Princess Seeks a Prince

By Roderick Eime

While it may be an ‘entry level’ superyacht when stacked up against the likes of Roman Abramovich's ‘Eclipse’ or Larry Ellison’s ‘Octopus’, the Princess V85-S is still a ‘whole lotta boat’.

High up on the flying bridge you can still hear the simmering anger of the twin 35 litre MTU V16s deep in the hull. There’s close to 5000 horsepower on tap, just waiting for you to push the throttles forward. Forget Formula One, these kinds of numbers are reserved for top fuel dragsters.

The revolutions build gradually to a satisfying crescendo as the full 60 tonnes of glorious mirror-finished fibreglass and teak thrust forward to a maximum speed of almost 40 knots. Yet, the ride is so smooth, the champagne barely splashes.

This is the kind of unmatched experience delivered by the superlative Princess V85-S. I’d wager even Roman or Larry would be impressed with this level of performance.

The half-century old British marine marque is about as old as the famous James Bond 007 franchise and is part of the massive Paris-based luxury group, LVMH, which includes Moët, Hennessy and Louis Vuitton. While rival British brand, Sunseeker, have stolen the limelight in recent 007 movies, real life villains have taste too. Kim Jung-un was spotted touring his fiefdom in 30m Princess last year.

Princess V85-S saloon

At around 26m length overall, there’s plenty of room inside for the good stuff. Four guests can sleep in two double staterooms and a further four in two twin cabins, all with private facilities. The master stateroom is especially impressive with panoramic hull-side windows, a king-size bed, walk-in wardrobes and a marble en suite with monsoon shower. Just remember to draw the curtains. A crew of four have their own quarters.

The V85-S can be extensively customised. At the top, you can choose between a sun deck with a dining area and sunpads or a three-seat bridge with a helm control station and relaxed U-shape seating. If surveyed for commercial use, the V85-S would accommodate 35 persons comfortably in the saloon and sun deck.

There’s a cavernous garage for water toys, complete with winches that can be filled with Jet Skis, a RIB or diving equipment.

While there will always be a short wait as your personal V85-S is built to order, perfect examples can sometimes be found at the better brokerages. While waiting for her new home, Princess Yachts Australia have dubbed their unchristened V Series simply P1.

At a replacement cost of around $8 million, P1 offers a lot of excitement plus the opportunity to christen her with a more suitable moniker. Priscilla, perhaps?

Princess Yachts Australia

Commissioned for: Robb Report

Bentley: Marque of Success

 

Nothing signals your arrival quite like a Bentley

Easing my bottom into the diamond quilted hide seats is the first installment of my all-sensory introduction to the mighty Bentley Mulsanne. We all remember that ‘new car’ smell from our childhood when we all too willingly assaulted ourselves with the pungent aromas of plastic, vinyl and sundry acrylic sealants. In the Bentley, however, my nasal passages are delicately caressed with nuances of century-old burled walnut and perfumed Scandinavian leather.

To Infiniti and Beyond

Test vehicle: Infiniti FX37 – 3.7L Petrol

Roderick Eime

One year into Nissan's premium brand Australian relaunch and already prices are falling.

The mysterious Infiniti brand of luxury automobile may be familiar to globe-trotting car-spotters as it's reasonably common on the streets of the USA. Remember back in 1989 when a smart new species of luxury limousine appeared on our streets as if out of nowhere? Yes, I'm talking about Lexus. And while the badge never made it to our shores, the sleek and futuristic Acura vehicles materialised on US and Canadian roads about the same time.

It's all about perception. Toyota needed to be taken seriously as a builder of ultra-premium cars and move out of the 'trusted and reliable' headspace of Corolla and Corona. Enter Lexus. Same with Honda. Now Nissan are back in the fray with a relaunch of their own prejudice-busting brand, the big-ticket Infiniti.

“Relaunch?” I hear you ask. Yes, you could be forgiven for forgetting Infiniti's first foray into the Australian market in 1991 when the Q45 full-size V8 luxury sedan was briefly here. It was meant, like Lexus, to go head-to-head with the big German brutes like the Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7-Series, but with a $140,000 price tag, the offensive withered.

Now with Infiniti revisiting the UK market, a range of RHD models became available for export and we now have the G coupe and convertible, the M large sedan and FX mid-sized SUV. The cars all share the 'FM' platform, short for 'front midships' as in use for Skyline and 370Z sportscar.

The futuristic-looking and boldly styled FX SUV is available with a whopping 290kW V8 as well as the more economical 3.7l V6, which we tested on an extensive, sealed road drive out to Mudgee. The low profile tyres and massive 20 x 8.0-inch alloy wheels mean offroad is not really an option for this SUV. That said, the on-demand all-wheel-drive system and 7-speed auto is brilliantly stable and confidence inducing. If you want to bush-bash, get a Nissan Patrol.

The 90-litre petrol tank didn't need refilling, so with careful highway driving, fuel consumption below 10l/100kms is achievable and quite remarkable for a two tonne petrol powered beast. City dwellers, however, can expect closer to 17l/100. The V6 is responsive and zesty with DOHC, variable timing, 4-valve technology putting out a respectable 235kW and 360Nm of caravan-lugging torque.

Some of the driver assisting aids can be a bit hard to get used to with the audible lane guidance a bit like a nagging spouse until you know the secret to disabling it. Otherwise, the interior is immaculate, featuring keyless ignition, supremely comfortable multi-adjusting electric seats with leather trim and oodles of boot space. For the driver, there's a virtual armoury of electronic aids from ABS to advanced traction and dynamic control that tames this beast.

And in a consumer-friendly footnote, Infiniti has just announced substantial price cuts across the range, lopping $7500 off the FX37 pricetag to $76,400.

For details, see www.infiniticars.com.au

Lexus IS350 F Sport in the Yarra Valley

On location in the Yarra Valley for next issue of Lexus Magazine. Print images by Nathan Duff.

Source: Pacific Magazines
Lexus magazine embodies the Lexus brand values of innovation, refinement and excellence in execution. Balancing understatement with aspiration, Lexus magazine offers rich editorial content and award-winning photography which invigorates the mind and feeds the soul. Lexus magazine is stylish, smart and intriguing - in words, design and imagery.

The content of Lexus reflects its reader's lifestyles and interests, encompassing travel, culture, food, technology and more. We introduce readers to the world's most exciting new ideas in design, and interview high achievers from diverse fields who share the Lexus commitment to excellence. Using leading writers and photographers, we create dynamic front covers, captivating content and stunning visuals that engage our readers and sustain their interest. And above all, we inspire, inform and entertain.

Frequency: Tri annual

Circulation: 28,095 (1 October 2011 to 30 September 2012)

Readership: 56,190

Content Target: Lexus owners predominantly aged between 40-59 years

On assignment again for Lexus

Frequency: Tri annual

Circulation: 28,095 (1 October 2011 to 30 September 2012)

Readership: 56,190

Content Target: Lexus owners predominantly aged between 40-59 years