Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
A spanking set of chrome wheels costing a staggering BD10,500 is now available for motoring enthusiasts in Bahrain.
And the hum-dinger of accessories is likely to disappear off the shelves in a flash ... as two have already been snapped up from the range by customers who simply popped into the Sitra showroom on other business.
It is the first time the 30-inch TIS and Dropstar branded luxury wheels have been offered for sale in the Middle East and they are the largest set of car wheels and tyres ever seen in the region.
National Motor Company (NAMCO) is the approved supplier of all TIS and Dropstar wheels that range from 20-inch to a substantial 30-inch wheel.
The impressive 30-inch TIS wheels only arrived in Bahrain a few days ago and were fitted on a gleaming white Hummer H2 which is being unveiled this week.
The shining chrome on the sizeable wheels adds instant oomph to the gas-guzzling machine. Hummer lovers say compared to any other H2 with standard wheels the accessorised H2 is a road-stopper. Couple it with General Motor accessories such as chrome side runners, chrome handles, chrome bull bars and the ice emblem encrusted with Swarovski crystals and the vehicle is customised to shine like no other.
Neil Coolledge, parts manager at General Motors, explained: "I went to a conference in Los Angeles last year and saw the wheels and decided to bring them to Bahrain to offer our customers a wider range of accessories to choose from.
"The standard set of wheels that come with any car are pretty dull and boring and these new wheels can totally change the look of a car. So along with adding other accessories we do this extra special sort of job at our showroom in Sitra."
NAMCO is now the official supplier of chrome wheels from the American Racing Dealer (ARD) in the Gulf and they are fitted with Italian manufactured Pirelli tyres supplied from Ahmed Kuwaiti, the local Pirelli dealers on the island.
NAMCO is importing the high-end wheels from California, US. Bahrain will be the official launch pad for the wheels and NAMCO plans to export them to other GCC countries in the coming months.
Initially they will be available for the entire range of General Motors vehicles including Tahoe, Trailblazer, Envoy, Yukon, Hummer H2 and H3, Cadillac and Escalade. Later they plan to expand to a wider range of vehicles.
The wheels are available from 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 and 30 inches and start from BD1,500 and go up to BD10,500. A 32-inch wheel is the largest wheel size manufactured but is currently only available in the US.
"There is definitely a niche in the market for such a product and our biggest target market is going to be Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Kuwait.
"We've already sold a set of 26-inch and 28-inch wheels to walk-in customers who liked what they saw and snapped them up immediately."
Mr Coolledge conducted a survey before bringing them to the island and 80 per cent of customers expressed an interest in the high-end accessory but he admitted that he was still overwhelmed by the response. Apart from enhancing the look of the vehicle the wheels add to its resale value too.
NAMCO is offering a two-year chrome warranty on the wheels and a lifetime structural warranty. The 20 to 28 inch wheels are stocked and the 30 inch is available within 14 days of order.
NAMCO has plans to launch the extravagant sets of wheels at a glittering gala event at the dealership next month where customers can book their accessories and roll out in style in their new set of posh wheels.
