The World’s Priciest Tires Are Covered in Diamonds and Gold

Dubai—a city whose fossil-fueled excesses make Oil Boom-era Houston look quaint—loves to produce a spectacle. Think of the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, or the city’s palm tree-shaped island chains, or its fleet of supercar police cruisers, which includes a Ferrari FF, an Audi R8 and a Bugatti Veyron, complete with light bar. The latest ultra-luxe curiosity? The world’s most expensive tires, made by tire manufacturer Zenises. The tires, at $600,000 a set, were recently recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the priciest rubber in the world, beating even the high-speed Bugatti's infamous $42,000 Michelins.

Is it only The Drive that's underwhelmed by these pointless “most expensive” superlatives? By this logic, couldn’t you add diamonds to a Dr. Scholl’s and nab the title of "Most Expensive Insole"? Smear caviar, ostrich eggs, saffron, and Waygu beef on a slice of Kraft and crown it “World’s Priciest Flat Cheese Product”? Tape $100,000 to an old dog and name it “The Universe’s Wealthiest Stray”?

Cynicism aside, that’s exactly the route Zenises Tires took in creating its superlative rubbers. Starting with a set of standard 295/35/21 Z-rated tires, the company then sent it to Italy to be encrusted with diamonds by the jewelers at Joaillier Prive, before shipping it back to the UAE to be plated in gold. After all, that's exactly what most experts recommend motorists do: cover wear-and-tire items in jewels and precious metals.The only water to quell this garbage fire of ludicrous riches and deplorable taste? Zenises will donate the proceeds from the sale of the tires to charity. "In keeping with the spirit of the holy month of Ramadan, Z Tyres will donate all profits from the $600,000 sale to the Zenises Foundation which focuses on improving access to education across the world,” CEO Harjeev Kandhari said. Hopefully, the many children educated under the tires’ largess will learn to shun these sorts of Trumpian stunts.