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American Watch Brands Are Back – Check These Out

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This Week In Gear, Episode 54

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American watch brands have seen a resurgence in recent years; here are our nine favorite watches made in the U.S. Plus, why you should drink your best whiskey *right now*, our roundup of the best approach shoes that are best for day hikes, and rumors about the next (hybrid? AWD?) Ford Mustang.

Must-Read Headlines:

• Drink Your Damn Whiskey
• The 9 Best Technical Day Hike Shoes
• Will the Next-Gen Mustang Be an AWD Hybrid?

Our 9 Favorite Watches from American Brands: See the Full List with More Detail

• Brew Mastergraph – $375
• Nodus Retrospect Diver – $450
• Shinola Runwell Automatic – $1,095+
• Autodromo Intereuropa – $1,250
• Pelton Sector – $1,499
• Oak & Oscar Olmsted – $1,375
• Haven Chilton Chronograph – $1,799
• Monta Atlas – $1,840
• Vortic Railroad Watch Edition – $2,995+

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May 1, 2020 / Comments Off

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America’s Six “Dream Cars,” Ranked By State

<!–America’s Six “Dream Cars,” Ranked By State • Gear Patrol<!– –>

This Week In Gear, Episode 53

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April 24, 2020 / Comments Off

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Jacob & Co. Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon puts a mini W16 engine in motion inside a watch

In early 2019, Bugatti ended its 15-year watch partnership with Swiss watchmaker Parmigiani Fleurier and inaugurated a new collaboration with New York watchmaker and jeweler Jacob & Co. — the latter firm once known for helping define the bling-bling era in American music. When announcing the new tie-up at the global timepiece showcase Baselworld in March last year, Jacob debuted two new limited-edition watches, both based on extant Jacob models. The $545,000 Twin Turbo Furious Bugatti Edition reworked the watchmaker’s Twin Turbo Furious timepiece, and the $37,000 Bugatti Chrono Edition Limitee 100 Ans celebrated Bugatti’s 110th anniversary and was based off Jacob’s Epic X Chrono. Yet, as the partnership promised to push “the limits of what seems mechanically possible,” a new and incredible watch would be needed, so Jacob spent a year developing this, the Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon. Behind its sapphire crystal there’s an automaton suspended inside the case mimicking the movement of the Chiron’s W16 engine.

The animated engine serves no timekeeping purpose, it’s there for show — and it’s quite the show. Pressing the pusher crown at the base of the case sets the engine in motion for about 20 seconds; a stainless steel crankshaft milled from a single ingot pushes stainless con-rods and pistons inside a sapphire crystal block, and two spinning turbochargers can be viewed through a window on the side of the case. After three runs, the engine’s barrel needs to be recharged by turning the center crown counterclockwise, then it’s ready for another three goes. The setup consists of 578 pieces, and is so tiny and complicated that it took more than three days to program the CNC machines milling the stainless steel, and the animation designer wasn’t sure it would work. Those two factoids are perhaps the best connection to the improbable wonder that is the Bugatti Chiron.

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We meant the phrase “suspended inside the case” literally. The watch’s movement sits on four coilover dampers at the corners, allowing the movement a hint of up and down flotation which necessitated an Incabloc shock protection system. Other Bugatti-themed touches include the titanium case, the Chiron Blue hands, the watch movement’s 60-hour reserve dial that looks like a gas gauge, a window onto the tourbillion shaped like a Chiron grille, the black rubber strap, and the customization possibilities that include an owner be able to choose what color the coilovers should be.

Jacob & Co. will make 250 of the Bugatti Chiron Tourbillion, each priced at $280,000.

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April 13, 2020 / Comments Off

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McLaren releases new Senna GTR footage and explains that giant wing

McLaren launched the McLaren Tech Club last week with a brief episode about the aerodynamic magic of the open-top McLaren Elva. In part two of the video series, McLaren continues to explain how air and wind affect a car’s design, but this time it’s in a very different way. McLaren Principal Designer Esteban Palazzo dives into how the massive wing on the McLaren Senna GTR came to be and what purpose it serves. Three extra videos also show new footage of the Senna GTR testing in Bahrain.

Like the McLaren F1 GTR and McLaren P1 GTR that preceded it, the Senna GTR’s most prominent feature is its multi-tiered, multi-layered, carbon fiber pedestal wing. Palazzo says it was not only inspired by high-performance cars of the past and aircraft design, but also by the likes and tastes of the intended customers. In the case of the Senna GTR, Palazzo mentions science fiction and architecture.

