INTO GEAR

Into Gear has been parked

2007-01-23T07:48:00.000+02:00

This blog has been parked. What does that mean? You are welcome to read the entries already posted, but no new entries are being posted to this site at this time.

I've moved over to Autoblog, the authoritative source for automotive news on the internet. Into Gear was created in part as a demonstration blog. If you aren't familiar with Autoblog, you're not serious about cars. But don't worry, it's never too late. If you're interested in reading my writing specifically, I'm flattered...you can check out my most recent submissions at www.autoblog.com/bloggers/noah-joseph.

Thanks for visiting!

Schumacher's choice: Omega Speedster

2006-09-11T02:07:00.000+03:00

This week’s featured watch pays homage to today’s grand prix winner, the all-conquering seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher. Schumi this week announced his retirement at the end of the season, bringing the most successful racing career in history to an end. His dramatic announcement came upon his victory on Ferrari’s home turf at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

Unlike his team-mate Filipe Massa, who wears a flashy Richard Mille, Schumacher sports a classic: the Omega Speedster.

The Speedmaster Michael Schumacher "The Legend" Collection features a Swiss automatic movement with chronograph and tachymeter, a stainless steel bracelet and case, and can be had with either a white, black or red face.

The Speedster is a timeless classic which, incidentally, has also been worn by US astronauts since the start of the space program, and is the only watch ever worn on the moon.

Congratulations go out to Michael on his record 90th win and on the most extraordinary career in motorsport history. This weekend's win narrows defending champion Fernando Alonso's lead down to two points as Michael drives towards his 8th (and final) world championship. Michael will surely be missed as Formula One heads into what can only be described as (the lingering of his far less accompished brother Ralf notwithstanding) the post-Schumacher era.

For more information, visit Omega.com

Ferrari Store opens in Venice

2006-09-09T21:40:00.000+03:00

Ferrari’s marketing reach has extended further yet with the opening their store in Venice, just off the Piazza San Marco. The twelfth Ferrari Store worldwide (the ninth in Italy) had its ribbon cut this past week amid tremendous fanfare, featuring Scuderia superstars Michael Schumacher and Felipe Massa and Venetian mayor Massimo Cacciari.

The 170-square-meter store will offer over 1500 items divided into five sections: Fans, Luxury, Vintage, Children and Editorial, as well as an F2002 Formula 1 racecar on display, which was ferried up the Grand Canal in June. The store was designed to fit in with the unique architecture of the city, and features “experimental techniques and materials” to prevent damage from flood tides – a constant problem in the city gridded with canals.

To celebrate the store’s opening, Ferrari displayed two classic road cars in the Piazza: a 1957 250 GT Tour de France and a 1953 500 Mondial Sport.

Ferrari announced that the new Venice location will be joined by a further forty locations to be opened over the next five years in Europe, the Americas and the Far East.

No word on whether deliveries might be made through the canals in the 1989 Riva 32’ Ferrari speedboat (or for that matter what kind of blinds the storefront will employ.)

Source: Italiaspeed.com

Ferrari sat-nav by Becker

2006-09-08T10:57:00.000+03:00

The latest in the long line of Ferrari-licensed gadgetry – which has included laptop computers, phones, cameras, alarm clocks and much, much more – is the Becker Travel Assist 7929 GPS. This sat-nav unit features a Ferrari-red paintjob, as well as voice guidance, a jumbo 4-inch touchscreen display, an SD card slot (with a 2GB card included) and music-playing capabilities. Retail price in the European market is €613.60.

Like the Porsche Design GPS we covered earlier, the Ferrari Becker unit imbues some sportscar excitement in an attempt to differentiate itself in a crowded sat-nav market. If it appeals to you, it’s done its job. (Also good for finding gas stations, which you’ll need frequently if you’re driving an actual Ferrari.)

Source: Gizmodo and Autoblog

Stay tuned for entries on more Ferrari-licensed products.

