Merc’s golden wonder wows Dubai

By Will McManus

30th December 2009

It's streets may no longer be paved with gold, but a Dubai Motor Show packed with precious metal returned some shine to the financially stricken Middle Eastern state.

Mercedes stole the limelight by unveiling a special edition of the SLS AMG – the Desert Gold. A one-off car, it’s finished in matt gold paint with contrasting gloss black accents on the bonnet and side-mounted fins, the filler cap and alloy wheels.

Inside, the SLS gets sports seats and a solid carbon fibre dash. It uses the same 563bhp 6.3-litre V8 engine as the standard car, so it can go from 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds, with a top speed of 197mph.

The Desert Gold will not go into full production, but Mercedes said the gold paint finish might become an option. Not to be outdone, Bugatti debuted a trio of new Veyrons – the last in a line of specials built to celebrate the French firm’s centenary. The first supercar iscalled the Nocturne. Finished in black and polished aluminium, the interior features a dashboard crafted from a combination of magnesium and galvanised platinum. Only five versions of the car will be produced, and it’s expected to go on sale for close to £1.5million.

The one-off Sang d’Argent – which translates as ‘silver blood’ – isn’t for shrinking violets, either. It gets silver and polished aluminium exterior panels, too, runs on wheels from the Veyron Grand Sport, and is expected to sell for £1.28million.

The final unique model, the open-top Soleil du Nuit, gets ‘black-blue’ paint, while its interior is trimmed in quilted burnt-orange leather. It also gets brand new diamond-cut wheels, and will cost around £1.38million. Bugatti is planning to sell all seven cars in the Middle East in the first quarter of 2010.