Bugatti Is Leaping Into the Future With Rimac and Porsche

It’s a match made in heaven — at least, if you’re excited about the prospect of ever-faster, ever-quicker hypercars surviving and thriving well into the 21st Century. On Monday, up-and-coming Croatian automaker Rimac Automobili announced they’re merging with none other than Bugatti — and effectively taking control of one of the most iconic brands in the automotive realm.

This means that Rimac founder Mate Rimac, the 33-year-old electric vehicle engineer who started out in the automotive world by swapping an electric motor into his E30 BMW track car, has now been handed the reins of the prestigious company that builds the world’s fastest, most expensive cars. Granted, he’s not gaining absolute control. The structure of the deal is a little complex, but in a nutshell: The company formerly known as Rimac Automobili has become the Rimac Group, which consists of two subsidiaries, Rimac Technologies (which will keep on developing electric vehicle tech for other companies) and Bugatti Rimac, which in turn will produce vehicles under the Rimac and Bugatti brands.

Bugatti Rimac, however, is only 55 percent owned by the new Rimac Group. Porsche — Bugatti’s recently-appointed patron within the VW Group — owns the other 45 percent. What makes things a little odd is the fact that Porsche also opens 24 percent of the Rimac Group, making it the second-largest shareholder behind Mate Rimac himself (and ahead of Hyundai, which has 12 percent of the company).

Rimac

While both Bugatti and Rimac will stay in their current homes of Molsheim, France and Zagreb, Croatia respectively for now, come 2023, development and operations for both brands will be consolidated at the future Rimac Campus, a 1.07-million-square foot complex near Rimac’s current HQ.

The move comes hot on the heels of the launch of Rimac’s latest car, the Nevera, which has launched to critical acclaim for its appearance, technology…and the fact that it can crack off sub-10-second quarter-mile times as casually as you or I would walk to the kitchen for another cup of coffee.

Still, great as the Nevera is, don’t expect Bugatti to do what Pininfarina did with the Battista and simply reskin the Croatian car. “That’s absolutely not going to happen,” Rimac told Autocar. “I’m a car guy, and while of course we want to make a profitable company, we will not just recycle what we have. We will not just restyle or hybridise the Chiron to make a new car. We’re developing a completely new product from the ground up, because we think that’s the best way to go, and that product will still have a combustion engine.”

Porsche CEO Oliver Blume was equally direct about Bugatti’s electrifying-but-not-electric immediate future. “We listened very closely to Bugatti’s fanbase, and for the transition period, we have an idea with more electrification but still retaining a combustion engine,” he said, according to Autocar. “We’re thinking about electrification with a higher grade on Bugatti as well.”

Still, while the combustion engine may not be getting phased out of Bugattis just yet, the move a dramatic show of confidence in Rimac and its vision of an electric future by Bugatti’s former outright owner, the VW Group. VW has long since made clear its intentions to go all-in on electrification, with ambitions plans to sell millions of EVs in the near future and largely cease internal combustion vehicle production by the time today’s toddlers are studying up for their learner’s permits. Handing one of its crown jewels to one of the most innovative people in the electric vehicle world shows yet again just how serious they are about leaving the ICE age behind.

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This Knife Glows When You Need It

Your adventures shouldn’t have to stop once the sun sets — and they won’t have to with The Reactor Knife from Glow Rhino. This knife has self-powered tritium that allows you to locate it no matter what — even in low-light settings. The Reactor carries a classic drop point blade crafted from S35VN Steel and is offered in two colorways: Matte Titanium and Matte Titanium Black PVD. Additional features include a deep carry clip to make sure the Reactor sits low-profile in your pocket and a dual prybar lanyard attachment that can open a can of paint or your favorite IPA. This premium knife is the perfect balance of the latest technology with classic styling and is a must-have for summer.

Price: $250

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The Smart Clock 2 from Lenovo is a compact yet feature-rich smart speaker

For more than a year now, a lot of us are now working from home. Saying goodbye to our daily commute to the office might not everyone’s cup of tea, but a lot of us are likely loving it anyway. Still, despite the convenience, we all need to get our lazy butts out of bed on time. Lenovo is ready to assist with the Smart Clock 2.