The wing, which creates about 2,204 pounds of downforce and aids vehicle stabilization, has a few features that might not be immediately noticeable from photos or video. The shape takes design cues such as the endplates from LMP1 cars. In addition to connecting to the posts, the wing is further integrated into the car’s shape with attachments to the rear diffuser. The last piece mentioned is the automatic drag reduction system (DRS), a new piece of moving technology that helps with, well, minimizing drag.

After releasing episode two of the McLaren Tech Club, the Brits followed up with three videos of the Senna GTR testing on the Bahrain International Circuit, on which the Senna GTR holds the fastest race lap in the circuit’s current configurations. The first video offers an interactive 360-degree interior view, the second video shows the driver’s point of view, and the third video is shot from the Senna’s front splitter. McLaren does not say who is in the driver’s seat.

Episode three of the McLaren Tech Club should arrive at a similar time next week.

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April 10, 2020 / Comments Off

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Gordon Murray’s T.50 gets a soundcheck and a website

Gordon Murray Automotive isn’t slated to begin building the T.50 supercar until late next year, with deliveries scheduled for early 2022. Thankfully for us, the next step on the march to that goal is a website and a soundcheck of a portion of the 3.9-liter V12 which will power the three-seater coupe (watch that video here). We say “a portion” because Cosworth — the engineering firm developing the mill — put just three of the 12 cylinders on the dyno to verify emissions output and ensure the components can handle 12,100 rpm, said to be 300 rpm short of a 12,400-rpm “hard limit” redline. That figure is 1,400 rpm beyond the north wall of the 6.5-liter V12 Cosworth built to propel the Aston Martin Valkyrie. Murray told TopGear that the air pulses sucked into the ram-air intake above the cabin will result in magnificent sound. The English engineering legend tuned the thickness of the roof panel on the McLaren F1 to enhance the engine sound, and he’s done the same thing on the T.50. Based on the short snippet of the dyno run, the free-breathing V12 will excite blood and bone.

Output checks in at 650 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque, meaning ten hoses more than the 2021 Porsche 911 Turbo S but 184 lb-ft less. Unlike just about every other supercar out there today, the T.50 will weigh no more than 2,161 pounds, a stunning spec that’s 1,475 pounds less than the Turbo S, 899 pounds less than the Lotus Evora 400 Lightweight, 180 pounds less than an entry-level Mazda MX-5 Miata Sport. The V12 will utilize two engine maps, one that loads up torque at the bottom of the rev range for potting about town, dropping the redline to about 9,500 rpm and horsepower to roughly 600, the other unlocking every rev and joule. A 48-volt mild hybrid system powers the 15.7-inch rear fan and active aero panels, and employs a small electric motor to add 30 ponies in certain aero configurations. Power in the 100 units of the T.50 road car is sent to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual with an exposed linkage; the 25 units of the T.50 track-only car will use paddle shifters.

The coupe serves up five aerodynamic maps, two automatic and three driver selectable. Auto mode moves the under-floor and diffuser panels and active rear spoilers automatically as needed. Braking mode — as on a Bugatti Chiron or any McLaren — stands up the rear spoilers and powers the fan to suck air from under the car, improving downforce and therefore traction. Selectable High Downforce mode is made for the track and wet roads, boosting downforce by 30% over Auto mode. Streamline goes the opposite direction, closing aero inlets to reduce drag by 10% compared to Auto mode, and it “activates the fan at high speeds to extend the trailing wake of air behind the car, in effect creating a virtual long-tail.” VMAX mode starts with Streamline and kicks in extra boost from the 48-volt system to get to about 680 hp. Murray said the T.50 tops out somewhere around 220 miles per hour.

The carbon-intense supercar has moved into wind tunnel testing in Silverstone, using the Racing Point F1 team facility. At the same time, Gordon Murray Automotive is finishing its customer experience and service center in Dunsfold, England next to the factory that will build the T.50. Have a listen to the engine and imagine what’s to come for what it’s designer calls the “last and the greatest analog supercar ever built.” We also recommend checking out TG‘s piece on the car, where Murray admits that driving dynamics have been benchmarked against the Alpine A110, power steering will only work at low speed and in parking lots, the V12 flips from idle to 12,000 rpm in 0.3 seconds, and the rear tires are just 295-section (911 Turbo S rubber is 315-section out back).

