MACHINES
Built to move us. Occasionally in more ways than one.
Cars, motorcycles and mechanical objects considered not simply for what they do, but for how they were designed, engineered and experienced.
MACHINES WITH CHARACTER
PERFECTION ISN'T ALWAYS THE POINT.
The machines we remember aren't necessarily the fastest, most expensive or most technologically advanced.
They're the ones with a story.
A steering wheel polished by thousands of miles. An engine that requires patience when cold. A door that closes with precisely the right sound. Controls designed by an engineer rather than a focus group.
Some machines simply perform. Others develop character.
THE GARAGE
Four wheels. Two wheels. Occasionally fewer.
THE DRIVER
Cars worth taking the long way home.
THE MOTORCYCLE
Everything necessary. Nothing more.
THE GRAND TOURER
Distance, properly considered.
THE UTILITY
Machines designed to actually do something.
THE CLASSIC
THE EXOTIC
When engineering becomes theatre.
Old enough to have stories.
EDITORIAL FEATURE
THE ANALOGUE ARGUMENT
When inconvenience becomes part of the experience.
Technology has made machines faster, safer, cleaner and easier to use. But somewhere along the way, certain inconveniences disappeared—and occasionally took some of the experience with them.
ENTRY 01
Is the Manual Transmission Actually Better?
ENTRY 02
Why Hydraulic Steering Felt Different
ENTRY 03
The Case for Physical Buttons
ENTRY 04
When Horsepower Stopped Mattering
ENTRY 05
What We Lost With the Analogue Gauge
ENTRY 06
Can an Electric Car Have Character?
What did we gain—and what did we lose?
EDITORIAL FEATURE
ICONS
Machines that got it right.
01
PORSCHE 911
The definitive silhouette of sports car evolution.
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
The 911 matters because it refused to change its core philosophy. While others chased trends, Porsche refined the rear-engine layout into a surgical instrument. It is the bridge between the visceral era of driving and the precision of the modern age.
02
LAND ROVER DEFENDER
An agricultural tool that became a global icon of utility.
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
Born from necessity in a field in Post-War Britain, the Defender redefined the concept of range. It proved that a machine's personality is built through its failures as much as its strengths. It is the architectural antithesis to the modern aerodynamic SUV.
03
MERCEDES-BENZ 300 SL
The high-water mark of post-war engineering and elegance.
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
The 'Gullwing' was the first true supercar. Its importance lies not just in the doors, but in the shift from mechanical functionality to theatrical performance. It transformed the automobile from transportation into a cultural event.
04
JAGUAR E-TYPE
A design so pure that even Enzo Ferrari called it beautiful.
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
The E-Type matters because it democratized speed and sensuality. It captured the optimism of the 1960s in a shape that felt fast even at a standstill. It remains the benchmark for how technology should serve aesthetic desire.
05
BMW E30 M3
When the racetrack met the daily commute.
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
The E30 M3 is the purest expression of the homologation special. It is important because it proved that a sedan could be a thoroughbred. Driven by race-bred grit rather than luxury, it defined the modern sport-sedan category.
06
HONDA CB750
The machine that launched the era of the superbike.
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
The CB750 broke the stranglehold of the temperamental British twins. It brought reliability, overhead cams, and disc brakes to the masses. It represents the moment two-wheeled transportation became a precision instrument.
07
CONCORDE
The moment the world actually got smaller.
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
Supersonic travel was a dream made of aluminum and audacity. Concorde matters because it represents the peak of analog ambition. It is a reminder of a time when the biggest question was 'how fast?' rather than 'how efficient?'
08
LEICA M3
The mechanical extension of the photographer's eye.
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
The M3 changed how we see history. Its quiet, tactile precision allowed for candid storytelling that bulky cameras couldn't touch. It is less a tool and more a masterclass in ergonomics and mechanical longevity.
THE DRIVE · No. 01
NEW YORK TO NEWPORT
The machine. The road. The destination.
THE MACHINE
Porsche 911 Carrera
THE ROAD
The coastal route
THE DESTINATION
Newport, Rhode Island
THE SOUNDTRACK
Miles Davis
EDITORIAL FEATURE
DETAILS MATTER
Small decisions reveal large amounts of thought.
The metal gate ensures precision, making every gear change a deliberate, mechanical dialogue.
Positioned on the left for a quicker Le Mans start; engineering born from the pursuit of seconds.
Analogue needles translate violent physics into a graceful, sweeping arc of information.
Exposing the linkage celebrates the honesty of mechanics—nothing hidden, purely functional.
Texture provides grip where fingers meet metal, turning a simple adjustment into a tactile event.
A simple toggle switch provides binary certainty in an increasingly digital world.
Hand-stitching reveals the human rhythm behind the assembly, a signature of time and labor.
The patina on a wooden rim records the history of every mile traveled and every corner turned.
OBJECTS OF ENGINEERING
Things built unusually well.
CAMERAS
Was it thoughtfully designed? A mechanical extension of the eye, where every click of the dial is a signature of precision.
TURNTABLES
Does using it create an experience? The deliberate act of placing a needle into a groove, turning physics into atmosphere.
ESPRESSO MACHINES
Was it beautifully engineered? Steam, pressure, and metal working in silent harmony to extract a singular ritual.
SAILBOATS
Does using it create an experience? A machine powered by the elements, requiring intuition and a steady hand.
AIRCRAFT
Was it thoughtfully designed? Where every rivet and bolt serves the gravity-defying logic of flight.
BICYCLES
Was it beautifully engineered? The most efficient machine ever created, celebrating the honesty of the human-powered drive.
AUDIO EQUIPMENT
Does using it create an experience? A warm, visceral glow that transforms electrical signals into the weight of a symphony.
TOOLS
Was it thoughtfully designed? Objects that wait for a task, built with a balance that rewards the skill of the hand.
MERCER'S GARAGE
“I've never understood collecting machines merely to keep them perfect. A good watch belongs on the wrist. A good shoe eventually creases. And a good motorcar ought to return home occasionally wearing evidence of where it's been.”
— A. Mercer
Keeper of the Standard
No. 12 Mercer Row
RECURRING SERIES
IF WE COULD KEEP ONE
The machines that stay when others leave.
VOL. 01
PORSCHE 911
Not because it's perfect. Because after more than sixty years, nobody has found a convincing reason to start over.
WHY IT MATTERS
It is the yardstick of persistence. A design that proved refinement is more valuable than revolution.
THE ONE WE'D HAVE
A mid-seventies 2.7 Carrera. Ideally in a muted, non-metallic shade of grey or olive.
HOW WE'D USE IT
Without ceremony. For early morning coffee runs and late night drives when the city is quiet.
TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME.
Not because the road is better.
Not because the car is faster.
Not because anyone is watching.
Because occasionally the journey is reason enough.
FORM & CHARACTER
The Art of Living Well.