Aga Khan

The Aga Khan's $200 Million Superyacht Snafu

Recently we reported on the impressive racehorses owned by His Highness the Aga Khan, the immensely wealthy Muslim spiritual leader. The urbane Aga Khan, a philanthropist, Harvard graduate and stepson of Hollywood bombshell Rita Hayworth, hasn't had as much good fortune when it comes to superyachts however. A considerable portion of his $800 million fortune has gone into what is supposed to be the world's fastest superyacht, but instead is a serious snafu.

The 164-ft. Alamshar (pictured above), named after a prized racehorse, is a $200 million vessel commissioned by His Highness from the UK's Devonport, which has now been in build for twelve whole years. Designed to break the transatlantic speed record, her ultra-expensive Rolls-Royce gas turbine engines underperformed and had to be replaced. It also caught on fire a bit. However, the luxurious craft was recently spotted performing sea trials and may one day soon be ready to sail.

[via JamesList]

Tags: Aga Khan, Aga Khans yacht, Alamshar yacht, billionaires, Muslim, richest Muslims, Rolls-Royce, superyacht, superyachts, wealth, yacht

Fifty Years of Equestrian Champions from the Stables of His Highness the Aga Khan

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Sports, Books, Wealth

Fifty Years of Equestrian Champions from the Stables of His Highness the Aga Khan

A new lavishly illustrated volume by Philip Jodidio from Prestel highlights fifty years of the prestigious horse racing and breeding enterprises of His Highness the Aga Khan, the immensely wealthy Muslim spiritual leader. The urbane Aga Khan, a philanthropist, Harvard graduate and stepson of Hollywood bombshell Rita Hayworth, built his world class thoroughbred empire on a legacy handed down through generations and now oversees one of the largest and most successful racing and breeding operations in Europe. The luxe book traces the history of the Aga Khan Studs including many famous champions through remarkable photographs, engravings and paintings taken from the Aga Khan's archives. Also included is a lengthy interview with His Highness and informative essays on what makes a great racehorse. Check out the gallery for a preview.

Gallery: The Horses of the Aga Khan

A group of mares and foals bred at St Crespin, France

Dalakhani, winner of four Group I races, including the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

Zarkava, unbeaten winner of five Group I races, descends from Mumtaz Mahal, purchased in 1921 by the Aga Khan III

His Highness the Aga Khan inspecting yearlings at St Crespin in Normandy

A group of mares and foals grazing in a field in Ireland

Tags: Aga Khan, books, coffee table books, equestrian, Harvard, horse racing, horseracing, horses, Islam, Muslim, racehorse, racehorses, Rita Hayworth, royalty, sports, stables, the+aga+khan, theagakhan, thoroughbreds, wealth

Rare Ferraris On Offer from Gooding & Co. at Amelia

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions

On March 12th Gooding & Company will offer an exceptional collection of Pininfarina-styled Ferraris during its debut Amelia Island Auction. The main attraction is this magnificent 1965 Ferrari 500 Superfast Coupe, one of only 36 examples created, boasting a mere four owners from new, including Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan and Pierre Bardinon, owner of the famed Mas du
Clos racetrack, estimated at $800,000 – $1 Million. Also on offer is a 1968 Ferrari 330 GTS, one of only 100 constructed, estimated at $650,000 – $800,000; a 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta, which placed first in the vintage class of the Ferrari North American Challenge Rally and won an award at Concorso Italiano, estimated at $250,000 – $325,000; and a 1985 Rosso Corsa Ferrari 288 GTO, estimated at $550,000 – $650,000.

Tags: Aga Khan, AgaKhan, Amelia Island, AmeliaIsland, Ferrari, Gooding Company, GoodingCompany, Pininfarina

Rare 1962 "Ferrari of Kings" on Offer in Paris Auction

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions

A rare 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Series I Coupé Aerodinamico, known as the "Ferrari of Kings" due to the model's popularity with aristocrats and heads of state, is being offered for sale during Bonhams' Retromobile auction in Paris on Jan. 23. Expected to fetch up to $1.5 million though possibly quite a bit more, the Superamerica Series I was created by Enzo Ferrari and Battista Pininfarina for introduction at the 1961 Geneva Salon. Quickly becoming one of the most coveted Ferarris ever made, the model's list of illustrious owners included the Shah of Iran, Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, President Juan Peron, Emperor Bo Dai of Viet Nam, his wife Princess Nam Phuong, Count Giovanni Volpi di Misurata, Count Graf Fritz Somsky, and comedian Peter Sellers.

Tags: Aga Khan, AgaKhan, Bonhams, Enzo Ferrari, EnzoFerrari, Ferrari, Juan Peron, JuanPeron, Paris, Peter Sellers, PeterSellers, Pininfarina, Shah of Iran, ShahOfIran

Maltese Falcon Wins Perini Navi Cup

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Events, Sports

The new owner of the 289-ft. Maltese Falcon, the world's largest, best designed, and most expensive sailing superyacht, must be pretty pleased with his purchase, a relative bargain at $100 million thanks to the recession; the yacht just won the Perini Navi Cup, the world's most stylish and exclusive regatta which we wrote about last month. 19 superyachts all from the Perini Navi shipyard, builders of the Maltese Falcon, competed in the race which took place in the billionaire's playground of Sardinia. The triple masted Falcon reached top speeds of an impressive 21 knots to capture the Cup as well as a Rolex wristwatch presented by the president of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, His Highness the Aga Khan, and master yachtbuilder Fabio Perini.

[via JamesList]

Gallery: The Maltese Falcon

Tags: Aga Khan, AgaKhan, Maltese Falcon, MalteseFalcon, Perini Navi, PeriniNavi, regatta, Rolex, sailing, Sardinia, superyacht, yacht

Maserati Unveils Quattroporte Sport GT S

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Maserati plans to unveil its stunning new Quattroporte Sport GT S (above), its most powerful luxury sedan ever, at next month's Detroit Auto Show. With all the buzz about the upcoming Lamborghini Estoque and Porsche Panamera, Maserati's sexy beast is a timely reminder that the Italian marque is the one to beat when it comes to heart-stopping four-doors. The Quattroporte Sport GT S boasts 433 HP, a 0 – 60 time of less that 5.5 seconds, a throatier exhaust, and a leaner, meaner look in general. It's expected to cost about $140,000. The Quattroporte's automotive heritage dates back to the 1960s when the Aga Khan ordered a stately but sporty Maserati sedan, which became the prototype for the vehicle.

Tags: Aga Khan, AgaKhan, Detroit Auto Show, DetroitAutoShow, Maserati, Maserati Quattroporte, MaseratiQuattroporte