Jalopnik: swarovski

Jo Jo Dancer, Your $2,500 Crystal-Covered Lambo Model Is Calling

Sam Smith — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST

Hypothetical question: If you had 7,688 tiny Swarovski crystals, what would you do with them? You'd glue them to a cheap Murcielago model, you say? Oh! It's like we were separated at birth!

The glitzy trinket you see before you is made by Californian model company Maisto. It's offically dubbed the "Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 Made With Crystallized Swarovski Elements," and it wants to be your friend. There's only one catch: The model is only available in Europe. It's limited to 550 examples, it comes with its own box and commemorative mount, and it costs the equivalent of $2500.

Somewhere, someone wants this, and they want it badly. Just for the record, we have no idea who they are. (Hat tip to Andrew!)

[Maisto]

Detroit Auto Show: Top Five Concept Car Features That'll Never See Production

Mike Spinelli — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 17:10:00 EST

Concept cars are notorious for rarely making it to the street. But what about the enticing features that designers include in their dreamy visions of our automotive future? We combed through the files we've amassed at the show this week and come up with five features that don't stand a chance in hell of ever escaping the shimmering incubator of the world's design studios. Count 'em down, after the jump.

5.) Saab 9-4x BioPower: Stainless-steel ski rack. Sure, it looks fine, and having the titanium-carbon-fiber Rossignols on the roof is just too risky these days. But where will the douchebag couple who spends the eight hours to Vermont talking about their trip to St. Bart's sit? Think about it.

4.) Saturn Flextreme: Clamshell trunk. While shellfish and trunk space are both well liked, combining the two is a pipe dream that'll, unfortunately, never be fulfilled. Saturn designers deserve credit for out-of-the-mollusk thinking, though. Hiho!

3.) Lincoln MKT: Those massive gauge tubes were reportedly inspired by Swarovski crystal. While they do add an upmarket, Ice Pirates ambiance to the Lincoln, no corporate lawyer in Scarsdale who's ever had a knock-down-drag-out with his spouse in the living room would risk another crystal decanter to the face, under any circumstances.

2.) Maybach Landaulet: Rear-seat convertible top. When everything shakes out, the 2010s may be known as the decade robber barons returned to lord it over the faltering middle class. But will the new JP Morgans and Vanderbilts really want to be chauffeured al fresco? We're betting not. These days, the proles have guns and laser scopes.

1.) Mazda Furai: Itself.

BONUS: One Feature Missing from a Detroit Concept Car: Hummer HX. Notwithstanding its visual connection to the Halo 3 Warthog fighting vehicle, the Hummer HX concept could be a great success on the dystopian streets of post-revolutionary America. But the kids would demand a turret mount, a glaring omission from the concept. Keeping the Covenant from attacking humanoid refugee shelters would be impossible without it.

The Swarovski Covered Mercedes Benz: Class Defined

Matt Hardigree — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 11:00:00 EST

Nothing says "I'm wealthy, but in an understated way" like a top-o-the-line Benz covered in Swarovski crystals. This shiny ride fit right in next to the private jets and fur-covered sinks on display at the Moscow Millionaire Fair, which is the Russian counterpart of the RNC. While it's probably not safe to drive this around most parts of America, we can see this safely cruising the streets of Moscow in between a handful of black, bulletproof Gelaendewagens.

We're not sure of how this car came to be, but it looks at least like the spiritual brother of this, if not actual kin. If you want something similar for your Benz, you might want to check Garson out and, you know, send us a few grand for the tip. [TrendHunter]