By now, we’re used to seeing some pretty garish finishes on exotic cars coming from the Middle East. Over the years, we’ve witnessed everything from rides with chrome wraps to 24 karat gold plating. The brighter, the louder, the gaudier the better it would seem. But until the 2009 Dubai Motor Show, we had yet to encounter an OEM manufacturer who had caved to this aesthetic. Custom shops typically perform the painting and special appliques that have the rest of the world screaming the equivalent of automotive blasphemy. However, Mercedes-Benz has decided to follow the path of least resistance and embrace this cultural quirk.

Enter the 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG “Desert Gold” Edition, a tasteful rendition of the German automaker’s latest supercar done up in a garb that would make any sheik proud. Beside the vibrant matte paint job, the trim, badging and grill work have gone from chrome to high-gloss black for a striking contrast. The wheels follow the same motif as well with painted black insets and a gold rim flange.

As it stands now, this is a one-off creation. That said, Mercedes has indicated that if there is enough demand, they will provide said creation through their AMG Performance Studio program. I can only imagine how many orders are flying in as you read this…

Source: Mercedes-Benz