You might be wondering why a traditional timekeeper still matters when we have smartphones and smartwatches. Lenovo intends to appeal to consumers who are in the market for a smart speaker. In a segment already dominated by models from Amazon, Google, Apple, and others, The Smart Clock 2 is an underdog.

However, despite facing tough competition, this device can hold its own. It measures 3.67 x 4.47 x 2.81 inches and weighs 0.66 lbs. You grab it in three colorways: Shadow Black, Abyss Blue, Heather Gray. As with most smart speakers, the body is wrapped in classy fabric.

A 4-inch LCD IPS touch panel is set at an angle with chunky bezels from all sides. The only Lenovo branding is a small plate at the bottom-left section of the base. Although it’s not immediately noticeable, there are control buttons on the top section of the Smart Clock 2.

For some versatility, pair it with the optional wireless charging dock accessory. Now you can cordlessly charge compatible devices or do so the traditional way via the USB-A port. This likewise enables the nightlight functionality.

1.5-inch 3W front-firing speakers are powerful enough to fill your room with enjoyable acoustics. The Smart Clock 2 hears your commands clearly via its far-field microphone array, which you can manually disable for privacy. Finally, connectivity protocols supported include Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

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Images courtesy of Lenovo

Chevrolet Is Set to Reveal Their Most Aggressive Off-Road Pickup Yet

In the automotive space, there’s no competition more fierce than the one between the Big Three and their full-size pickup trucks. Sure, muscle cars may draw in stares, but big pickup trucks are where the money is at; Americans buy them in greater numbers than any other type of car, after all, and once they buy them, they tend to stick with their brand for years.

As a result, if one of the Big Three manages to establish dominance in a particular pickup truck niche, you can be sure the other two competitors won’t let things stay that way for long. With Ford having established the badass Baja-blasting off-road pickup market with the F-150 Raptor roughly a decade ago and Ram recently one-upping the Blue Oval with the Hellcat-powered 1500 TRX, it was only a matter of time before Chevrolet tosses their hat into the same ring…and apparently, that time is this fall.

Chevrolet announced the new Silverado ZR2 Wednesday morning on Twitter, releasing a short video that shows a camouflaged pickup truck with plenty of wheel travel gallivanting through the mud, before a stream of water washes that away to reveal the ZR2 badge.

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The ZR2 badge is no stranger to the Chevy trucks lineup; it’s been the off-road flagship of the midsize Colorado for years now, even spawning a ZR2 Bison variant that’s practically tailor-made for overlanding. The Colorado ZR2 packs advanced Multimatic dampers that deliver an excellent ride over all surfaces, a raised suspension and wider track, standard off-road tires and front and rear locking differentials; we’d guess that most, if not all, of those features will be found on the Silverado ZR2, as well.

One big question that remains, however, is what will lie under the hood of the Silverado ZR2. The naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 used in high-end Silverados seems like the most obvious fit; it’s no slouch, and its performance bona fides have been demonstrated many times over by its use in the Camaro and Corvette. Still, with the Ram TRX cranking out more than 700 horses and the upcoming F-150 Raptor R likely to do the same, the pressure could be on Chevy to cram some extra power under the Silverado ZR2’s hood. General Motors is already reportedly planning a Cadillac Escalade V with the supercharged V8 used in the old CTS-V; if it fits in the Silverado’s SUV sibling, it probably would work just fine in the pickup, too…

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Why L.L. Bean Makes the Best Tote Bag, According to Style Experts

Look around. See a tote bag? The canvas kind with some sort of graphic on either side? Maybe a dozen or so are taking up space in one of your drawers. Maybe you lugged one to and from work the other day. Thank L.L. Bean.

“Introduced as Bean’s ice carrier way back in 1944, the Boat and Tote was billed as a bag made of builders’ canvas for hauling ice ‘from car to ice chest,” the Leon Leonwood Bean-founded brand writes in the bag’s bio. “Tested to hold up to 500 pounds, it’ll carry more than you can carry. We promise.”