Mini fridge by Smeg

2006-09-08T10:53:00.000+03:00

This isn’t the kind of mini fridge you’ll find in your hotel room. (If it is, I’ve been staying at the wrong hotels!) Italian designer appliance company Smeg has partnered with BMW’s Mini brand to make the FAB28MCS, a sleek refrigerator styled like the Mini Cooper S. Featuring a laser blue paint job with white bonnet stripes, the Mini fridge will be produced in a very limited edition of 250 pieces.

No word on pricing, but for additional photos and the full text of the Italian press release, go to Autoblog.

Koenigsegg laptop

2006-09-07T02:09:00.000+03:00

200-mph top end. Mid-engine layout. Curvaceous styling. Branded laptop? The list of supercar criteria seems to be growing in a peculiar direction. Lamborghini has one, Ferrari has two, and now Swedish sportscar manufacturer Koenigsegg has theirs. Unfortunately, unlike the pulse-quickening car that bears the name, the Koenigsegg laptop is nothing special.

Rather than license the name to a major computer company as both Ferrari and Lamborghini have done, Koenigsegg have opted instead to have theirs made for them by a no-name manufacturer and label them exclusively as their own. The spec sheet is nothing special, either. And the styling comes down to an oversized emblem on the lid, which is itself less than inspiring. Still, I suppose, if you’re going to buy the car, might as well have the computer to match.

This trend leaves one to wonder which carmaker will debut their own branded laptop next. A Dell Viper, perhaps? Sony Vaio Porsche? Panasonic sponsors the Toyota F1 team…maybe it’s just a matter of time. Stay tuned.

Source: Sybarites via Autoblog.
For more information, visit the Koenigsegg online store.

Porsche Design smoking accessories

2006-09-04T12:18:00.000+03:00

If you’re a cigar aficionado looking for better-handing smoking kit than Dunhill’s Maybach smoker’s set, Porsche Design might have the answer for you with this sleek pocket cigar case. The handmade cases are made from carbon fiber, bonded with “engineering adhesives” to its wooden core, protecting your Cubans better than an ordinary leather case. Available in Robusto, Churchill and Corona sizes, the case for two Churchills sells for $425.

If pipe tobacco is more your thing, the Porsche Design 909 pipe puts a modern twist on a traditional piece, with contemporary lines and updated materials. Made from briar wood with an acrylic mouthpiece and stainless steel accents, the pipe features a bowl reminiscent of a gearshift stalk and retails for $300.

Porsche Design offers a full line of smoking accessories, including pipes, pipe tools, lighters and carbon fiber humidors. Visit PorscheDesign.com for more information.
Source: Uncrate

Pirelli sneakers

2006-08-31T01:06:00.000+03:00

Adding tire-tread rubber to consumer products has quickly become a sporty new direction for many exclusive purveyors of bespoke clothing and accessories. Examples include the Chopard Mille Miglia timepieces, whose wrist-strap mimics vintage Dunlop racing tires; high-end mobile phone brand Vertu’s exclusive Racetrack Legends series, on which tire rubber replaces leather trim; and Pirelli’s line of high-end clothing, accessories and watches.

As we’ve previously reported, Pirelli has earned a reputation in Europe for more than just making tires, with the Italian company’s name attached to films, exclusive supermodel calendars and a full fashion line. Pirelli’s sneakers make for high-octane, stylish alternatives to run-of-the-mill Pumas or Nikes. As with the partnership between Adidas and Goodyear, Pirelli shoes feature tire-tread rubber soles. But while the Adidas retain the classic athletic style common to their entire line, Pirelli’s employ high-performance textiles and exotic kangaroo leather for a look and feel more along the lines of Prada Sport, but with a motoring edge. A narrow footprint makes these great driving shoes, as well, allowing for easy heel-and-toe pedal work.

