
from Men's Gear



Italian carmaker Maserati, known to manufacture some of the world’s fastest and most luxurious sports and passenger cars, has launched a new SUV class to complement its range of automobiles. The brand calls it “Grecale”, which in Italian means a north-easterly Mediterranean wind. Like other models, Maserati named it after the world’s most famous winds to reflect its speedy nature.
Its base model, the Grecale GT can hit 60mph in fewer than 5.6 seconds and 124 mph in 23.7 seconds. This performance has already surpassed its fellow German competitor. In today’s fast-paced world, having an SUV like the Grecale makes commuting between places an easy feat. Its five-seater arrangement is just about right for a young family looking for a car, and each model has three basic drive modes (Comfort, GT and Sport) that the driver can toggle depending on the need.
For daily commutes in a city like Singapore, the ideal driving mode is Comfort, which guarantees maximum usability and comfort while ensuring peak efficiency. For those living in a country with long roads, the Sport mode will come in handy. Pedal sensitivity and gear change are set to peak performance and the driving position is lowered by 15mm — the spotlight is now on you and any preconceived notions of what an SUV can deliver will be rewritten.
The Grecale features a wide selection of powertrains, from conventional internal combustion engines to hybrid and a fully electric variation next year. As more countries move toward a greener future, the electric model, the Folgore, will most likely be a top pick for many across the world. Furthermore, it will be Maserati’s first fully electric SUV in its brand history and sets the standard for other upcoming electric vehicles the Trident brand has in its blueprint.
“The Everyday Exceptional” is the tagline for the Grecale, and it is an amalgamation of passion, innovation, versatility and style. These qualities are exemplified throughout the SUV starting from the exterior, which is the second series to adopt Maserati’s new styling direction after the marque’s flagship MC20. The car’s face features a distinctive Maserati grille but the rest of its bulbous body is emblematic of a typical SUV like its fellow competitors from Alfa Romeo, Porsche and BMW.
Moving into the cabin, you will be greeted by the modern touches available such as the 12.3-inch dashboard containing a digital gauge cluster and a pair of touchscreens on the centre stack. A first for Maserati is the fitting of a digital clock, which not only tells time but also emits a signal response when a voice command is issued. Furthermore, the clock face can become a compass, an essential tool when embarking on an off-road journey.
When choosing an Italian brand like Maserati, you would be sure to know that you will be living each day without any compromise. Be it with your family in the city or road-tripping with your friends, the Triden brand’s Grecale model is there to confer you luxurious comfort paired with supreme performance that the marque is well-known for in the automobile world.
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There is much to be shocked by the near economic disappearance of Europe. The “acceleration of the European economy” mentioned by Emmanuel Macron in China this April is a tale that no longer comforts or deceives anyone. Readers, our first electric car will most likely be Chinese, as China has now surpassed Germany as the world’s second-largest exporter of vehicles. This continent, which invented the car, is reduced to importing its electric vehicles. It has become a major consumer. What a sudden decline for Europe, which during its heydays exported many cars to China and outperformed others in terms of equipment industries — however, it did not see the end of the combustion engine coming.
Europe will soon be downgraded even in a field where they were champions, namely that of heavy transport. The French President has accepted, as part of his trip to China, to double the local production of Airbus, thus offering the Chines ample opportunities to appropriate the technology that will be used to outperform the Europeans. Case in point: Siemens made available to the Chinese uts high-speed train technology. Similarly, Kuka Robotics, the world-renowned German industrial robotics flagship, was slowly being eaten away by Chinese shareholders who started at 5.4 per cent in 2016 and are now at 95 per cent.
Airbus plans to double production in China and will move ahead with 160 previously announced plane orders. The deal is a reminder of how China remains a critical market for European companies, even as American manufacturers are pulling up stakes. https://t.co/c4JYNweN7c
— The New York Times (@nytimes) April 6, 2023
It would be foolish to think that the Chinese will refrain from advancing their technological capabilities when the Europeans are profit driven. This is of course to the detriment of the latter’s technological sustainability in the long term. For those who have kept themselves abreast of this change would have predicted such moves by the Chinese. The objectives were clearly defined as early as 2018 in the roadmap entitled “Made in China 2025”, which is “an initiative aimed at securing China’s position as a global power in high-tech industries. The goal is to reduce China’s dependence on imported foreign technology and to invest massively in its own innovations in order to create Chinese companies capable of competing both in the national and global markets”.
This is why German’s industrial engine is now doubled by China, and this occurs while its neighbours are pitifully closing all of its nuclear power plants in the midst of a global energy crisis. Another point to note is Germany’s trade deficit with China in 2022, at €85 billion, was the highest ever recorded. Furthermore, after the country’s sanctions against Russia, it was the first European economy to be paralyzed. Thus, it is increasingly dependent on the Chinese market for survival.

