Owning the world's largest Dodge wasn't enough for Sheikh Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, so he built the largest Jeep — this Willys replica. That's just the start. Read on to find out why he's an Arabian Chuck Norris.
The Willys replica tows his globe-shaped motor home (top left in the above gallery), which is exactly one million times smaller than the real Earth. If that weren't enough, the list of facts on the sheikh's Wikipedia page — a tally filled with more almost as much awesomeness as the life of Chuck Norris — reads like a copy of How to Win Friends and Become the World's Most Bad-Ass Arabian Superhero Badass:
● He and his family from their personal businesses sources, fund and assist local businesses in the UAE and overseas. Funded secondary Educ Book fair A. D, 2001
● He rose to the rank of Colonel in the UAE army.
● He is a philanthropist in medicine, in one case, supplying a complete kidney stone operating theatre to a public hospital in Morocco and continues to fund its staff. Rabat Renal Failure unit , Rabat Hospital
● He was the Aide de Camp to the deceased President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
● He does own a 4200 square kilometres cattle station in NT Australia. Plus other stud cattle properties in Queensland Australia. This is one of several.
● Al Nahyan has one of the largest car collections in the world at over 200 cars and trucks which are stored in his own pyramid outside Abu Dhabi(open to the public free of charge).
● He constructed the world's largest truck; a replica of a classic Dodge Power Wagon, but eight times the original Power Wagon size This has four bedrooms inside the cabin. The vehicle also moves, and is reported to weigh over 50 tonnes.
● He constructed a motor home in the shape of a giant globe which is exactly 1 millionth the size of the actual earth.
● In 1983 he bought seven Mercedes 500 SEL, one for each day of the week, which he had the firm Styling Garage paint in the colours of the rainbow complete with matching interior. The vehicles also included gun racks on the inside of the boot lid which held several M16 rifles. The guns were painted to match the cars.
● He has carved his own name in his 30,000-hectare Futaisi Island, located outside the city of Abu Dhabi (the letters are 500 metres high and are filled with sea water).
● Futaisi Island has been handed down from fathers to sons for 100's of years. It was last given to Sheikh Hamad by his father Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Nahyan (deceased).
● Has been consulted on development matters on 4x4 solid axle vehicles by Renault and Nissan car manufacturers and does this without charging a fee.
● His speciality lies in the development of off road 4x4 vehicles.
● Speaks Arabic and English fluently. Can communicate in Urdu and Hindi also.
● Is devotee of famous Arabic poetry and has the ability to quote large verses of famous Arabic inscriptions. He is especially fond of the famous Arab poet Al Mutanabbi to whom the Sheikh has constructed a replica castle with many of his poems carved into stone tablets, on the internal walls.
And, last but certainly not least, he is:
● A great debater on life and the Koran.
...which, you know, is nice.
Joining the world's largest Dodge Power Wagon, the world's largest trailer and his own personal pyramid dedicated to cars is this 21-foot tall Willys jeep that's four times the size of the original WWII work horse. It weighs 4.4 tons even without the engine and, like the Dodge, it's drivable. Not from the cabin, but from a special driver's seat hidden behind the 7-slat grille.
When you pull in to The Rainbow Sheikh's pyramid/car museum, the first thing you'll see is a gigantic Land Rover Defender straddling the entrance. Not only is it a sign advertising the museum, but also an operating cafe.
Sources: Enam.AE, Picasa, Wikipedia, JeepInTheNews