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March 28, 2020 / Comments Off

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Coldplay NPR Tiny Desk Concert

We’re all trapped inside working from home, preparing to kill our spouses and binge-watching Netflix because of the very real health crisis going on. Want to get a glimpse into all the five-star concerts that…

Ferrari Diecast Racing League Tournament

In what was most certainly news to us, there’s an entire racing league and tournament not only dedicated to Ferrari, but dedicated to tiny, scale-model Ferraris specifically dedicated to slot-car style racing. Ultimately, that pseudo-Ferrari…

The Apex AP-0 is a 649-hp EV that weighs 2,645 pounds

Apex Motors sounds like a brand new name in the game, but the Hong-Kong-based company’s been around for more a few years and through a few transformations. In 2015 a maverick outfit of car designers banded together under the name Elemental to reveal the RP1, powered by 1.0-liter and 2.0-liter EcoBoost engines. By 2017, the 1,278-pound coupe could produce 2,205 pounds of downforce and was running Goodwood. By 2019, the Elemental RP1 had turned into the even-more-evolved Apex AP1, putting out 400 hp from a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder and blitzing from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 2.5 seconds.

The brand new AP-0 is the follow-up. As the naming scheme suggests, it takes the top spot in the lineup ahead of the AP-1 by having battery-electric power, a single electric motor turning the rear axles with 649-hp and 427 pound-feet of torque, a 320-mile range on the WLTP cycle, and a 0-60 time of 2.3 seconds. Top speed is 190 mph.

Just as remarkable, and even more unusual for an EV, the whole package weighs 2,645 pounds. Compared to a McLaren 720S, the AP-0 is 4.5 inches shorter but 3.4 inches wider, and while the Apex gives up 61 hp and 131 lb-ft to the Englishman, the AP-0 weighs almost 500 pounds less than the 720S. Compared to performance EVs, the Apex weighs about 1,380 pounds less than a Tesla Model 3 Performance, 1,700 pounds less than a Rimac Concept 2, and almost 2,500 pounds less than a Porsche Taycan Turbo S.

The Apex packs a floor-mounted, 90-kWh lithium-ion battery that consumes 1,213 pounds of its curb weight. When plugged into the right CCS charger, the pack can refill 80% of its charge in 15 minutes; on a standard Type 2 charger, filling up from empty takes eight hours.

The chassis and bodywork is entirely carbon fiber, a central carbon tub and modular spaceframes laid on a rigid carbon spine connect the front to the rear. Outside, the Le Mans-like fin houses a retractable LIDAR system up front and a cross-shaped taillight in back. Built as a road-legal racer for gearheads and sitting just 3.7 inches off the ground, there’s an adjustable pushrod suspension with automatic ride-height adjustment, 14-inch carbon ceramic rotors with six-piston calipers in front and four-piston in the rear, and a pair of 19-inch center-lock wheels up front paired with 20-inchers in back.

Behind gullwing doors, the carbon, aluminum, and leather interior makes every occupant feel like a racer with a single-seater-style, reclined and feet-up seating position. Three displays for the driver sit atop the instrument panel behind a square steering wheel. To help drivers make the most of track days, Apex says the AP-0 can “gamify the way drivers can learn new racetracks and deliver the ultimate immersive racing experience” through augmented reality projection. The software-based “instructor” can be improved through over-the-air updates. To ensure the instructor knows what it’s talking about, Apex said it wants to build an FIA-approved race track, followed by a racing academy, around its Hong Kong HQ.

The ambitions only begin there. When off the track, that LIDAR unit is intended to provide Level 3 autonomous capability at launch, with the company saying Level 4 potential is already built in. More handily, the AP-0 will come with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and lane keep assist. That’s all down the way, though, the AP-0 not scheduled to enter production until the latter half of 2022, costing around $195,000 for U.S. buyers. If all goes well from here to there, Apex plans to build up to 500 units per year in Britain, what it calls its second home, on the way to introducing a wider lineup of offerings.

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March 14, 2020 / Comments Off

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Pikes Peak Hill Climb Record | Behind the Wheel S02 // E09

“Behind the Wheel” is a video series that shows you a bit of what it’s like to work at Autoblog. The editors and video producers will show you the cars we have in our fleet, and you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at some of the personalities who help make the site run.

