Webber you Winner!

Aussie Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing) celebrates his win of the British Formula 1 Grand Prix at Silverstone.

We love it! Burning that rubber and flashing that smile full of devious mischief, we’re here celebrating another brilliant win for the high-spirited Aussie male. Always known for their hard work and carefree attitude, it made us laugh when we read that in a bid to clear the red mist around Red Bull, team boss Christian Horner invited the feuding duo of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel to a barbecue and karaoke session.

What? Don’t these dudes have a full Bang and Olufsen surround sound stereo in their helmets like the Stig, that reduces their need for Karaoke outside of the race track? I mean come-ooooon (said with an Arnold Schwarzenegger accent).

Anyway, it was reported after the brilliant win that Webber belted out Bryan Adams’s Summer of ‘69 while Vettel, strumming a guitar, opted for Deep Purple’s Smoke On The Water. And to prove both drivers could sing from the same hymn sheet, the entire party rounded out the evening with a rendition of Don McLean’s classic American Pie – a song with mystical cohesive powers.

What do the respective karaoke preferences reveal about the drivers’ psyches? Bernard Zuel, a well-known music critic, provided the psycho-analysis.

Summer of ‘69 (Bryan Adams & Mark Webber)
Here is a song which seems to be about innocence and aspiration, about the purity of choice we make as a kid with dreams alongside our pals. A bit like off-season testing. (“Oh when I look back now/That summer seemed to last forever”). But look closer and you see that the Australian hasn’t forgiven. Or forgotten. “And now the times are changin’/Look at everything that’s come and gone/Sometimes when I play that old six-string/I think about you and wonder what went wrong.” He’s smiling but he’s saying, don’t mess with me Seb.

Smoke On The Water (Deep Purple & Sebastian Vettel)
Aggressive much? Vettel ostensibly gets to sing about an ancient rock band’s experience on Lake Geneva but as he shakes his golden locks to and fro over the famous guitar riff he can unleash an Ian Gillan scream and tell Webber that even inside the flame retardant suit in that cramped, hot cockpit, he too has a long memory: “We made a place to sweat/No matter what we get out of this/I know, I know we’ll never forget.”

American Pie (Don McLean & Red Bull management)
The brilliance of this choice is, appropriately enough for a motoring event, manifold. Firstly, there’s the fact that no matter how out of tune you are, both musically and in personal relations, the rousing chorus encourages group effort over technique while throwing in a gratuitous motoring reference in the Chevy. Best of all, it is interminable, its many verses building to nothing in particular except a long, long night of the soul. By the end of that song you can’t remember what it was you were angry about at the beginning of the night. Perfect.

”We haven’t been offered any recording contracts and the neighbours will probably be complaining about the noise but everyone here let their hair down and celebrated,” Horner said.

We love your style! So here’s to style, if you find yourself in need or acquiring a motorsport race-suit, check out www.demon-tweeks.co.uk who have a full range of awesome suits for your liking.

Over and Out.

Belstaff: Legend. Icon. Craftmanship.

It’s not often one gets to witness an icon brand released into the rugged atmosphere of the far south so the MSP crew was faint with excitement when we heard that this authentic and unique international player was hitting our shores.

Belstaff.

The brand that clothed Ewan Macgregor on his 15.000 miles long ‘Long Way Down’ motorcycle adventure. The brand behind the legendary Trialmaster Jacket that a rugged Steve McQueen wore on The Great Escape and The Getaway.

The unrivalled motorcycle clothing brand that is so entrenched in tradition and modern history that it has reinvented, innovated and stylised its core to move and lead the fashion and authentic motorcycle field for years … and we now have access to the beautiful leather and waxed cotton engineering it is so well known for.

Ladies and gents ~ Belstaff has landed in Australia!

Belstaff’s unrivalled ability to fuse technologically innovative fabrics, traditional craftsmanship and iconic style has made it the obvious choice for serious motorcyclists for over 80 years. When Che Guevara set out on his first journey across Latin America it was his Trialmaster jacket which protected him from the elements, and which came to define the brand’s image of rugged, authentic cool.

Belstaff’s customer base has diversified from the rugged, male motorcycle rebel of the 50s and 60s. Now with a iconic visual identity encompassing both the casually elegant man and the powerfully chic woman, it is a lifestyle brand. Since 2001 major advertising campaigns have reinforced the brand’s new image, whilst retaining the essence of its core values – heritage, quality fabrics and classic style.

