Customised supercars belonging to wealthy Arab playboys

• Influx of Arab-owned supercars is becoming an annual event in upmarket areas of central and west London
• A £2million Bugatti was spotted parallel parked on yellow lines outside Bulgari Hotel in Knightsbridge
• Lamborghinis, Ferraris and McLarens were also seen at the exclusive hotel and The Dorchester in Mayfair
• Owners - many from Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia - are usually only here for several weeks during the summer
• The cars are flown over by Qatar airways, costing in excess of £20,000 for a return journey

They normally cause a stir when they rev their engines outside Harrods during the summer months.

But now expensive Arab-owned supercars - many of which have been expensively customised - have been spotted all over London's most upmarket streets, and their drivers don't think twice about parking on double yellow lines.

Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Bugattis are among the cars seen cruising around west and central London this summer as rich Qataris, Saudis, Emiratis and Kuwaitis move to Britain to escape the Middle East's baking mid-summer months. 

Among the supercars spotted include a £2.5million premium LaFerrari, £2million Bugatti Veyron and £700,000 McLaren seen parallel parked on double yellow lines outside five-star Bulgari Hotel in Knightsbridge last night.

Gary Tolson, sales manager at luxury car dealership, Tom Hartley, said: 'It is extremely unusual seeing four of the most expensive cars in the world all parked next to each other. Many of the supercars you see around central London at the moment have been modified with paint jobs costing anything up to £30,000. A lot of them have also been given different wheels.'

Supercars belonging to wealthy individuals from the Middle East have been taking all the best parking spots in London's upmarket postcodes. A £2million brown Bugatti, £700,000 McLaren, £2million LaFerrari and £300,000 Maybach were seen on double yellow lines outside BVLGARI hotel in Knightsbridge last night

Crowds gathered to look at the limited production plug-in hybrid McLaren P1 supercar outside BVLGARI. It is estimated to cost around £700,000, top speed 217mph

A £350,000 Rolls Royce Phantom, customised with a £30,000 chrome paint job and expensive wheels, was also seen outside The Dorchester in Mayfair.

Mr Tolson said: 'This one has been really pumped up with huge wheels and paintwork which would have cost thousands.'

It was parked next to a bright orange £300,000 Lamborghini Aventador and a £270,000 Rolls Royce Ghost.

The luxury cars are flown distances of around 3,000 miles in planes such as the Qatar Airways Airbus A330.

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.

Qatar Airways ships the luxury cars from Doha to Heathrow and the precious cargo can either be accommodated in a single row or in a side-by-side configuration.

The rich Arabs stay in the best hotels and empty their wallets in London's most expensive shops, but they also cause problems with their unique supercars. 

This £300,000 Rolls Royce Phantom has been customised with a £30,000 chrome paint job and wheels which could have cost up to £30,000

This luxury brown Bugatti Veyron would have cost around £2million in total, including its expensive Qatar number plate 77777

The number plate of this Bugatti would have cost at least £80,000. In the Middle East, the number plate is as important as the car and is an indicator of a wealthy lifestyle 

This £200,000 BMW Hanman-tuned car was seen on Park Lane (left) and a limited-edition Ford Mustang was spotted on Edgware road in central London

A gold and black Bugatti Veyron - which can sell for up to £1million - was also seen parked outside the prestigious Dorchester hotel

This garish Chevrolet was seen parked on Edgware Road in central London. It has been customised with an unusual paint job and expensive wheels

A £1million Bugatti parked outside Bulgari Hotel in Knightsbridge and a £300,000 Lamborghini Aventador parked outside the Dorchester in Mayfair

This gorgeous gold Ferrari, priced at around £200,000, was seen near Harrods in Knightsbridge last night. Supercars have been taking over central London

Are these the pic of the bunch? Remarkable images

• Shot of the snow monkey was taken by award- winning photographer Marsel van Oosten at hot springs in Jigokudani
• The picture of the macaque is one of 50 that have been shortlisted by the Wildlife Photographer of the Year jury
• Members of the public are now being asked to vote for their favourite, with the winner announced in October

Perfectly timed pictures of a startled stargazer fish, a mouse peering cautiously from underneath a sleeping lion's paw, and an orphaned monkey gazing vacantly as he hangs on a washing line have been shortlisted by the Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year jury.
They join a shot of a snow monkey playing with an iPhone taken by award- winning photographer Marsel van Oosten at hot springs in Jigokudani. It became the centre of controversy when Ashton Kutcher posted it on his Facebook page without a credit. 
Van Oosten accused the Hollywood star of ‘stealing’ the picture, and it was subsequently removed.

