In the meantime, here are a few really cool Porsche Design items I’ve come across lately.

Porsche Design Ice Cube Trays

This is one dang cool, cheap accessory sure to please any Porsche enthusiast. The Porsche Design ice cube tray makes 12 frozen Porsche car shapes per tray including the 911, Cayman, Cayenne and Panamera. Think how much better your Gin & Tonics would taste with little mini Porsche ice cubes in them. They’re cheap at right around $15 too.

Porsche Design Johnnie Walker Blue Label Private Bar

What do you get for the Porsche enthusiast millionaire who already has everything? Try the Porsche Design Johnnie Walker Blue Label Private Bar on for size. This has got to be one of the most trick alcohol related accessories I’ve ever seen. Crafted from the the finest materials money can buy, the bar is exquisitely styled with both classic and contemporary designs, blending form and function. Motion sensors built into the bar activate the opening sequence during which sections pivot and slide to reveal the private bounty: a magnum of cask strength Johnnie Walker blue Label, two bottles of Johnnie Walker Blue Label, and four crystal glasses.

Now for the price tag…a mere £100,000, or roughly $150,000. Yep, that’s more than a Porsche 911 Turbo. Only 50 units will be offered. All you need to go with it are some Porsche shaped ice cubes!

Porsche Design P’6620 Dashboard Watch

I’m a big watch fan. Like cars, I don’t have a love of watches because they are status symbols or some other superficial emblem. I like them purely because of the design and form. There are a few Porsche Design watches that have struck my fancy over the years. The Porsche Design P’6620 Dashboard Watch happens to be one of them. Although I’m not in love with an all black design, I do love the styling of this watch. It’s simple, yet captures some of the essence of the instrument cluster in the Porsche 911. It runs around $6,000.

[Source & Images: Porsche Design]

This particular LEGO creation is no exception. Someone with a heck of a lot more time on their hands than I have, along with way more imagination, has created a great replica of a Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet. What’s amazing is they added motors and other goodies enabling the creation to run, shift gears, retract the spoiler, even a working replica of Porsche’s PDK transmission. It has many of the same details as the real deal. Check out the video:

This little beauty contains almost 3500 parts and includes 8 motors, 3 remote controllers, 3 IR receivers, 3 pairs of lights, and nearly 7 meters of wire according to the video. The attention to detail is just crazy.

The center piece of this package is the 14th annual Petit Le Mans, which is a 10 hour event on the ALMS calendar. It’s scheduled for Sept 28 thru Oct 1 at Road Atlanta. This is the signature event for ALMS.

Here are the additional things included in the package:

• VIP tickets to the Petit Le Mans including access to the private trackside chalet for dad and up to 10 guests
• Private jet transportation from anywherein the US to the Gwinnett County Airport in Atlanta
• 5 suites at the Château Élan
• Dinner with ALMS founder Don Panoz
• A personal tasting event with a master distiller from Tequila Patrón
• Helicopter transportation from the chateau to the track
• A ride in the ALMS safety car at the start of the race
• Pit access
• A cocktail reception with the series champion
• A table for 10 at the ALMS award gala
• A lap around Road Atlanta with a factory team driver in a Porsche 911
• Dad takes the Porsche 911 Carrera home as a souvenir

Not too shabby, eh? The price for this once in a lifetime event…just $500,000. And multiple packages are available.

Kids, time break into the piggy banks for dad…

Up until B&D sent these, we’ve relied on what the family has come to call “the blue thing” which is a power supply for a cigarette lighter that offers a couple of standard AC outlets. The thing is beat to crap because it’s traveled with us for so long and has started to act up a bit, most likely due to age. It has been a life saver powering laptops, game boys, iPods, cell phone chargers and a host of other unremembered electronic items. I even used it to power my coffee grinder one time while camping.

Both of the products B&D sent are designed to provide power while on the go.

First is a 100W Electronics Charger, part of Black & Decker’s imobile line. As you can see from the picture, it’s pretty simple, which is part of it’s beauty. Plug it into your lighter socket and you’ve got an AC plug and USB outlet for charging gadgets like an iPod.

