Ultra-rare Dubai limos could fetch Dh55m - at a stretch


Patrick Ryan
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A collector of luxury cars is expecting to fetch at least Dh11.5 million for each of his five Bentley limousines that have been put up for sale in Dubai.

The rare and exclusive Mulsanne Grand Limousines by Mulliner have not been used since the unnamed individual bought them from a set of 12 custom made vehicles in 2016.

The cars are on display at the Bentley showroom on Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed Road, where the manager is confident they will all be sold by the end of the year.

The Bentleys’ owner bought each car for Dh8.6 million in 2016 and hopes to make a profit of just under Dh3 million on each vehicle.

The owner bought it as an investment as he had the vision they would increase in value over time
Joseph Tayar,
manager of Bentley showroom in Dubai

“The retail valuation of these cars is Dh11.5 million each and they are masterpieces,” said Joseph Tayar, general manager of the Bentley showroom in Dubai.

“The price reflects how unique and exclusive they are.

“I am expecting they will all be sold by the end of the year as we have had interest from both in the UAE and internationally.”

The Bentleys were custom made to order in 2016 by the owner, who has asked to remain anonymous.

Mr Tayar would only say “they are people with taste and are of high profile”.

He said the cars have zero miles on the clock as they have never been driven.

Most cars immediately lose value as soon as they are driven out of the showroom, but that is not the case with the five limousines — which are officially known as Mulsanne Grand Limousine by Mulliner models.

The cars were built by hand in Bentley’s Mulliner division, based in the company’s headquarters in Crewe, England, which specialises in creating in-house bespoke vehicles.

“He bought it as an investment as he had the vision they would increase in value over time,” said Mr Tayar.

If you fancy purchasing one of them you have the choice of five colours — silver frost over Moroccan blue, damson over black crystal, onyx over candy red, rubino red over light gazelle, and black sapphire.

Each car weighs 3 tonnes and is 7 metres long. The interior is designed to accommodate four passengers who sit facing each other, in what Mr Tayar describes as a cabin, while the driver’s section is called the cockpit.

If the passengers want privacy they have the option to change the colour of the glass between them and the driver, from transparent to opaque, and they can then communicate with the driver through an intercom system.

The cabin section also comes with iPad docking and charging stations, bottle coolers with crystal flutes and tumblers, and a drinks cabinet.

Three dials display local time, UK time, and the outside temperature.

The cars come equipped with 6.75-litre twin-turbo V8 engines.

Mr Tayar said the design of the cars was inspired by the aviation industry.

The other seven cars that are part of the set of 12 that was created in 2016 are with private owners across the world, he added.

So who exactly would be in the market for a car like this?

According to Mr Tayar, the buyers are likely to fall into one of two categories.

“We have customers who are looking for a car like this because they want to show their status and wealth and that they have succeeded,” he said.

“Then you have those who are collectors and view the car as a piece of history and want to own something that’s part of a very limited collection.

“People who are looking for this car are not only interested in travelling in style. They want to travel in privacy and comfort as well.”

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Updated: September 13, 2021, 3:15 AM