It’s iconic “Phoenix Rising” logo is an symbol of Belstaff’s rise and fall – from the textile crisis of the early 90s with the Malenotti family as its helm, to its steady creep into the high fashion arena including shows at Milan Fashion Week and boasting cutting edge advertising campaigns with fashion icons Kate Moss and photographer Steven Meisel.

With a commitment to backing humanitarian campaign such as Not On Our Watch, partnership with international events like the World Music Awards and new flagship stores in Japan, Europe and America, Belstaff is truly a unique force in fashion.

A HOLLYWOOD HERITAGE
Hollywood and Belstaff have forged a unique and formidable relationship. Belstaff has played a leading role in Hollywood’s sartorial history. Its designer work closely with top costume makers to create outfits that often helps to build, and become inseparable from, the characters who wear them. Their original leather biking jacket was the hallmark of 1950s movie stars including Marlon Brando and James Dean.

Today, Belstaff is favourite of Hollywood’s wardrobe departments who request Belstaff garments for their durability and movement for film such as I’m not There, War of the Worlds, The Departed, Inglorious Bastards, Amelia, Nowhere Boy, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Belstaff has starred in Batman Begins, Blade: Trinity, The Interpreter, Tomb Raider II, Mission Impossible III, The Aviator, Iron Man 2, X-Men 3, Ocean’s Twelve, The Aviator, and on I Am Legend where Will Smith looked cool and in control with the help of the legendary Trial Master Legend Jacket.

In constant demand as much for its durability and movement, as it is for its unique and effortless style, Belstaff has become a living, breathing, waterproof symbol of style.

Get yourself into a Belstaff iconic piece and don’t balk at the price tag; think of it as an excellent investment into well designed and long lasting piece of clothing that will last you a lifetime.

In Australia, you can find Belstaff exclusively at Deus Ex Machina due to the hard work of Nick Mascitelli Imports.

www.belstaff.com

www.deus.com.au

“Eleanor gets new clothes!” The Mustang 2011!

It would be reasonable to expect that Ford might pass over the Mustang and instead devote more attention to its other models in its revamp for the 2010 model year. However, that’s not what is shaping up in the House That Henry Built.

For 2011, the Blue Oval is introducing a new 3.7-liter V6 Mustang that should give it the firepower and refinement needed to take on Chevrolet’s six-cylinder Camaro and Hyundai’s upstart Genesis Coupe. But it isn’t just the spanking all-aluminum powerplant and its 305 horsepower and 280 foot-pounds of torque that’s making the scene for the forthcoming model year. In addition to the Cleveland-sourced mill, there are a pair of fresh gearboxes, a new V6 performance package, and a host of nip/tucks to the interior and elsewhere.

Now, we could grouse on behalf of 2010 MY ‘Stang owners everywhere that these upgrades weren’t part of last year’s mid-life updo, but instead, we’ll just be happy that these advancements are arriving at all.

Despite being smaller than the outgoing 4.0-liter V6, the dual-overhead cam 3.7-liter’s horsepower and torque ratings represent massive improvements over the 2010 model (305 HP dismisses 210 HP and 280 lb-ft. plays 240 torques). In fact, that’s more horsepower than the 4.6-liter V8 Mustang made just a few years ago. While the 305-horse figure only allows the Mustang to pip the crosstown Camaro by a single all-important stallion in the pony car bragging wars, Ford says the powertrain will be good for 30 miles-per-gallon on the highway when paired with its new six-speed automatic, also one notch better than the Chevy.

That impressive fuel economy figure isn’t just the result of the new engine — a suite of new pieces have been developed in order to maximize performance, including a revised air intake, a pair of new six-speed transmissions (both automatic and manual), electric power steering, and even some aerodynamic tidying, including a revised front fascia, deeper front air dam, rear-wheel tire spats, different underbody shields, and a new rear decklid seal…

And to help celebrate the 45th anniversary of the first Shelby Mustang, Shelby America revealed its new 2011 Mustang GT350 at the opening night gala of Barrett-Jackson’s auction in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Based on the 2011 Mustang GT, all GT350s will add a supercharger to Ford’s new 5.0-liter V-8. Power figures haven’t been released quite yet, but Shelby says output is in the realm of 500 hp — approximately 88 hp more than a stock GT. All GT350s will come paired with Ford’s new six-speed manual transmission.