For the full line, visit PZeroWeb.com

Toyota to release cellphone

2006-08-31T01:03:00.000+03:00

It may not be in the same league as Vertu's Racetrack Legends series, but Toyota is reportedly preparing to launch its own cell-phone. The handset is being developed for the Japanese market together with KDDI, the telecom company of which Toyota controls 11%. The phone will be built by Toshiba and feature Bluetooth integration with car systems including satellite navigation and emergency assistance.

Source: Reuters via Autoblog

Felipe Massa’s watch by Richard Mille

2006-08-28T00:02:00.000+03:00

In honor of Scuderia Ferrari driver Felipe Massa’s first F1 victory today at the Turkish Grand Prix, we bring you his timepiece: the Richard Mille RM005 Felipe Massa Titanium.

The construction makes extensive use of titanium, making the watch as light as aluminum yet strong as steel. The automatic movement is visible through the face, and the watch features the Brazilian national colors, green and yellow. Produced in a limited edition of only 300, the watch sells for more than $50,000.

Other versions include the RM009-FM, made of Aluminum Silicium-Carbide with a manual tourbillon movement, and the automatic RM005-FM Platinum.

Congratulations to Felipe for confounding expectations all season and for this win especially.

Richard Mille has been sponsoring Felipe’s racing career for several years.
For full details, visit RichardMille.com

Rearview Mirror on the Wall

2006-08-27T23:05:00.000+03:00

Ever wish you had a giant novelty rearview mirror inside your home? Yeah, me neither. But if the idea is tickling your proverbial fancy, the gift shop at New York’s MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) is offering a three-foot convex mirror, modeled after a car’s rearview mirror, that swivels 360º on its wall bracket. Yours for only $630 ($567 for museum members).

Visit MoMAstore for more information.
Source: Luxist.com

Paul Reed Smith Corvette guitar

2006-08-27T02:13:00.000+03:00

No car has screamed "rock n' roll" throughout the ages like the Corvette. Legendary guitar-maker Paul Reed Smith bridges the divide with its Corvette Standard 22 guitar, inspired by the sharp-as-Hendrix Chevrolet Corvette Z06.

The body features the iconic double-flag Corvette logo, and the option of either the Z06 insignia or 427, denoting the cubic-inch displacement of Corvette's engine, inlayed on the mahogany and redwood fretboard.

This very limited edition axe comes in shades like Victory Red, LeMans Blue and Daytona Sunset Orange - the same colors as the Corvette itself, and retails in the UK for £2500.

Visit PRSGuitars.com for more information.

Asus-Lamborghini VX1 laptop

2006-08-25T05:39:00.000+03:00

Last week computer manufacturer Asus and exotic supercar creator Lamborghini took the wraps off their lovechild: the Asus-Lamborghini VX1 laptop. The slick new notebook was unveiled at the 2006 Concorso Italiano in Monterey Bay, California on August 18.

The computer is available in mirror black finish or in bright yellow and is a slender 1.2 inches thick. The VX1 uses Intel’s latest dual-core T2500 2.0GHz processor. Other features include 1GB of RAM, a 120GB hard-drive, wireless a/b/g and Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity, DVD+R dual-layer optical drive and a 15-inch screen.

Looks like the Acer-Ferrari collaboration is no longer the only Italian sportscar-inspired laptop on the block, but with this raging bull retailing at nearly three thousand dollars, the prancing horse remains the better deal with its equally-impressive spec sheet and head-turning looks.

Now if we could just get The Stig to test them each…

PC Magazine gave the VX1 3.5/5 in their review.
For more information, visit the official product site.

The Tire Ring

2006-08-23T21:54:00.000+03:00

Find the classic wedding band too stodgy? Looking for something with a bit more grip? Look not further than the Tire Ring from Brian Bergeron Designs. Available in a variety of tread designs (based on the tires on cars, motorcycles and mountain bikes), the tire ring is available in silver, 14- or 18-karat gold or platinum. Prices (for the car tire model) range from as low as $93.50 to over $5000 (depending on the size and precious metal selected).

Kinda puts the “don’t tread on me” motto into new perspective, doesn’t it?

Visit tirerings.com for more information.

