Rolls-Royce has unveiled the second of its Droptail range, prompting much speculation about which of the pair can hang on to the title of the most expensive street-legal car ever made.
Informed insiders in the motor trade said the La Rose Noire – unveiled last week – probably took that crown with an estimated cost of more than $30 million, but now comes the Amethyst.
Both vehicles are bespoke creations and each is apparently pricier than the three vehicles that made up Rolls-Royce’s Boat Tail trio, manufactured in 2021 and 2022.
At the time of their release, the aquatically named trio were at one point said to be among the most costly cars ever. Let’s talk about those figures, then.
The numbers here are nothing short of astonishing – each Boat Tail was estimated to have been sold for between $25 million and $30 million.
Reports suggest the Droptail quartet will exceed that.
It’s difficult to be precise, though, as these are cars handmade for individual clients, and Rolls-Royce, ever the refined and dignified marque, would never reveal what any of them cost.
What of the newest Droptail, then?
Well, Rolls-Royce describes the Amethyst as an “expression of purity, clarity and resilience”.
You’d expect at least that for the price, but Rolls-Royce chief executive Torsten Muller-Otvos says the vehicle “truly captures the soul of its commissioning client”, revealing a glimpse of the patron’s identity by calling them a “distinguished international individual”.
The Amethyst name comes from it being the customer’s son’s birthstone.
The paintwork apparently mirrors numerous stages in the life of the globe amaranth flower, a bloom that is a feature of the desert near one of the client’s homes.
The inside is decked out in what Rolls-Royce aptly calls Sand Dunes leather, with calamander hardwood making the already fancy stylings extra special.
The car has a removable hard top, allowing it double up as both a coupe and roof-down roadster.
Don’t like the window colour? Well, the ceiling comes complete with electromagnetic glass that allows hue and transparency changes at the touch of a button.
The fascia has a unique timepiece created by Swiss manufacturer Vacheron Constantin, which has been given the name Les Cabinotiers Armillary Tourbillon.
You know you’re in something out of the ordinary when the clock on the dashboard gets a name fancier than most members of the world’s royal families.
All very impressive, of course, but the Droptail story doesn’t end here – Rolls-Royce still has two more in the pipeline.
One can only guess, but it wouldn’t take Nostradamus to work out neither of those are likely to be budget options either.
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Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
The biog
Born: Kuwait in 1986
Family: She is the youngest of seven siblings
Time in the UAE: 10 years
Hobbies: audiobooks and fitness: she works out every day, enjoying kickboxing and basketball
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
MATCH SCHEDULE
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tuesday, April 24 (10.45pm)
Liverpool v Roma
Wednesday, April 25
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid (10.45pm)
Europa League semi-final, first leg
Thursday, April 26
Arsenal v Atletico Madrid (11.05pm)
Marseille v Salzburg (11.05pm)
Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
Jawbone Press
the pledge
I pledge to uphold the duty of tolerance
I pledge to take a first stand against hate and injustice
I pledge to respect and accept people whose abilities, beliefs and culture are different from my own
I pledge to wish for others what I wish for myself
I pledge to live in harmony with my community
I pledge to always be open to dialogue and forgiveness
I pledge to do my part to create peace for all
I pledge to exercise benevolence and choose kindness in all my dealings with my community
I pledge to always stand up for these values: Zayed's values for tolerance and human fraternity
Results
57kg quarter-finals
Zakaria Eljamari (UAE) beat Hamed Al Matari (YEM) by points 3-0.
60kg quarter-finals
Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) beat Hyan Aljmyah (SYR) RSC round 2.
63.5kg quarter-finals
Nouredine Samir (UAE) beat Shamlan A Othman (KUW) by points 3-0.
67kg quarter-finals
Mohammed Mardi (UAE) beat Ahmad Ondash (LBN) by points 2-1.
71kg quarter-finals
Ahmad Bahman (UAE) defeated Lalthasanga Lelhchhun (IND) by points 3-0.
Amine El Moatassime (UAE) beat Seyed Kaveh Safakhaneh (IRI) by points 3-0.
81kg quarter-finals
Ilyass Habibali (UAE) beat Ahmad Hilal (PLE) by points 3-0
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