Europe, whose GDP was roughly equivalent to that of the United States in the early 1980s, has since fallen far behind. It was also overtaken by China in 2020. It is as if the continent has unilaterally chosen to abandon developing its technologies when it could have become equals with the Americans — it does not lack the brains. From the outset, Europe saw the rapid advances as threats that had to be regulated rather than economic opportunities. The vision Europe has of progress is primarily problematic: It legislates, it issues directives and regulations, while others invent and produce.
Following this train of thought, it is unsurprising to note Europe’s near invisibility in the field of Artificial Intelligence. It is neither anecdotal nor revealing that Italy and soon France are banning ChatGPT. How is Europe going to be moving forward, how can the continent continue to be competitive on a universal scale when it considers these areas to be threats? Europe needs to understand that it is useless to regulate — or continue to be a champion of morality — without mastering its own economic power. This continent, which is lagging behind in almost every industry and technological sector, is not actually seeking to become a superpower. Its ambition lies in maintaining high quality of life and not to meddle in crises that are not its own.

For more information about Michel Santi, visit his website: michelsanti.fr/en
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Every business strives to be efficient, as it directly impacts productivity, profitability, and success. In today’s fast-paced and competitive market, optimizing operations is crucial to stay ahead of the competition. The question is, how is your business doing on this front?
In today’s fast-paced business environment, efficiency is key to success. Companies that operate efficiently are more productive, profitable, and better able to compete in the marketplace.
However, achieving efficiency requires more than just hard work and dedication. It requires a strategic approach that involves streamlining workflows, leveraging software, using automation and AI, hiring the right type of employees, and more.
One of the most effective ways to improve business efficiency is to streamline workflows. This means identifying and eliminating unnecessary steps in your business processes. The goal is to reduce the time it takes to complete tasks, increase productivity, and minimize the risk of errors.
To streamline workflows, you must first identify the tasks that are taking too much time. This can be achieved by analyzing the business processes and identifying areas where there is redundancy or duplication of effort.
Once you have identified these areas, you can look for ways to simplify the process, automate tasks, or eliminate unnecessary steps.

