The Aston Martin Rapide is definitely a sexy piece of kit. Going up against the other four door ultra-high luxury sedan, the Porsche Panamera, it finally got a price of £139,950 or $230,171.14 if it were to rely on today’s currency exchange. That’s double the base price for the already pricey Panamera.

What does almost a quarter of a million get you? Aston Martin prestige and build quality, a 470hp V-12, comfort for 4-5 adults in an ultra-high luxury car that’s definitely bound to be super exclusive.

The Rapide is Aston Martin’s first production four-door sports car encapsulating the practicality of a car with extra doors and fusing it with the trademark sports car dynamics synonymous with modern Aston Martins.

Customer deliveries will commence at the beginning of quarter two 2010, and it will be the first sports car to be hand-built at the Aston Martin Rapide Plant in Graz, Austria. The new 17,000 m2 building has been designed to reflect the quality levels established in Gaydon since 2003 permitting the fusion of modern technology, advanced manufacturing processes and hand-built craftsmanship. Each Rapide will take approximately 220 man hours to build and will benefit from timeless craft skills just like the existing range; DBS, DB9, V12 and V8 Vantage do at Gaydon.

So, can I borrow $230,170? Don’t mind me… I’m just going to lust drool over the Aston Martin Rapide.

Equal parts Sydney Australia Opera House and Airstream [ site here ] the Opera Mobile Holiday Home Caravan/Trailer unfolds to show two beds, hot and cold water and an all-important toilet as well as LED lighting.

It is not a tent, not a caravan and not a motor home. The new mobile holiday home designed by Axel Enthoven has been christened Opera for its striking shape, reminiscent of the Sydney Opera House. The subtitle chosen is Your Suite in Nature to suggest the best of hotel rooms, but in the heart of nature in this case. The Opera allows you to stay in the most beautiful places, but with the luxury of a wine cabinet, warm-air heating, espresso bar and an enclosed teak veranda. This nomadic, contemporary living tent offers the quality of a luxury yacht combined with the outdoor feeling of camping under canvas.

For all of that, I’m willing the price will be quite expensive. The Opera will be presented for the first time at the Design at Work trade fair in Kortrijk from 8 to 10 December.

[ Dezeen ] [ Axel Enthoven ]

Here’s an exclusive just for the Remove The Labels (RTL) readers:

“Ideeli is a new member’s only shopping website for trendsetting women for luxury items, accessories and fashion.

We offer this season’s latest luxury items/accessories as well as the best of last season, cherry picked by our editors and specially priced for our members. Membership is free, but it is by invite-only.”

Feel free to go to and check out Ideeli, and use this promotional invite code: rtl22

That code is good until September 15, 2008, to get started saving a few dollars on some cool stuff ladies… or men buying for our special ladies.

Enjoy. Now if only I needed a new purse