TEE - can't argue with you re: oil barons. But then again, keep in mind that the ONLY asset they have is the oil. Sand doesn't count for much. Before oil was discovered in the Mid-east, many of these guys were simply living in tents trying to survive. Hard to blame them for living it up while they can. As for the car, its actually polished aluminum. You can see more info regarding this particular car at the urban legends webpage at the link below.