The car itself is based primarily on the MINI Cooper S, with similar front and rear styling and the l.6-liter four-cylinder turbo engine that debuted in the 2011 MINI S. (The engine gets 181 hp and up to 192 lb-ft of torque, with a 0-to-60 mph sprint of 6.6 seconds.) Fuel economy ratings are 35 mpg on the highway and 27 mpg in the city under the manual transmission variant.

FORBES: The MINI Cooper That Costs As Much As A Porsche

Made for the Comtesse Greffulhe, one of the inspirations for Proust's Duchesse de Guermantes, it showcases the designer's creative eye: metallic, crystal-beaded trompe-l'oeil cords appear to tie the front and back panels of the gown together.

WSJ: Some Like It Haute | 'Paris Haute Couture' at the H?tel de Ville

L-shaped table in an office in Lagos, discussing a story on that morning's front page about an oil-pipe explosion.

ECONOMIST: Press freedom

"When I was at the Roosevelt in L.A., they moved a Lamborghini Murcielago so they could park it in front of everything--a Murcielago!"

FORBES: Magazine Article