In this episode, Senior Producer Christopher McGraw packed up his bags, got in the car and moved out to the fantastic state of Colorado. After getting settled in the mountains, his first assignment was to cover VW’s attempt at setting the course record for the Pikes Peak Hill Climb. What followed was one of his favorite days on the job.

Where are you traveling to in 2020? We’d love to hear from you, so please comment below!

Gear used to make this:

Panasonic GH5s: https://amzn.to/2QsJdHE

Panasonic Lumix 12-35mm F2.8: https://amzn.to/34bl3W4

Rode VidMic Pro: https://amzn.to/2qrDHKN

Tiffen 58mm Variable ND Filter: https://amzn.to/2XpizRw

GoPro Hero 7 Black: https://amzn.to/2Qr3Bcm

Adobe Premiere: https://amzn.to/32ZTA8B

Autoblog is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. These deals are available through our affiliate partnership with Amazon.com. Deals are subject to Amazon’s schedule and availability.

March 5, 2020 / Comments Off

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Ford’s New Vehicle Could Completely Change the Camper Van World

<!–Ford’s Electric Transit Could Change the Camper Van World • Gear Patrol<!– –>

carbon-free vanlife

Ford has received a lot of attention for the Mustang Mach-E, its forthcoming muscle car-inspired electric crossover. The electric F-150 pickup truck should be kind of a big deal, too. Ford’s new electric Transit van, which the brand just announced will arrive for the 2022 model year, is liable to be much less widely heralded — but it should be equally important for the world.

An electric cargo van, after all, will reduce overall fleet emissions around the world, as companies like Amazon and UPS switch over from gas-powered vehicles to EVs. It will be great for Ford’s bottom line for deliveries. And perhaps most interestingly, it’ll also offer environmentally-conscious camper van enthusiasts a compelling and versatile zero-emissions option.

Camper van outfitters will have a ton of flexibility with this new EV van. Ford will sell the electric Transit with three different roof heights and three different body lengths. There will also be a bare cutaway cab version for manufacturers that want to customize it. It’ll come with Ford’s suite of driver assistant technologies and an integrated Wi-Fi hotspot, and have access to the massive continent-wide charging network Ford is building.

Ford was scant on the initial details; we don’t know what sort of range the electric Transit will offer, or how much it will cost, and the 2022 model year is a broad timeframe for a launch, meaning we could see it as soon as next January or as late as September 2022. But this should be a major step forward. And, unlike many great things camper-related, the electric Transit will be sold in the United States.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

Tyler Duffy

Tyler Duffy is Gear Patrol’s Motoring Staff Writer. He used to write about sports for The Big Lead and The Athletic. He has a black belt in toddler wrangling. He’s based outside Detroit.

More by Tyler Duffy | Follow on Facebook · Instagram · Twitter · Contact via Email

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March 4, 2020 / Comments Off

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This Clever Camp Stool Packs Down to the Size of a Whiskey Bottle — and Weighs Even Less

<!–This Clever Camp Stool Packs Down to the Size of a Whiskey Bottle — and Weighs Even Less • Gear Patrol<!– –>

Take a Load Off

OK, we admit it: as gear enthusiasts, we are sometimes prone to exaggeration. But the moment we laid eyes on the Hillsound BTR at last June’s Outdoor Retailer trade show, we were in love, and nearly a year later, that love remains true. The name stands for Better Than a Rock, and when it comes to taking a break on the trail, that’s exactly what it is.

The ultralight and packable product folds up small enough to stash in your pack’s water bottle slot, ready to unfurl into a surprisingly comfortable camp stool at a moment’s notice. And now, after months upon months of anxious watching and waiting, we’re stoked to say the BTR is available for purchase.

The BTR is available in two sizes, 14-inch and 17-inch, and while the former is naturally more transportable, the latter is highly recommended for those on the taller side (like, say, 6 feet and over). Condensed, the 14-incher is just 12.6 inches tall, quite comparable to your average 750-milliliter whiskey bottle. Both units weigh less than a pound (the 14-incher is just 12.6 ounces) and can support up to 240 pounds thanks to 100 percent nylon mesh fabric and aluminum alloy poles.

One other feature we love is Phantom Lock: the twisting telescopic legs magically lock out once fully engaged, capably supporting your trailside or campfire activities until it’s time to pack up and go.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

Steve Mazzucchi

Steve Mazzucchi is Gear Patrol’s outdoors and fitness editor. Outside the office, you can find him mountain biking, snowboarding, motorcycling or sipping a dram of Laphroaig and daydreaming about such things.

