I'm an Apple hardware and Mac OS fan. For the past 19 years I've
worked on nothing but Macs, and the only non-Macs I've had have been a
few older castoffs that came my way and were quickly passed on.
However, that doesn't obviate may casting a covetous glance PC-ward
from time to time in appreciation of some pretty cool hardware in the
PC category - in particular exoticar cobranded notebook computers.
Most
regular Low End Mac readers are probably aware that I'm a lifelong
consummate car nut, and one of my admittedly somewhat quixotic
fantasies is that that Apple would make an exoticar cobranded MacBook
Pro. Two of the most illustrious exoticar nameplates are already
contracted to PC makers - Asus with Lamborghini and Acer has a similar
deal with Ferrari - but there are still Bugatti, Bentley,* and Porsche
(all now part of the Volkswagen empire), McLaren (possible carbon-fiber
engineering tie-in there if Apple pursues that avenue) , Lotus, Aston
Martin, and Maserati, which - like Ferrari - belongs to Fiat. There are
also possible Formula One motor racing tie-ins with teams like McLaren,
Williams, or even recent and current overachiever Red Bull.
I don't think most North Americans are aware of how big motorsport -
especially Formula 1 - is in most of the rest of the world, second only
to soccer in major sports. Formula 1's US profile will be raised
considerably now that Formula One World Championship Limited, Formula
One Administration Limited, and Full Throttle Productions, LP, promoter
of the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, have announced a historic
agreement for Austin, Texas to serve as host city of a Formula 1 United
States Grand Prix at the new Circuit of the Americas race track there
for the years 2012 through 2021. I digress.
Asus Lamborghini VX7 Laptop and a real Lamborghini.
Back to the present:
Asus' Lamborghini Notebook Series incorporates industrial design
and styling themes of Lamborghini exoticars, especially the Italian
marque's new, V12-powered Aventador. The new 15.6" Asus-Automobili
Lamborghini VX7 notebook thematically embodies the excitement of
Automobili Lamborghini's supercar grand touring traditions and offers
users a fresh take on portable computing. Crafted to reflect the
avant-garde aggressive look of Automobili Lamborghini models, the VX7
feature wedge-themed design, a trapezoidal touchpad, and is available
in distinct orange, black and carbon fiber colors.
Asus Lamborghini VA7 Laptop in orange.
If you're not a motorhead, you may not know that Lamborghini has
been Ferrari's most formidable competition in the exotic sports car
arena for nearly 50 years. Legend has it that Italian farm tractor
manufacturer Ferruccio Lamborghini bought a Ferrari in the early 1960s,
experienced a problem with the clutch, and decided to drop by the
Ferrari works at Modena for a chat with Enzo Ferrari himself about the
fault. However, the great man was unimpressed, dismissing Lamborghini
with, "What does a tractor maker know about super cars . .
. You stick to tractors and let me build sports cars." Insulted and
miffed, Lamborghini took his Ferrari home, fixed the problem himself
using a tractor clutch, and vowed to build a sports car that would
out-Ferrari Ferrari.
Asus Lamborghini VX7 Laptop.
"I am the first Japanese in Italian history," Lamborghini is quoted
observing. "I never invented anything, but I always copied the best. To
make my motor, I asked, which is the best? And the response was,
the 12-cylinder of Ferrari. However, to improve it I needed to
change the head. So then I asked, which heads are the most
efficient? The answer, the twin cams on the 4-cylinder Alfa
Romeo. So it was enough for me to put together these concepts to
make the most beautiful motor in the world."
The Asus-Automobili Lamborghini VX7 notebook features the power of
quad-core 2nd generation Intel Core i7 processors and clocks in as the
world's first notebook with discrete Nvidia GeForce GTX 460M graphics,
supported by a whopping 3 GB of dedicated video memory. Users also
benefit from a speedy solid-state hybrid drive of up to 1.25 TB in
capacity, rated at approximately 10,000 rpm for superfast access and
performance. This is in a laptop, folks.
Bullish Approach to Eye-catching Design
The VX7 represents the culmination of the longstanding
Asus-Automobili Lamborghini cobranding joint venture, delivering a
premium product for consumers who hold luxurious craftsmanship and
advanced technology in high regard.
Cooling vents enable heat dissipation while echoing the back end of
Lamborghini supercars.
Numerous design touches double as practical performance enhancers
and tributes to Automobili Lamborghini engineering and style. One clear
example of this are the cooling vents at the rear of the VX7, which
enable superior heat dissipation while echoing the unique taillight and
exhaust assembly design of Automobili Lamborghini supercars.
This design philosophy applies even to the power button, which has
been styled as an engine start key, the laptop's leather-trimmed palm
rests and its light but durable aluminum construction.
The VX7 is
offered in three classic Automobili Lamborghini colors: orange, black,
and carbon fiber. All are directly licensed and formulated to retain
the iconic and attention-grabbing appearance of the fabled Italian
exotical powerhouses.
