Gear Patrol

We rarely come across a dive watch with a moonphase complication, let alone a moonphase complication that piques our interest, but the Linde Werdelin Oktopus II Moon ($29,400) has managed to do just that. Why does a dive watch need a moonphase display, you ask? Perhaps it’s to track the tide or plan a night…

Trucks. Sure, they’re unnecessary for most of the population, borderline politically incorrect in some circles, and sort of an unnatural presence in the average, mostly-urban lifestyle. But we can’t stop loving pickups. The pickup is about as American as it gets, and until your cute little crossover can haul a boat and a couch simultaneously — in the snow — we’re quite content to keep ‘em around, thanks. This year’s new models all showcase a lot of brawn, and even toss in a bit of green to go with it

If a hybrid vehicle is what you seek, there are two ends of the spectrum. On the left: the Toyota Prius, sipping fuel at 51mpg through an uninspiring 98 hp engine for $24K. On the right: the Porsche Panamera S Hybrid, which will run you close to $100k, with an “is-this-really-a-hybrid” 22mpg due to its…

There is a certain ragtag group of watch aficionados who regularly meet in a Manhattan bar to do some horological horse-trading, share their latest acquisitions and shoot the shit on industry gossip. When Girard-Perregaux’s New York boutique invited them to preview their new 2013 models, the revamped Sea Hawk dive watch ($11,350) was the biggest…

Opting for the standard 2014 E-Class coupe, sedan, convertible or wagon gets you the new grill, hood and lights (along with a serious list of safety features) for a streamlined Optimus Prime look to the front as well as the put-a-drink-on-it wide and flat backside. But because we all need a little more-cedes in our…

Even a gear guy puts on a tux once in a while. The new HMS1 ($15,165) from Arnold & Son is just the watch for the occasion. It’s sleek and elegant in 18K rose gold, with an anthracite dial and hand-stitched alligator strap. The HMS1′s classic nautical styling is steeped in the 249-year history of…

The Bowtie has pulled the wraps off its pride and joy, the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, and the result is impressive: design language is evocative of past Corvettes, while embarking on a more aggressive, more sophisticated look.

You can just about stop coveting the pricey Mercedes-Benz CLS and start picking the color of your 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA Class sedan. Based on the edgy A-Class hatchback, the CLA sedan is an entry-level Merc that looks far more expensive than it is. Boasting an incredible 0.22 drag coefficient, it’s the most aerodynamic production car…

The original Hyundai Azera wasn’t exactly sure what it wanted to be, despite Hyundai’s goal of slotting it between the Sonata and Genesis sedans. The placement made sense, given the huge gap in pricing between the two aforementioned cars. And though the Azera was a practical bargain with its roomy interior and V6 engine, it…

Crossovers are here to stay, so we’re happy to welcome ones that get our blood racing. The soon-to-be-released 2014 Audi SQ5 is just such a heart thumper. The SQ5′s rather robust 3.0-liter V6 TFSI engine has an output of 354 horsepower and 347 lb-ft of torque — more than in the S4 or S5. It’ll…

The 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan is sharp, but it just might be upstaged by the sportier-looking 2014 E-Class coupe. A huge grille and massive air intakes on the fascia set this two-door apart from its big brother. The coupe also retains a previous E-Class design — large haunches over the rear wheels — which is…

Looking to build a man-cave resembling something out of the Applied Sciences section of Wayne Enterprises? While undoubtedly Batman’s bivouac of choice, the Concrete Canvas Shelter (~$30,000+) is also an incredible achievement in British ingenuity and instant accommodations. Available in both 270- and 580-square foot models, these buildings-in-a-bag can be constructed by two people in under an hour and become semi-permanent structures in just one day. Simply unfurl, inflate and douse the shell with anything this side of sewage, and you have a weatherproof and insulated shelter ready for refuge.

Lexus, once the darling of middle-aged Asian-American women everywhere, is focusing more nowadays on driving experience as opposed to driving you to boredom. Lexus has also revised their design language to be more edgy, adventurous and sporty in appearance — relatively speaking, of course. What they’ve wrought is more than just a new brand-identifiable spindle grille, and it’s a change in the right direction. We’ve been tracking Lexus all year and even got in some track time in their new GS sporty sedan earlier this year; we came away impressed.

