King Frederick I

Arab Emirates' Rainbow Sheikh Exemplifies Record Rolls' Sales Trend: Cars

Sheikh Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, a member of Abu Dhabi ’s ruling family, is one of the reasons why the Persian Gulf region has become a hot market for luxury cars, even as political turmoil grips other parts of the Middle East.

Sheikh Hamad, known as the Rainbow Sheikh for his penchant for bright colors, exemplifies the region’s automotive excess. His collection of more than 200 vehicles, which includes a five- meter (16 feet) high replica of a Dodge Power Wagon and a see- through disco car, is housed in a pyramid-shaped museum .

With demand stoked by profits from oil prices near $100 a barrel, wealthy Arabs are set to buy a record number of vehicles from the likes of BMW’s Rolls-Royce, Fiat SpA (F) ’s Maserati and Porsche SE this year. Sales of high-end cars in Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates will probably grow 20 percent this year, more than double the overall rate of 9.7 percent in the segment, according to data from IHS Automotive.

Buying luxury cars in the Gulf is “an extension of the ego,” said Pierluigi Bellini, associate director of Middle East research at IHS Automotive in Milan. Wealthy consumers like “showing off” more than Europeans and Americans, he said.

The sales spurt will probably continue, with IHS forecasting the market will more than double from 2010 to 2015, compared with a 51 percent increase globally.

The upbeat outlook for much of the Gulf contrasts with other areas of the Arab world, where uprisings have overthrown governments in Egypt and Tunisia and sparked a civil war in Libya and riots in Syria, Bahrain and Yemen.

“Thanks to the U.A.E., we were able to counterbalance the slowdown in other parts of the region,” said Umberto Maria Cini, who oversees the Middle East and Africa for Maserati. If the sales pickup from May and April continues, the Fiat unit may “run out of cars” in the next few months, Cini said, predicting a gain of more than 10 percent for the rest of 2011.

Porsche is asking U.A.E. buyers of the Cayenne SUV to wait at least three months to get delivery, while a 911 sportscar may take as long as seven months to arrive, George Wills, acting managing director for the region said in an e-mail. He predicted growth of at least 10 percent in the second quarter.

Rolls-Royce’s sales through May surged 74 percent in the Middle East and Africa, with the U.A.E. the largest market. BMW- brand deliveries jumped 42 percent in Abu Dhabi in the first quarter and 38 percent in Dubai, powered by high-end models like 5- and 7-Series sedans and X5 and X6 sport-utility vehicles, said Reiner Braun, BMW’s regional sales chief.

ABC-CLIO Blog: History Today: Richard the Lionhearted

Born in Oxford, England on September 8, 1157, Richard was the third son of England's King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. As third born, he was not expected to succeed his father as king. [...] When his older brother Henry was named as his father's successor, Richard was given the duchy of Aquitaine in 1168, as well as the duchy of Poitiers in 1172. A well-educated young man, Richard was also noted early on for his military and political abilities, which he utilized well in protecting and controlling his territories. In 1173, Richard joined with two of his brothers—Henry, heir to the English throne, and Geoffrey, duke of Brittany—in an ill-fated revolt against their father. They planned to overthrow him and immediately install the younger Henry as king. In response, Henry II launched two separate invasions of Aquitaine [...] Finally, in 1174, Richard submitted to his father, humbly swearing a new vow of subservience to king's authority. Following this defeat, Richard concentrated on suppressing a rebellion of nobles in Aquitaine [...] The death of the younger Henry later that year ended the fighting, with Richard retaining control over his territories. Henry's passing also left in question who would succeed Henry II as king of England, but the death of Geoffrey in 1186 solidified Richard's position as the likely heir to the thrones of England, Normandy, and Anjou. In 1188, King Henry II declared his plans to give the duchy of Aquitaine to his youngest son John (later King John of England). This so angered Richard that he negotiated an agreement with King Philip II Augustus of France by which Richard would concede both Anjou and Normandy to Philip in exchange for France's help in overthrowing Henry. The plan was successful, and King Henry was forced to name Richard as his heir just before dying in July 1189. Richard was crowned as duke of Normandy, count of Anjou, and king of England on September 3, 1189 in Westminster Abbey. Soon after becoming king, Richard joined the Third Crusade to reconquer Palestine and Jerusalem from Muslim leader Saladin and the Seljuk Turks. Richard concentrated on amassing troops and funding for the battle, raising taxes, emptying the treasury, and selling official government positions as well as lands and properties. In order to defend his territories against any French invasions during his absence, Richard persuaded Philip to enlist in the crusade as well.

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