile, the collection’s suits are slim and the cigarette trousers cuffed. The fabrics’ bold, wide stripes are accented by darkly hued floral ties. For its cloth, Canali reinterpreted classic looks such as houndstooth and Prince of Wales checks by accentuating the patterns, giving them more flair.

Designed in cashmere, wool and velvet, the overcoat is the highlight of the fall collection.

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Strength Authoritative yet subtle, Canali's coat projects both power and grace.

Details This version of the overcoat is double breasted and features a ticket pocket.

Price: $1,850 Contact: Canali, 25 Broad St., New York, newyork.shop@ canali.it, 212.842.8700, canali.it

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Adorn

What: A LT E R N AT I V E AT TA C H É S

Three briefcases that stand out from the pack. ▼ By

Jennifer Lee

Attachés make a statement about the people carrying them—and these days there are many more statements to make than in years past. As a new type of executive rises from the worlds of technology and social media, luxury designers are offering alternatives to the conventional right-angled, tophandled briefcase. Here are three options for today’s male captains of industry.

2 Asprey Asprey’s hand-stitched Berkeley briefcase is designed with a nod to the mod look of the 1960s.

Large, with a rounded silhouette, the briefcase is made of black calf and fully lined with leather.

Price: $3,350 Contact: Donna Rutty, Asprey store at 853 Madison Ave., New York, 212.688.1811, asprey.com

1 Mulholland Brothers Inspired by the silhouette of vintage postal-service bags, Mulholland's American alligator messenger bag offers a refined alternative to the traditional attaché. Each skin is hand-selected for the panel and gusset from the highest grade farm-raised alligator, then cut and sewn at Mulholland’s atelier in Berkeley, Calif. The bag features a snap-release flap and roller-buckled, cinched sides.

Price: $12,000 (in chocolate brown) Contact: Ryan Robison, 510.280.5485, shopmulholland.com

3 Brunello Cucinelli Brunello Cucinelli’s soft document holder embodies an understated elegance. Hand-stitched of durable leather, it features decorative double leather straps and a zipper closure.

Price: $1,370 Contact: Bradford Devens, Brunello Cucinelli boutique, 683 Madison Ave., New York, 212.813.0900, brunellocucinelli.com

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D

Dress

What: BELLUCCI NAPOLI SHIRT

A bespoke garment in 24 hours from the men’s atelier.

By

▼

Jennifer Lee

Having created a bespoke “palazzo,” as Nedo Bellucci calls Bellucci Napoli’s three floors in midtown Manhattan, the company’s owner, president and designer is taking service to a new level: Beginning in October, Belluci Napoli will offer a 24-hour turnaround, from measurement to delivery, for a handmade shirt.

1 Measure First

2 Archive Forever

3 Relax

The process starts with meticulous measurements by Simone Olibet, Bellucci Napoli’s in-house pattern maker and tailor. He creates a rough sample while discussing fabric choices from the in-stock, 170-thread-count cloths. Next up: decisions on cuffs, collars, the colors of buttonhole stitching and monogramming. With all the details recorded, the shirt is created at the store.

Each client’s fabric choices are archived in the company library. The cloth undergoes a special aging process to match the life of the shirt should anything (most commonly collars and cuffs) require replacement. For VIP clients, patterns, fabrics, measurements and all notations are kept in an individual drawer, much like a private wine cellar or a cigar club where members store their prized pieces.

Bellucci has fond childhood memories of accompanying his father on visits to his tailor to order new shirts and suits for the season. His store is a world of luxurious exclusivity where clients come by word of mouth or invitation.

There is a whisky bar for clients who'd like to host cocktail parties or take meetings while waiting for their clothes to be completed, and the fitting room is a cozy corner.

Price: $675

Contact: Nedo Bellucci, Bellucci Napoli, 5 East 57th St., New York, info@belluccinapoli.com, 212.207.8228, belluccinapoli.com

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D

Dress

What: NEW CLASSICS

Each season, shoemakers tweak their loafers and oxfords with handcrafted details or new patinas. Here are three of this year’s subtle interpretations of the classic dress shoe. ▼ By

Jennifer Lee

1 Hermès Foster The venerable French luxury house offers a single-buckle monk-strap shoe in black patinated calfskin.

Price: $1,150 Contact: 800.441.4488, hermes.com

2 Santoni Quadrant Limited Edition Andrea Santoni uses Old World techniques to create his bespoke shoes from the finest leathers, skins and materials. One pair can take six months to make. This season, Santoni offers a limited edition calfskin oxford, antiqued and handstitched with perforated details.

