The recent Dubai Motor Show was held without high-profile premieres. For some reason, everyone was talking about a car with an engine of five thousand “horses, which does not even drive yet. No one paid attention to the new brainchild of the lover of the craziest car tuning in the world. We decided to correct this misunderstanding and show what a very rich man with a very strange sense of beauty does with cars.
Yes Yes. In these photos real car, it exists in metal and even rides. The ideological inspirer of the construction of an automobile Frankenstein is Sheikh Hamad bin Hamdan al Nahyan. This man has a lot of money and has been living out his wildest car fantasies for many years.
Looking at his collection, Bugatti, Ferrari and Lamborghini marketers just sob. After all, what profit could the Sheikh bring to them if he simply loved fast cars. But no, his highness has other automotive fantasies and often does not intend to purchase these boring supercars of yours. The spectrum of his tastes is somewhat different.
Sheikh interested in old american cars, SUVs and big cars. Very big. He has amassed an excellent collection of American classics, beginning with "Tin Lizzie." Then he moved on to a larger scale. Much bigger.
That Dodge truck about eight times more original. Two dozen people can easily fit in its cabin. At the same time, the car is fully functional and able to drive. Built in 1994. For what? This question has never been acute for the Sheikh. In the back, by the way, a fully functional house with several bedrooms and a balcony.
In addition to the truck, the sheikh has a motorhome of the appropriate size. It has even more space and is officially the largest such structure in the world. There is even a pool and a fireplace. It is not clear, however, which tractor will be able to move it.
In addition to the largest house, the sheikh also has the largest copy production car. This Willys has been quadrupled in size compared to the original. At the same time, the car is able to drive, in engine compartment modestly located the usual V-shaped eight.
Yes, the sheikh has his own view of the American classics and he treats them in a very peculiar way. As you may have guessed, this car is built by splicing two Wranglers into one. Now it has eight seats. And there is also a car halved, only two fit in it.
does not bypass and Japanese auto industry. Sheikh loves off-road vehicles of the country of the rising sun for their practicality and reliability. After all, it is so convenient to drive them through the desert. But sometimes practicality is not enough and his highness adds his own elements
He also really likes the style of the thirties. Thus, several unique tuning projects were born based on the most different machines. For example, it uses the chassis and grille of an International truck interspersed with a Jeep cab. The ideological inspirer and owner sits on the machine himself.
And finally, a few more pranks of a rich Arab.
In total, there are hundreds of cars in the collection of His Highness. Some of them are amazingly rare. racing cars, seven 123-x Mercedes of all colors of the rainbow, a couple of dozen supercars and a lot of other interesting things. How much such a collection could cost is hard to even calculate. And it is difficult to imagine a more impressive gathering on our small planet.
The wealth and extravagance of the Arab sheikhs have long been household names, and everyone knows that their desires, and most importantly, their opportunities, are as high as those stunning skyscrapers that pierce the clouds passing over Dubai. Dubai itself is practically the capital of the Middle East supercar paradise, where you can see cars that exist outside the common four-wheeled universe. However, this uniqueness is not enough for their owners - license plates serve as additional decoration and status confirmation. Exclusive, non-standard and fabulously expensive, of course.
The blow of the auction hammer at the JW Marriot Marquis hotel in Dubai unleashed real war, in which, as usual, there could be only one winner. Of the 16 contenders for the victory, the most successful (read: rich and stubborn) was the Indian businessman Balvinder Sahani, who replenished his collection of exclusive license plates with a plate with the inscription "D5". How much did he pay for her? Thirty-three million dirhams - at the end of 2016, when the transaction took place, this was equivalent to $ 9 million. Such a coveted plate joined two no less valuable ones, which adorned two of the six Rolls-Royces that sheltered Sahani's garage with one number.
Passion for beautiful numbers began for him in 1995 with the purchase of an exclusive phone number. However, not only Sahani himself benefits from this hobby, but also charitable foundations that receive part of the proceeds from the sale of exclusives: it turns out that during his life the businessman has donated a total of more than 100 million dirhams. And unique registration plates he has not only in Dubai, but also in Kuwait and India.
Number plate with the number "1"
"Acquisition unique numbers- This good investment money,” says Walid Abdul Khadir, an Emirati entrepreneur who himself spent almost a million dollars on the O18 license plate. “Investing in license plates is part of my business and I am confident in my assessment of their future value. I have personally seen the rooms, the cost of which has grown many times in a few years,” he added.
