It’s Friday. It’s five o’clock in London. That means it’s time to down tools, pour yourself a drink and look back at what A Prodigal Week it has been.
Glass in hand? Let me offer you some canapés of news and views. But first…
If this doesn’t get you back to the cinema, nothing will.
WATCHES
Guilty pleasure
Omega’s PloProf has long been a guilty pleasure of mine, something I admired from afar but couldn’t ever quite bring myself to seriously think about buying. This week, Fratello released a video that had me thinking about it all over again.
It’s a convincing take on why this gargantuan, ungainly beast of a watch could actually be your daily wearer. Head on over to watch RJ Broer lay it all out.
Also worth your time
Seiko SRQ029 taken for a drive: “Seiko hides Grand Seiko-quality watches right in their core lineup and generally keeps quiet about it.”
MeisterSinger Perigraph Mellow Yellow Limited Edition reviewed: “You need to have a little bit of that ‘Idgaf’ attitude to pull this one off.”
CARS
A drive down memory lane
Strictly speaking, this isn’t news. Evo’s excellent retrospective on the Honda S2000 was actually published back in December 2020 but I came across it this week so that’s good enough for me. I’m flagging it to you because I actually owned an S2000 when they were still in Honda showrooms and….dear reader…to this day, this is the best car I’ve ever owned. And it’s up against some very fast Audi estates, an Alfa GTV and a Golf R for that title.
The rev-happy engine (more like a motorcycle than a car), the tail that was so easy to kick out on a roundabout, the bonkers digital dash before anyone else did digital dashes, the S2000 was just an absolutely enormous amount of fun. But it was also a Honda: completely reliable, affordable to run and tended to fly under the radar.
I loved it. And Doug DeMuro agrees…
Also worth your time
Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid Odyssean Edition revealed: “Limited to around 300 units, it will feature the standard powertrain from the new hybrid, with a 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V6 mated to a 134bhp electric motor for an output of 536bhp and 553lb ft, a 0-62mph time of 4.1sec, a top speed of 177mph and an EV-only range of around 25 miles.”
Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT 2021 reviewed: “It’s the most extreme Cayenne Porsche has ever made, and thanks to the GT department it’s also the best.”
GADGETS
Fancy a chat?
As Engadget reports this week, Twitter continues to improve its Spaces product. And that got me thinking. Would you enjoy a weekly live Prodigal Persiflage room in which we get together to discuss the week’s news?
We’re keen to know whether it not you would join and, if so, what time and which platform (I’m a Twitter fan but we could do Clubhouse if you really insist) you’d prefer.
Leave a comment or hit Reply and let us know what you think.
Also worth your time
Samsung’s new foldable phones teased: “The next-gen Z Fold and Z Flip phones should feature better durability than previous models. And rumors say the handset will deliver IPX8 water resistance.”
Facebook’s next hardware launch confirmed: “A stepping stone ‘towards full augmented reality glasses,’ says Mark Zuckerberg.”
Samsung HW-Q950A sound bar reviewed: “This flagship Dolby Atmos soundbar brings movie-theater-like sound to your living room, no speaker cables required.
Don’t miss…
🙌🏻 The return of Talking Hands. That’s right, it’s back. We found an unpublished episode on the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo recorded way back in 2015.
Watch the best watch review show on the inter webs >
👀 A glimpse inside the watch industry with Robin Swithinbank. It’s a first for Persiflage: in this episode we have a guest, one who actually knows what he’s talking about. Which brands are responding well to digital? Should authorised dealers be worried? Who are the standout execs? What happens next?
Join us to find out >
🏎 Do you have to be mad to take your car on a race track? Eric and I go head to head on this in a new episode of Persiflage. I point out all of the risks, he cares only for the rewards.
Have a listen >
Welcome to the weekend, folks. 🍸