Hanging out: This orphaned Central American spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) lives in the workers camp of the El Mirador archaeological site and was snapped as he clung to a washing line with a vacant stare in his eyes

Startled by a stargazer: Photographer Jennifer Jo Stock met this chap on a 'muck dive' in Lembeh, Indonesia. She said: 'Having never seen this species of fish before I was truly shocked when the surrounding black sand was gently blown from it's eyes and teeth, revealing such a scary face'

Sleeping lions: Whilst photographing lions in Kenya's Masai Mara, photographer, Juan Carlos Mimó Perez, noticed a tiny mouse resting calmly under the paw of one of the pride members

Monkeying around: This young Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata) stole an iPhone off a tourist that wanted to take a closeup shot, but got way too close. The macaque was very pleased with the new toy though, and even managed to switch on the flashlight a few times. Needless to say the iPhone did not survive the underwater sessions

The picture, has now helped Mr van Oosten earn a nomination in the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
The picture of the macaque is one of 50 that have been shortlisted by the Wildlife Photographer of the Year jury.
Members of the public are now being asked to vote for their favourite, with the voting closing on September 5 and the winner announced in October.

Stretching: With a big stretch, a young lioness gets ready to set off on a hunt with the rest of her pride in Kenya's Masai Mara

One eye on you: After hearing that colleagues had seen elusive short-eared owls in the Al-Jahra Pool Reserve, Mohammed Khorshed spotted this one two days later sitting on a tree, perfectly positioned for a photo. Three hours of shooting resulted in this beautiful shot

The pictures feature a vast range of wildlife from a stretching lioness in Kenya, to a group of king penguins and fur seals huddling together in South Georgia.
Other stunning images include a rescued rhino chewing on a man’s hand in a conservation reserve in Zimbabwe and kangaroos hoping around a waterhole in Sturt National Park in New South Wales, Australia.

Hitching a lift: After successfully hatching, this Great Crested Grebe chick relaxes on the back of the female in Viverone Lake in Italy. The male will provide food for the young, starting with small morsels such as dragonflies and small fish. In this case, the sunfishlet offered is a little on the big side for the chick but he gives it a valiant try

Clinging on: This great peacock moth caterpillar, was captured in the south of France by Leela Channer after her father found it clinging to is flip flop. She said: 'It kept curling up but I finally got one good photo'

The clash of the predators: This 130kg male jaguar fearlessly takes on a 70kg Jacaré Caiman. This exceptionally rare event was captured by photographer Justin Black on the banks of the Rio Três Irmãos in Brazil

On ice: Taken in Svalbard in Norway, photographer Auden Rikardsen caught this charismatic image by slowly swimming in with his camera positioned on a small raft in front of him. He approached the seal relaxing on drifting ice, and with a bit of careful positioning achieved this image

The competition is now in its 50th year and more than 41,000 people from 100 countries entered the competition.
Member of the judging panel, Tom Ang said: ‘In this landmark fiftieth year we’re opening up the judging experience to the many wildlife photography fans that follow the competition so closely.
‘If you’ve ever puzzled over why one image wins out over another, this is your chance to have your say. But with so many outstanding shots and just one vote per person, the pressure is on to cast it wisely.’

King of bling: Gold Ferrari

• Huge number of flash sports cars, many foreign-owned, are wowing tourists in wealthy districts of London
• Vehicles are tailor-made versions of famous car models from makers such as Ferrari, Bentley and Lamborghini
• Influx of super cars is becoming annual event in wealthy parts of London, particularly Knightsbridge and Kensington
• Many owned by Arabs who come to capital from likes of Saudi Arabia and UAE to escape hot Middle Eastern summer

Tourists and car enthusiasts have been flocking to one of London's wealthiest districts to catch a closer glimpse of some of the world's most extravagant super cars.
A fleet of luxury cars were spotted jamming the street of Cannes, in southern France, earlier this week - now dozens more have descended on Knightsbridge and Kensington.
Many of the impressive vehicles are owned by mega-rich Arabs and wealthy playboys, from the likes of Dubai and Kuwait, who have their expensive cars delivered to west London where many spend their summer holidays.