Admittedly, he is not disingenuous: license plates with one or two digits remain a status symbol in the Arab world. In 2008, Saeed Al Khoury set a record by buying a "1" sign for $14 million. The plaque itself was hung on Pagani Zonda, which cost a measly 1.4 million - ten times cheaper than its license plate.
In the photo: Pagani Zonda "1999–2017 And if 14 million seems like an exorbitant amount to you for a piece of metal and an entry in transport department, then ... you are not alone - many spend much less on signs. Let's take a look at the chronology of the development of this entertainment.
For example, Roman Abramovich in 2006 paid only 400 thousand dollars for a VIP 1 room.
Mike McComb paid 450,000 for an M1 number the same year.
A couple of years later, in 2008, Afzal Khan broke that record by putting an F1 badge on his McLaren for $600,000 – not an F1, as you might expect, but an SLR.
Talal Ali Mohammed Khoury was the first to switch to the seven-digit order of sums, counting out almost 5 million dollars for the number "5". Not satisfied with one five, "for change" he took the number "55" for 1.1 million. One would think that the number 5 is lucky for him - however, he himself explained that "the numbers mean absolutely nothing to him."
Well, we already know the owner of the D5 number in absentia - this is Balvinder Sahani, who laid out $ 9 million for him.
Abandoned supercars
It may seem that in a country where gold bars are sold in vending machines, and others car plate numbers cost more than cars, things have always gone as brilliantly as they do today. However, this is not the case - once there was a desert on the site of Dubai, and only the development of oil fields helped the city to develop. Now, the sources of income have diversified - it is not only and not so much oil, but also tourism, and real estate sales, and much more. In the video, you can clearly see where Dubai began and where it came from.
However, even in oil times, the development schedule did not always go straight up - for example, after the 2008 global financial crisis, some businessmen left the country, abandoning their expensive cars at the airport and in the cities. Photos of abandoned exclusives like Ferrari Enzo, covered with a layer of dust under the scorching sun, still inhabit the expanses of the Internet, making connoisseurs and amateurs wince.
Not abandoned supercars
Perhaps this paragraph looks like something obvious, but it would be unfair to exclude it. After all, supercars and the UAE are concepts as inseparable as "Valery Leontiev" and "the eternal lover and the eternal heartthrob villain." What can I say - after all, everyone knows that in Dubai even the police dissect on such specimens that other oligarchs never dreamed of: in their garage there are not only "shabby" Bentley Continental And Mercedes SLS, but also Lamborghini Aventador, Ferrari FF and Bugatti Veyron. So start selling Bugatti Chiron in the Dubai Police Department, no less than businessmen from the Forbes top were probably waiting.
The most amazing showrooms in the world
And this is also expected - after all, supercars need to be sold somewhere, and if you sell half of what you produce in one place, then this place must be remembered and marked with something special. For example, to hire a designer who created the project for the Opéra de la Bastille theater in Paris to develop a showroom, and build a space of three square kilometers. This is what Lamborghini did - but rest easy, the rest are definitely not too far behind them.
Tires with gold and diamonds
It would be strange to think that on supercars, gold and license plates, the fantasy of the rich will dry up and spending will end. In 2016, Z Tire - also based in Dubai, by the way - introduced a set of tires with diamond and 24 carat gold trim. The price tag for the consumable was 600 thousand dollars per set. Well, they did it, obviously, to reassure those who complained that 30,000 for a Michelin set Super Sport for his Bugatti Veyron, it's too expensive. Both Italian jewelers and local specialists who participated in the decoration of the palace in Abu Dhabi worked on the tires.
Buy a house - get a free Lamborghini
Especially for those who hesitate over the choice of investing money in a supercar or real estate, the Dubai company Damac has announced a promotion "buy a house - get a Lambo as a gift." Buying real estate from them, you become the owner of a Lamborghini Huracan - and this is a great deal, because the money saved can buy decent numbers for the car.
In the photo: Lamborghini Huracan "2014–present. If you, living in the Emirates, still cannot afford to buy a house from Damac, then you have another way out: just be a conscientious and law-abiding driver. Of course, no one promises you Lamborghi, but if you skate for a whole year without violations, you can take part in a special lottery, the main prize of which is 1,500 - new car. Such a cunning scheme came up with management traffic police Dubai, in order to reduce road deaths - after all, by 2020, according to plans, it should be reduced to zero.
