Driving Paris Hilton's Car

Last week’s Arab Run event had an unlikely celebrity contestant in the shape of one of Paris Hilton’s headline-hitting Bentleys.

The Dh1.2 million Bentley GTC used to belong to the notorious hotel heiress but has been snapped up by a romantic Dubai-based businessman.

The limited edition supercar, one of only 50 to ever be produced, was originally delivered to Hilton.

However, the Simple Life diva could not stand the white interior and refused to take the car.

That is when Dutch businessman Glenn Portier heard of the car and swooped to buy it as a Valentine’s gift for his wife, Puspa.

“My wife loves beautiful things and I knew she would appreciate this,” said Glenn.

Paris Hilton’s Bentley collection has been in the news since she was charged with a Driving under the Influence (DUI) offence and was also reported to have lost a car in a high-stakes poker game.

And the Bentley still gets plenty of attention while cruising the streets of Dubai.

It was just one of the Portier family cars at Arab Run.
Glenn’s Aston Martin Vantage, daughter Diana’s AMG SLK 55 Mercedes and Puspa’s Bentley made up the only family trio at the event.

“I always get stopped while driving my car around Jumeirah,” explains Puspa. “The local kids want to know about the car. It is such a fluid car, I love it.”

Paris Hilton’s unfortunate events behind the wheel

• 2005: Involved in a car accident in November when her boyfriend Stavros Niarchos crashed her Bentley GTC into a truck.
• 2006: Lost her favourite $200,000 (Dh734,600) Bentley GTC in a poker game, at a casino in Las Vegas in April.
• 2006: Arrested for driving under the influence in September, even though she had claimed that the high alcohol content in her blood was a result of having no time to eat during a long day, while making a music video.
• 2007: Pleaded no contest to alcohol-related reckless driving in January, a lesser charge than driving under the influence. Placed on 36 months’ probation and ordered to pay fines.
• 2007: Pulled over and cited for driving on a suspended licence in February. The hotel heiress was spotted driving her Bentley convertible along Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles without her headlights on. Police impounded the car. Paris had to call a friend to drop her home.