Maurice Picow

Abu Dhabi's Solid Gold "Biofuel" Mercedes Another Dubious "Green" Development

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How un-green? Not only an over-the-top luxury car, but made from white gold! So what if it can run on biofuel.

Are the United Arab Emirate states being over-the-top extravagant when purchasing super luxury cars? Word has it that an Abu Dhabi billionaire is the proud owner of a Mercedes V10 Quad Turbo sports job that has a body made of white gold! Not gold paint, but gold alloy sheet metal. Do these kinds of luxuries find any parallel with the similarly over-the-top “eco” projects happening in the region, like The World islands and Masdar City?

The specially made car features a newly developed V10 quad turbo with 1,600 horsepower and 2800nm of torque. It is said to be able to go from 0-100km/h in less than 2 seconds, and can go a 1/4 mile in 6.89 seconds running on biofuel. But seriously folks, is it even relevant to talk about biofuel in the face of such an item?

Cost of this “jewelry store on wheels” is reported to be $2.5 million – or enough money to feed the poorer populations of many Arab countries for months.

Oil rich Emirates in the UAE have been known to spend large sums of money on all kinds of extravagant projects including what has been billed as the largest and  most expensive indoor ski complex in the world, Ski Dubai; the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa Tower (all 158 stories of it)  Abu Dhabi’s now being constructed luxurious Al Reem Island (said to be a playground for the wealthy); and what may be the only truly environmental sustainable project, Masdar City, which is also in the early stages of construction.

Luxury at the expense of poorer Arabs

All of these, including the car of course, are at the expense of millions of people throughout the Muslim world who go to bed hungry every night;  and many of these people (from countries like Bangladesh, Indonesia, and even Jordan) work in the UAE on these projects for incomes ranging from as little as $4 a day.

white gold mercedes biofuel

It appears that only the wealthy can afford to purchase properties in these places, or spend the night in hotels that can run as much as $25,000 a night for a luxurious suite in Dubai’s Burg Al Arab ultra luxurious hotel tower. It makes us wonder what good could be done if just some of the money spent on these projects had been used for the good of the regional environment.

And while the much touted Masdar City is being marketed as “an example for other countries”; other projects, especially Dubai’s island community extravaganza The World, may turn out to be the region’s economic and environmental downfall, due to severe problems from both aspects.

mercedes biofuel

Getting back to the “solid gold Mercedes” it does have one redeeming quality; its 1,600 HP engine is designed to run on biofuels. But throwing in words and ideas like LEED-certified building and biofuel does not make a construction project or car environmental friendly. It’s just using the good deeds of the environment movement to get some good PR.

Want to convert your Mercedes to biofuel? No problem. Follow this handy resource “converting diesel mercedes to biofuel” and save yourself $2.5 million dollars.

Update: The car might be a “fake” gold number, according to Snopes: Snopes

For $2.5 million, it’s still an excess.

More on luxury projects and excess in and around the UAE:
Abu Dhabi Rich Pay Millions for Camels While Much of Arab World is Poor
Burj Dubai is Finished, But at What Environmental and Economical Advantage?
Will Abu Dhabi’s Al Reem Island be Only a Playground for the Rich?

26 Responses to “Abu Dhabi's Solid Gold "Biofuel" Mercedes Another Dubious "Green" Development”

kwfkwf • March 2nd, 2010 • 1:16 pm

I actually live in the United Arab Emirates, and this picture has been around for quite a number of years. I recently had my wife's car “foiled” which means covering it with a thin shiny plastic covering which (apart from changing the colour) means that the underneath paint lasts longer, and you don't get paint chips and sand damage.This SLR looks “foiled”. There was a similar job in progress with a Rolls Royce just when my wife's car was being done.And as for the “biodiesel” comment – probably more urban legend. None of the filling stations in UAE sell biodiesel and it is only currently available by the tanker load imported from Europe.Oh, and Masdar is a fabulous project. Neutrally yours,Karl

deuanhardy • April 23rd, 2010 • 3:18 pm

Don't believe a word of the solid gold bit. Even with 9 carat gold, it would weigh several tons. At that weight, I doubt 1600 hp would be enough to reach anything like the performance figures quoted.Anything below 9 parts in 24 gold content can't legally be described as gold anywhere.More details, please for a better article.Deuan

_RC_ • May 10th, 2010 • 3:58 am

Anyone who knows something about cars will be able to tell you that this is a hoax story. The paint job, the 1/4 mile time etc. are all total nonsense.

John T • June 9th, 2010 • 8:09 am

Great pics.

I really do despise know-alls, bullshitting on the coating, saying it is white gold.

It is actually anodised & lacquered electrobrightened aluminium.

the question guy • September 24th, 2010 • 12:46 pm

I often pause to think about the political aspects of a story like this. Was this dreamed up by someone to generate a little more hatred towards rich Arabs? After all if you can hate a wealthy Arab, its easier to hate all of them because it’s easy to paint “them as all the same.”

Just wondering.

eric • January 31st, 2011 • 5:30 pm

I guess if you have the money too piss away ity’s o.k. but youn can bet your balls to barndance ALA will not see it that way.

lord muc • March 26th, 2011 • 11:22 am

this is actually waste of money and wouldnt it be faulty again or die and leave all these worldly things behind for judgment? let reason or think of the poors a little when buying some things.

Malcolm Harrison • March 31st, 2011 • 7:25 am

Good comment. IF it is actually white gold, then what is the point? The Wow factor and its so called green fuel is completely over shadowed by this display of indifference to the call for some restraint in our use of material resources. It’s just a nonsense.

eM

Abu Dhabi Cyclists Are A Riding Target | Green Prophet • May 8th, 2011 • 1:03 am

[...] Cycling culture in Abu Dhabi is not well understood. Although it is hot, hot, hot four months out of the year, a growing number of people are parking their cars and traveling on two wheels instead. But these intrepid adventurers constitute a minority in the richest emirate (where things like solid gold cars exist). [...]

Khalid Nasser • September 20th, 2011 • 5:45 pm

Hmmm actually its only foiled with chrome aluminium just like the black matte foils, and sometimes its just polish which in the greatest extent would cost US$ 10,000. ^_^

Khalid Nasser • September 20th, 2011 • 5:48 pm

I actually live in the United Arab Emirates, and this picture has been around for quite a number of years. I recently had my wife’s car “foiled” which means covering it with a thin shiny plastic covering which (apart from changing the colour) means that the underneath paint lasts longer, and you don’t get paint chips and sand damage.This SLR looks “foiled”. There was a similar job in progress with a Rolls Royce just when my wife’s car was being done.And as for the “biodiesel” comment – probably more urban legend. None of the filling stations in UAE sell biodiesel and it is only currently available by the tanker load imported from Europe.Oh, and Masdar is a fabulous project. Neutrally yours,Karl

You are absolutely right Karl =) thanks for explaining that.

Ronni Ishaky • December 27th, 2011 • 1:37 am

It’s amazing that Arab people have such a hate for the west – that does take advantage of the poor – no argument there – but, what a waste. I don’t car if that car is white gold sheet metal or just foiled. One day the exploitation that happens right in the backyard of poor Arab countries, by their very own, will come come back to bit them in the a$$. Disgusting.

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