Instead of a conclusion
Rashid ibn Saeed Al Maktoum, Sheikh and first Emir of Dubai, once said: “My grandfather rode a camel, my father rode a camel, I drive a Mercedes, my son drives a Land Rover, his son will drive a Land Rover, but his son will ride a camel.”
Arab customs may be to some people's liking, and to others not to their liking. But to deny their contribution to the world automotive history it would be unfair. Well, in addition, we happened to live in that relatively short interval between camels and camels.
08.11.2016The luxury cars of the Arab world are not only super-efficient engines, exclusive technical solutions and precious materials in decoration. A wealthy Middle Eastern car owner will pay dearly to make his vehicle unique.
The most expensive cars of Arab sheikhs are of great interest around the world, they are often written about in the press. Although not only Arab kings collect cars, but also many world show business stars, for example,.
Automobile addictions of the inhabitants of the Arab countries are unique in that they are in opposition to traditional Eastern conservatism. For example, in most Muslim states, primarily in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, legislation and etiquette dictate restraint in clothing, demonstration of emotions and financial condition. National costumes here perfectly mask not only the figure, but also the thickness of the wallet. Even on business trips abroad, the foundations of society dictate to Arab men and women to dress albeit expensively, but discreetly. But in the case of the choice of cars, the situation is diametrically opposite. Expensive personal transport for an Arab today, they are like thoroughbred horses in the recent past: it allows you to emphasize the status and level of income without challenging public morality. Wealthy people in the Middle East do not just opt for chic and powerful cars. They select for themselves the most outstanding and unprecedented fast sports cars, limousines with finishes that exceed the cost of the car itself, and SUVs with fantastic capabilities in terms of speed and maneuverability. One would like to liken them to flying carpets and walking boots from fairy tales.
With the advent of the Millennium in the Middle East, the demand for exotic cars and supercars of European and American production is growing like an avalanche. This is especially true in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, which is associated with the strengthening of the economy of these countries, and partly with the growth in popularity of Formula 1 racing after the Bahrain Grand Prix was added to the calendar in 2004. Arab sheikhs are trying to get into their "stables" rare cars, for the most part assembled by individual orders. Western luxury automakers, in turn, have been working for the eastern magnates for the second decade, creating copies that in the brand's homeland would be considered overly pompous and not environmentally friendly. Take the MercedesBenz SLR McLaren 999 Dream, for which an incognito businessman from Dubai paid $11 million!
Through the efforts of the Swiss studio Ueli Anliker Design serial Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR has become a real treasure and entered the list of "The most expensive cars of the Arab sheikhs." The decoration took 14 kg of gold and hundreds of rubies. At the request of the customer, gold 999 was used where possible, and where, it would seem, it was impossible - in headlight reflectors, on the steering wheel, instrument panel and even in pipes exhaust system. Same story with rubies. They decorate not only buttons and toggle switches, but even bolts, rivets and nuts. A gigantic 999-horsepower V8 engine matches the rich attire, accelerating the “gold bearer” to 100 km / h in 3 seconds, despite the precious ballast.
Another eastern automotive extreme is scope and gigantomania. This feature is perfectly illustrated by the collection of the sheikh from Abu Dhabi, Hamad bin Hamdan Al-Nahyan, which contains the most expensive cars of Arab sheikhs. Among the auto-exclusive exhibited at the National Automobile Museum of the UAE, an enlarged 50-ton (!) copy of the Dodge Power Wagon pickup truck from the 1950s stands out.
The most amazing thing is that the car is running, and although GM's 300-horsepower diesel V8 is used only to move the pickup truck for short distances, the giant is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. The Sheikh's famous multi-wheel off-road vehicles are just as impressive. One of them, White Spider ("White Spider") - an eight-wheeled (!) monster, built on the basis of serial Nissan Patrol. Thanks to the installation of additional bridges that rise on hydraulics, the "spider" easily climbs sand dunes and leaves deep holes.
Flying carpets
And in the Arab countries they are very fond of fast and very fast driving on the roads common use. If you haven’t tried typing “Arab drift” into the YouTube search box, we advise you to do this: there really is something to look at. Here is an unknown character Toyota Camry rushes in controlled skid between buses, an SUV, like in Hollywood blockbusters, stood on two wheels, and now another weighty jeep soared like a falcon over a dune - such entertainment is not uncommon for rich and very rich residents of the Arabian Peninsula.
By the way, if you have been to the Emirates, you probably noticed that the highways there are everywhere streaked with tire tracks - drifting is held in high esteem here.