Price: $1,250 Contact: Paul White, 609.584.4900, santonishoes.com

3 Edward Green Wingtip Bluchers for Brooks Brothers English shoemaker Edward Green has made an update of the classic wing-tip for Brooks Brothers.

Hand-cut and polished with a burnished finish that deepens with time, each pair is constructed with fine calf skin and detailed with tone-on-tone stitching.

Price: $1,390 Contact: 800.274.1815, brooksbrothers.com

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J

Journey

What: WINSLOW HOMER'S STUDIO

A watershed experience for lovers of art and travel. ▼ By

Richard Bradley

In 1883, the painter Winslow Homer moved from New York to a small carriage house in Prouts Neck, a rugged spit of Maine jutting into the Atlantic. Surrounded by water, Homer left behind the Americana he had painted since beginning his career as a Civil War illustrator for Harper’s Weekly.

Instead, from the modest house overlooking a craggy coastline, Homer turned his eye to nature, and over the next quarter-century his paintings—such as Gulf Stream, right, circa 1900—became more abstract, more ambitious and more celebrated.

After Homer died in 1910, relatives owned the house until 2006, when the Portland Museum of Art bought it. This fall, after six years and $2.8 million in meticulous restoration, the museum will open Homer’s studio to the public for the first time. A landmark in American art history, it is also the surprisingly intimate and inspiring home of a deeply private man.

Visiting the Studio The carriage house sits on a small residential street lined with multimillion-dollar homes, so don’t expect to just pop in.

Instead, thrice-daily guided tours of no more than 10 people will leave from the Portland Museum of Art about 20 minutes away.

The seasonal tours end on December 2, then restart in spring 2013.

For more information or to purchase tickets, call 207.775.6148 or visit portlandmuseum.org. To arrange a private tour, call Elizabeth Jones at ext. 3257.

Homer at the Museum The Portland Museum of Art is presenting an exhibition of Homer’s work, Weatherbeaten: Winslow Homer and Maine, now through December 30. The exhibit brings together 38 oils, watercolors and etchings Homer created while in Maine—like Weatherbeaten (1894) itself, above—many of which are now scattered in museums across the country.

Staying Nearby Around the corner from Homer’s studio, the iconic Black Point Inn is offering a Homer studio tour package that includes a two-night stay, two meals daily and a studio tour for $850 per person.

For more information, call manager Phil Kronenthal at 207.883.2500 ext. 641 or write to info@blackpointinn.com.

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S

Sail

What: M O R R I S YAC H TS O C E A N SERIES 48 GT

Founded in 1972 by Philadelphia refugee Tom Morris, Maine-based Morris Yachts began building its Ocean Series line, designed to be capable of circumnavigation, in 1988. In the early 2000s, the firm put the line on hiatus to focus on more classic designs. Now Morris is relaunching “the legacy product and adapting it to the needs of tomorrow’s sailing family,” says CEO Doug Metchick.

The Maine-based firm celebrates its 40th birthday with a modern take on its original line of sailboats. ▼ By

Lynsey Santimays

Customize It Buyers work with an interior designer on details from the wood and tiles to the cabinets and countertops, to suit their tastes. “Each boat is personalized from stem to stern,” according to Metchick.

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Water Views The design team raised the salon floor to align head height with the cabin windows. “That gives you a chance to participate in the beautiful surroundings,” Metchick says.

On Deck The self-tacking jib and furling mainsail make it easier for a solo helmsman to sail the 48 GT.

Price $1.25 million Contact Doug Metchick, dmetchick@morrisyachts. com, 207.244.5509, morrisyachts.com

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Below Deck The yacht offers berths for seven adults, increased storage for long trips and larger spaces for entertaining.

THE SPIRIT OF VANQUISH THE ART OF ASTON MARTIN Inspired by the extraordinary One-77 supercar, the new Vanquish is cloaked in a suit of carbon fibre. Delivering a scintillating 565 bhp and 457 lb ft of torque, its new generation 6.0 litre V12 heart beats harder than ever. The new V12 engine provides accessible performance with a roaring soundtrack to match. Brutal yet beautiful, ferocious yet docile, agile yet stable. Such is the breadth of performance and depth of ability, Vanquish is an Aston Martin like never before.

Prepare to be seduced.

