It’s Friday and it’s five o’clock here in London: time to down tools, pour yourself a drink and look back at what A Prodigal Week we’ve just had.
Here’s your bite-sized helping of news and views.
GADGETS
Apple dazzles
Our gadget news this week isn’t a gadget. It’s a gadget shop. But what a shop…
The landmark Tower Theatre in Los Angeles was built in 1927 but has been vacant since 1988. In typical Apple fashion, the iPhone maker has turned it into a visually stunning retail store. Head on over to Gizmodo to view the slideshow.
What I love about Apple’s approach when they take over historic sites like this is how they sensitively mix old with new. Caitlin McGarry violently disagrees but my favourite part is probably the seating for the upper balcony Genius Bar.
Also worth your time
Huawei P50 rumoured: “The P50 will feature two massive camera modules on the back and will ship with Leica branding.”
Microsoft Windows 11 launched: “One of the headline features of the next generation operating system is its visual overhaul.”
Hiccups cured: “Drinking from this special straw promises to cure the hiccups 90% of the time.” A boon to drunkards everywhere.
WATCHES
Arresting Reverso
Some weeks, choosing which news to feature is a challenge. Not this week. This week an innocuous little email from Jaeger-LeCoultre landed in my inbox and I knew instantly it was going to be the star of the show.
These wonderful new summer straps for the Reverso are the result of the long-lasting partnership with the famous Argentinian polo bootmaker Casa Fagliano. They’re available in two sizes to fit all models from the Reverso Classic Medium, Reverso Classic Large and Reverso Tribute collections.
Like all good straps, the canvas designs transform and enrich the character of the watch, playing to its heritage on the polo field and mirroring the look of the leather variants. There are four colours to choose from and they all look sensational.
Also worth your time
Baselworld 2022 announced: “It's now in head-to-head competition with Watches & Wonders.”
Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight Bronze Boutique Edition reviewed: “It’s certainly got that root beer flavour to it. Maybe we should call it the Root Beer Light?”
Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Chronograph revisited: “That the DNA of the Royal Oak has allowed a new species to evolve is something we should have expected; it hasn't been 1972 for a long time.”
CARS
Mid-engined hybrid nirvana
Ferraris should be mid-engined. This is a fact. And it’s one I’ve mostly confirmed by the sight of Tom Selleck skidding his 308 GTS off the grassy verge, then speeding away from the camera, week after week in Magnum P.I.’s opening credits.
So it’s with a special kind of excitement that we should welcome Ferrari putting a hybrid powertrain into its latest mid-engined car, the 296 GTB.
Don’t mistake this V6-powered mid-engined Ferrari for being a junior ‘Dino’-style entry-level model, because with a combined power output of 818bhp and a price point expected to be the thick end of £230,000, it’s anything but. Neither is it a direct F8 replacement, with Ferrari continuing production of the pure V8 model for now.
It’s a joy to watch Ferrari’s move to hybrid power take shape and this is its most compelling manifestation yet.
Also worth your time
992-gen Porsche 911 Carrera GTS revealed: “Goldilocks 911 returns with more power and less weight.”
Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport 45 2021 reviewed: “Hot Golf 8s are getting there, but the GTI Clubsport 45 suffers the same niggles and lapses of judgement as its siblings.”
Mercedes-Benz S-Class’ tech praised: “The automaker seems to be straddling the line between staying true to its roots with the luxury expected by current owners and wooing a younger customer.”
Don’t miss…
🏎 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 >
👨🏻💻 Apple’s keynote at WWDC 2021 was a disappointment to those of us who had convinced ourselves that we would see the new MacBook Pro - but was full of clever, incremental software improvements that are much more than the sum of their parts.
Read the highlights >
🚗 What would you sacrifice for driver involvement? That’s the question we ask in this Persiflage episode. Eric favours driver involvement above all else. I demand some home comforts. Who’s right?
Decide for yourself >
Welcome to the weekend, folks. 🍸