One of my favorite things about this accessory is it’s size. It’s small and the lighter adapter folds behind the housing. Would fit perfectly in a glove box or center console. The Electronics Charger also has lights that show fault settings and a warning mechanism that warns against draining the battery in your vehicle.

Second is a 500W 2-In-1 Automotive Power Supply, from the Black & Decker Power It line. This steps the power supply up a notch offering not only 100W operation through the use of your car’s cigarette lighter plug, but 500W operation when connected directly to a vehicle or boat battery. This allows for continuous operation, even when the vehicle is off and increased power for heavier duty applications.

The unit provides two AC outlets and a USB outlet. It has similar features to the 100W compact power supply such as status lights and low battery protection. The housing is made of a sturdy hard plastic and is relatively compact. Overall a nice replacement for “the blue thing.”

Both accessories are well made and worth a look. I know I personally couldn’t live without one (sad…I know), nor could my family. Heck, we have trouble just having 2 AC outlets available and I’ve thought about bringing a small power strip along on long trips.

Of the two of these Black & Decker power supplies, I personally like the 100W compact unit. It’s a perfect companion for a Porsche where space is tight in the car.

Check out more product info at Black & Decker’s site here: Black & Decker, as well as your favorite retail outlet for their products.

I have to admit I was a little surprised and skeptical when I got an email from Alan Shaw of Shaw Pens asking me to give him a call. He claimed to be responsible for designing and producing the recent PCA special edition carbon fiber pen. I took a quick look at his site, though, and he has some beautiful designs. What’s more, he was recently featured in Pen World (arguably the most important magazine in the pen/writing instrument world), which only further legitimizes this penmaker.

I’m not usually much of a fan of logo’d gear or accessories of any sort. I love Porsches, and I’m a PCA member, but I don’t need to go around announcing it to the world. This, however, is one PCA item I wouldn’t mind having on my desk. The pen is absolutely gorgeous, which is part of the reason I was so skeptical when Alan emailed me.

A little about Shaw. He learned penmaking years ago. In 2006, he ended up making it his full time business. One thing he mentioned to me on the phone, and that he seems very proud of, is everything is made in the good old USA. From the pens themselves to the nibs and boxes.

The PCA special edition pen is made of carbon fiber and features the PCA medallion recessed on the end of the cap. It’s not a limited edition, but only 55 will be made in time for Christmas delivery this year. The pen sells for $349.

The pen speaks for itself and anything I try to say to describe it won’t even begin to do it justice. Just take a look at the pictures. I will say this combines two things I absolutely love: pens and Porsches.

This would make a great Christmas gift or addition to a collection.

UPDATE: Alan emailed me a minor point of clarification. The nibs used in the pens are made in Germany, not the USA as I mentioned in the post.

You may recall my review about a month and a half ago of the Fanatec Porsche 911 Turbo S Racing Wheel. If you didn’t catch the drift of my review, I absolutely LOVED the wheel setup and felt it was the best I’d ever tried. As crazy as this may sound, Fanatec has outdone themselves with yet another wheel and pedal setup I’ve been playing with lately. It’s the Fanatec Porsche 911 GT3 RS Wheel.

I’ll sum this review up for you in two words: sweet MOTHER! The 911 GT3 RS wheel does the Fanatec Porsche 911 Turbo S Racing Wheel one better. In fact, in my previous review, I said, “I don’t love this wheel. I’m IN LOVE with this wheel.” All I can seem to come up at this point is I want to MAKE LOVE to this wheel, but that just seems too crude. Yes, it’s that amazing!

Now, before you dismiss me as some crazy psycho who really should get out more often before I stoop to defiling video game controllers, realize that I’m not a big game junkie. I really don’t play games all that much, and will usually just pick up whatever my teenage son wants to play on any given day mostly because I want to hang out with him doing something he loves. Also, I wasn’t paid for this review. I just got the wheel and pedal setup to try out. So these are my true feelings.