500 pounds? That’s quite the pack. Chances are you aren’t hauling your bodyweight in farmer’s bounty, but there’s still reason for extra room — especially in a city, where the likelihood you can dump a day’s worth of stuff into the back of a sedan is incredibly slim. Having a tough-wearing bag capable of carrying it all is a necessity, and L.L. Bean’s Boat and Tote is up for any task. At the same time, as utilitarian as it is, there are assumptions to be made about someone you spot carrying one — or at least there were.

L.L. Bean

Die, Workwear!’s Derek Guy writes that initially, “with a nearly free monogram service, it was the cheapest way to look rich.” He’s right. In fact, the service still exists and only costs an additional $8. Personalization has long captivated consumers by offering both a way into “the club” and a way to stand out. “But like much of prep, the bag was also fashionable because it suggested something about the carrier: East Coast, born-into-wealth, well-educated, stoic, and wry. It’s a symbol of a particular cross-section of America that overlaps Yankee, Ivy League, and WASP.”

Nowadays the tote is more universal — as abundant as trucker jackets and OK pizza. Print shops crank out custom ones for all sorts of events. Stores overseas — namely in Japan and Korea — resell American-made ones for 200-plus-percent market value. Retailers of varying sizes stock them at the checkout counter. Magazines pitch theirs as a perk to subscribing. (The New Yorker’s tote is only available to subscribers, but there are bootlegs all over Etsy.) Above all else, they signal a bare minimum amount of mindfulness about the environment. They have to be better than plastic bags, right? (See: The Atlantic’s stab at answering this question.)

Having an assortment of unused ones that stamp your patronage at particular places isn’t much of an improvement on our collective consumerism problem. We’d argue it’s better to invest in one bag — and one bag that’ll last. Why not choose one like the Boat and Tote, which has been beloved for more than 75 years? Plus, it counts millions as loyal customers — from designers and dock workers to parents and luxury-leaning celebrities. We spoke to some of them to understand why.

L.L. Bean

Boat and Tote, Open-Top

llbean.com

$39.95

Quotes on Totes

“The L.L. Bean Boat and Tote is the most classic and democratic way to haul your stuff. It’s customizable, hard-wearing, and discreet. A holdall for anyone and everyone!” — Chris Black, partner of Public Announcement, co-host of How Long Gone podcast

David Coggins

“The Boat and Tote strikes the right balance between easygoing style and intense practicality. It’s like a good military watch or a Duralex glass. Like all bags of quality they do not tip over. They are at home on the arm of anybody who has somewhere worth going to. I have a rare blue on blue one that I found on eBay which gives me a fleeting sense of pleasure when I see certain menswear aficionados eye it jealously. Has not been improved upon because it cannot be.” —David Coggins, author of The Optimist: A Case for the Fly Fishing Life (He had the luxury of making custom Boat and Totes for his book launch, by the way.)

Brian Davis

“I have a small one that is a Subaru branded one. It’s great! I use it to hold all my bike tools and love how sturdy and strong it is. I beat the crap out of it and it never fails.” — Kyle Kivijarvi, freelance creative consultant, founder of Gramparents, a seniors-only style spotting page

L.L. Bean

“The Boat and Tote is such a classic piece of Americana. When I was designing my collaboration with L.L.Bean last year, I was lucky enough to get access to their archives and see some of the original designs. One thing I learned through that research was the origin of the style. It was first created for practical reasons — to move ice and goods on and off of boats (hence, the name). The size, design and durability proved popular and now, over 100 years later, we’re still using it.” — Todd Snyder, designer

Randy Goldberg

“New Yorkers usually have oddly personal relationships with tote bags, as we generally don’t have cars (or boats!), so durable bags become essential for lugging around our stuff in style. Here are two of my favorites, one that is well worn, repaired and loved. And one that is brand new, a gift from a friend for our new baby girl. Maybe it will look like the old one in 10 years.” — Randy Goldberg, co-founder of Bombas

