Believe it or not: there are gold-plated Rolls Royce Phantom taxis in India

More photos

More photos

What would your first reaction be if you suddenly ran into a Rolls Royce covered entirely in gold?

We believe that your hand would automatically fly towards your mobile phone to snap a picture, but we also know that you would stare in disbelief for a few moments as that golden brick slowly rolls past you. We can safely say that this is how people reacted when they saw this golden Rolls Royce Phantom on the streets of India. The gold-plated ultra-luxury sedan is owned by an Indian businessman named Bobby Chemmanur, whose face can be seen as a unique logo adorns the doors of this model. A businessman from Kerala covered his Phantom in gold a few years ago and uses it to transport VIP travellers visiting his hotel.

Covering exotic cars with gold vinyl is a popular theme in the Middle East, but seeing something of this type in India is really rare. The YouTube video that you can watch below the text captured the reactions of passers-by who were, to put it mildly, surprised when they saw a gold Rolls Royce on the streets of Bangalore.

A video posted on the Spotter India Cars channel shows us how the gold-plated Rolls grabs attention and makes passers-by turn around. At one point in the video, we can see it getting far more attention than the blue Lamborghini Huracan roadster parked in front. People gathered like bees in a hive to take a few shots and photos of this car including the inevitable selfies, while all those who noticed the taxi sign on the roof were amazed.

By the way, this gold Rolls Royce is registered as a taxi and can be rented for around $300 a day, which is quite a reasonable price considering that the Rolls Royce Phantom is one of the most expensive cars you can buy in India. Bobby's gold Rolls Royce is a previous generation model which doesn't make it any less luxurious or special, and the latest one costs around $1.3 million in India.

Another interesting thing about this car is its license plate. The yellow plate - used for commercial vehicles - has 0001 at the end.

Who is Bobby Chemmanur?

Bobby Chemmanur is a 60-year-old entrepreneur from India who runs various businesses, starting from jewellery stores, through hotels, and all the way to car rentals. According to multiple sources, his fortune is currently estimated at around $100 million. Known for his philanthropic works, Bobby is also reportedly a professional footballer and had a close relationship with Diego Maradona, who attended the opening of his first jewellery store in Dubai a few years ago. Of course, Bobby is a passionate car collector, so he hides several truly luxurious vehicles in his garage.

As we learn, he bought a Phantom VII LWB at auction a few years ago and decided to convert it into a taxi to offer this exceptional driving experience in one of the most expensive cars in the world at a reasonable price. We can safely say that his golden Rolls Royce is an effective marketing strategy by which he successfully promotes himself and his Club Oxygen resorts.

Follow us on instagram