The 2017 Geneva Motor Show closes its doors this weekend. To follow up Camille Gendre’s article from last week, we took one last look around, to find some of the best men’s car/watch matches.
Alpine A110 – Longines Conquet Classic FIS Alpine World Ski Championships St.Moritz 2017
One of the most highly anticipated launches of this year’s Geneva Motor Show, Renault’s new Alpine A110, was quite a treat for fans of the French carmaker and its legendary Berlinette from the 1960s and 70s. The remake sports the same ovoid lines, the same four round headlights and the same bonnet with its familiar central ridge. This new two-seater sports coupé doesn’t just take the name of its ancestor; it also borrows the design, reproduced here in ultra-light aluminium bodywork. The 4-cylinder 1.8 litre rear-mounted turbo engine develops 252 horse power and can go from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds. We’ve chosen to pair this Alpine with the Conquest Classic FIS Alpine World Ski Championship St Moritz 2017 chronograph by Longines. It’s not just the name that fits; what we really like is its timeless sporty style and its performance, with chronograph functions, moon phase indicator, date, day and month. In its 42 mm steel case with sapphire crystal front and back, and a triple-security folding clasp on the bracelet, this timepiece – which is not just for skiers – is driven by the automatic Calibre L678, with a 48-hour power reserve.
Ferrari 812 Superfast – Hublot Big Bang Ferrari
We didn’t have to look far to find the perfect match for the 812 Superfast, which is celebrating its 70th birthday this year. It’s one of the latest Big Bang watches released by Hublot, which has been a partner of the Modena car maker since 2011. With its 6496 cc, 800 horsepower V12 engine (a record for a naturally-aspirated engine), the red racing machine demolishes 100 km/h in 2.9 seconds, and it has a top speed of 340 km/h. Over and above the pure performance, however, there is the essential Ferrari style: aggressive but refined, with its hollow flanks, dual tail lights to match the double exhaust, and its low-slung bonnet with its broad black radiator grille, giving it that distinctively pugnacious look. The latest Big Bang Ferrari in red and black marries aesthetic detailing with powerful functions. It is driven by the Unico in-house flyback chronograph movement with double-clutch mechanism and column wheel visible on the dial side, as well as a black PVD silicon lever and escapement wheel, offering a generous power reserve of 72 hours. This 45 mm version in carbon, available in a 500-piece limited series, has a bold and techy black and red dial and matching black strap with Ferrari’s characteristic red topstitching.
DS7Crossback – Ralph Lauren Grande Date RL67 Safari
DS chose Geneva for the big reveal of its first SUV, intended to offer an alternative to the ubiquitous German models that have proved so popular. While the curvaceous silhouette of this urban cowboy is relatively familiar, as is what lies under the hood, the interior of the DS7Crossback is more innovative, with its giant touch screen and, over the steering wheel, an infrared camera to monitor driver fatigue. The ruggedly handsome Ralph Lauren Grande Date RL67 Safari has an oversized 50 mm aged steel case and matt-polished anthracite dial. As its name suggests, it provides a highly readable double-window date display at 12 o’clock, along with beige Arabic numerals, SuperLuminova-coated hands and an orange running seconds hand. The automatic RL3105 automatic movement provides a 42-hour power reserve and is decorated with vertical Geneva striping. The watch comes with a distinctive faded olive canvas strap.
Nissan Qashqai – Seiko Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 GMT
Qashqai has become synonymous with the compact crossover car, as well as being the most popular SUV in Europe. Nissan has clearly found a winning formula, which is no doubt why it has wisely decided to leave well enough alone. So this year the Qashqai has received nothing more serious than a restyling, although given the competition, every detail matters. Aesthetically speaking, there’s a new radiator grille, a new luminous signature, a sportier steering wheel and a broader colour palette. In terms of safety features, the Japanese SUV features the new ProPilot autonomous driving system, pedestrian recognition and rear cross-traffic alert. The Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 GMT, launched late 2016, offers the precision, readability, comfort and durability we have come to expect from the brand. Its classic case houses the automatic 9S86 automatic calibre – winner of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in 2014 – which beats at 36,000 vph with a precision of +5 to -3 seconds per day. The 40 mm steel case, water resistant to 100 m, has a sapphire caseback and a black dial with a third hand for a second time zone. A black alligator strap completes the ensemble.
Bentley Continental Supersport – HYT H1 Ghost
We’ve saved the best till last. By its own reckoning the fastest four-seater car in the world, this ultra-sporty Bentley Continental GT coupé powers its distinguished passengers from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds, in the utmost comfort, and can reach a top speed of 336 km/h thanks to its W12 6-litre engine with oversized 710 hp turbochargers. Quite a performance, from this 2.75-tonne monster whose sporty but elegant lines have secured its place in the pantheon of British motoring elegance. The imposing all-black H1 Ghost from HYT displays the mysterious power of a timepiece whose manually-wound mechanical movement measures time by means of a pump, pistons and twin bellows, nestled inside a 48.8 mm black DLC titanium case. The black hour fluid, minutes dial, small second counter at 9.30 and power reserve indicator (65 hours) at 2.30 punctuate the deconstructed dial of this water-powered timepiece, which is mounted on a black rubber strap.
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