Scroll down for video

A Gold Ferrari sits outside Chanel on Sloane Street in London as tourists and car enthusiasts flock to the city to catch a glimpse of the world's most expensive cars

Some residents have complained that the drivers are behaving in an anti-social manner, by allegedly treating the area as their personal racetrack - but lots of tourists and children seem impressed with the models

Despite residents dreading 'The Season', there is one group of people salivating at the supercars and leaping to the defence of the drivers - the so-called Carparazzi

A tourist has her photograph taken next to a Gold Ferrari in Knightsbridge yesterday as rich owners from Saudi Arabia arrive in the capital to show off their cars

One of the super cars spotted driving around Kensington and Knightsbridge is this flash, shiny, gold-coloured Ferrari, which has been stopping by-passers in amazement

This Ford Mustang, pictured driving through Kensington, London, is one of many super cars which descend on the capital over the summer months, when residents from middle Eastern countries come to the UK for their summer holidays

Shoppers stop to take photos of a Lamborghini Aventador which was driving through west London. The vehicles are tailor-made versions of famous models from luxury-brand car manufacturers

Impressed by-passers stop to take photos of a Ferrari parked in Knightbridge. The cars have been spotted just one day after a series of luxury vehicles were seen around the streets of Cannes, southern France

The vehicles - which act as a magnet for curious tourists and car enthusiasts - are tailor-made versions of famous models from car manufacturers such as Ferrari, Lamborghini and Bentley.
The owners, many of whom arey Qataris, Saudis, Emiratis and Kuwaitis, happily leave their luxury cars parked up on the side of the road, as they move to Britain to escape the Middle East's baking mid-summer months.
But the growing number of sports cars around the wealthy Knightsbridge district is causing some local residents to worry about breaches of parking rules and potential dangerous driving.
Residents in affluent Knightsbridge have complained some drivers are allegedley behaving in an anti-social manner, revving the cars and treating the exclusive area as their personal racetrack.  

Wealthy families from Dubai and Kuwait reportedly had their cars delivered to the Carlton hotel in Cannes where many spend their holidays in the summer months, while other have appeared in the wealthiest suburbs of London

One of the fleet includes a silver Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722, pictured above, which has wowed those walking past

Panda Morgan-Thomas, a management consultant, said: 'I am not angry. I am just exhausted. After a relatively calm three years the last few days have seen the return of supercars to Knightsbridge.
'They are again racing down Sloane Street from late afternoons until 3 or 4 in the morning. We honestly thought we had made progress but it seems as though local residents are in for another sleepless August.'
Most of the wealthy holidaymakers, predominantly from Saudi Arabia and Qatar, arrived in London around a week ago following the end of Ramadan. 

One curious car enthusiast studies the Lamborghini Aventador - one of many who stop to have a closer look as they wander past the impressive vehicles

A flash Ferrari, parked in Knightsbridge, is given a parking ticket. Westminster council has revealed that parking fines handed out to cars registered in the United Arab Emirates have nearly doubled in the past three years

A blue Ferrari 456 Italia sits in Knightsbridge, where it almost blends in among the fleet of other impressive super cars

A number of the super cars have been spotted with parking tickets while others have been driving around with incorrect registration plates

A number of the supercars have been spotted with parking tickets while others have been driving around with incorrect registration plates. But despite residents dreading 'The Season', there is one group of people salivating at the supercars and leaping to the defence of the drivers - the Carparazzi.
When the wealthy Arabs arrive in London, car enthusiasts show up with their cameras to film and photographer the million-pound motors.
Paul Wallace, who runs the YouTube channel Supercars of London, played down their bad behaviour. He said: 'August always proves to be the best time of year for petrolheads to see their dream machines on the road.
'Having seen the change in driving styles and cars, I still can't believe the police presence and residents kicking up a fuss. For four weeks out of 52, these super-wealthy individuals come and pump millions of pounds into the UK economy.

The wealthy holidaymakers, predominantly from Saudi Arabia and Qatar, arrived in London around a week ago following the end of Ramadan

When the wealthy Arabs arrive in London, car enthusiasts show up with their cameras to film and photograph the million-pound motors. Pictured: A Lamborghini Aventador parked in Knightsbridge

Fears have been raised that some foreign drivers feel they can flout the rules either because they can easily afford the penalties, or because they know they'll be able to move home and ignore the fines. Pictured: A Ferrari drives in Sloane Street

The cars include a gold Range Rover, various Rolls-Royces, Lamborghinis - pictured above - Ferraris, numerous Bugatti Veyrons and a 1970s Datsun

'Not only that, they fulfill many car fan's dream by bringing super rare Bugatti Veyrons, or special edition Paganis. I feel sorry for these guys coming here with their expensive toys as they get harassed by police.'
Previous summers have seen expensive cars clamped outside department store Harrods, towed for being uninsured and locals complain about being kept awake by revving engines.
Westminster council has revealed the parking fines handed out to cars registered in the United Arab Emirates have nearly doubled in the last three years.
Cars from the Middle-Eastern country were given a whopping £57,060-worth of fines last year, up from just £31,780 in 2011/12.
Fears have been raised that some foreign drivers feel they can flout the rules either because they can easily afford the penalties, or because they know they'll be able to move home and ignore the fines.
A Westminster City Council spokesman said: 'We do all we can to ensure that all outstanding fines are paid – whatever the nationality of the driver.
'However, when cars aren't registered in this country, it is sometimes extremely difficult to track people down.
'We already work with an agency to help recover money owed by European drivers and we're currently exploring other avenues that might further our success.

