Business

Gain a better understanding of the luxury market. Find out the latest news from the luxury business sectors – openings, launches, financial situations, buyings.

ACJ TwoTwenty Xtra Large Bizjet is the quietest and most eco-friendly aircraft in its category

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    The ACJ TwoTwenty is a clean-sheet design aircraft, based on Airbus’ A220-100, featuring advanced materials and state-of-the-art technologies. ACJ TwoTwenty Xtra Large Bizjet is a new member world’s most modern Corporate Jet family Launched last Autumn, Airbus‘ ACJ TwoTwenty business jet created a whole new market segment called “The Xtra Large Bizjet, addressing … Read more

Aston Martin is pairing supercars with a new range of high-end Swiss watches

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@Aston Martin x @Girard-Perregaux Watches

In the relentless pursuit of speed, time is the overriding concern.

Girard-Perregaux has been announced as Official Watch Partner of luxury British automotive manufacturer Aston Martin. The Swiss Manufacture is one of the oldest names in watchmaking, known for making peerless exemplars of Haute Horlogerie. The two brands will collaborate on upcoming limited-edition timepieces.

The two companies create highly desirable luxury products that are beautifully designed, deliver a powerful performance and exhibit flawless execution.

2021 is an important year for both Girard-Perregaux and Aston Martin. Girard-Perregaux is celebrating an astonishing 230 years of watchmaking, whilst Aston Martin celebrates its return to Formula 1 as a works team for the first time in over 60 years.

“We have much to celebrate so uniting our worlds to create something special is the perfect way to acknowledge and appreciate these milestones.” – Patrick Pruniaux, Girard-Perregaux Chief Executive Officer.

Girard-Perregaux branding will feature on the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team cars at the start of the
2021 F1 season in Bahrain while the first timepiece to be borne from the collaboration between Aston Martin and
Girard-Perregaux will be revealed later this year.

@Aston Martin x @Girard-Perregaux Watches

Both Aston Martin and Girard-Perregaux were founded by visionaries with an innate passion. Aston Martin was founded in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford while Girard-Perregaux can trace its origins to 1791, when Jean-FrançoisBautte, aged just 19, produced his first watch. But most notably, it was a love story which led to the birth of one of the greatest names in watchmaking when Constant Girard married Marie Perregaux in 1854.

The now-legendary Aston Martin DBR1 (1956), a car made for competitive racing, was a precursor for some of themarque’s most well-known heritage ‘DB’ road cars. It was styled in-house by a highly talented designer, Frank Feeley, and represents what is unquestionably his ‘finest hour’ – indeed the shape of the DBR1 remains one of the most beautiful and graceful of all time. Moreover, the design incorporates a key functional attribute – the side air vent – which debuted on this car and remains a key functional and visual characteristic of Aston Martin’s road-going sports cars to this day. This functional element has become a key aesthetic detail that imbues the marque’s models with their distinctive personality. In fact, one glance at an Aston Martin car immediately reveals the identity of its maker.

Similarly, when Girard-Perregaux released its now-famous Tourbillon ‘With Three Gold Bridges’ in 1867, it transformed three functional components, often hidden from view, into attractive aesthetic features. Indeed, with the advent of this watch, the once invisible was deliberately made visible.

“Formula One and Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team in particular will prove themselves to be respectively a fantastic promotional platform and a brilliant marketing partner for Girard-Perregaux, whose timepieces lead the way in terms of quality and desirability.” – Otmar Szafnauer, Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team Chief Executive Officer and Team Principal.

@Girard-Perregaux Watches

Two rival yacht builders form a Joint Venture to rescue the bankrupt Perini Navi

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@perininavi.it

This is an alliance of historic importance for the yachting industry. Ferretti Group and Sanlorenzo form a Joint Venture to rescue Perini Navi, one of the world’s most iconic luxury sailing brands.