However, such a ride, of course, is beyond the bounds of what is permitted by law. Local law enforcement officers try to stay vigilant, and in order to keep up with the daredevils, they use ... police supercars.
So, the Dubai police are armed with Mercedes SLS AMG, Ferrari FF, Aston Martin one-77, Ford Mustang and Lamborghini Aventador. Moreover, the park is constantly updated - the police are clearly following the latest in the world of motorsport and also purchase models from the list. In 2013, law enforcement officers expanded the garage with a 1000-horsepower Bugatti Veyron. And one of the most recent acquisitions is the Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid roadster. The circulation of this "lighter" is limited to 918 copies. The power plant, combining gasoline and electric motors, produces 608 hp. s., acceleration to 100 km / h takes only 2.6 s, the speed ceiling is 350 km / h. But most importantly, in pure electric mode, the flagship porsche model capable of silently approaching intruders.
DIY
Does the above mean that supercars in the Arabian Peninsula are usually imported? Nothing like this. There is a little-known world of Arab "fireballs", represented in fact by two big companies: W Motors (known as Wolf Motors) and Laraki Motors. The founder of W Motors is from Lebanon, but the company is now based in Dubai.
IN model range W Motors - two outstanding sports cars: Lykan HyperSport and Fenyr SuperSport. The first was created in 2013 with the participation of the Italian design studio StudioTorino, the German studio RUF and the Austrian company Magna Steyr and is drawn with a clear eye on Lamborghini supercars. The 750-horsepower Lykan HyperSport petrol boxer is able to accelerate the car to 100 km/h in just 2.8 seconds and provide a top speed of 395 km/h. LED optics are encrusted with diamonds, interior decoration sapphires, fine leather and gold are used.
And all this for $3.4 million. The circulation is truly exclusive - only seven copies. By the way, the first buyer of the LykanHyperSport supercar was the Sheikh of Qatar, Yavan bin Hamad Al-Thani. The 900hp Fenyr SuperSport coupe is a lot like the Lykan HyperSport, but power point here is even more productive. 900 hp was removed from the four-liter boxer Porsche RUF. s., it takes only 2.7 s to accelerate to 100 km / h, the “maximum speed” is more than 400 km / h. The rejection of gold, sapphires and diamonds in decoration, as well as a larger circulation (25 copies are produced annually) made it possible to keep the price at $ 1.75 million. So they cannot be called “The Most Expensive Cars of Arab Sheikhs”.
Whatever one may say, in comparison with Lykan HyperSport, by local standards, it’s just budget model. As for the Moroccan manufacturer exclusive cars Laraki Motors, at the helm here is local designer Laraki Abdeslam, who began designing ocean-going yachts for the King of Bahrain. His 2003 debut opus was a Gran Turismo Laraki Fulgura coupe with a chassis from Lamborghini Diablo and engine from Mercedes-Benz. The 720-horsepower V12 accelerates the “African” to “hundreds” in 3.4 seconds at a “maximum speed” of 350 km / h. However, the real fame for Laraki Motors came after the debut in 2013 of the 1750-horsepower Epitome prototype. Vehicle based on chassis Chevrolet Corvette sixth generation, has a carbon body and a seven-liter eight-cylinder engine with two turbines. Laraki Motors executives assure that the power of the turbo unit can be increased from an impressive 1200 hp. With. up to an incredible 1750 "horses" when filling one of the tanks with racing fuel with octane rating 110.
Laraki Motors is offering its Epitome to order with prices starting at $2 million. Whether the supercar is made in the Middle East or brought here for sale is not that important. It is significant that Arab consumers today are focused on buying ultra-expensive, super-powerful and completely exclusive cars. The desire of local oligarchs to turn their garages into a kind of Ali Baba's cave, whatever one may say, is embedded in the mentality.
When you hear about Arab cars, it's hard to imagine what cars goes speech. I'm sure a lot of people think it means local assembly all kinds of sports cars and other luxury "stallions". But the East does have its own automotive developments and production.
Lion's share Arab cars was developed and produced in one of the richest and most developed states of the East - Saudi Arabia. Also pay attention to the automotive industry in the United Arab Emirates.
Automotive developments can be found in the less developed countries of the Arab world. Such as Libya. However, in this case, as a rule, we are talking about the creation of cars for heads of state. Such machines were not launched into mass production.
Military vehicles deserve special attention. The countries of the Arabian Peninsula are actively mastering the production of armored vehicles. Local companies are gradually moving from assembling based on American (Ford F-150) and Japanese ( Toyota Hilux) trucks to the full-fledged production of armored vehicles.