Another way to make your business more efficient is to leverage software. There are a wide range of software applications available that can help automate tasks, streamline workflows, and improve productivity.
For example, customer relationship management (CRM) software can help you manage customer data, track sales activities, and streamline the sales process. Similarly, project management software can help you manage projects, allocate resources, and track progress.
You should also look for industry-specific software. If you’re managing a fleet, for example, fleet maintenance software can help you stay ahead of maintenance issues and keep your fleet operational and efficient. Being aware of the software offerings in your industry goes a long way toward helping you grow.
Automation and AI can also help you make your business more efficient. Automation involves using technology to automate repetitive tasks and processes. This can include anything from automating data entry to automating customer service interactions.
By automating these tasks, you can free up your employees to focus on more important tasks that require their skills and expertise.
AI, on the other hand, involves using algorithms and machine learning to automate decision-making processes. For example, AI can be used to analyze customer data and predict which products or services they are most likely to purchase.
This can help you target your marketing efforts more effectively and improve your conversion rates.
Another key to improving business efficiency is to hire the right type of employees. This means looking for employees who have the skills and experience needed to perform the tasks required of them. Here are a few tips for hiring employees who are likely to be highly productive:
Remember that while these tips can help you identify productive employees, there is no surefire way to guarantee productivity in a new hire. It’s important to create a supportive work environment that encourages productivity and provides employees with the resources they need to succeed.
Point to a successful business and somewhere beneath the surface is a systematic plan for optimizing and maintaining peak levels of efficiency. Productivity doesn’t just happen — it’s the result of hundreds of small decisions consistently compounded over many months and years. Now is the time to begin making those decisions within your organisation.
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First launched in 2016 by Marc Newson, one of today’s most influential industrial designers, the Horizon collection represents a turning point for the storied maison thanks to its innovative design, robust construction, and exceptional usefulness. The ultra-lightweight luggage in moulded mesh composite is decorated in either the House’s Monogram or Damier design and trimmed with natural cowhide. As a trunk maker with years of experience, Louis Vuitton’s savoir faire comes through in the details of the iconic trunks. This is spotlighted on the trolley system — silent, miniature wheels with 360 degrees of directionality. The luggage interior is also carefully thought out, where its flat-bottomed space optimises packing space.
In a new travel campaign called “Horizons Never End”, football world champion Lionel Messi only has his Horizon suitcase with him. Messi may be seen sitting in an airport terminal with his legs spread out on his Horizon rolling cabin luggage in a sequence of still photos taken by fashion photographer and videographer Glen Luchford. In another image, the football icon is seated on a famous Louis Vuitton trunk that is positioned among the airplanes on the tarmac, all set to embark on exotic journeys with his Horizon luggage.

To celebrate Spring’s arrival, Rimowa has expanded its Essential collection with two new seasonal shades: Petal and Cedar. These two colours showcase the captivating beauty of contrast originating in parallel worlds and the pursuit for harmony and balance in this seemingly uncertain world.
The subtle blush of pastel pink mirrors the radiant splendour of cherry blossoms, signalling the arrival of spring, while the refined brown tone of Cedar symbolises strength. When combined, these contrasting hues encapsulate the fleeting yet harmonious beauty of cherry blossom trees. Rounding up the new collection, several of Rimowa’s key pieces and accessories are also spotted in Petal such as the Personal Polycarbonate Cross-body Bag, Never Still Flap Backpack Small, Never Still Vertical Tote, Packing Cubes and iPhone 14 and 14 Pro cases.

As part of Tumi’s Spring 2023 collection, the latest campaign features Tumi crew member and McLaren Formula 1 driver Lando Norris. The collection offers a variety of limited-edition styles in McLaren’s signature papaya colourway, including the Torque Sling, Velocity Backpack, and Aero International Expandable 4-Wheeled Carry-On. Made to meet the needs of pioneers, travellers, and adventurers on the go, the 60th Anniversary collection offers a wider range of carrying options with the addition of packing cases and portfolios.

When two highly innovative brands come together, expectations are high on what this partnership will entail. For the collaboration between Samsonite and New Balance, a collection comprising of crossbody bag, shoebox crossbody bag and hard-side luggage products are available for purchase in Singapore. Celebrating individual expression and versatility, the new launch “seeks to foster the love of exploration with a stylish, versatile collection that meets the lifestyle needs of every type of explorer – fuelling their drive to pursue their dreams fearlessly” as shared by the brand and this essence is encapsulated under the campaign’s theme of “Live Undefined”.
Embodying both aesthetics and functionality, each piece is designed with a semi-transparent hard shell that is juxtaposed with coloured reversible pouches. While the smaller offerings are made for everyday travel, special mention goes to the Rolling Tote and Spinner 61. The former is an 18-inch hard-side luggage with a large expandable pouch, while the Spinner 61 is a 22-inch hard-side luggage that comes with a large expandable pouch and two additional medium-sized pouches. Both are great travel companion for quick getaways.
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