Nothing is off-limits: inside the money-no-object homes of London's super rich
One recent £100,000-plus project, for example, involved redeveloping a string of garages that the client had purchased to house his luxury car collection. Thorp designed a glass box for the cars. The room is temperature-controlled, with solar panels on the roof and Tesla packs, which collect electricity. 'Lighting is very important — almost more than in people's houses. Setting scenes to show off the cars is very much required,' says Thorp. Dry plaster and timber were used to offset the cars' shine. 'That sets it off as a beautiful jewel, a bit like you might mount a painting.'
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Auto Blog
an hour ago
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Rivian Is Missing Out on a Key Demographic
The numbers tell a story In a crowded landscape that includes legacy automakers, as well as rival startups like Rivian and Lucid, Tesla is still top dog when it comes to American electric vehicle sales. According to data from Kelley Blue Book and Cox Automotive, Tesla sales are eclipsing those of its competitors, even as it records an 8.6% year-over-year drop from last year. In Q1 2025, Tesla managed to move 128,100 of its EVs, while its closest competitor; Ford, sold just 22,550 vehicles in the same period. 0:03 / 0:09 Audi A5 replaces A4: So, what's changed? Watch More However, one brand that has posted lower growth numbers than Tesla is the outdoorsy-focused Rivian. According to KBB and Cox, its meager 8,553 sales in Q1 2025 means that it recorded a whopping 37.1% year-over-year sales drop, higher than established names like Kia. In 2024, it managed to sell 51,579 vehicles, a 3% jump from that in 2023, but at the same time, Tesla managed to move over 1.8 million vehicles. Source: Rivian Study: Rivian is struggling with a key EV-buying demographic According to a recent study by S&P Global Mobility, Rivian's is struggling to connect and resonate with Asian-American buyers in the United States. According to results from Q1 2025, Asian households represent just 7.2% of all the new cars that were registered. However, what stands out is that Tesla and Tesla alone captured a huge chunk of this key demographic, with its vehicles capturing nearly 27.2% of Asian-American drivers. Additionally, Asian-American households made up 12.7% of all electric vehicle (EV) sales that aren't from Tesla or Rivian. Asian-Americans are buying EVs, and the majority are buying Teslas. However, this shows that Rivian struggles to gain a foothold with this demographic, as just 13.7% of its sales are made to Asian-American households. Source: Getty Images One significant factor that S&P researchers Kent Chiu and Steve Giordano identified is the lack of diverse models on the Rivian lineup. Though the more compact R2 SUV is on the way and the hatchback-styled R3 is set to release in the future, Rivian only sells two models, the R1T and the R1S; the former being a pickup truck, a segment where Asian buyers are close to nonexistent. According to S&P data, Asian-Americans accounted for just 2.3% of all full-size pickup truck sales in the U.S., the same segment that the Rivian R1T and contemporary gas-powered rivals like the Ford F-150 and Ram 1500 compete in. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. But even in the electric pickup market, Rivian falls short. Despite the Tesla Cybertruck's unconventional design alienating 'real truck guys' and 'truck bros,' it's hitting with Asian-American Tesla fans. According to S&P, nearly a quarter (24%, to be exact) of Cybertrucks were sold to Asian-American buyers, while just 8% of Asian-Americans bought a Rivian R1T. The gap extends beyond style and substance Despite this, S&P identified that Rivian faces challenges that extend beyond what kind of cars it wants to sell, as Tesla's deeper appeal is something much more skin-deep. According to data scraped by S&P researchers, some Asian-American buyers are particularly drawn to brands with a very strong premium brand image and companies known for their technological capabilities, which not only explains a gravitational pull towards Tesla but also established luxury car names in the gas-powered space. Their data shows that Asian-American buyers also like some of Tesla's German luxury rivals; 28.3% of sales for