Ferretti Group and Sanlorenzo, two rival Italian motoryacht builders, announced the creation of a 50:50 Joint Venture NewCo to take over Perini Navi, declared bankrupt by the Court of Lucca on January 29. Perini Navi is an Italian shipyard based in Viareggio, Tuscany, Italy. Perini Navi‘s largest project to date was the 88m Maltese Falcon for repeat client Tom Perkins. Other owners include Rupert Murdoch, Silvio Berlusconi, Turgay Ciner, Gerhard Andlinger, Larry Ellison, George Economou, Massimo Moratti, Bertram R.C. Rickmers and Kenneth P. Weiss.

In 2021, an Italian court declared Perini Navi bankrupt. It had made a loss of €80.87 million at the end of 2019, and a debt exposure of nearly €100 million by the first quarter of 2020. It employed about 100 employees at the time.

Through the NewCo, world leading players of Italian yachting excellence Ferretti Group and Sanlorenzo have expressed their interest in making an offer to acquire the trademarks, assets and Italian operations of Perini Navi, if necessary with a business unit lease agreement, in order to ensure a swift recovery of production activities and the maintenance of employment levels.

“It is fair to say at this point that the loss of the Perini Navi brand would be a sad day for the superyacht market. However, the strength of the business’ brand, location and portfolio make it a fascinating opportunity for the potential investors and with three major shipyard groups already announcing their interest in the brand, one can assume that this does not signal the end of Perini Navi,” commented superyachtnews.com.

“While the acquisition of Perini Navi’s physical assets perhaps represents the most obvious benefits for the superyacht businesses that are interested in the acquisition, the market would do well to remember the historical strength of Perini Navi’s brand,” added superyachtnews.com.

@perininavi.it

“This is an important day for the Italian yachting industry, for the employees of Perini Navi and for their families, ensuring in this way that their passion, experience and unique skills will continue to be protected. As will the Perini Navi supply chain, which is made up of numerous suppliers who will be reassured and whose peace of mind will be restored by today’s safeguards,” said Ferretti Group CEO Alberto Galassi.

“At Ferretti Group we are always on the lookout for excellence and capabilities to integrate with our own. And often we find them in Italy, as is the case today. We are confident our commitment will translate into further growth that benefits the local area and raises the profile of the Italian yacht industry still further. I would also like to emphasise the historical importance of the alliance with Sanlorenzo, reflecting the new spirit of collaboration sweeping through Italy: a positive broadening of our horizons that will let us seize even more opportunities and deliver even more success”.

“I began my professional career in the yacht industry in Viareggio, in the same place and year in which Perini Navi was starting life a short distance away,” said Sanlorenzo Executive Chairman Massimo Perotti.

“That was back in 1983 and since then I’ve always had great admiration for the business model adopted by this remarkable brand: boats with outstanding qualities, built exclusively to order for a limited number of expert owners and connoisseurs. These are the same unique features I found years later in Sanlorenzo. Because of these similarities and with a strong determination to rescue an Italian brand with an unparalleled history, in the interests of the local area, all stakeholders and first and foremost employees and suppliers, I have from the outset confirmed the willingness of Sanlorenzo to contribute to the brand’s relaunch. Today I am pleased to be able to do so jointly with Ferretti Group. It is an alliance of historic importance for our industry, one which I am convinced will continue to develop and set an example for other initiatives aimed at strengthening our world leadership in this sector”.

perininavi.it

Bombardier will stop manufacturing the iconic Learjet aircraft brand

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    The Learjet aircraft brand will end production at the end of 2021. Bombardier announced it will end production of Learjet aircraft later this year, allowing the aviation company to focus on its more profitable Challenger and Global aircraft families and accelerate the expansion of its customer services business. Bombardier’s 2020 revenues from Business … Read more

Meet the 671 bhp 2022 Artura – The High-Performance Hybrid Supercar from McLaren

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@2022 McLaren Artura hybrid supercar

McLaren unveiled all-new, next-generation High-Performance Hybrid supercar – the McLaren Artura.

