Sorry to mention this, but Christmas if not exactly ‘round the corner’ is certainly ‘down the road’. With just over two months to go, help is at hand from the world’s best luxury catalogue to find that elusive gift for the person has everything. It's just been released by the American store for the super-rich, Neiman Marcus.

Amongst a stellar selection of offerings, the most expensive is membership of The Club at Castiglion del Bosco, the use in perpetuity (that can be handed down to future generations) of one of 21 3,000 - 6,000 sq ft luxury villas set in a 150 acre estate and vineyard in the heart of the Brunello di Montalcino wine country in Tuscany. $US3,800,000 will buy you all of this plus a chef, butler and use of a suitable luxury car for when ever you choose to visit.

For art collectors there is the ‘Pencil Skyscraper by The Art Guys’, a 7ft (2 metre) tall ‘sculpture’ comprising thousands of No.2 pencils carefully sharpened to exactly the right sizes.

If Italy is a little close, then another option is a flight into space with Virgin Galactic. This offer is exclusive to Neiman Marcus and for $US1,764,000 six people can experience weightlessness in one of Bert Rutan’s specially designed rockets (SpaceShipTwo). Once back on earth, the no-longer-virgin spacemen (and ladies) will be able to enjoy four nights on Richard Branson’s Necker Island retreat in the Virgin Islands.

For a paltry $US139,000, buyers could have got behind the wheel of a special ‘NM Limited Edition BMW M6 Convertible’, a specially commissioned car that comes complete with a private tour of the BMW ‘M’ manufacturing process, all with First Class flights and accommodation along the way. We say could have, as the 50 cars were sold out in a mere one minute, thirty-two seconds on publication of the catalogue.



Other suggestions include a $US100,000 ‘Backyard Water Park’ with fountains, water guns and programmable effects, 'Limited Edition Pet Homes' from $US5,000 - 7,000, and a $US40,000 ‘His and Hers Twike Commuter Vehicle’, another NM limited edition in British Racing Green. This electric two-seater will achieve speeds up to 55mph in the greenest possible way...

For further information on the Neiman Marcus Christmas book please visit www.neimanmarcus.com.

Text: Classic Driver
Photos: Neiman Marcus