Hautos: The World’s Royalty and their Cars of Choice

Royal families across the globe are always under the covetous eye of the public. They always have the best of the best in their possession and it is they who represent the utmost in class. In particular, they possess some of the world’s most extraordinary feats of automotive craftsmanship. Here’s a breakdown of some of the world’s royalty and their cars of choice.

Under actual ownership by Prince Charles but most recently with Prince William behind the wheel, we’ve seen a lot of this haute midnight blue Aston Martin convertible in the past months – but there’s a lot about this vehicle that you may not have figured out just by seeing Prince William drive off with his royal bride for their tour around London. For example, the engine runs on an alcohol-based fuel, which is extracted from the grapes grown in the British royal family’s garden.

Royal Family of Japan

Car of Choice: Toyota Limousine

With a nod to country loyalty, the Japanese royal family chooses this custom-made Toyota limousine as their official car. In line with the culture’s emphasis on producing energy-efficient vehicles, the limo possesses an array of eco-friendly features and well as the latest technology in energy-efficient engines. At 20 feet long and 6 feet wide, the classy car can fit up to 20 people. It boasts a 5-liter, V12 engine that is capable of producing more than 350 HP. Additionally, bulletproofing and special tires make it so that the car can still be driven in the event that the tires have been shot by bullets.

Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Sultan Bin Rashed al Nahyan

Car of Choice: Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG

This powerhouse of luxury was custom made to lead the Prince’s envoy – and it does so with assertiveness and class. Its design included ample use of carbon fiber in the body, making it lightweight and more aerodynamic. It boasts polished 22-inch alloy wheels and headlamps comprised of four Xenon upper beam lights and eight fog lamps. Also equipped with a 5.5-liter, 620 HP V8 engine with eight piston calipers in front and four in the back, the vehicle is more than capable of leading, regardless of terrain.

Sultan Hasan Al Bolkiah of Brunei

Car of Choice: Customized Rolls Royce with Porsche Engineering

We are all familiar with the Sultan’s lavish lifestyle, including his penchant for extraordinary cars. Possessing one of the world’s largest collections of fine cars – and an ultra-opulent aircraft – it is no surprise that his customized Rolls Royce would embody the classic, royal Rolls Royce design yet possess the aerodynamics and precise engineering of a Porsche.

The Royal Family of Thailand

Car of Choice: Cadillac Limousine

This unique yellow Cadillac Limousine is one of several luxury cars the Thai royal family owns, but this one was also re-created to be U.S. President Barack Obama’s official vehicle. It has aircraft composite doors, sleek chrome detailing on the interior of the vehicle, extra-high ceilings for comfort, and a number of additional luxe amenities.

Prince Albert II of Monaco

Car of Choice: Lexus LS 600h L Landaulet

Made as a wedding gift for the Prince’s upcoming nuptials this year, this sleek Lexus was made to include a reinforced transparent rooftop, with the design work done by Carat Duchatelet – a company renowned for its design of luxury coaches. Painted a striking midnight blue, the paint is actually a special type of water paint, which had to be painstakingly applied manually by a group of the company’s finest craftsmen.

King Saad bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud of Saudi Arabia

Car of Choice: Luma CLR 730 RS (Customized MBW M5 E60)

This customized version of the already heralded BMW M5 E60 is one of the most coveted and exclusive cars from the Luma marque. It is a shining example of primed performace with a 730 HP, 10-cylinder engine with bi-compression mechanism and wheels that boast special anodized rims, specially made for the car’s lightweight wheels. Designed for travel at high speeds, the body is completely made from carbon fiber, making it lightweight and suitable for the astounding speeds it is capable of.

King Baudin of Belgium

Car of Choice: Mercedez-Benz Pullman 600

As the official vehicle of Belgium’s royal family, is it indicative of the King’s penchant for tech-savvy vehicles – this one a symbol of hybrid technology use. The vehicle has been equipped with all of modern hybrid technology’s bells and whistles, making it not only one of the most environmentally friendly vehicles to date, but also a classy example to set for the King’s citizens.

The Royal Family of Jordan

Car of Choice: 1961 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL

This is just one of King Abdullah I’s revered collection of impressive exotic cars. It possesses a 6-liter V8 engine, which was very rare for the time, and is capable of producing 380 HP with a top speed of 155 mph. Although the King himself has an array of some of the world’s finest vehicles, this 300 SL remains as the royal family’s official vehicle.

King of Rajkot, India

Car of Choice: 1934 Rolls Royce Convertible

On top of being another custom-built beauty, this 1934 Rolls Royce convertible was also an all-weather 50 HP car – rare, especially during the time of its creation. Additionally, its stunning orange paint color is one of the rarest in Rolls Royce history. Recently, this breathtaking antique came under the ownership of Gunther Zach, a collector of rare and royal artifacts.

[Source: BornRich]