MELBOURNE • Johor's Sultan Ibrahim Ismail has bought the world's most expensive Mack truck, taking official possession of the vehicle on Thursday at a ceremony in Brisbane's central business district, Bernama news agency reported.
The truck has a solid gold ornament on its hood, in the form of a tiger - the animal on the coat of arms of the Johor royal family.
ABC News said the truck has a six-camera closed-circuit television system, two flat-screen television sets, a stone-topped kitchen area, barbecue space, a double bed and seats with 72,000 stitches of gold thread.
Its price was not revealed, but the royal truck smashed the previous record of A$481,000 (S$484,000) for a customised truck, said Bernama. The manufacturers took a year to build it in south-west Brisbane.
"This is my dream - am I smiling?" Sultan Ibrahim said of his "palace truck".
"I have always appreciated Australia's engineering skills and have collected a few Holden cars over the years," Bernama quoted him as saying. "I am looking forward to showing its workmanship to the people of Johor as soon as the Super-Liner is shipped over."
The truck, painted in the blue and red colours of the Johor flag, will be used to tow his power boat around the country.