the Mercedes EQS SUV can be attributed to Asian households, while 25.5% of BMW iX sales came from the same demographic. More remarkably, S&P also found that 33% of Tesla Model X sales were made to Asian-American buyers. Final thoughts I am Asian-American, and even as someone within this large and diverse diaspora that lives in the NY Metro Area, one of the largest hotbeds for EV ownership growth in the United States, this study does ring somewhat true from an anecdotal point of view. I slightly disagree with the idea that vanity or a perceived luxury image significantly influences Tesla's reputation within the Asian-American community. However, the appeal of a practical car with low maintenance costs, the widespread and convenient Supercharger network, and a buying experience without traditional franchised dealers are significant advantages for people of all walks of life, Asian or not. About the Author James Ochoa View Profile
Sky News
2 hours ago
- Sky News
Elon Musk's father says his son and Donald Trump will patch things up after dramatic falling out
Elon Musk's father has said his son and Donald Trump's dramatic falling out was like "a man and a wife arguing", but they will patch things up soon. Errol Musk told Sky News' Moscow correspondent Ivor Bennett: "It's like any argument. Everybody at some point says I'll never make up, but then they do later." It comes after the world's richest man said in a now-deleted tweet that the US president appears in files relating to the disgraced paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. The social media back-and-forth began when the Tesla and SpaceX CEO called Mr Trump's tax and spending bill a "disgusting abomination" days after abruptly leaving his position spearheading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), saying it would add to US debts and threaten economic stability. "Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public," he tweeted. In a follow-up post he added: "Mark this post for the future. The truth will come out." He gave no evidence for his claim, which the White House dismissed. The posts disappeared from his social media platform by Sunday. Asked what he thought of the public falling out, Errol Musk said: "I was very surprised, I didn't expect anything like that." He said his son is "somebody who sticks by his principles" and "doesn't like to be called out on anything". He added: "I don't think Elon would be concerned about whether he criticises Donald Trump or not." 'They'll come to an understanding' Mr Musk said his son and the president fell out over Mr Trump's bill, adding it was "not going to save the country money" and "was going to cost the country even more money". But he said: "I think they'll come to an understanding in due course. Elon is standing by his principles that we must cut costs." 4:02 Asked if they would make up, he said: "Yes absolutely. They may not go back to exactly the same arrangement but they're certainly both on the same side of things so it's simply a matter of they should take notice of what Elon is saying and he should take notice of the needs that the government has." 'We're sorting it out' He said the argument likely happened because of "emotions welling out of hand". "They've had five months of intense day and night, hardly any sleep, and anybody who went through that would know your nerves are pretty much shredded after that time. "And once they'd cleared the opposition and it was just the two of them left... they'd got to a point where it was just the two of them left so they had to start fighting with each other." He added: "I'm not sure it will be a matter of going back into the White House, because he's not an elected president. But getting back on a normal footing, I would imagine very soon. Tomorrow maybe." Mr Musk said he had received a text from his son saying: "Don't worry, we're sorting it out". Mr Musk also said his son would like to cooperate with Russia "in matters of space exploration" - after the SpaceX CEO said his company would "immediately" begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft - the only US spacecraft available to deliver crew to and from the International Space Station - after Mr Trump threatened to cancel government contracts with Musk's businesses. It comes after Mr Trump told NBC he has no plans of making up with Musk.
