Gold-coated car to go on sale in Dubai

The distributor of Lexus in the United Arab Emirates has announced that it intends to apply 40,000 gold leaves to a Lexus LX570 during the Dubai International Motor Show next week.

At the end of the process, the vehicle will be finished off with varnish before being sold, making it the first commercial 24-carat gold car in the UAE. The transformation will be completed by four craftsmen from French company Goldemotion, which works on conservation projects at the Louvre in Paris and other sites in France.

"There is a growing demand for custom design within the UAE automotive market and we want to explore this avenue for our Lexus customers," said Hugh Dickerson of Al-Futtaim Motors. "it is particularly fitting to dress our Lexus flagship SUV with gold since we are currently celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the Lexus brand."

Two hundred companies are expected at the Dubai show, unveiling 14 world premieres and over 40 regional debuts. Mercedes will unveil a limited-edition G-Class SUV vehicle and Renault is expected to showcase a new Fluence model developed specifically for the region.