If you agree that certain strikingly gorgeous exotic cars double pieces of fine art, then the Alfa Romeo Berlina Aerodinamica Tecnica (B.A.T.) series is the only true automotive triptych. As such, RM Sotheby's is working with Sotheby's Fine Art Division to sell the B.A.T. series at the Contemporary Art Evening Auction event on October 28 in New York City.
The story begins in the early 1950s, when Alfa Romeo first approached designer Franco Scaglione and coachbuilder Carrozzeria Bertone of Turin, Italy to create technical aerodynamic concepts following the legendary duo's build of the Abarth 1500 experimental coupe. The relatively unimpressionable Alfa Romeo 1900 would serves as a canvas for Scaglione and Bertone as they penned and hand-built three one-off vehicles presented in 1953, 1954 and 1955.
The first, dubbed B.A.T. 5, is delightfully unrecognizable from its base car. Drastic elements include protruding pontoon fenders, a rounded nose with dual air vents, a flowing teardrop-shaped wraparound-glass cockpit, rear shoulders enclosed by leaning tailfins, and airflow-reversing rear wheel skirts.
The B.A.T. 5's radical design achieved a drag coefficient of roughly 0.23 at nearly 94 mph. For comparison's sake, RM Sotheby's notes that the Tesla Model S has a drag coefficient of .24, and Elon Musk has the advantage of wind tunnel testing and computer-aided design. Equally impressive is that a 43-horsepower 1.9-liter four-cylinder pushed the vehicle to a tested top speed of 123.6 mph.
The B.A.T. 5's success spawned the created of the B.A.T. 7, which doesn't stray far from the original but features narrowed front air intakes, a lowered hood, lengthened tailfins. This lowered the drag coefficient to .19, a figure that's almost entirely unmatched by any past or present production vehicle. Weight was reduced as well, from the B.A.T. 5’s roughly 2,400 pounds to just 2,200 pounds.
Alfa Romeo’s mandate for the final B.A.T 9 was to “make it more practical for road use.” The rear wheel skirts were deleted, and the fins were reduced significantly to improve visibility. A pronounced beltline was added toward the rear, while a standard production triangular Giulietta grille with Alfa's Milano crest was fitted to the front grille, highlighting the car’s identity.
Since a single private collector acquired the entire Alfa Romeo B.A.T. series in 1990, the three vehicles have been showcased at world-class motoring events such as the Cartier Style et Luxe at Goodwood, the Louis Vuitton Bagatelle Concours d‘Elegance, and the Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza. As a unit, the trio is expected to fetch between $14 and $20 million. Head to RM Sotheby's website for more details and provenance.
The first Jim Beam release to bare the name of the Clermont, Kentucky-based bourbon maker's eight-generation master distiller, Fred Noe, will be available exclusively in global travel retailers.
The top-shelf expression, dubbed Lineage, first began finishing in charred white oak barrels in 2004. After 15 years of aging, the small-batch spirit was bottled at 110-proof (55-percent ABV). Tasting notes detail a profile of spice, vanilla and caramel that's suited to neat or on-the-rocks serving suggestions. A decorative, leather-handled wooden box features a serialized brass plaque with a brief description of the whiskey within.
"Lineage represents a significant moment in the history of Jim Beam. Not only is it a collaboration between the seventh and eighth generation of distillers in our family, but it’s a blend of the past, the present and the future," Noe said in a statement.
“Having spent a lot of time exploring travel retail outlets in my time, it was important to me to offer something special to travelers – especially during these trying times. Launching a product exclusively to travel retail is not something we often do, so we are excited to bring such a unique expression to our friends in airports across the world.”
At $250, Lineage represents the most refined bottle by far in Jim Beam's lineup, which ranges from the standard Kentucky straight bourbon to higher-end offerings like Black Extra-Aged and Single Barrel editions. Look for Jim Beam Lineage on airport shop shelves in early 2021.
The latest pilot-tested timepiece from International Watch Company Schaffenhausen, or IWC, is inspired by the Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor (SFTI) model that was made exclusively for graduates of the "TOPGUN" Navy Fighter Weapons School.
The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Top Gun Edition “SFTI” boasts an ultra-durable black zirconium oxide ceramic 44mm case—IWC notes that the material is second only to a diamond with regard to hardness. Ticking within is IWC's 69380 calibre movement in a classic column wheel design that can keep stopwatch times up to 12 hours, as well as date and time.
The caseback and chronograph pushers are crafted from IWC-engineered matte-black Ceratanium, which is as strong as titanium and as scratch-resistant as ceramic. A tactical aesthetic is completed by an all-black dial, luminescent black hands, a unique red second hand that's shaped like a fighter jet, and a green textile strap.
Those specs sound great to us civilians. But Robb Report spoke to Jim DiMatteo, a 25-year-long veteran and former Navy captain who has amassed over 5,000 hours in five different fighter jets, to get an expert opinion.
“It’s pretty violent when you fly around in a fighter jet—you’re moving, you’re turning, you’re looking and you’re reaching,” said DiMatteo, who's also an IWC ambassador. “The watch gets smacked against the sides of the canopy and the jet, which is all metal. So it needs to be durable and not get scratched and, of course, there are also a lot of little tiny parts, so if it’s not high-quality then the G-forces will impact that. It doesn’t with the IWC at all.”
Priced at $9,150, the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Top Gun Edition “SFTI” is available to purchase from IWC's website now.