The McLaren Artura is the first model built on the new McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture (MCLA), which sets new standards for advanced and flexible chassis design and has been optimised for hybrid applications through bespoke battery compartment, domain-based ethernet electrical architecture, as well as electrical air-conditioning. The new McLaren platform compliments a wealth of additional weight-reduction measures, resulting in class-leading lightest dry weight of 1,395kg*, and a DIN kerb weight of 1,489kg*.

At the heart of the Artura’s all-new powertrain is a lightweight 2,993cc twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine, paired to a bespoke eight-speed transmission and a compact e-motor, which provides the supercar with instant torque and improved throttle response. The package generates a combined power output of 680PS (671 bhp) and 720S Nm of torque, which translates to a class-leading power-to-weight ratio of 488PS per tonne*, as well as truly breath-taking performance figures. The Artura’s top speed is electronically limited to 330km/h with 0-100km/h reached in just 3.0 seconds* and 0-200 km/h in 8.3 seconds*.

The Artura is designed with full Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) capability and can be charged to an 80% level in just 2.5 hours. The battery pack, comprising five lithium-ion modules, can also harvest power from the combustion engine during driving, depending on the driving mode selected. This solution provides the driver with a unique ability to enjoy the car in silent, pure EV mode with a range of up to 30km and a top speed of 130km/h.

The engineering artistry beneath the Artura’s skin is complemented by its exterior design, which gives the car a ‘shrink- wrapped’ appearance and pushes the McLaren design language seen in recent models to a new level. The technical sculpture of the car has been conceived to optimise aerodynamic performance, as well as cooling, and is driven by the McLaren design principle of ‘everything for a reason’.

@2022 McLaren Artura hybrid supercar

Every McLaren cockpit is built around the driver, but the Artura brings a new level of meaning to that principle.

The driving experience is enhanced through a new Digital Instrument Cluster mounted to the steering column, so it moves in conjunction with the steering wheel. The Artura is also the first McLaren to offer Over-The-Air (OTA) updates, as well as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), which include Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop/Go, Road- Sign Recognition, Lane-Departure Warning and High-Beam Assist.

Peace of mind on quality and durability were core considerations with the all-new Artura and it is no surprise that its development programme was the most rigorous ever in McLaren’s history. Available to order now from McLaren retailers, with first deliveries to customers commencing in Q3 of this year, the Artura is priced at AED 954,000 in the UAE/ 2 60 000 United States Dollar , and in standard specification, which includes a 3-year service plan, Smartphone Integration Package and Practicality Pack as a no cost option. This pack includes Vehicle Lift, power-folding heated door mirrors with ‘Dip in Reverse’ functionality, four front and four rear parking sensors, rear-view camera, Homelink and soft- close doors.

@2022 McLaren Artura hybrid supercar

McLaren Automotive announced membership of luxury body Walpole

The supercar maker announced it has joined the membership of Walpole, the British luxury representative body, taking its place alongside leading British brands such as Burberry, Fortnum & Mason and Claridge’s.

Joining Walpole, whose mission is to promote and enhance the British luxury sector across the world, will help to reinforce McLaren’s luxury brand positioning, which is based on its pioneering technology, innovative design, the powerful performance of its supercars and a luxurious ownership experience.

As a member of Walpole, McLaren is also able to link into Walpole’s extensive global luxury network. This includes the European Cultural and Creative Industries Alliance (ECCIA), the European high-end and luxury industries’ association of which Walpole was a founding member.

ECCIA is composed of six European high-end cultural and creative industries organisations – Altagamma (Italy), Circulo Fortuny (Spain), Comité Colbert (France), Gustav III Committee (Sweden), Meisterkreis (Germany) and Walpole (UK) – who between them represent over 600 high-end and luxury brands and luxury groups including Kering and LVMH.

@2022 McLaren Artura hybrid supercar
@2022 McLaren Artura hybrid supercar

Alt-Meat market expanded with high-quality plant-based meat products

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  Investors seek to find disruptive technology in industries that can bring real happiness to people and make the world a better place. The fast-growing alternative meat sector is one such industry, but there is currently a gap in its ability to meet the needs of people who still want to eat traditional meat. Last … Read more