Ginity carbon fiber cap

2006-08-23T21:36:00.000+03:00

Carbon fiber – that most intricate and most costly of automotive and aerospace construction materials – has been finding its way into all sorts of products. Ginity enters the fray by applying the technology for unique uses.

The Ginity baseball cap features a visor made of carbon fiber, giving it a unique look and enduring form. The ball cap itself is made of a sueded-finish textile, available in a variety of colors to compliment the carbon fiber brim. (The visor is also available in gold- or silver-weave design.) The carbon fiber cap sells for €115.

Also on offer from Ginity are carbon fiber business and membership cards, which can imbue your company with a high-tech and exclusive image (for a price).

For more information or for orders, visit Ginity.com
Source: Luxist.com

The Seven watch

2006-08-20T03:25:00.000+03:00

The Seven watch is dedicated to Danish racing driver Tom Kristiensen, who was born on 7/7, has won seven races, and frequently drives under the number 7.

The €1980 watch by Rosendahl Design is constructed from titanium and carbon fiber and will be produced in a series of…you guessed it: 777.

See Rosendahl.dk for more information.
Source: Luxist.com

The Ultimate F1 simulator

2006-08-20T03:05:00.000+03:00

Video gaming consoles provide increasingly realistic driving experiences, to the point that F1 drivers have been known to practice for new tracks using their PlayStations. With the impending launch of the PlayStation 3, the battle over the best gaming console is still to be waged for some time to come. Meanwhile, the title for best racing accessory surely goes to this replica Ferrari F2004 Formula 1 race car, just like the one Schumacher drove last year.

The full-size model features fiberglass construction and all the trimmings, including quick-release steering wheel with shift paddles, racing seat with harness, brake and accelerator pedals…all hooked up for use with your PlayStation. It even includes jacks under the wheels to simulate a realistic pit-stop.

The car cost just under £30,000 and is available to rent for parties and corporate events in the UK.

See redracingcar.com for more information. Source: TopGear.com

Breitling for Bentley Flying B timepiece

2006-08-17T04:12:00.000+03:00

Of all the watchmaker-automaker partnerships, arguably none are as fitting as the Breitling for Bentley series. Both marques represent old-world craftsmanship melded with contemporary design, the very epitome of luxury and exclusivity, classic yet muscular styling, and of course, a winged-B emblem.

The newest addition to the series is their first rectangular timepiece: the Flying B. And it’s a real stunner.

The dominant pattern is the exquisite knurled metal featured on Bentley instrumentation. What makes the Flying B truly unique, however, is the hour hand. Or rather, the lack of an hour hand. The face features two dials and a number window. The main dial displays minutes, the smaller dial below it indicates the seconds, and the hour is shown at twelve-o’clock in a large, prominent window (like those usually used for the date). This configuration takes an already beautiful timepiece and makes it all the more unique.

The case is made from either steel or gold (white or rose) and can be matched to either the metal-link “Speed bracelet” or leather strap with a contrasting top-stitch.

As stunning as the watch looks in the pictures, like all the items in the Breitling for Bentley collection, it’s all the more dazzling up close.

Visit breitlingforbentley.com for more details on the entire collection.

Maybach Smoker Set and Tourbillon

2006-08-06T18:26:00.000+03:00

Something to go with your Maybach, sir?

In case it wasn’t enough to own and drive (or be driven in) a Maybach – the super-luxe upscale brand from Mercedes-Benz – you can now smoke a stogie and tell time with a Maybach, too.

Dunhill, purveyors of bespoke luxury items, presents the Maybach Smoker Set. The set comes complete with a portable leather-trimmed humidor, lighter and a one-handed cigar cutter (ideal when you want to keep one hand on the wheel, or holding your Wall Street Journal).