For more information or to book your test drive now, please visit www.astonmartin.com/vanquish

WWW.ASTONMARTIN.COM

Fly

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What: N E TJ E T S ’ B O M B A R D I E R GLOBAL 6000

NetJets says hello to a fast and beautiful new plane. ▼ By

Lynsey Santimays

[µ] Feeling Fresh Low cabin altitude—the pressure inside the plane—makes passengers feel like they're “skiing in Aspen” rather than flying at 41,000 feet, reducing fatigue.

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High Tech The cabin includes WiFi, a 24-inch HD monitor and a wirelessly-controlled management system.

When NetJets offers clients the Bombardier Global 6000 in late October, the event will mark several milestones for the private aviation firm: The Global 6000 is the first Bombardier plane to join the NetJets’ fleet; the addition marks the first wave of a 10-year plan to renew that fleet; and “these are the first aircraft that NetJets has helped design with a manufacturer from start to finish,” says Pat Gallagher, NetJets’ head of sales. “We worked very, very closely tailoring the design of these airplanes to meet the expectations of our customers.”

Capable of long-range trips— Seattle to Tokyo, anyone?—the plane lends itself to lengthy business travel or family vacations. “You can fly from New York to Shanghai with two passengers, or from New York to Los Angeles with 12,” says Gallagher.

Air Space Leading NetJets’ large-cabin offerings, the Global 6000 offers the “best combination of size, range, cabin comfort and value,” Pat Gallagher says. With room for 13 passengers in the over 8-foot wide and 48-foot long cabin, the 6000 features a private stateroom, a wardrobe closet and 195 cubic feet of luggage space (accessible from the lavatory for any items needed midflight), and a forward galley (which keeps all crew activity out of the cabin).

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Price The Global 6000 is available via the NetJets Share program; a 1/16 interest costs about $3.1 million (not including monthly management and occupied flight hour fees).

Contact 877.356.5823, netjets.com

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Accelerate

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01

Snowscapes Your driving skills will be tested by dense forests, a frozen lake and a sun that never fully rises.

Husky Power When you're done driving, you can trade the car's 600-plus horsepower for a sled led by six huskies, who will reach 25 MPH.

BENTLEY POWER ON ICE

Last year, on the frozen waters of the Baltic sea off the coast of Finland, four-time World Rally champion Juha Kankkunen guided a Bentley Continental Supersports to a remarkable speed record on ice: 205.48 MPH. Guests won’t reach quite that speed at the Power on Ice program, but they’ll have fun trying in the 621-horsepower Supersports, Bentley’s 2.5-ton, physics-defying luxury coupe. Unfazed by -30° Fahrenheit temperatures just 40 miles below the Arctic Circle, participants at the annual event have come from China, North America, Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa. Well-bundled guests stay at the boutique Chalet Ruka Peak hotel in Rukatunturi, Finland. In addition to driving, they enjoy a husky-powered “safari,” snowmobiling, a traditional Finnish smoke sauna and dinner at a historic reindeer farm.

Location Finland

Price $13,000 to $14,000

Contact bentleydriving.com, 44.16.7544.5945

These five drive experiences, from exhilarating racetrack curves to figure eights in the Finnish snowscape, redefine the term “road trip.” B Y L A W R E N C E U L R I C H

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Record Breaking Champion driver Juha Kankkunen drove a Bentley Continental Supersports to a speed record on ice: 205.48 MPH.

Fast, sexy and loaded with technology, a high-performance car remains a favorite personal reward for successful people. But some men and women attain the car of their dreams only to realize: I don’t know how to drive this thing. Because while technology has made sports and luxury cars easier for the amateur to drive, it has also made cars faster and more powerful—a potential hazard for an overconfident pilot.

Fortunately, carmakers and racetracks alike offer schools (or, in the case of Giro Lamborghini and Mini, road trips) that help novices develop expert skills and translate them to real-world conditions.

These programs are known for professional instructors, positive reinforcement, addictive thrills—and the pleasure of owners banding together to enjoy the cars they love.

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Accelerate

Drivers Ed Conquer the rough off-roading course, the slick water wall and the break-busting skid pad.

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02

Hot Wheels Trade four wheels for two at one of BMW's motorcycle driving programs.

BMW PERFORMANCE DRIVING SCHOOL

More than 15,000 BMW owners and fans are expected to visit Spartanburg, S.C., this year for a huge range of offerings.

Those include one of the best-kept secrets in luxury cars: a nocost Performance Center Delivery program for any new BMW, including a complimentary one-night hotel stay for owner and guest; a tour of America’s only BMW factory; an introductory driving program; and an instructor-driven hot lap on the track.

