Dazzling display from bling king of the road

The award-winning Bollywood and Bhangra singer/songwriter has encrusted thousands of Swarovski gems on to his Mercedes CLK 200 convertible.

He has also spelled out his initials with red rhinestones, as well as using them to add colour to the bonnet and alloy wheels.

Costing Amrit, from Smethwick, a cool £12,000, the work took eight weeks to complete in London.

That's on top of the £15,000 he paid for the luxury vehicle last year.

The singer got the idea when saw a diamond-studded Mercedes SL600 worth £4 million while visiting Dubai for the city's annual auto show.

"Okay, I can't quite get that car, I thought – but I can do something just as bling for cheaper," he said.

"I made inquiries and found a company in London which would do the work on my Mercedes I got last year.

"When it came back I was delighted. It is the ultimate bling car in the West Midlands, no doubt."

The customised car adds to the collection of souped-up and luxury vehicles he has owned over the years, starting with a Volvo 440 when he was 17, and including five Mercedes, three BMWs and a Vauxhall Tigra.

And his fortune all started from working in a shoe factory in Birmingham and then filling up vending machines, including at the Express & Star's former Walsall office, for his family business, A and A Vendings.

He said: "I've been very lucky. It fills me with pride when I get to drive around and people look up and ask me about the car.

"I don't know how much it is worth – but it's not about the money, it's that it is worth a lot to me."

Amrit even dresses up for the car – he wears a bling gold bar necklace, diamond-studded shoulder pad shirt and gold and silver shoes. His hair is even dyed red.

It is a long throw from his humble beginnings when he moved to Handsworth with his family from Punjab in India.

He then worked briefly at the shoe factory before joining his family firm. But a visit to a recording studio in Erdington changed his life in 1999.

He said: "Having done some music with a friend who would come over from India, I decided to have a go myself and visited a studio.

"I sang my first single called Mindro and the people at the studio said they really liked my voice. I was then signed up to a label and my music began to sell.

"It was my second album called Kabza which got things going, it won me award for best-selling album and got my name out there. I then went on to do four more albums and perform at events around the world including Australia, Canada, Spain and France.

"The career has made me a fortune so I can enjoy the good things in life, like this car."

As well as the Mercedes, Amrit also has a BMW 530D.

He added: "Why not spend money on a car you can show off in?"

But despite the recent work to the car, Mr Saab has already got his sights on another luxury vehicle, a £54,000 Hummer H2.

He said: "I'm 99 per cent sure if I get the car I will have it covered in crystals – it's just about finding a white-coloured vehicle.

"I just love the look of the cars and the attention they get.

"It's different to anything else you see driving around in Birmingham."

As well as blinging the Mercedes car up with crystals, Mr Saab has also upgraded the stereo system and speakers.