Meanwhile, rivaling the Parmigiani Fleurier’s Bugatti watch in exclusivity at the very upper end of the automotive watch field is the Maybach Tourbillon by Wilhelm Reiber. The tourbillon, of course, is a “grand complication” watch movement that rotates the entire mechanism within the case (in some cases itself serving as the second hand by completing one revolution each sixty seconds). Only twelve Maybach Tourbillon watches were produced, which (in all likelihood) have probably already been spoken for.

Visit the Maybach website for more information on the Maybach cars and watch.
Stay tuned for future features on Dunhill motoring accessories.
Source information furnished by Luxist and Sybarites.org.

Porsche Design GPS navigation system

2006-08-03T11:19:00.000+03:00

Porsche Design, the Austrian design house associated with the German sportscar manufacturer, is releasing a new sat-nav system. The über-slick device features Mobile Navigator 6 software by Navigon, a 480 x 272 pixel touch-screen and an Intel XScale 520MHz processor.

In addition to making fast cars, with this gadget, Porsche is keeping its customers from getting lost – now the design-conscious have no excuse for showing up “fashionably late”. (Personally, I'd use it to find the nearest tunnel just to hear that fabled Porsche exhaust note resonate.)

The Porsche Navigon P9611 GPS is sure to look at home on the dashboard of your new 911 Turbo or *shudder* Cayenne SUV.

Information provided by Autoblog and Gizmodo.
Watch this space for future reviews of other products from Porsche Design.

The Driving Watch

2006-08-01T17:22:00.000+03:00

One of the most intriguing and bizarre of driving accessories has to be the driving watch.

Here I’m not refering to the beautiful collaborations between such marques as Bentley and Breitling, Ferrari and Panerai (or Girard-Perregaux before them) or Jaeger-LeCoultre for Aston Martin, but rather the unique and rare transverse timepiece, with the face displayed on the side for easy viewing while driving. (If you’re having trouble imagining it, put your hands out as if holding a steering wheel, then try to read your watch without moving your hand off the wheel.)

Parmigiani Fleurier Bugatti 370

In 2005, ultra-exclusive carmaker Bugatti and Swiss horlogère Parmigiani Fleurier released a timepiece as extraordinary as the Veyron supercar which it’s designed to compliment. The Parmigiani Fleurier Bugatti Type 370 (pictured at right) features an entirely original specially-designed manual movement arranged in a cylinder, rumored to have taken as long to develop as the Veyron itself. The movement is fully visible through the glass and 18-karat gold case, so you can watch the gears moving and the 10-day power-reserve indicator. Only 150 will be made (50 in each of three colors), with the first one reportedly going to design icon (and renowned car collector) Ralph Lauren.

LP Statosphere

If you like the idea of a sideways-mounted driving watch, but don’t have the $200,000 to spend on the Bugatti watch, then let me call your attention to another new release: the LP Stratosphere.

Instead of the intricate manual-winding movement of the Bugatti watch, the LP Stratosphere features a Swiss quartz movement encased in Italian stainless steel. LP offers a number of different face configurations and either a leather strap (in various colors with striking top-stitching) or now with a rubber strap (featuring similar tire-tread pattern to the Chopard Mille Miglia series).

Aside from the angled face that facilitates use while driving, the LP Stratosphere adds another notch of automotive pedigree with their sponsorship of Risi Competizione, the heralded team fielding the highly-successful Ferrari F430GT in the 2006 American LeMans Series.

Online timepiece merchants Tourneau sell an array of LP Stratosphere models ranging from about $1300 to $3000, which makes it an exclusive timepiece, to be sure, but a far cry from its $200,000 Bugatti counterpart.

More pictures of the Parmigiani Fleurier Bugatti Type 370 are available at La Côte Des Montres.
For more information on the LP Stratosphere, visit www.lpitaly.com.

Stay tuned for future features on other automotive timepieces.

Spyker/Koga-Miyata Aeroblade bicycle

2006-07-23T04:39:00.000+03:00

Dutch carmaker Spyker produces some of the most unique vehicles on the market (their creative designs, some might say, more appreciated after a visit to Amsterdam). The Spyker C8 exotic sportscar line is exceeded in its uniqueness only by the upcoming D12 Peking-to-Paris “super sport utility vehicle”.

