According to New York’s Luxury Institute, who surveyed 500 households with incomes over $200,000 in 2006, Porsche is the most prestigious brand of automobiles. While some may argue in favor of Bugatti or Rolls-Royce, that is still high praise indeed.

Porsche Carrera GT

The most expensive Porsche currently avaialable is the Porsche Carrera GT at $440,000. With a top speed of 205+ mph and the capability to accelerate from 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds, it’s certainly fast enough to justify its price.

Porsche 918 Spyder

Their new concept car, the Porsche 918 Spyder, may just be the German company’s next most expensive car. The 918 Spyder is a two-seater convertible with a 500 hp V8 engine. It has a top speed of 199 mph and can accelerates from 0 to 60 in under 3.2 seconds. Its electric drive-systems allow it to run 15 miles on electric power and it consumes fuel at a rate of 78 miles per gallon.

This fantastic new Porsche is likely to have an MSRP of $630,000.

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India’s tourism has just been given a boost with a latest poll ranking The Oberoi Vanyavilas hotel in Ranthambore as the best hotel in the world. The hotel won the maximum votes in a readers’ poll conducted by ‘Travel+Leisure’ magazine. What is more, various other Indian hotels owned by the same Oberoi group, too made it in the top fifteen of this list. The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra, Rajvilas, Jaipur and Udaivilas, Udaipur have been ranked second, third and fourth respectively in Asia and positioned number five, thirteen and fifteen in world ranking.

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Union tourism minister of India, Kumari Selja in a letter addressed to the group’s chairman, PRS Oberoi said the award is the “crowning glory” of Incredible India. Mr. Oberoi too is extremely overjoyed with this award and considers it extremely special as it comes from people who stayed in these hotels and have shared their ratings based on their experience in categories like rooms, service, facilities, location, restaurants and food.

The group already has over 16 luxury hotels and resorts in India, Mauritius, Indonesia, Egypt and Saudi Arabia and is already in the process of expansion with plans to open two hotels in Hyderabad, one in Dehra Dun, a resort in Chandigarh, a hotel in Rajasthan and a 200-year-old palace in Madhya Pradesh. Internationally, the group has plans of opening a hotel in Dubai and one in Morocco by 2012.

Although Mr. Oberoi says the current global crisis has made him a bit uneasy he hopes to see the number of his hotels double in the next five years.

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Just when I thought I had seen the last of those gold plated cars, I came across this Audi R8. Another victim of a bling loving owner, the Audi R8 has been given a golden makeover and flaunts a gold plated exterior. It is not that I don’t like gold makeovers, but some creations like the Audi R8 are better left untouched. The car was spotted in Moscow, suggesting that Dubai is no longer the hot spot to spot such eye sores.

This is one makeover the Audi R8 could have done without.

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Although Christmas is far away, it never hurts to begin planning in advance. Especially if you know that your little boy/girl is wishing for one of those miniature cars. Well, it’s time to show your little child that you are as loving and doting as some of the celebrity dad’s by getting him/her their very own small scale Mercedes Benz SLS AMG. The original version has made quite a few adults go crazy, so the toy version is sure to make the children go wild as well. Counting on this, Hamleys toy store, which is currently celebrating its 250th anniversary, held an event to showcase their predictions for this Christmas’ must-have toys. And spotted among the many toys was a small-scale Mercedes Benz SLS AMG adorned with Crystallized Swarovski Elements. Sure to make your child jump and dance with joy, this Swarovski studded small scale version of the famed Mercedes Benz car is definitely a must buy for your child.
Priced at $2,250, this car is set to become the best Christmas gift for your car-loving child this Christmas.

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The founder, chairman, and CEO of the famed luxury goods corporation – LVMH, Mr. Bernard Arnault has topped the list of Challenges magazine’s annual 500 wealthiest professionals. With an estimated fortune of £18.9 billion ($28.3 billion), Arnault is now the richest man in France. The CEO of the fashion company that includes famed brands such as Fendi, Dior and Louis Vuitton, has beaten last year’s winner, Auchan supermarket owner Gérard Mulliez, to take the top spot. Following closely behind Auchan, is Mr. Gérard Mulliez (one the principal shareholders of L’Oreal), who has come in third on the list with an estimated fortune of £14.3 billion ($21.4 billion). Hermès and Bertrand Puech families came in forth with £7.1 billion ($10.6 billion) fortune. Chanel’s Alain Wertheimer however failed to make it in the top five and had to be content at the eighth spot.
Although these business moguls don’t have royal blood flowing through their veins, they could give any of the royal’s a tough competition when it comes to riches.

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Reports suggest that Porsche’s new hybrid offering, the 918 Spyder will be an expensive one with a price of $630,000. So, all those hoping to get their hands on this beauty had better start saving up. The new hybrid supercar is the most expensive model from Porsche, even more expensive than the Carrera GT. The 918 Spyder is one of three hybrid models Porsche presented at the Geneva Auto Show in March and despite its rumored price, reportedly over 2000 customers have shown interest in it. Powered by a V8 engine, the 918 Spyder is capable of delivering 500 hp.
Power is also provided by two electric motors, one on the front and one on the rear axle with an overall mechanical output of 218 hp. Thus, making the car deliver a powerful 700 hp allowing it to reach from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.2 seconds and boast of a top speed limited electronically to 320 km/h (198 mph).

When it comes to fuel efficiency, this sports car is probably the best ever, offering a fuel consumption of 3 liters/100 kilometers and delivering just 70 grams of CO2 per kilometer. A super car like no other, given its fantastic features, folks will surely not mind the heavy price tag.

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Tease, which is just appearing in stores this month, is Paris Hilton’s tenth fragrance. Anyone who wondered about her staying power as a celebrity perfume brand can now put their mind at rest, I should think. Paris stays in human form (no more mermaids or fairies) for the Tease advertising campaign, which was reportedly inspired by her fascination with Marilyn Monroe:

Paris Hilton plays with the notion of Hollywood glamour, taking a contemporary, candid look at retro elegance – light hearted, saucy and as always irrestibly [sic] charming – for the launch of her newest fragrance, TEASE. Posing in a classic Hollywood setting, Paris Hilton brings a fresh, youthful appeal to the image of a blonde icon of the silver screen…¹

The Tease fragrance, as you might imagine, puts the emphasis on contemporary — it’s a fruity floral in the modern style, very fresh and light and clean…

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Shalimar with vanilla exalted…the upcoming fragrance by maison Guerlain is taking the beloved gustatory note into new heights, after several games with it (Spirituese Double Vanille, Cuir Beluga, Ylang & Vanille etc) in other fragrances. Lovers of the classic will take note, while new converts will find a new spin on the old. Hopefully, not too patisserie-like…The iconic Shalimar (and

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Mira Manga & the Fledgeling Nightjars singing a cover of Tuca Tuca for the new Gorilla Perfumes at Lush Tuca Tuca perfume.

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New York-based clothing retailer Odin will launch Odin 04 Petrana, a new fragrance:

Transported to a Jordanian desert landscape covered in blooming black iris comes a floral scent…

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