Also in 2013, at the Qatar Motor Show, the Arabs presented the first supercar of their own design.
And now the most interesting - Arab cars with photos and descriptions.
Arab supercars
The Arab world of supercars is represented by two companies: Laraki and W Motors.
W Motors is based in Dubai. Although its founder is a native of Lebanon. The letter W is short for English word Wolf (wolf). This is the childhood nickname of co-owner and head of the company, Ralph R. Debbas.
The W Motors lineup includes two sports car- Lykan Hypersport and Fenyr SuperSport. Both cars debuted at showrooms in the Arabian Peninsula.
The public demonstration of Lykan Hypersport took place in 2013 at International Motor Show in Qatar. In the presentation, the manufacturer called his brainchild "the first Arab supercar."
The company's website says that Lykan Hypersport accelerates to 100 km per hour in 2.8 seconds - a result that is not inferior to best models Ferrari and Lamborghini, and comparable to the performance Tesla Model S in the top modification.
Under the hood - 3.7 liter engine capacity 780 Horse power.
The maximum speed is 395 km per hour.
The body of the car is made of carbon fibre. But this fact pales against the background of other materials. For example, the stitching on the seat upholstery is made of gold. And the headlights are encrusted with diamonds.
Representatives of W Motors admit that diamonds in the headlights are an exclusively “PR” move. There is no practical need for them. “This is our marketing ploy. People are discussing this, ”Ralph Debbas explained in a CNN comment.
The company estimates the Lykan Hypersport at $3.4 million. The manufacturer explains the high price by the fact that for this money the buyer receives not only a supercar, but also round-the-clock support wherever he is in the world. If necessary, W Motors specialists are ready to take off by private air transport.
Fenyr SuperSport
Another interesting Arabic instance is the Panthera armored car. It is produced by Dubai-based Ares Security Vehicles. Initially, the company used as a chassis. However, she later abandoned it. favor Toyota Land cruiser.
Arabic classic
One of the first Arab cars - Ramses. It was put into production in the 1950s in Egypt. The development of the car was carried out by the German NSU in partnership with the local Egyptian Automotive. The German small car NSU Prinz 30 was taken as the basis.
Arab sheikhs are definitely very fond of good cars, and therefore, always and with great willingness to spend a lot of money on them. Here in this review we will talk about several really unique and fabulous expensive cars which belong to those sheikhs.
1.Nissan Patrol GTR
Despite the fact that this Nissan Patrol GTR looks the most ordinary, under the hood it has a completely unique stuffing. In particular, a 4.1-liter engine with a capacity of 1,900 horsepower was installed in the car. Secret nissan cars Patrol is that almost all the filling migrated to it from another model, namely Nissan GT-R . This also affected the interior, and even the steering wheel. On a straight road, this custom sample is able to humiliate the new one. hybrid porsche 918!
2. Giant Spider
Incredibly curious example of a car made to order for the Moroccan Sheikh Hamed Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan. It's hard to believe, but in reality this car is a thoroughly redone Jeep Wrangler. Custom made in the style of cars of the 30s of the XX century. At the same time, he is planted on a huge frame from the Ford F550. The designers borrowed the radiator grille and headlights from huge truck! The machine works on 400 hp V8 engine.
3. Buchmann W100 600
This unique car was created in 1980. It was created by order of the king of Saudi Arabia, who was ready to pay any money for a truly unique car. The monarch ordered a whole batch of these custom cars for himself. They were made on based on Mercedes-Benz W100. It took BB four months to create just the first car! A total of 9 cars were assembled.
4. Lotec C1000
The car was created in 1995 by order of an Arab sheikh who wanted the most fast car on the planet. The custom was based on Lotec Mercedes-Benz. As you can easily guess, one thousand in the name means engine power - 1000 hp, and the letter "C" stands for "carbon". Subsequently, the car was modernized several times. The car has an incredibly light body. The car is also notable for the fact that it became the first supercar in history to cross the thousandth milestone in the field of engine power.
5. McLaren X-1
The unique, one-of-a-kind McLaren X-1 was created on the basis of the McLaren MP412C. The car was created to order. Almost nothing is known about its technical characteristics, as well as about who is its happy owner. All that is known for sure about this is the cost of the car - $ 6 million. Traditionally, only Arab sheikhs spend such sums on cars. The car debuted in 2012.
