With gold currently trading at $1,788.91 an ounce, one would be wise to invest in the precious metal, which usually comes in the form of gold bars. But one person, identified only as an "anonymous businessman from the Middle East," decided to receive his investment in the form of a Solid Gold Rolls-Royce Phantom. 
The $8,150,000 vehicle's golden radiator grill was designed to resemble a bank. The once-chrome door handles, trunk lid trim, hinges, hardware on the rear picnic tables, and even the "RR" logos in the wheels were replaced by 265 lbs. of solid 18K gold -- which is more durable and scratch-resistance than pure 24K gold -- thanks to the U.K.'s Stuart Hughes, a company that covers electronic devices in the precious metal of one's choosing. The gold alone is worth nearly $7 million.
The Solid Gold Phantom has also been armored by Swiss coach-builder Eurocash AG to withstand assaults from AK-47s, Dragunov sniper rifles, and even hand grenades. As Yahoo.com's G.E. Anderson put it, "let's face it, protection from attack is a basic necessity when you're driving a moving metaphor for greed." The entire project took Stuart Hughes and Eurocash AG approximately 18 months to finish. -- Michael Campos, LCT assistant editor
Print | posted on Wednesday, August 10, 2011 1:31 PM