Marcus Ford

“I’d describe the L.L. Bean totes as timeless and versatile. They last forever, and that’s ok, because they fit in any era and any location from the farmer’s market to the beach. My wife and I have used these bags in so many ways, as laundry hampers, as welcome kits in our guest rooms, we even have one at the front door for package deliveries.” — Marcus Ford, Prepford Studio

Brian Davis

“Value is the first word that comes to mind when I think of the L.L. Bean Boat and Tote. For 30 or 40 bucks you get a virtually indestructible, made-in-USA tote that you can use every day for years on end. The best part, they get better with age! As someone who has spent years dealing in some of the best vintage on earth, I can tell you that Boat and Totes from the 60s, 70s, and 80s are still going strong today and are no worse for the wear. In fact, the older and more character they develop, the more valuable they are on the vintage market. I literally use mine everyday — for post office runs, farmer’s market hauls, and trips to the flea market. There are a few in my car at all times, just in case I need one for something.” — Brian Davis, founder of Wooden Sleepers

Randy Goldberg

“My L.L. Bean Boat and Tote was my first ‘I think I’m gonna be alright’ piece of luggage. I went nuts with a zip top and didn’t look back. I have since traveled with it all over the world, and every time I look down at it I’m reminded of how much joy it brings me — which is a massive stress relief when you’re waiting in lines or stuck at whatever spot you’re at. Go big or go home and play a game of how much stuff you can put it in it. It’s been a diaper bag, portable podcast studio and grocery carrier all in less than 24 hours. Utility will forever be my vibe. P.S. there is only one color you should own…” — Jeremy Kirkland, host of Blamo! Podcast

Yes, Crocs Are the Perfect Shoe… for Camping

This is Kind of Obsessed, a column about all the stuff our team is really, really into right now.

Before Internet virality, there were simply word-of-mouth fads. There were Pogs, yo-yos and Pokémon cards; now there’s The Old Guard, whipped coffee and TikTok dance moves. None of it is built to last, but sometimes a fad or a viral sensation shows some durability and becomes a trend. That seems to be happening with Crocs, the spongy, holey, shoes-slash-sandals that are somehow popular with the cool kids again two decades after their inception.

I was 11 when Crocs first showed up on the rack at our local sports equipment store. I’ll admit that, even at that age, I aligned with the shoe’s critics; they seemed ugly and floppy, and besides, Teva sandals were already my open-air footwear of choice. But I bought some anyway — a red pair, two or three sizes too big, all that was left in stock — because my best friend had a pair and claimed they were “the best.” Because fads.

I rarely wore those Crocs and gave them away before that summer waned into fall. But Crocs came back to me nearly a decade later when the packing list for a months-long wilderness course called for a pair of shoes to wear at camp. I brought an old pair of running sneakers, which served the purpose just fine. But one of my instructors packed some hole-free Crocs as his camp shoe, and when he proclaimed them “the best,” I jealously agreed.

His reasoning, after all, was difficult to debate: Crocs are ideal for camping because they’re lightweight, waterproof against the wet ground, and you can clip them to the outside of a backpack or unceremoniously shove them down into the last remaining space available inside. After a long day, it’s nice to get out of your wet, dirty, sweaty hiking boots and into a roomy pair of shoes or sandals, and Crocs serve that purpose beautifully.

For some hikers who are more hardcore than I am, even Crocs are too heavy to carry on the trail. But the funky kicks have proven more than once that weird-looking shoes made of foam have their place in society. I’ve known cooks, teachers and retail workers who all swear by Crocs as the ultimate footwear for their professions.

Perhaps the biggest tribute to Crocs’ enduring relevance is that we now have Crocs alternatives. The running shoe company Hoka One One makes the edgier Hopara, and the same hikers who scoff that Crocs are too heavy might recommend Vivobarefoot’s Primus Trail FG, which weighs half as much. Hell, even Kanye’s Yeezy brand has plans to sell its own version next year.

These days, I’m partial to Merrell’s Hydro Moc. They call to mind Crocs’ perforated form but include a heel structure and come in trippy marbled colors. Not that it matters, but I think they look more like crocodiles, too.

Crocs Classic Clog

Hoka One One Hopara

Merrell Hydro Moc

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