To the average man on the street, the difference between the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the The 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class will likely go largely unnoticed — but well-informed GP readers will have the leg up. Much found in the Sindelfingen, Germany-built sedan and wagon is new, and all the internal and external changes debut at…

Christmas came early in Saxony this year, at least for Gear Patrol and a few other journalists who were given a rare sneak preview of one A. Lange & Söhne’s novelty timepieces for 2013. On a snowy night in a villa overlooking the Elbe River in Dresden, Lange CEO Wilhelm Schmid introduced the Grand Lange…

We’re no strangers to Ural sidecar motorcycles, having run them on wet asphalt, dirt and snow. Ural’s offerings — rugged, versatile and as nostalgic as they come — make us long to get out during each of the four seasons. They’ve topped things off in 2012 with their 2012 Ural Yamal Limited Edition Sidecar Motorcycle,…

The new 2013 Porsche Cayman borrows plenty of tricks from its droptop Boxster brethren, including double stacked headlights, an integrated rear spoiler, gaping side-scoops as well as a new front clip. Combined with a slightly longer wheelbase and wider track – this evolution of the Porsche progeny is a raw and visceral looking little beast…

How do you really define overkill? Is 510 horsepower too much or just being prepared? If your $100K luxury SUV can climb a 45 degree muddy slope in a forest, but only goes on grocery runs, does it really make a sound? The 2013 Range Rover Sport Supercharged answers the question, “what if you wanted…

If having the right work environment means junking that garage sale desk you’ve had for years, then by all means, hop to it. But you’ll need a (cough) suitable replacement, preferably one that doesn’t have a pack of melted Life Savers glued to the calculator in the top drawer. The Ralph Lauren Highbridge Desk ($12,000+)…

The BMW X5 xDrive35d is a mouthful, an earful and a pocketful all at once. Its visually eclectic nomenclature is BMW speak for all-wheel drive and a diesel powertrain. Yes, we said diesel. Get used to it, because the clean-burning fuel is here to stay — providing both efficiency (relative, of course, for something this…

If you’re wearing your finest cowboy boots, a $1,000 matching hat with a brim the size of a satellite dish and a mustache that rivals Sam Elliot’s, boy have we got the truck for you. The all new 2013 Ram 1500 has been redesigned inside and out to accommodate the rough and tumble — but…

Sometimes when things are naked, life is just better — notwithstanding mole rats and fat guys. But when it comes to motorcycles, we’re huge fans of letting it all hang out; the brand new MV Agusta Brutale 800 (~$12,586), a much-welcomed addition to the Italian bikemaker’s handsome naked line, does just that. The Brutale 800…

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, Hyundai is making some serious waves in the automotive industry. With a new design language pervading the lineup and cars that compete in just about every segment (Hyundai pickup truck, anyone?), Hyundai is seeing monumental growth. Last year, the Korean automaker came out with the radically styled Veloster; now they’ve…

The second coming of the very popular and virtually unpronounceable Volkswagen Touareg (“Too-a-regg”) now comes in Hybrid form, which actually makes more sense than hybridizing a compact car that already gets better gas mileage than its larger automotive counterparts. And though its 20/24 city/highway mileage numbers don’t truly impress (the Touareg TDI gets better fuel…

If you just so happen to have an itch that involves jumping a motorcycle over a huge wooden and barbed wire barrier while wearing a grey sweatshirt, then Italian custom bike shop Drags & Racing has just the motorcycle for you: their stunning ‘La Grande Fuga’ (Great Escape) Triumph Bonneville. Just remember how that whole…

The Panerai new Luminor Submersible 1950 Amagnetic 3 Days Automatic Titanio (PAM 389) is the watch to strap on the night before the Mayan calendar ends. Look past its encyclopedic name and you’ll find a mashup of features that make this piece perhaps the most capable timekeeper the venerable Italian instrument maker has produced. Let’s…

Jaguar cars, long known for their sexy lines and classic proportions, were growing extremely long in the tooth with their XJ platform, a design that was pulled, smoothed out and tweaked since the Series 1 cars in 1968. In cat years, that’s food for worms. Well, in 2009, Jaguar took the much needed leap into…

New Mexico seems other-worldly to those unaccustomed to the arid nature of the South West. But the desert-like atmosphere isn’t as stark as you might think. From Albuquerque to Santa Fe, the adobe style homes fit in well with the captivating landscape. Blue sky and enormous cumulus clouds as far as the eye can see…

We’ve got a huge soft spot for Land Rover, so we were stoked to get wind of details behind the 2013 Range Rover. Though it’s not nearly as radical in design as the Evoque we recently drove, it does borrow some of the athletic design cues from its baby brother. The shape, though essentially unchanged,…

It’s true, many buzzwords haphazardly find their way into the most obscure and smallest of niche online audio forums. Audiophile, for example, can find its way into said forums with participants bombastically laying claim to such designation. If we’re being honest, from time to time, we too have fancied ourselves as such. Today, Klutz Design…