The question on your mind at this point may be, “What makes this wheel so amazing?” Aside from it being technically as good of a wheel as I could imagine getting my hands on, what separates this from the Turbo S wheel for me is the styling. The wheel has a cool orange casing on the back, which makes me think of that orange Porsche 911 GT3 RS from ads and magazine spreads. What’s more, the wheel is wrapped in 100%, identical, ALCANTARA leather. Just like the real thing. The feel of this wheel enhances the entire gaming experience. When I first opened the box and pulled out the wheel, I made everyone in my family take a turn gripping it. THIS is what a racing wheel should “feel” like.

Fanatec also sent me the Clubsport Pedal Kit. It’s an all aluminum pedal setup with pressure sensitive brake pedal using an indestructible magnetic precision sensor under each pedal. The brake pedal even has ABS vibration.

Here are some highlights of the wheel and pedals:

• Original Porsche 911 GT3 RS steering wheel design
• Hand stitched leather wheel manufactured according to Porsche quality standards using original ALCANTARA® leather made in Italy
• Compatible with PC and all PlayStation®3 games which support Force Feedback
• 3 x adjustable paddle shifter styles including Clubsport paddle shifters made of aluminum
• Extra large wheel rim diameter (300 mm)
• Turning angle can be adjusted in the wheel to 90° to 900° in steps of 10° independent from the game
• Powerful Mabuchi RS 550 Motor as used in RC cars delivers extra strong Force Feedback effects
• Extra smooth and silent belt drive without mechanical dead zone
• High resolution wheel sensor
• Fully adjustable including ForceFeedback strength, steering angle, damper strength and linerarity of the steering axis
• Clubsport pedals made of aluminum
• Pressure sensitive load cell sensor
• Maximum brake force adjustable
• Contactless magnetic sensors for gas and clutch with unlimited lifetime
• Vibration motor on brake pedal to indicate blocking tires
• Adjustable spring strength
• Adjustable pedal travel

Needless to say, this is a heck of a setup. I tried this wheel on a PC with Need For Speed: Shfit, so that I could do a side-by-side comparison against the Turbo S wheel. I was not the least bit disappointed. Game play was exactly like the Turbo S wheel. I do enjoy playing a bit more on a gaming system than a PC, but that’s just my personal preference. The wheel was very responsive. There was sufficient resistance when turning to simulate actual driving and the force feedback effects were spot on. It offered more adjustments than I cared to mess with. Just simply awesome.

Of the two wheels, the GT3 RS is definitely my favorite. I love the ALCANTARA wrapped wheel. Now I’m ready to get my hands on a racing cockpit setup and use this wheel and pedal combo as the basis. In fact, I’ve been watching Craigslist for a Porsche 911 seat. I thought it’d be fun to try and put together a racing system with some genuine Porsche parts.

If you haven’t had the chance to try a Fanatec wheel, try one. You WILL NOT be disappointed. It’s as close to the real thing as I can hope to get and enhances any driving game experience. Trust me, you’ll be thanking me once you “take” just one lap with this baby.

Check out the Fanatec site for more info on this and other wheels here: Fanatec Racing Wheels.

I’ve mentioned before that I’m a big watch fan. I’m not any sort of a collector, but I appreciate a fine time piece and would love to have the means to buy one or two on my list. You can guess, then, that I’m all for any reason that comes up for Porsche Design to create a special edition watch. This is a heck of an occasion.

Porsche won their first Le Mans 40 years ago in an amazing 1-2-3 finish with Hans Hermann and Richard Attwood piloting their 917 K to a first place finish. The Porsche Design P’6612 Dashboard Le Mans 1970 Limited Edition watch pays tribute to the winning 917.

The face of the watch is styled after the dashboard instruments of the Porsche 917 K with white indices, a black background and red hands and accents. The car’s number, 23, adorns the face, just as it did the long-tail of the car. Around the bezel is a tachometer scale that can be used to calculate overall speed. The case is a brushed and polished titanium. A perforated calfskin strap with red topstitching reminiscent of the 917′s steering wheel completes the look.