Tajaan kepada Pemain Bolasepak Termahal

Bill Gates treats his family to a Mediterranean vacation

• World's richest man is vacationing with his family off the coast of Sardinia, Italy
• Is renting superyacht for $5million-a-week that cost $330million to build
• Was photographed also enjoying jet-skiing with his wife and three children

Bill Gates vacations exactly like you would imagine the richest man in the world should.

First up a relaxing game of tennis in the morning before being helicoptered - not ferried - back to the superyacht you and your family have chartered to the tune of $5 million-a-week.

Then, an exuberant jet ski around the $330 million boat with wife Melinda and children Rory, Jennifer and Phoebe, moored off the billionaires playground of Porto Cervo, Sardinia.

The Microsoft founder and philanthropist - worth $76 billion - has taken time away from his busy schedule to relax with his family - renting The Serene, the 436ft yacht of Stolichnaya vodka magnate, Yuri Scheffler, as a luxurious base.

Style: Bill Gates returns to The Serene, the $330 million yacht he has chartered for $5 million-a-week. Currently moored off the coast of Sardinia, Italy

Boating: The helicopter carrying Bill Gates approaches to land on The Serene -the world's 9th largest yacht - this week during the billionaire software pioneers vacation

Tough start: Bill Gates serves in his tennis match in Sardinia as he works up a sweat in the morning as he vacations with his family

Return: Keeping fit allows the 58-year-old to travel the world for his philanthropic ventures - such as working to rid the world of malaria

Smiles: The billionaire, who has a fortune of $76 billion and is the richest man in the world, seemed to enjoy his tennis match in Sardinia

Deft control: Bill Gates was playing to win during his tennis game in Sardinia this week

Beaming as he played his shots during his tennis game, Bill obviously had no need for a more traditional boat to get back to the huge yacht his family is aboard.

Walking with his entourage from the courts to his aerial transport, Bill was flown back to his yacht, christened The Serene, where he changed into a wet suit for a jet ski with his entire family.

Boasting not one, but two helicopter landing bads, because, let's face it one is never enough, The Serene can play host to 24 guests in 12 staterooms, which includes a master suite, one VIP stateroom, seven double cabins and three twin cabins.

 

Up close with the $300m super-yacht where Bill Gates is...

Stroll away: The billionaire walks away from the tennis courts at the billionaires playground of Porto Cervo, which became a resort when the Aga Khan purchased land along the Sardinian coast in the 1960s

Just bring your racket: Bill didn't need to bring much with him for his tennis match seeing as it was only a short hop from his yacht to court - via a helicopter

Your ride: Bill Gates gets ready to get inside his helicopter that will take him back to his rented yacht. In the past he has said that he does have guilty pleasure purchases - such as his own private plane

Can you take me to my yacht? The richest man in the world would have no problems finding a landing spot on his rented yacht - it has two helipads

Get comfortable: The billionaire prepares to sit down to be helicoptered back to the 436ft long yacht. When asked to reveal a secret about himself which no-one would expect, Gates said: 'Playing Bridge is a pretty old-fashioned thing in a way that I really like. 'I do the dishes every night - other people volunteer but I like the way I do it.'

Ready to go: Bill Gates prepares for take-off to be returned to his $5million a week yacht moored of Porto Cervo in Sardinia. In an interview earlier this year, Gates said he oesn't plan to stay at the office for days at a time as he did in his younger days when he had 'energy and naivete' on his side

Approach: This wider shot shows the green-grassed landing pad that the Microsoft billionaire's helicopter waited for him on. Gates held the title of 'richest man in the world' for 15 out of the past 20 years, but he was succeeded- briefly- by Mexican telecommunications magnate Carlos Slim Helu for the past four years

Luxury: While most would settle for a boat to take them back to their yacht, Bill Gates decided to go large

With 52 crew, The Serene also boasts a hanger for the helicopter, a seawater swimming pool, submarine hanger, a cinema and onboard WiFi.

