Glovebox: Gaze upon the glories of the cosmos from the comfort of this Jeep

The British know nothing of the cosmos, but we yearn to know more. What secrets are hidden in the void? What joy can be found in our solar system? What unfathomable horrors lurk beyond the Milky Way? Will we ever watch C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate?

Such questions clearly have plagued the minds of those at Jeep, who have endeavoured to answer them by creating the Avenger Stargazer, a one-off concept designed to, well, stargaze. While it is unlikely to answers questions related to unfathomable horrors and C-beams, it can help you get a good view of Saturn, which will do for now.

The Avenger, per Jeep, is fitted with ‘all the essentials’. These include, but are not limited to, a smart telescope mounted on the vehicle’s sunroof, which can be controlled by a tablet from the car; an integrated cabinet in the boot for housing said essentials, such as the telescope, mount, binoculars, red-light head torches, and touchscreen gloves.

The car is a collaboration with DarkSkyUK, which has produced an accompanying guide full of tips for stargazing, as well as a map of the 21 Dark Sky Reserves in the UK. Research conducted by Jeep has revealed that 32% of Brits are lacking in night-sky knowledge, but 73% wish to learn more. This car would certainly be one way to do that.

Man who designed iPad fills Ferrari with iPad

Plenty of buzz (excuse the pun) this week has been emanating from Maranello (or, more precisely, San Francisco), as Ferrari revealed the interior of the Luce, the firm’s first fully electric car.

The interiors and interfaces are all we are allowed to see right now, with the exterior expected to be shown in May. The designers at Ferrari have been collaborating with Sir Jony Ive and Marc Newson ‘on every dimension of the Ferrari Luce’s design’ and it certainly shows.

Ive made his name at Apple, where he was responsible for iconic products such as the iPod and iPhone. Back in the early 2000s, Minimalism was the name of the game, and there were few better practitioners than Ive, but are we not all a bit tired of it by now?

There is plenty to like here. I’m a fan of the mid-20th-century style thin steering wheel, and I particularly like how the key fob features an interface that ‘transfers’ power to the car when you start it. What few analogue switches there are also seem elegant, clicky and refined, and the pared-back leather seats are quite stylish, if a bit Swedish.

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Plenty of people have praised the understated nature of the Luce's design, and I understand that recent Ferrari interiors have been a bit overwhelming with the amount of switches, buttons, screens and so on. But I can only ask the question: is it not the purpose of a Ferrari to overwhelm? They are supposed to be racecars that you’ve somehow been allowed to sneak onto the road, and that you can fine tune to your exact desires.

I suppose the counterargument is that there is only so much you fine tune in an electric car, so why bother trying to pretend otherwise. Just make something comfortable and fast (the Luce is proposed with more than 1,000bhp) and hope for the best.

Either which way, this has been a joyful teaser to the big reveal. Bring on Maranello in May.

I am probably a bit late to the party on this one, but if you’ve not seen Greg James spending a 'sexy but sensible weekend with a Swedish beauty' (AKA a Volvo 240), then it will absolutely make your day.

Rolls-Royce gets the laser treatment

After five years of development, Rolls-Royce has just announced the Phantom Arabesque, a one-of-one commission featuring the first ever laser-engraved Rolls-Royce bonnet. Inspired by Rub el Hizb and Mashrabiya latticework, both features of traditional Arabian symbolism and architecture.

Rolls-Royce has long been leading the charge when it comes to bespoke craftsmanship, and the Arabesque is another fine example. To achieve the engraving effect took five years of research and refinement, led by the marque’s Exterior Surface Centre. The bonnet was first painted in a darker colour, then sealed beneath multiple layers of clear coat before a lighter top layer was applied. The Mashrabiya pattern was then engraved to a depth of 145-190 microns into the top surface, revealing the darker tone beneath.

To give some context, the width of a human hair is about 100 microns. The result is a richly textured, three-dimensional surface or, as Rolls-Royce say, ‘a pattern intended to be discovered by both the eye and hand’.

On His Majesty's Audi

It can’t really be a Glovebox without some kind of Royal reference, and this week will be no different. On February 21, Iconic Auctioneers will be offering up this 2015 Audi A6 Allroad 3.0TDi, formerly owned by the then Prince of Wales, now known as The King.

‘Opportunities to acquire a car used personally by His Majesty King Charles III are rare, particularly one offered with this level of documentation, care and discretion,’ says Rob Hubbard, managing director and principal auctioneer at Iconic Auctioneers. ‘This Audi A6 Allroad reflects how Iconic Auctioneers handles significant cars at every level of the market, from globally important classics to modern vehicles with remarkable stories. It is a fascinating and usable piece of royal history.’

Presented in ‘Outstanding Condition’, the car features an exclusive Royal Household-only Audi colour, walnut wood trim on the steering wheel and gear selector, and a BOSE surround-sound system. Very nice Your Majesty.