Gone are the days when the Middle-east region was looked at as a long stretch of desert, with nothing but tribal folks with their camels. Not only did the Arab Spring bought in a lot of oil, but also a few of the most exquisite four-wheeled creations powered by them to the region. From super exclusive one-off creations to some of the rarest models to come out of the assembly line, today, we’re taking a look at some of the most expensive cars owned by the Sheikhs.
7) Ferrari F12
If we’re starting things off with a Ferrari, you know you’re in for something. Owned by the crown prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, the Ferrari F12 is one poster-worthy creation everyone dreamed of owning someday. Powered by a naturally aspirated 6.3-litre V12 motor, the Ferrari belts out a whopping 740PS of power! With the looks which can turn heads around and power which can accelerate your receding hairline, no wonder it won the “Supercar of the Year” back in 2012.
6) 1889 Mercedes
Talk about owning a part of history. There aren’t many people in the world who can claim to own the world’s first production car. This mint-condition 1889 Mercedes is owned by Sheikh Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, also known as “Rainbow Sheikh” (not because of his support of the LGBTQ community). Powered by a 2-cylinder, V-engine, this wire-wheel car currently sits on display at the Emirates National Auto Museum in Dubai.
5) Lamborghini Veneno
In the world of Sheikhs, owning “just” an Aventador or a Huracan might have become passe. So how do you up the ante? By being one of the 13 models of the super-limited Lamborghini Veneno, of course. Created as a celebration of the raging bull’s 50th anniversary, the Veneno has become one of the most coveted cars in the world, with a price tag of nearly $4 million.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum of Dubai, performance is not comprised here for exclusivity. Powering it is the same 6.5-litre V12 motor, which belts out 750PS of power and 690Nm of torque at just 5,500 rpm.
4) Aston Martin One-77
Owning a limited-run Aston Martin might be one thing, but how about owning 10 of them instead? What makes it even more special is that only 77 units of the One-77 Astons exist in the world, and more than 10 per cent of them can be found in the garage of the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah. Oh did we mention they only make a fraction of the 7,000 high-performance cars he owns, which are worth over $1 billion? But that’s a story for another day.
Coming back to what makes the Aston Martin One-77 so special is its full carbon fibre, monocoque chassis and handcrafted aluminium body. Weighing at just over 1,600kg, the supercar is powered by a 7.3-litre V12 motor, which puts out 760PS of power!
3) Gold Bentley Flying Spur
Image credits – Alex Penfold/SWNS.com
Of course, the top three spots in our list had to be reserved for special gold-plated cars, which you’d only see in the Middle East. And kicking things off here is the Bentley Flying Spur, which in itself is one of the most luxurious cars you can spend money on.
Powered by a W12 motor, the Flying Spur makes 624PS of power, which claims to move you so fast that you’ll feel like you’re flying and not driving. But what really gives it a “fuck you money” touch is that this particular model comes covered in 18K gold.
2) Diamond Mercedes SL600
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We warned you things would get crazier as we go deeper. Perhaps one of the most ostentatious displays of wealth ever put on four-wheels, this Mercedes SL600 owned by Prince (Amir) al-Waleed bin Talal bin Abdul-Aziz of Saudi Arabia, comes covered in 300,000 diamonds. If that’s not enough, the car is also supposed to have real mink inside.
According to reports, this crazy creation took two weeks and 13 people to hand place the diamond on the car. But what makes it special (or not) though, is that it’s only one of the few cars the Prince owns, which are also covered in diamonds. The good news though is that you check this creation yourself at the car museum in Dubai. However, it may cost you around $1000 in case you feel touching it.
1) Gold-Plated Rolls-Royce Silver Spur II
If being escorted in a Rolls-Royce Silver Spur II wasn’t enough to make a statement, how about being driven in a 24K gold plated Silver Spur II instead? Rumoured to be the most expensive royal car in the world, the RR is owned by the Sultan of Brunie and is rumoured to cost around $14 million. Specially commissioned for his wedding day, the gold treatment is carried over on wheel covers and body decorations as well. Talk about a fancy baraat, eh?
Image credits: Lamborghini, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Aston Martin