The ’Big Bunny’ Is Back!! Playboy’s New $12 Million Toy

Overview

Featured on CNBC Prime’s YouTube channel, here is a video tour of the jet by Ray Parisi. We join Parisi in a Hanger that belongs to International Jet Interiors. This bad boy was torn up, right down to the frame of the aircraft and everything was given a proper Playboy makeover.

And for the record, even the cockpit wasn’t spared. Now no one knew the Playboy Vision for this plane better than Eric Roth Of International Jet Interiors. He gave Ray a rundown on what exactly went into the transformation of this private jet into what essentially is a disco up in the sky.

The Original Big Bunny

Exterior

The sensual black paint on the new Big Bunny pays homage to the OG Big Bunny from the early ‘70s. In the up-and-coming jet-set age, Playboy’s founder Hugh Hefner wanted the plane to portray an image of the Playboy Jet being so much more than just a means of transportation.

Dubbed the ‘Mansion In The Sky’ the Big Bunny has played host to some big names including the likes of Cher, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Barbi Benton. Fast forward to today and this latest Big Bunny and nearly fifty years on, this latest recreation, tries to capture that essence with a bid to recreate that same magic up in the skies.

With its jet black exterior and the rabbit head stamped on the tail, you won’t mistake this bird for anything else in the sky, and if that wasn’t enough, you’ve got Playboy spelled out on the underbelly of the aircraft. From nose to tail, it took about a month to paint this bad boy. In fact, back in the day, Playboy had to approach the FAA in order to gain permission to paint the entire aircraft black. Also, the new bird preserves the tail number N950PB of the original Big Bunny.

Interior

Refurbishing any plane, let alone something that is bound to become the next Playboy jet was no walk in the park. Panel by panel and piece by piece, everything from the headlining, the seats, the floors had to be pulled out of the plane with great care. Post that, it was off to the workshop, where these parts were modified and refurbished.

And refurbished how? There’s no question that the interior draws heavily from the 70s jet. The cabin had to absolutely exude a sense of luxury. Reminiscing the good old days, materials and textures like Microsuede, Pressed-Croc, Linen, and Crushed Velvet were thoughtfully chosen.

You’ve got herringbone floors and rust-colored seats, a pop bar, bespoke cutlery, and dinnerware. Speaking of seats, just one of these seats costs anywhere between $25k and $40k, not including the cost of customization. They haven’t spared the cockpit either, because even the Pilot seat gets sheepskin.

For entertainment, just as on the original, you’ve got a sky theater system along with disco lights. This baby takes the party up to 35,000 feet and is so much more than what first-class offers on your typical commercial airliner.

The End Result

After five grueling months, the new Big Bunny was ready and Ray was joined by Anna Ondaatje from Playboy in sunny Miami. She gave him a quick tour of the new Big Bunny. Step inside and you are greeted by the bar, before making your way into the main lounge area. The cream Lenin seats with the contrast leather are very 70s indeed. The microsuede headlining houses a disco ball that pops down to get the party started.

Moving on to the dining area, you’ve got four more thorns with a table fit for monarchs. The gold-rimmed polish porcelain was made to order especially for Playboy. Beyond the dining area, you have a pair of divans covered in velvet mohair, that converts into a bed.

Finally, right at the back, you have the bathroom, which also so has an equally sexy appeal with the custom-pressed crocodile panels, and the best part is that it’s an artificial material. All in all, this is a very chic party lounge with wings. Speaking of wings, you can’t miss the bunny on the winglets.

Performance

This wouldn’t be a TopSpeed post if I didn’t touch upon the specs. Now, I’m no Av-geek, but what I am is an aviation enthusiast. The Bombardier Global Express is a class-leading business jet known for its speed and reliability. It first entered service back in the late 90s. Power or should I say, thrust comes from two Rolls Royce BR710A2-20 Turbofan engines.

Cruising speed? 0.8 Mach (590 mph) at an altitude of 35,000 feet. It has a range of about 6000 nautical miles. To put that into context, think L.A. to London. There were several iterations of the Global Express over the years, including military ones and it competes with jets like the Airbus Corporate Jet, Boeing Business Jet, and the Gulfstream G550/G650.

To Sum it Up

Ray also got a chance to catch up with the company’s CEO Ben Kohn. Since the jet is back, Ray asked him if the Mansion was going to make a comeback as well. Here’s what he had to say:-

The Mansion will come back in the future. I look at it coming back first in the Metaverse because I think we can reach a global audience through that, it will be a part of our membership plan. And I can see a world down the road where we can see physical mansions as well. <doc1055321

The Big Bunny will play a huge role as a living breathing endorsement for the Playboy brand. Its main aim is to create Instagram-able moments to let people know that Playboy is alive and is here to stay. 13 lucky people will be able to jet-set across the land in absolute style.

You can read more about the new Big Bunny in Ray’s article.