Spyker has now teamed up with Koga-Miyata to produce the Aeroblade, an astonishing creation of aluminum, titanium and carbon composites. The breathtaking cycles feature Spyker’s racing colors, are built-to-order in a limited edition of only fifty, and cost 12,500 euros.

I inherited a Koga Miyata from my uncle when he couldn’t use it any more, and can only assume the Aeroblade will ride just as smooth.

For additional photos and more information, go to Classic Driver or the Koga-Miyata website.

New Acer Ferrari 1000 & 5000 notebooks

2006-07-17T23:58:00.000+03:00

The newest products of the collaboration between Acer and Ferrari are set to hit the market at the end of the month. This time around, Acer decided to go with two parallel models: the 5000 desktop replacement with a 15.4” widescreen display, and the 1000 ultra-portable with a 12.1” display. The new Acer Ferrari notebooks are set to be among the first on the market to utilize the new AMD Terion dual-core 64-bit processor.

The new laptops feature a slick carbon-fiber case with the Ferrari logo and red stripe. The 5000 comes packed with all the latest features, including a 160GB hard-drive, trick slot-loading HD-DVD optical drive, wireless a/b/g, Bluetooth 2.0, multi-format memory-card reader, and bundled VoIP phone. Meanwhile the Acer Ferrari 1000 itself packs an impressive features list into a compact 3.7- pound package.

The new models replace the 4000-series currently on the market, which in turn replaced the 3000-series. Some dismiss the Acer-Ferrari collaboration as a mere sales gimmick, but my experience has been otherwise: I’m writing this entry, like every other, from my Acer Ferrari 3200, which I acquired two years ago, having found its impressive features list a good value and the overall package a unique purchase. My experience has been a good one, and it turns heads like nothing else on the market (which can, mind you, be a liability).

The Acer Ferrari line has been around longer than the Asus Lamborghini or the Itronix HUMMER, and in my humble opinion, presents a better package.

Read the Acer press release at Rideroom, or view more pictures at LaptopLogic.com.

The Formula 1 Collection

2006-07-17T04:08:00.000+03:00

While NASCAR has long been simultaneously promoting their identity and capitalizing on it through merchandizing, Formula 1 was missing the boat. The newly-launched Formula 1 Collection seeks to rectify the situation with a new line of merchandise, available exclusively online at formula1.com.

The collection is neatly divided into four lines by their construction: Cotton (t-shirts, polos, caps), Carbon (watches, mousepads, keychains), Leather (wallets, portfolios, photo frames), and Other (stationary, DVDs). The items on offer in this initial collection are tastefully designed with a discreet F1 logo and are by-and-large quietly understated. And while that’s a welcome approach amidst team merchandise that’s often loud and overstated, it doesn’t quite match the image of F1 racing.

Some of the products in the collections are quite run-of-the-mill, like the t-shirts and notepads. Others are completely pointless, like a carbon fiber mouse-pad. (When was the last time you used a mouse-pad?) Some are quite unique, like the Swarovsky crystal-embedded logo caps. The collection also includes some of the more mundane timepieces from the officially-licensed (and ironically-named) Jacques LeMans Formula 1 Collection, whose carbon fiber face notwithstanding, don’t seem like anything special (the full collection can be seen at Jacques-LeMans.com).

The entire collection seems to be built around the F1 logo, which is a nice enough design, but it hardly sends me searching for my wallet. All in all, although there are some interesting items, I struggle to find much in the collection that I’d actually want to buy. It is a nice enough collection to keep me watching for the next, though, in the hope that maybe they’ll offer something irresistible enough to separate me from my hard-earned cash.

See the entire F1 Collection at f1store.formula1.com.

Vertu Ascent Racetrack Legends phones

2006-07-16T02:21:00.000+03:00

Even among the sleekest cell-phones on the market, Vertu stands out. Nokia's ultra-premium brand features artful design, high-tech construction and premium materials.