As one of the most capable notebooks ever produced by Asus, the VX7
stays faithful to its Automobili Lamborghini pedigree offering sheer
performance for gaming, multimedia, online entertainment, and
productivity. As noted, at its heart resides the quad-core Intel 2nd
generation Core i7 processor, based on Intel's Sandy Bridge
architecture for enhanced graphics and multitasking performance
combined with high energy-efficiency. Dedicated graphics for hardcore
gaming and multimedia come from the Nvidia GeForce GTX 460M GPU,
offering native DirectX 11 and aided by that unprecedented (in laptops)
3 GB of video memory, plus a Blu-ray drive, a 15.6" LED screen,
and a built-in 2.0 megapixel camera.
With these specifications, the VX7 will be a formidable gaming and
entertainment platform. Maintaining the Automobili Lamborghini super
veloce spirit, the VX7 ships with USB 3.0 as standard for up to ten
times the data transfer speeds of USB 2.0 (Apple's Thunderbolt high
speed I/O on the latest MacBook Pros is even faster).
The Asus-Lamborghini VX7 notebook sells for - are you sitting down?
- $4,999.
Asus-Lamborghini VX5
Another Asus-Lamborghini notebook offering is the
VX5, a tribute to the Lamborghini Reventón's avant garde
design. Asus describes it as not only a notebook, but more of an
objet d'art in which they've managed to encapsulate the very
essence of Lamborghini.
Asus-Lamborghini VX5
Like the Lamborghini Reventón, the Asus-Lamborghini VX5 is a
synthesis of clean lines and glossy trappings. Be it in piano black or
pearlescent white the VX5 is a statement of panache and power, even
more so once users lift the hood to find an equally glossy touchpad,
with the hint of ceramic finishing from its buttons. These accentuated
features are accented with luxuriously sewn leather palm-rests. Chrome
rims frame a pair of bespoke speakers by Altec Lansing, their design
reminiscent of the heat vents of the Lamborghini Reventón. A
finishing touch are scratch-resistant sapphire crystal lens covers that
shield a built-in webcam.
Equipped with a 1 TB hard drive, the Asus-Lamborghini VX5
gives users more storage space for work or entertainment. Powered by an
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9000 processor, it provides users with plenty of CPU
muscle. A 16" high definition 1366 x 768 display (the same resolution
as Apple's 11.6" MacBook
Air) driven by an Nvidia GeForce GT 130M GPU with 1 GB VRAM
graphics card provides powerful video in a laptop.
Like
its vehicular counterpart, the Asus-Lamborghini VX5 provides users with
accelerated performance at the touch of speed key located alongside the
keyboard, which initiates the TwinTurbo mode that illuminates the
touchpad and insignia on the monitor blue - and overclocks the FSB by
100 MHz and the GPU by 25 MHz when the VX5 is running on AC power,
underscoring the Asus-Lamborghini VX5's superlative of power and
dependability chops.
A
newly adopted illuminated chiclet keyboard features equally spaced
keys, while a light sensor embedded within the Asus-Lamborghini VX5
intelligently monitors the lighting conditions of the users' immediate
surroundings, brightening or dimming its display and backlit keyboard
accordingly.
Also included are a Blu-ray optical drive, an 8-in-1 card reader, a
2.0 Megapixel web camera, Fax/Modem, LAN/WLAN, built-in Bluetooth
V2.1+EDR (optional), and Intel Wireless WiFi Link 5100 ABGN. I/O ports
include one ExpressCard, a line-in jack, a microphone-in jack, a
headphone-out jack (S/PDIF), one VGA port/Mini D-sub 15-pin for
external monitor, four USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire port, an RJ45 LAN
jack for LAN insert, HDMI, and eSATA. An optical mouse and carrying bag
are included as well.
Mouth watering yet?
Asus Eee PC VX6
Asus also
offers a netbook variant codesigned by Lamborghini, its Eee PC VX6
12.1" netbook powered by a dual core Intel Atom D525 processor with two
1.8 GHz cores - each with HyperThreading to deliver boosted performance
with multithreaded software and fast response times within demanding
applications. Street
priced below $700, the VX6 is a much more affordable way to have a
Lamborghini themed notebook.
The VX6's
Nvidia Ion 2 graphics and Nvidia Optimus technology, which
automatically optimizes graphics performance to suit the applications
being used, creating a balance which improves energy efficiency and
maximizes battery life, are claimed to offer performance up to 60%
faster than that of previous-generation Nvidia Ion graphics, plus
onboard hardware decoding that promises silky smooth 1080p HD video
playback for crystal clear visuals, making this ultraportable a
platform for watching movies on the move.
The stereo speakers are designed by Bang & Olufsen ICEPower,
with SRS Premium surround sound, giving the tiny machine audio
resonance belying its compact form factor whether you are enjoying
music, movies or games.
Asus says the Asus-Lamborghini Eee PC VX6 ultraportable
notebook is inspired by the superstar Lambo Murcielago LP640 Roadster,
epitomizes the magnificence and power of the automotive star through a
combination of sleek lines, an elegant glossy exterior in black or
white and the Lamborghini badge adorning the lid, and incorporates a
delectable combination of style and performance plus a multitude of
connectivity features including USB 3.0 and Express Gate.
