- Cars are flown distances of around 3,000 miles in planes such as the Qatar Airways Airbus A330
- Lamborghinis, Ferraris and McLarens among vehicles spotted recently in Knightsbridge area
- Owners - many from Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia - usually only here for several weeks
With its wheels firmly held in place, a Mercedes-Benz prepares for transport aboard a cargo plane.
In
similar fashion, supercars ranging from Ferraris to Lamborghinis take
to the skies each year as rich Arab playboys bring their vehicles from
the Middle East to London, usually for just a few weeks over summer.
The
car owners, many of them from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait, will
happily pay a small fortune - in excess of £20,000 for a return journey
- for their metal marvels to be flown around 3,000 miles, and often
leave them parked up on the streets of Knightsbridge.
Qatar
Airways is one such airline that ships the luxury cars from Doha to
Heathrow. Secured to the floor of one of their Airbus A330s, the
precious cargo can either be accommodated in a single row or in a
side-by-side configuration.
Using their main and lower deck, the airline offers 31 positions on each flight.
Car owners from Qatar, Saudi Arabia,
UAE and Kuwait will happily pay a small fortune - in excess of £20,000
for a return journey - for their metal marvels to be flown around 3,000
miles, and often leave them parked up on the streets of London. At this
week's Dubai Airshow, the Qatar Airways Cargo A330-200F freighter showed
off its cargo-loading capabilities
Qatar Airways provided a demonstration using the latest from the Mercedes-Benz AMG product line of luxury automobiles
'The Arabs often use
agents to arrange their cars to be flown to the UK - and some of these
guys can have two or three cars that they bring over for just one month.
'Once here, they can legally drive it for up to two months.
'A lot
of them tour - so they may come to London for a bit and then truck
their vehicle to much sunnier places like Marbella to extend their
fun.'
Mr
Hallworth, whose company is based in Manchester, said that a car such
as a Ferrari or McLaren can cost up to £5,000 to transport each way,
while a Bugatti Veyron would be about £6,000 per journey.
Once secured to
the floor of their Airbus A330, Qatar Airways' precious cargo can either
be accommodated in a single row or in a side-by-side configuration
Using their main and lower deck, the airline can offer 31 positions on each flight
Daniel Hallworth, director of Dan Car
Logistics, which specialises in air freight, told MailOnline: 'The Arabs
often use agents to arrange their cars to be flown to the UK - and some
of these guys can have two or three cars that they bring over for just
one month.' Above, a Lamborghini seen last night in south-west London
A Lamborghini Aventador, valued at £280,000, sits on one of Dan Car Logistics' pallets, as it prepares to be transported
A £150,000-plus blue Ferrari 458
Italia which had been given a customised spider-web wrap by its Qatari
owner. It was seen last night in Sloane Street, south-west London
This gold-plated Range Rover drew admiring glances from other drivers as it made its way through London
Larger cars, including a Rolls-Royce Phantom or 4x4s, cost from £7,000 to £12,000 return.
A
fleet of some such supercars have descended on south-west London - many
owned by sons of sheikhs to escape the Middle East's baking mid-summer
months.
Among
the outrageous wheels parked on Sloane Street were a £150,000-plus blue
Ferrari 458 Italia which had been given a customised spider-web wrap by
its Qatari owner and an orange McLaren - yours for around £165,000.
The
vehicles spotted in central London over the past few weeks - following
the end of Ramadan - often attract the attention of tourists and car
enthusiasts, who are intrigued by the tailor-made versions of famous
models from car manufacturers including Lamborghini and Bentley.
Once
they arrive, some of the over-the-top autos attract the attention of
the police too - due to incorrect registration plates and insurance or
parking regulation breaches.
Residents
in affluent Knightsbridge have complained that some drivers are
allegedly behaving in an anti-social manner, revving the cars and
treating the exclusive area as their personal racetrack - although there
is no suggestion any of the cars pictured are being investigated by the
police.
Many of the cars seen here are owned
by rich Arab playboys who have brought them over to Britain for just a
few weeks to escape the Middle East's baking mid-summer months. Above, a
McLaren supercar, worth around £160,000
'A lot of them tour - so they may come
to London for a bit and then truck their vehicle to much sunnier places
like Marbella to extend their fun,' said Mr Hallworth. Above, a
Rolls-Royce parked opposite Versace (naturally)
A white Lamborghini Aventador was
among the supercars spotted in London last night - and they often
attract the attention of tourists and car enthusiasts
The vehicles spotted in central London over the
past few weeks - following the end of Ramadan - often attract the
attention of tourists
Onlookers gawp at two supercars in south-west London. The car owners are usually here for about one month
A fellow traveller marvels at a neighbouring white Ferrari. The unusual vehicles can prove quite a distraction
There are car doors... and then there are car doors, as this McLaren shows
Two supercars have a 'face off' on the streets of London as they both bid to attract attention
Once they arrive, some of the over-the-top autos
attract the attention of the police too - due to incorrect registration
plates and insurance or parking regulation breaches
Wherever they go these flashy autos attract attention for their owners as these photos show
A bright yellow supercar attracts attention outside London's Harrods which is often a major draw for wealthy foreign visitors
A pair of supercars park up next to each other outside a designer clothing store