More by Steve Mazzucchi | Follow on Facebook · Instagram · Twitter · Contact via Email

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March 3, 2020 / Comments Off

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One of the Country’s Best Bottles of Bourbon Hits Shelves Across the Country

<!–One of the Country’s Best Bottles of Bourbon Hits Shelves Across the Country • Gear Patrol<!– –>

Four Roses Small Batch Select

Good news from the world of whiskey: Four Roses Distillery will increase the distribution of its critically acclaimed bourbon Small Batch Select, reports Beverage Dynamics. More than a dozen states (Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin) join California, Georgia, Kentucky, New York and Texas, where bottles of the whiskey were previously limited.

Small Batch Select follows a trend in American whiskey-making; the juice is non-chill filtered, giving it a full, oily mouthfeel. In designing the bourbon, Four Roses Master Distiller Brent Elliot opted to blend six of the distillery’s 10 base recipes, four of which were also used in the award-winning 130th Anniversary Small Batch that can go for as much as $500 on the secondary market. Both whiskeys have Goldilocks proofs that clock in just above 100.

Expect a fair retail price of $55 to $60 for bottles of Small Batch Select. We recommend it neat with a few drops of water.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

Jack Seemer

Jack Seemer is the deputy editor at Gear Patrol. Since joining the publication in 2014, he has reported on a wide range of subjects, including menswear, smart home technology, cookware and craft beer.

More by Jack Seemer | Follow on Instagram · Twitter · Contact via Email

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March 3, 2020 / Comments Off

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Oris’s Flagship Dive Watch Is Available in a New Case Size

<!–Oris’s Flagship Dive Watch Is Available in a New Case Size • Gear Patrol<!– –>

Aquis Date

Independent Swiss watchmaker Oris’s Aquis dive watch is a value-laden platform that’s formed the basis for myriad special editions and complications. Unpretentious and geared toward serious divers, the Aquis collection offers professional dive specs with a range of features, sizes and dial colors.

Now, Oris has announced two new Aquis Date models, one of which joins the collection of 39.5mm watches, and a second in a brand new size of 41.5mm. Both watches feature 300m of water resistance, unidirectional rotating dive bezels and optional stainless steel bracelets with special clasp-extension systems (the 41.5mm model is also available with a rubber strap). Other features include a domed sapphire crystal, a mineral glass case back, a screw-down crown, the Sellita SW 200-1 automatic movement with 38 hours of power reserve and applied indices with SuperLumiNova. The 41.5mm model on rubber will carry a price of $2,000, while both models on bracelets will be priced at $2,200.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

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March 3, 2020 / Comments Off

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Bulova Is Bringing Back One of Our Favorite American Military Watches

<!–Bulova Is Bringing Back One of Our Favorite American Military Watches • Gear Patrol<!– –>

The “Hack” Watch

If you’re a fan of military watches, you may recall last year’s “Hack Watch” from Bulova, a modern recreation of the MIL-W-3818A spec from the 1950s and 1960s that was updated as a limited edition for Macy’s. At least one fan of the watch (who may or may not be the guy writing this news brief…) hoped that Bulova would deliver a mechanical version, and lo and behold, they’ve come through.

The new Military Collection consists of “an assortment of timepieces inspired by vintage historical watches that have been modernized for a contemporary lifestyle.” Two of the new pieces are based on the MIL-W-3818A spec but now feature the automatic Miyota caliber 82S0, a three-hand movement with a 42-hour power reserve. (The third watch in the collection is the A-15 Pilot Watch, based on a watch evidently produced toward the end of World War II and that, admittedly, I had never heard of before today. Shows you what I know.)

The new Hack Watch models are available in two versions: one features an ivory dial and a brushed stainless steel case with a black leather NATO strap, while the second features a black dial with a grey stainless steel case that looks very much like a “parkerized” military wristwatch from the 1950s or 60s accompanied by a green leather NATO strap. Both models feature inner 24-hour tracks, luminescent cathedral hands and indices, domed mineral crystals, 30m of water resistance and 38mm cases, updated from the diminutive ~31-32mm of the originals.

Pricing is set at $350 for the ivory-dialed model and $450 for the black dial, and both are available now directly from Bulova’s website.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

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February 19, 2020 / Comments Off

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Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

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