Along with the power upgrades, Shelby also has tweaked the Mustang’s chassis to help make the GT350 more nimble on the track. Front brakes receive a six-piston caliper upgrade kit from Baer, along with 14-inch rotors. Like the original GT350Rs from the late ’60s, the new car sports brake cooling ducts at all four corners. The suspension receives a full upgrade kit from Ford Racing, and includes adjustable caster/camber plates.

Of course, Shelby couples some show with the extra go. The new GT350 receives a new front fascia that reshapes the grille and lower air intake to resemble those on the original 1965 GT350. Out back, a blacked-out rear panel — along with discrete tail lamp partitions — further continues the retro connection.

Shelby hasn’t said how many of the 2011 GT350s will be built, but indicated that production would be “limited.” Pricing for the new GT350 starts at USD $33,995, which does not include the cost of a donor 2011 Mustang GT.

Overall, not bad, not bad. The Stylemeister can’t wait to take one out for a spin preferably through the scenic Highway One-oh-One – from LA, past the Big Sur and charging into ‘Frisco in thumping style.

Footnote:

I, the Stylemeister, flicked on the TV last night to two pleasant surprises:

1. Knight Rider – the quintessential 80s car show, has been resurrected – I loved that show … memories of the simpler  days when ‘Hoff’ reigned and Miami Vice ruled.

2. KITT Is The Shelby GT500KR Mustang. Talk about rockin’ my world!!!  … it didn’t even matter that the storyline was kinda rough round the edges and the green screen edging on the in-car shots visibly sucked, because next to ‘Top Gear’, this was cars-onscreen heaven for 60 minutes!

Over and out!

Images and copy excerpted from 2011-mustang.us/

World Cup Soccer Style

The World Cup enthralls more people around the globe than any other event, sports or otherwise. Every four years, in pubs and corporate boardrooms, thatched huts and flophouses, fans of “the Beautiful Game” gather around televisions and transistor radios—and now, for the deep of pocket, iPhones and 3-D flat screens—to cheer for their heroes. They watch and listen by the billions, holding their breath at every corner kick, falling to their knees or leaping for joy at every goal scored. That this year’s tournament is in South Africa, where apartheid was the law of the land until 1994, only adds to the heightened sense of celebration—this is about a whole lot more than just soccer. It’s about humanity uniting for 30 days and millions of eyeballs focused on one collective … wait for it … goal. It’s almost tear jerking …

So what should you know about World Cup Soccer Style? Here’s the breakdown:

1. Bare Essentials:

Our World Soccer Stars have bared it all (bar their national flags) for Vanity Fair’s Annie Leibowitz. For the June issue of Vanity Fair, Annie Leibovitz set out to capture some of the sport’s biggest stars, including Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, Ivory Coast’s Didier Drogba, Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o, Ghana’s Sulley Muntari, the U.S.A.’s Landon Donovan, Brazil’s Kaká and Pato, Italy’s Gianluigi Buffon, Serbia’s Dejan Stankovic, England’s Carlton Cole, and Germany’s Michael Ballack. Leibovitz’s portraits are, well, revealing. And underwear has never looked so patriotic. www.vanityfair.com.

2. Ballers in a Bottle:

Nike has unveiled its 2010 World Cup kits—or uniforms, for those unfamiliar with soccer jargon. The best part: They’re made from discarded plastic bottles harvested from landfills in Japan and Taiwan, that were melted down into yarn and then spun into fabric.

This will be the first time that all of Nike’s national teams, including Brazil, Portugal, and the Netherlands, will be wearing jerseys made from recycled polyester, which the sports-apparel giant is hailing as the most environmentally friendly and technologically advanced kits in football history.

With the recycled jerseys, Nike has diverted nearly 13 million plastic bottles from the landfill. Each shirt comprises up to eight recycled plastic bottles, a move that reduces energy consumption by up to 30 percent compared with manufacturing virgin polyester. Besides saving raw materials, Nike also diverted nearly 13 million plastic bottles (or nearly 560,000 pounds of polyester waste) from the landfill—enough to cover more than 29 football pitches.

