the line between luxury and quality have become increasingly blurred as the consumerist world rips ahead at the speed of commerce. compounding this are the heavyweights of the luxury world taking advantage of their reputation, selling less-than-quality goods under the auspices of "designer" or "high-end."

interestingly- and perhaps sadly, nowadays- these two terms are not corollary. scandinavian design is known both for its quality and longevity and simultaneus affordability. yet try as they might, any t shirt that says louis vuitton, or gucci or versace is still just a t shirt. and a t shirt that was "cost-effectively" produced with turkish cotton in banglasdesh, for the same cost of a t shirt destined for Gap, Target or H&M.

pictured are the concept sketches of the Pagani Zonda, the archetypal Super Car. designed by ex-lamborghini, the car sets the bar for a new level of pure luxury. only twenty five are produced a year. each newest edition (about 1 every 1.5 years) re-sets the land speed record(s). each one starts at about the cost of a house.

at some point, level of quality (especially due to complexity) outweighs its inherrant sustainability. if you by a quality set of, say, cups that last 30 years, these are probobly fairly easy (or easier) on the environment, requiring little replacement cost. now imagine the exotic amounts of energy, maintanance needs and constant refueling / re-tiring needed for the Zonda. lets just say that im waiting for the day that a car like the Zonda, powered like the Tesla Roadster and built like a Xerox machine (they are completely reclaimable and reusable) will hit the streets. maintain its quality, maintain is superior handling, yet delete its impact making it instead beneficial to its- and our- surroundings.

then we will truly have a "Super Car."