Only 917 watches will be offered. Each comes with a scale model of the 917 K and a booklet signed by Herrmann and Attwood. I couldn’t find a price it will be offered at.

I love the look of this watch and would gladly wear one if I could afford it. My guess is it will be priced in the high 4 figures though.

[Via Porsche Design]

Two things that I absolutely love are pens and watches. My wife really doesn’t get it and just shakes her head when I start talking about some cool watch I saw or a pen I’d love to have in my little collection. Unfortunately, when you are mesmerized by things like pens and watches, the habit is not a cheap one. You get to view from afar much more often than enjoy ownership. Hmmm, sounds a lot like my love affair with Porsche.

One watch that I had the chance to pick up fairly cheap, but didn’t a few years ago was a TAG Heuer Monaco. It was one of the square watches with blue band and blue face just like the one Steve McQueen wore in Le Mans. I still regret not picking that one up.

The Porsche Club of America is celebrating it’s 55th year this year and has teamed up with TAG to offer a very limited edition timepiece to PCA members. This specialized Monaco, inspired by Steve McQueen’s blue Monaco, features red and black rally strips on the dial along with a circled “55″ to commemorate the year the PCA launched AND its 55th anniversary.  On the back of the watch, the PCA logo is engraved into the sapphire exhibition back.

This is a pretty cool watch and would be a heck of an addition to a watch collection, especially if that person also had an soft spot for Porsches. The cost will be $5,500 for each of the 55 examples and available exclusively to PCA members. You can read more here: PCA-TAG.com.

Looks like this is another one I’ll have to admire from afar.

…sometimes the love of driving, sports cars and related video games are all things an enthusiast is interested in. I definitely fall into that camp. The fine folks at Activision were kind enough to send a copy of a new driving game to me for review. It’s called Blur and here’s what is promised:

Blur is the ultimate powered-up racing experience, dropping players into heart-pumping, electrified action with multiple cars trading paint as they charge towards the finish line.  Drivers careen through real-world track locations packed with fast curves, sneaky alternate routes and hair-raising jumps in over 50 licensed cars as they collect intense Power-ups, including the ability to blast other cars out of the way with huge bursts of energy, boost their speed, and more. Blur delivers a new style of Powered-up racing experience for all gamers.

I’m not usually a fan of non-track related racing games, but this has to be one of the most fun games I’ve picked up and just started playing. No real learning curve for instant play other than a quick understanding of the controls. Blur is a fast-paced, racing game with some fun twists.

When “we” (which really means my 14 year old son) cracked open the game for the first time, neither of us really knew what to expect. After he played it for several minutes without me (a mistake since he instantly had an advantage), I jumped in and we raced against each other along with several computer drivers.

The action is intense and there is a definite focus on driving technique, despite non-track-like layouts and a number of other enhancements such as power-ups and things to mess with the cars you’re racing against. My first thought was this felt like Mario Kart on steroids. I’ve played that quite a bit with the kids over the years, and this seemed like an adult oriented version. As a side note, you really need to jump over to the Blur site and check out the Brock Lee promo video with the Mario Kart intro. It’s hilarious.

The cars and available car options are pretty extensive in the game. Most of the high end super cars are represented with the ability to customize the color. Just as in real life racing, different cars have strengths and weaknesses that make them best suited for various races and tracks. Unfortunately, Porsche doesn’t seem to be represented.

I have to say, my son and I were both impressed with it and found it pretty addicting. It’s easy to just sit down and play with only some general control familiarity required. It’s also cool that Blur can be played with up to 4 people locally or as many as 20 people online. It’s not often that you come across a decent driving game that allows for multi-player locally, so that’s a nice bonus.

Overall, I’d highly recommend Blur. It’s a fun game that anyone who likes driving games will enjoy. My only complaint is the lack of Porsche as an available car to drive. Maybe in a future version or as a download.