If the recycled bottles used to produce the jerseys were laid end to end, according to Nike, they would span more than 3,000 kilometers (roughly 1,860 miles), a distance that exceeds the entire South African coastline. How do you say “amazing” in all the players’ languages?

3. Bling:

What is any major sports tournament without some equally as glorious commemorative jewelry? For arguably the biggest sporting event in the world, the FIFA World Cup official ring has been created for die hard (and wealthy) fans so that they can share their love of the game. Believe me when I say these aren’t just some cheap game day gimmick. No sir, far from that.

The FIFA World Cup official ring ranges in price from $2,500 to $250,000. The ones at the upper end of that scale will be made from platinum and, I’m sure, will be jam-packed with stones. Two gold rings will be donated with one going to the FIFA organization for the MVP, and the other going to UNICEF.

4. Brand Games:

FIFA is venturing into the fashion world, with their own brand, fashion line and flagship stores. As the BIG game looms, five different fashion lines are being manufactured furiously, with an eye to bringing in more cash at South Africa 2010.

Official FIFA stores have sprung up in Singapore and Paris, with a number of other branches to open up in the future. The lines will also leak into fashion-type stores in the near future as well – so fret not if you’re desperate for Sepp’s mug on a polo yet can’t jet to Singapore or Paris any time soon. As of now we’ve only spotted four images of an unnamed line, but they look precisely what you’d expect: sporty.

However for all your world cup merchandise the best stop shop is WorldSoccerShop.com for your team jerseys, shorts, scarves, socks, caps, hats, balls, posters and even and retro gear a la Brazil 1958 and Cuba 1962. It’s every mad, crazy fans nirvana!

So gents, kit up in your World Cup team colours, start practicing your roar, and get styled up in time for South Africa 2010!

Stig of Style Says… the ‘M’ word

Just recently, I walked into my girlfriend’s house to find her seated around the open fire in the den with a couple of her gal pals, and they seemed to be whispering in breathy, quiet voices. Like four octaves lower than my own deep rumble.

The girls obviously liked what they  were talking about. Me perhaps … (false hope). As I ’suavely’ removed my matched-to-my-black-Ducati helmet, I realised two things: One – they were actually loudly chattering in high pitched, ear piercing screams – you know the kind dudes – that cut right to your spine… geez!

Two – I wasn’t the topic of their conversation. As my eardrums connected with my head as it recovered from mo’bike-on-highway-brain-freeze, they registered the consonants and vowels being repeated by the ladies, and I heard the seductive word in the world, next to my lady’s name and ‘Ducati’.

“M..a..s..e..r..a..t..i….” Oh yes. How delicious. Almost as delish as my girl’s gorgeous face as she turned to smile at me.

Apparently the girls were oohing and aahing over the latest man toy purchase of one of the men in our crowd, my mate ‘D’.

The dude sold his business for a few, cool mills and gone and ordered himself … the new 2010 Maserati GranCabrio.

I’m not envious of ‘D’, but the boy does the man have some class …

Mr. Aston Martin, if you please.

What IS it about the Aston Martin & the mere male? Is it the empowerment he gets from sitting at the wheel that makes him feel like he wants to pursue his dreams, protect his extended family from the mafia, and pack a handgun in his glovebox? I mean, it’s a man’s birthright to drive a fuel guzzling sportscar at least once in his life, right?! And in fact to drive an Aston Martin would mean you’d be doing so at face-melting speeds while tipping your head back into the cradle of the head-rest and shouting at the Lord Almighty!

The Aston is an exotic breed. So much so, it won’t bother you if your month’s salary has disappeared in 3 hours. Or that the carbon footprint would be the size of King Kong’s. Perhaps it wouldn’t even bother you that it has a standard kit like the sports muffler, carbon fibre engine bay kit, a full alcantara interior and serial numbered plaques (only 30 of course)…because it’s an Aston Martin! That’s all that matters right!

Now let’s get back to the ONLY 30 that are going to be manufactured.
Like what?! What sort of monopoly is that? You KNOW that only the mega-wealthy are going to be ‘in’ to buy one of these. In fact, when the new Bentley was released with only 100 manufactured for the UK, a top sports star bought one and was on the delivery wait list for 6 months. So for the average Jo Bloeeeeee, it’s an impossible dream…or is it?