Why Ferrari’s 458 Spider is a true Italian stallion March 5, 2015 I was in Paris the other week to attend the sale of France’s most talked-about barn find; the classic car collection of Roger Baillon, who made and lost a fortune building trucks. Discovered last year in appalling condition were about 100 of the rarest and most beautiful cars of the 20th century. For four-wheel aficionados, [...]
Inmarsat chief Rupert Pearce goes overboard with latest deal at Volvo Ocean Race October 12, 2014 Alicante played host to more than its usual Costa del Sunseekers at the weekend, as sailing fans and corporate sponsors flocked to say “bon voyage” to the vessels of one the world’s largest boat challenges – the Volvo Ocean Race. FTSE satellite giant Inmarsat is one of the race partners; its tracking technology keeping the [...]
Car review: Porsche 911 Carrera GTS – could it be the greatest yet? January 5, 2015 The flagship of any car range is rarely the best of the bunch. The sweet spot invariably falls around the middle, where there’s neither too much flash nor cash. There certainly aren’t any duff Porsche 911s lurking in the price lists, but a new addition to the range might just be the one to go [...]
In pictures: After the “skinny house” comes the “skinny tower” – Sao Paulo high-rise is 80ft tall, but just 13ft wide September 29, 2014 We've heard of "gap houses" – in fact, they're currently popping up in disused alleyways all over London – but what about a "gap tower block"? Triptyque, an architect with offices in France and Brazil, has created a tower block designed to fit into a narrow gap between homes in Sao Paulo. The building is [...]
Car review: The Lexus RC F is a slow burner, but its bark is better than its bite December 15, 2014 The gated communities of Marbella are used to hearing the growl of attention-seeking supercars. But for all the Ferraris and Lamborghinis with their oversized exhausts, it was the bark of Lexus’s new V8-engined RC F sports coup that had people jumping out of their skin when I visited. Pedestrians, too, found it hard to ignore [...]
Is Ed Miliband a rational economic person? Or is it all about narrative? November 11, 2014 THE LEADER of the Labour party has provided us with a very effective piece of forward guidance. Ed Miliband’s statement that he would bring in a mansion tax on properties worth more than £2m has already had a dramatic impact. The market for expensive properties in London has more or less ground to a halt, [...]
Easter snow: A comprehensive guide to the best places to bag a late skiing holiday March 22, 2015 FAMILY FRIENDLY Watching Franz Klammer skiing on the edge of disaster at the 1976 Winter Olympics is not for the faint-hearted. His gold medal-winning run at Innsbruck looked sure to end in catastrophe on several turns. How do you learn to ski like that? According to Klammer – who insists he was perfectly in control [...]
Winter running essentials: The best gear for cold weather runs from trainers and gloves to iPhone armbands November 17, 2014 Running in the colder months is great fun, just pick up the right gear. KHOMO iPHONE 6 ARMBAND Nobody runs without listening to a playlist on their iPhone these days. This one from Khomo is iPhone 6 and 6 Plus ready, and features a touch-responsive plastic sheath so your precious phone won’t croak when you’re [...]
Best of the Brokers for 26 August 2014 August 25, 2014 To appear in Best of the Brokers, email your research to notes@cityam.com RIGHTMOVE Westhouse Securities has reduced its rating to “Neutral” from “Add”, with the target price at 2,585p. The broker is encouraged by positive trading momentum and management’s confident outlook for the remainder of the year, but downgraded its rating on recent share price [...]
Gimme 5: Startups crowdfunding this month September 22, 2014 Rollasole Target: £150,000 for 7.5 per cent equity If you’ve seen a pair of bendy pumps someone’s shoved in their handbag, you’ll know how useful Rollasole shoes are. Raised: £130,210 via Crowdcube 42 days left Line-Up Target: £200,000 for 9.09 per cent equity Line-Up’s technology collects and collates “what’s on” information from newspapers, radio [...]