Scottish Sun
3 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Elon Musk's estranged dad Errol hails Russia as the ‘peak of civilisation' & gushes over Putin at staged Moscow event
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TESLA tycoon Elon Musk's estranged dad Errol has hailed Russia as the "peak of civilisation" - and even gushed over mad Vladimir Putin. Errol Musk, 79, made the explosive remarks in Moscow where he appeared at a Kremlin-backed event organised by the Russian dictator's inner circle. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 8 Elon Musk's estranged dad Errol hailed Russia as the 'peak of civilisation' Credit: X 8 He made the explosive remarks in Moscow where he appeared at a Kremlin-backed event organised by Putin's inner circle. Credit: X 8 US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk (R) speak before departing the White House two months ago Credit: AFP It comes just days after his billionaire son's high-profile alliance with the US President imploded in a fierce online feud. Musk Snr took part in the Tsargrad propaganda forum where he bizarrely declared Moscow the "best capital" in the world. Marking his first time in Russia, Errol said: "I think the image that people give to us in the West of Russia is completely wrong. "Russia is wonderful, it's absolutely amazing. He added how it was "quite clear" that Moscow was better than any other city across the globe. Not only did the South African businessman praise Russia however, but also its mad leader Putin and, in turn, challenged the West's portrayal of him and his country. Errol said: "I think [Putin] is a very impressive man - he's proved that. A very stable, impressive man. "As for the perception of Russia, it's very wrong." He added: "So the perception in America by the media, I will call it the fake media, is that Russia is a bad place and its full of very bad people, and they're all going to kill you to come here, which is complete nonsense." He explained how he was coming to Russia with his daughter Alexandra - but his sons told her that she musn't go "under any circumstances". And after Errol himself claims to have been given warnings on going to Moscow, he said he "arrived here, and the first thing I saw was a perfect total civilisation in every direction." He added: "I see a city that easily rivals ancient Rome. "And probably, I made a comment to somebody earlier, it's by far not by a little but by far the premier capital city in the world." Errol also discussed his estranged Tesla tycoon son Elon and his astronautics exploration company SpaceX - but credited Russia as originally being the "leader" of space engineering before his son "took over". He said it "all started off with the Russian attempts" which he said were "quite amazing". Just a day ago, speaking of the explosive feud between Elon and US President Trump, Musk Snr revealed that his son was grappling with regret and fatigue from his turbulent stint in Washington. He said: 'So at the moment, Elon is inclined to say that he's made a mistake.' 'Trump will prevail. He's the president, he was elected as the president. 'Elon made a mistake, I think, but he's tired, he's stressed. 8 Errol is currently in Moscow to appear at a Kremlin-backed forum 8 Russia's President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting on Russia's language policy at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence Credit: AFP 8 Elon Musk and Donald Trump's bromance is now beyond repair 8 Elon Musk, wearing two hats, speaks during a cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House Credit: AFP 8 "They are all suffering from a bit of PTSD, a post-traumatic stress disorder over the last few months, they started hitting out at each other. 'And then in the end, it's just him and Trump left… They still don't know what to do, so they fight with each other until they can come to normal conditions.' And in response to a question from a Russian propaganda publication on how to "raise a genius," Errol said that a child needed to be "spanked a lot". Errol's ex-wife and Elon's mum Maye accused him of beating her during their marriage. She also once revealed that Elon tried to stand up for her during one of the beatings as a child. Errol has always denied being abusive to his ex-wife. Errol will speak at the Future Forum 2050, organised by Malofeev and Putin ideologist and 'philosopher' Alexander Dugin. Meanwhile, Russia appears eager to capitalize on Musk's estrangement from the US political elite. Putin crony Dmitry Medvedev cheekily offered to mediate peace talks between 'D and E' — Trump and Elon— 'for a reasonable fee and to accept Starlink shares as payment.' Another Kremlin loyalist, ex-space chief Dmitry Rogozin, publicly offered Musk asylum. 'You are respected in Russia. If you encounter insurmountable problems in the US, come to us and become one of us,' Rogozin wrote. Russia would offer him 'reliable comrades and complete freedom of technical creativity'. TRUMP FALLOUT The world's richest man Musk — who reportedly donated $288 million to Trump's 2024 campaign and briefly served as a White House aide — has now turned on the president over his sweeping tax and spending bill. Elon even claimed on X that Trump was tied to disgraced paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, though the post was later deleted and the White House dismissed the allegation outright. Their bromance is now beyond repair. On Sunday, Trump confirmed to NBC that he has no interest in making amends: 'I would assume so, yeah,' he said when asked if their relationship was over. 'I have no intention of speaking to him.' The former allies have been locked in an escalating war of words for days - throwing insults at each other in an explosive dispute.
