Most car owners like their gadgets, and as one ascends the ladder of automotive excellence, the technological trickery becomes more and more intense. A particular predilection we've noted is for high profile partnerships between the upper echelons of the automotive world and their horological equivalents - Breitling for Bentley, Parmigiani for Bugatti, Audemars Piguet for Maserati, etc., etc.
One collaboration that's in especially rude health is the hook-up between Aston Martin and Jaeger-LeCoultre.
see more images of the AMVOX2 DBS Transponder
After creating the AMVOX chronograph - a strictly limited edition timepiece with a titanium case and Aston Martin-sourced calfskin leather strap - the next step was the AMVOX2, with a 'vertical trigger' chronograph that was operated through a simple press on the sapphire crystal of the watch face. Now - in honour of Aston Martin's flagship DBS model - we have the AMVOX2 DBS Transponder, a new watch that combines the clickable watch face with a crucial new function; the ability to lock and unlock your own DBS.
Launched at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, Wallpaper* has had exclusive access to the €27,500 chronograph - plus a Touchtronic-equipped DBS, fetchingly finished in Aston Martin Racing Green - in order to experience this skilful blend of technologies at first hand.
The new watch is nicely weighted, with a partly exposed mechanism, black dial and gold case. Once you've acclimatized to the cleverly incorporated transponder mechanism, it takes nothing more than a touch to unlock the doors; at night, the welcome glow of the DBS's interior lights rise to greet you. It's the ultimate party trick, the kind of sleight of hand that helps to excuse the thunderous echo of the V12 in the small hours of the morning - there's no such thing as a silent exit with this car. The AMVOX2 doesn't just open doors, it marks the first foray into a whole new domain of highly technical timepieces.
-
These illuminating fashion interviews tell the story of style in 2024Selected by fashion features editor Jack Moss from the pages of Wallpaper*, these interviews tell the stories behind the designers who have shaped 2024 – from Kim Jones to Tory Burch, Willy Chavarria to Martine Rose
-
Earthscape Studio: an Indian architecture studio of elevated simplicityBased in India's Coimbatore, Earthscape Studio places craftsmanship, sustainability and a refreshing site-specific approach at its heart; resulting in designs that appear simple but unexpected, and elevated
-
Maserati unveils the Fuoriserie By Hiroshi Fujiwara MC20 Cielo modelHiroshi Fujiwara, the so-called Godfather of Streetwear, lends his talents to Maserati’s in-house bespoke division, creating a stylish take on the company’s open-topped supercar
-
BMW Motorrad brings out the big guns for its newest cruisersBMW Motorrad R 18 Bagger and Transcontinental set the tone for high-voltage cruising with a brand collaboration with speaker specialist Marshall
-
Is McLaren’s GT a sports car, a tourer, or the best of both?The McLaren GT is a capable all-rounder dressed up in svelte supercar clothes. It might also be the last of its type
-
Hyundai Ioniq 6 EV is a sleek, stylish streamlinerTake a first look at the Hyundai Ioniq 6 EV – stripped-back, streamlined, but retaining an interior that’s a ‘mindful cocoon’
-
Audi RS3 Sportback is tomorrow’s classic todayIt may be one of the last of its ICE kind, but cars like the Audi RS3 Sportback represent the summit of a century’s evolution – and are a convincing reminder as to how far EVs still need to evolve
-
Mercedes EQE tiptoes around a revolution to inch EV design forwardsWe road test the new Mercedes-Benz EQE, the car that may ease the Mercedes E-Class customer into the electric age – balancing the formal experimentation that EVs allow with the familiar
-
The Bentley Continental GT Speed is distance divided by time, multiplied by luxuryThe Bentley Continental GT Speed more than lives up to the reputation of its forebears
-
Range Rover’s positive reboot: the best 4x4 flagship?‘Less thrusting and more soothing’: we take a drive in the new-for-2022 Mk5 Range Rover and find it smoothed and refined, inside and out
-
McLaren’s flagship supercar has still got what it takesFive years after its launch, the McLaren 720S is still the purist’s supercar of choice. Few cars can go faster and yet remain so precise and amenable to drive