Vertu handsets are made from a special alloy called "liquidmetal" (purportedly developed for NASA), surgical-grade steel, silicon-padded top-stitched leather, sapphire crystal displays, and a scratch-resistant keypad supported by ruby bearings.

As it is – although I've personally never seen one up close – the Vertu Ascent (one of two lines offered, along with the slender Signature model) strikes me as one of the slickest gizmos money can buy. And in this case, it’s a lot of money, retailing in the neighborhood of $5000. (That's not a typo.)

Now imagine boosting the octane. The limited-production Racetrack Legends series is a gear-head's dreamphone. The special edition Ascent features rubber trim with a tire-tread pattern (instead of leather), a number plate and a laser-etched racetrack layout on the battery cover.

Six models are to be built in the series, each limited-production run of 1000 paying homage to a different race track. Only the first two are currently available: Monza (in red) and Silverstone (green), matching the track to its country's historical national racing color. (I'd speculate Belgium's Spa-Francorchamps in yellow, the Nurburgring in silver, and either Magny-Cours or Le Mans in French racing blue might be next in the series.)

The entire Ascent line hosts the usual barrage of features including GSM tri-band connection, Bluetooth, PC synchronization and all the rest. While you might expect that a $5000 phone would also include a camera and an MP3 player, there's something to be said for purity of purpose and design. (Especially when compared to my Motorola MPx220 that does everything, but nothing well.)

Visit Vertu.com for a closer look.

Pirelli PZero timepieces

2006-07-07T02:54:00.000+03:00

In North America, Pirelli is another tire manufacturer, in the same vein as Goodyear, Bridgestone, or Michelin. In Europe, however, the Pirelli name means a great deal more. Pirelli produces such short films as The Call, starring John Malkovitch and Naomi Campbell, and directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Tears of the Sun). Pirelli's exclusive calendar each year features some of the world's most beautiful models in the most dramatic shots. And Pirelli offers a line of chic clothing, shoes and accessories (comparable to Prada, only more car-oriented than sailing).

In our very first article, Into Gear looks at what could very well be the most stylish car watch on the market today, part of the Pirelli PZero collection.

Made for Pirelli by the Swiss/Italian watchmakers Sector, the PZero watches feature a case constructed from stainless steel and titanium. However the most striking feature is the band, made from vulcanized rubber and formed into a unique tire-tread pattern, split in the top portion, coming together below a polished metal bar, and closing at the back with a steel “butterfly” clasp, the type normally seen on leather-band watches much farther upscale. The sapphire crystal features anti-glare coating on both sides.

The collection features a range of different models, featuring quartz, mechanical, chronograph and multifunction “Anadigit” Swiss movements. The watches can be had in a number of colors, including red, orange, yellow, blue and white, but the basic black is the truest to the tire-tread motif. Online watch merchants Tourneau.com (for example) sell the quartz chronograph at $690 and the Anadigit model for $790.

I was fortunate enough to acquire one for myself from a retailer in Belgium. The unique strap proved difficult to adjust (it took a professional watch repairman the better part of an afternoon to figure out, and then I had to send it in for service to get it done properly). The grief is well worth it, though, for one of the most striking watches on the market, at any price point.

Watch this space for future reviews of other items from the Pirelli PZero collection. For more information, visit http://www.pzeroweb.com/.

Introducing INTO GEAR

2006-07-05T23:54:00.001+03:00

Welcome to Into Gear! Here you'll find new articles on all sorts of gear related to cars, including watches, jackets, scale models, driving shoes, automotive-inspired electronics...the works! Everything short of the cars themselves - there's already plenty of quality car blogs out there (Autoblog and ItaliaSpeed are a couple of my favorites).

What criteria determines what is featured on these pages? Simply put, I go by what appeals to me. Meanwhile your comments and suggestions are most welcome, and I hope this blog will continue to grow as a result.

Stop by often, check for new entries, and shift into gear.