Loyalty duly boosted, the owner then drives his new baby home or has it shipped to a BMW dealer, with that cost borne by the customer or dealer. For those who want to learn more, one- or two-day Car Control schools develop a range of skill sets, from timed runs on a waterlogged course to off-road training in a BMW SUV. Teen Driving programs give younger drivers a huge leg up on their peers in safety and confidence. Maximum fun comes with the M Schools, featuring the renowned cars of BMW’s high-performance M division, including the M3 and 560-horsepower M5 sedans. Special Advanced M Schools are also held at world-class tracks including Virginia International Raceway and Road Atlanta. “If you fell in love when you bought the car, you’re going to fall in love all over again,” says BMW chief instructor Matt Mullins, who recommends that students take two-day programs if they can: “You learn 10 times as much over two days as you do in one.”

The BMW factory in Spartanburg, S.C.

Location Varies

Price School programs from $550 to $3,595

Contact bmwusa.com, 888.345.4269

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Tiny Tricks Stunt driver Han Yue struts his stuff at the 2012 Mini Takes the States Kickoff in Woodcliff Lake, N.J.

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High Mileage During the 2012 event, drivers covered 2 million miles.

M I N I TA K E S T H E S TAT E S

As they did with the Beatles half a century ago, Americans quickly developed a passionate following for British import Mini when the tiny car was reintroduced to U.S. shores in 2002. Uniting this fan base, the Mini Takes the States drive kicked off in 2006 on a trip designed to flaunt the car’s fuel efficiency (488 mile per tank range, or New York to New Orleans) on almost 4,000 miles of American road. The compact-car caravan, held every other year, draws classic and rare versions, like the Mini Monte-Carlo rally cars or John Cooper Works versions, and serves as a launching pad for new models (Mini announced its seventh model, the Paceman, at the 2012 MTTS). At this year’s rally, 6,400 drivers criss-crossed 3,877 miles, 16 states and 13 cities over 12 days. Don’t have time for a two-week trek? Participate in individual legs of the trip, like New York to Washington, D.C., or Phoenix to Los Angeles.

Location Various stops across the United States

Price $30 registration fee, plus travel costs

Contact minitakesthe states.com, 866.275.6464

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Accelerate

[µ] Year-Round Land Rover is the only automaker to operate a permanent driving school.

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All-Purpose Vehicle The Range Rover has five settings: rock crawl, mud and ruts, sand, grass/ gravel/snow and road.

LAND ROVER EXPERIENCE DRIVING SCHOOLS

From 65,000 unspoiled acres in Quebec’s Laurentian Mountains to the historic Biltmore Estate in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Land Rover’s four schools are rugged by day and posh at night. Rookie off-roaders reliably marvel at how every Rover model—including the seemingly city-centric Evoque—can scale boulders, ford streams and tilt at seemingly death-defying angles. Log and mud crossings, steep climbs and descents and tricky traverses are all negotiated under instructors’ watchful eyes. Optional downtime activities range from fly-fishing in Vermont to golf on California’s Monterey Peninsula. Bob Burns, Land Rover North America events manager, says that the schools showcase what a real four-wheeler can do, with skills that can come in handy in a realworld emergency. “For most people, it goes well beyond expectations,” Burns says. “It shows that you can get into a lot more difficult terrain than you imagined, and get home from it.” Just in time for that spa treatment.

Biltmore Estate, Asheville, NC

Location Carmel, Calif.; Montebello, Quebec; Asheville, N.C.; and Manchester Village, Vt.

Price From $250 for a onehour introduction to about $1,200 a day for custom individual lessons

Contact landrover.com, 828.225.1541

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Calling All Drivers Lambo owners from the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Brazil joined the 2012 Giro.

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50 Years Next year's Giro will be a 750-mile tour of Italy in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the company.

GIRO LAMBORGHINI The Giro Lamborghini—a “giro” is a race or tour that takes place in stages—began in 2006, with drivers of these bravura Italian sports cars heading from places such as Napa Valley and the Rocky Mountains. During this past summer’s four-night road tour, 29 owners and their partners—yes, you need to bring your own Lambo—cruised the Colorado countryside, relaxing at great restaurants and lodgings in Telluride, Snowmass and Denver. This improbable, Crayola-hued convoy included Lamborghini’s latest fighting bull: The $387,000 Aventador, the brand’s 700-horsepower, 217-MPH flagship. The first-ever East Coast Giro, charting a course from Lake George, New York, to Boston, is scheduled for early October 2012. Locations for 2013, a special 50th anniversary tour, will run the length of Italy.

Location Varies Price Est. $6,995 for two people with hotel Contact lamborghini.com, 800.400.1001

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