Channel 4 - Millionaire Boy Racers (2013)
Millionaire Boy Racers
For many Londoners, the summer is a chance to escape the noise and bustle of the capital in search of relaxation and sun overseas, but as the Brits hit the beaches, London becomes the top destination for super-rich Arab tourists and their supercars. This documentary provides an insight into the influx of supercars and their wealthy owners in central London each summer. Swapping the searing heat of their homes in the Middle East for the cool of the UK, increasing numbers of super-rich Arabs are packing their bags and cars for their annual vacation in the capital. Million-pound Bugatti Veyrons and extravagant Koenigsegg supercars have become a common sight on the streets of London but it has divided the opinion of the residents. These elite supercar owners, often young Arabs in their twenties, enjoy showing off their motors but many of those living in Knightsbridge and Chelsea are less enthusiastic; they say summer in the city has become unbearable. The locals are complaining about sleepless nights caused by revving engines and speeding cars racing down the narrow streets, leaving the police with no choice but to clamp down on noise offences and reprimand those driving without the correct insurance, tax and number plates. The supercar phenomenon has also sparked a fan base of 'carparazzi': young - mostly male - Brits are tracking down the latest arrivals so that they can photograph and film the cars and post them online: the noisier and shinier the supercar, the better.