LUXURY FIT FOR A BILLIONAIRE: THE $5 MILLION-A-WEEK BOAT CHARTERED BY BILL GATES

The Serene was built in 2011 for the owner of Stolichnaya vodka, Yuri Scheffler.
She is 436ft long and comes complete with a sundeck that has a wet bar, a wood fire pizza oven and a Teppenyaki grill.
She is capable of traveling 6,000 nautical miles on one tank of fuel, which is the same as traveling from London to New York and at least half way back again.
Her most impressive feature are her two helipads, but the luuxrious yacht does not shirk on features.
She also has an indoor climbing wall and a dedicated children's playroom to keep infants occupied.
She also has a fully equipped spa and club and three external swimming pools and one indoors.
Boasting an underwater viewing room, The Serene also has space or a large submarine able to reach a depth of more than 330 ft.

The opulent yacht also has a gym, swimming pool and two jacuzzis on deck.

The Serene also has a full library, health spa, underwater viewing room, nightclub and indoor climbing wall for the Microsoft billionaire and family to enjoy.

It has a cruising speed of 15 knots and is able to travel 6000 nautical miles on a full tank - which is almost the distance from London to New York and back again.

Indeed, the Gates family have been vacationing off the coast of Porto Cervo for years.

Every August the coastal town off the coast of Sardinia becomes a literal billionaires playground.

Originally owned by the Aga Khan, who bought up 50km of coastline almost as a private beach in the 1960s, Porto Cervo is now undergoing a mini-boom since he sold it to a consortium of bankers in the early part of the 21st century,

It is where Princess Diana spent her final days before her fated trip to Paris.

Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi and ex-British prime minister Tony Blair have spent time relaxing in the sun there.

Now dotted with Louis Vuitton and Gucci stores, the coastline is the perfect spot for the richest man in the world to unwind.

However, they may be the children of the world's richest man, but Rory, Jennifer and Phoebe probably should enjoy this vacation while they can - because their father is not leaving them any of his $76 billion fortune.

Back on the boat: Bill Gates aboard The Serene with his wife, Melinda

Which wetsuit? Bill Gates looks for suitable gear to wear for a jetski while his son, Rory, runs past him

Family fun: Bill Gates, wife Melinda, daughter, Phoebe, son Rory and daughter Jennifer (being pulled from water) prepare to get wet off the coast of Porto Cervo

Adventure: The Gates family get ready to jet ski aboard the $5million-a-week superyacht The Serene which the billionaire is renting from the owner of the Stolichnaya vodka brand

Rested: Melinda Gates walks the decks of The Serene later that day while her husband prepares to head out again for a jet-ski

In a rare insight into his personal life in March, the Microsoft founder and his wife, Melinda, opened up about how they are raising their family.

The couple, speaking at a TED conference in Vancouver, said their children will be encouraged to make their own way in the world without the help of billion-dollar trust funds.

Gates said that instead of money, they had given their two daughters and son a good education so they can learn how to rely on their own abilities rather than their parents' fortune.

'You’ve easily got enough money despite your vast contributions to the foundation to make them all billionaires,' conference organizer Chris Anderson said.

Luxury: The Serene has the ability for two helicopters to land on deck - the circular pool seen in the middle of the boat can be transformed into a helipad

Opulence: The state room of The Serene is capable of hosting huge parties and guests of billionaires

Super: The Serene cost $330million and boasts space for 24 guests and 53 crew and was delivered to its owner, Stolichnaya tycoon, Yuri Scheffler in 2011

But, according to Wired, Gates responded by saying: 'They won’t have anything like that. They need to have a sense that their own work is meaningful and important.'

'You’ve got to make sure they have a sense of their own ability and what they’re going to go and do,' he added.

Anderson likened raising three children in the world's richest family 'to a social experiment without much prior art' before asking the couple, who run the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, how they had decided to raise their family.

'We want to strike a balance so they have the freedom to do anything but not sort of a lot of money showered on them so that they can go out and do nothing,' Gates said.

He added that they have told their children most of the fortune would be left to their charity, which tackles poor health and poverty.

Beach day: Microsoft founder Bill Gates later made his way to a beach near Porto Cervo, Sardinia, with his wife, Melinda. The husband and wife married in 1994 and now run the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle

Heat: Bill Gates used a boat to get to the beach after earlier transporting himself from his tennis match to his yacht via a helicopter. His foundation has assets worth $37.1 billion, thanks in part to contributions of shares from his mentor, American 'uber-investor' Warren Buffett