For as long as I’ve been playing video games (admittedly a long time), I’ve loved playing racing games. They’ve always been my favorite. Pole Position was probably the first “real” racing game I got addicted to. I played it until I could finish it consistently every time on a single quarter. From that point on, I’d gravitate towards the racing games any time I had the opportunity to choose. Some of my favorite times in the past 10 years was going to Chuck E. Cheese when the kids were little. Everyone else would be in school/at work, and we’d get bag fulls of tokens for free (thanks to my wife’s savvy couponing skills) and just go nuts.  I would pump token after token into different driving games.

Strangely, I don’t play too many racing video games at home on the various gaming systems we have. This is largely due to the fact that it’s just no fun to drive with a normal controller. Course that didn’t stop me from taking my turn racing the legendary Hurley Haywood in Need For Speed: Shift (My Day IN the Races). I felt like I was at a disadvantage having to use the controller. Not that it would have made a whole lot of difference in my driving that day.

As luck would have it, someone from Fanatec contacted me after my report of getting crushed by Hurley Haywood and offered to send a racing wheel for me to try. Let me just say, it felt like Christmas when the Fanatec Porsche 911 Turbo S Racing Wheel showed up. I don’t love this wheel. I’m IN LOVE with this wheel. It’s simply amazing!

From the moment you lift up the box, you can tell from the heft that this isn’t your typical gamer racing setup. This one is built for those looking for a more realistic racing experience. Unpack this bad boy and you’re treated to one of the finest replicas of an actual Porsche steering wheel made for gamers anywhere. Honestly, I can’t imagine a finer wheel unless you were to take an ACTUAL Porsche 911 Turbo S steering wheel and somehow mount the appropriate gaming buttons to it. It’s that solid and realistic feeling.

One note before I go on. You need to know this is a dang classy setup. It’s well designed and thought out. It’s as much a work of art as it is a game enhancer. Too many video game accessories take function over form. Not so with the Fanatec wheel and pedals. This thing is THAT gorgeous.

Setup is a breeze with the major mounting options covered (table and stand). The first time you plug it in and power it on, you may be surprised by the calibration it cycles through. The wheel turns all the way on it’s own to the stop, then turns back to center. It’s pretty cool. It’s also a precursor to the stellar experience you’re about to embark on.

So far I’ve used the wheel primarily with Need For Speed: Shift on the Xbox 360. It has performed flawlessly and negates the need for a secondary controller to be on for menu navigation. Game play is truly taken to the next level with the wheel and included Standard Pedals. It takes a bit of getting used to, but you’ll be hard pressed to ever go back to a standard controller for driving game play.

Here are some features of the Fanatec Porsche 911 Turbo S Racing Wheel:

• Original Porsche 911 Turbo S steering wheel design
• Licensed by Porsche Lizenz- und Handelsgesellschaft mbH
• Authentic metal Porsche logo on wheel
• Hand stitched leather wheel manufactured according to Porsche quality standards
• Compatible with Xbox 360, PC and PlayStation 3 (all games which support Force Feedback wheels)
• 6+1 Speed gear stick with realistic shifting feel
• Wired pedals with realistic clutch pedal with declining resistance
• 3 Force Feedback motors and smooth belt drive deliver sensational realism
• Powerful Mabuchi RS 550 Motor as used in RC cars delivers extra strong Force Feedback effects
• Extra smooth and silent belt drive without mechanical dead zone
• High resolution wheel sensor

It’s limited to a total production run of 10,000 units. There are three different versions you can buy. This only adds to the desirability in my opinion.

One of my favorite things about the wheel, aside from the overall improvement in quality of game play are the paddle shifters. Although I spend most of my time in automatic transmission mode to just concentrate on driving, every now and then I’ll kick it into manual transmission and use the paddle shifters. I love the effect and these operate exactly like I’d expect on a real car. They’re solid, not flimsy feeling and placed perfectly for two handed driving.

Overall, I can’t say enough good about this wheel and pedal setup. It’s BY FAR the best video game accessory I’ve ever tried and is well worth every penny. Hurley Haywood can BRING IT! I’m confident I can take him down now.

Check out the Fanatec site for more info on this and other wheels here: Fanatec Racing Wheels.