A car-tastic feast has arrived in the UAE with the opening of the Dubai International Motor Show, which is held every two years.
Held at the World Trade Centre until November 18, the event features more than 100 global or regional launches, with 550 vehicles on display from more than 150 major exhibitors from 70-plus countries.
Its opening day was marked with a flurry of unveilings, a number of notable local models and even a staycation in a car “hotel”.
Highlights include the first showing of the Alfa Romeo Stelvio QV, four new Porsche models, Ferrari showcasing its California T replacement the Portofino and Lamborghini displaying its Aventador S Roadster. World premieres included Infiniti's new QX80.
Among the UAE contingent was Devel, which introduced a production version of its rocket-ship Sixteen in three different liveries. The car has a claimed power output of 5,000hp, although a representative said that this figure could rise to 7,000hp when the car, which is open for orders now, is delivered from next year.
The Dubai-conceived Shaali N360 roadster was present in a striking aquamarine that brought to mind the kerbs of Yas Marina Circuit. Co-founder Dr Mostafa Al Dah said he hopes the car will be ready for the road next year, after significant chassis improvements on its prototype version.
And Dubai-based W Motors was represented by its new supercar the Fenyr SuperSport, alongside its existing hypercar the Lykan HyperSport.
The National also had the opportunity to sample the "hotel" hospitality of Volkswagen's new seven-seater, the Teramont, which the German automaker has even set up as a registered bed that can be booked for the night at the show.
For more information and tickets, visit www.dubaimotorshow.com.
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Read more:
What to expect from this year’s Dubai International Motor Show
Ferrari's new Portofino makes its first bow outside Europe, in Dubai
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The bio
Job: Coder, website designer and chief executive, Trinet solutions
School: Year 8 pupil at Elite English School in Abu Hail, Deira
Role Models: Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk
Dream City: San Francisco
Hometown: Dubai
City of birth: Thiruvilla, Kerala
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
Profile of Tarabut Gateway
Founder: Abdulla Almoayed
Based: UAE
Founded: 2017
Number of employees: 35
Sector: FinTech
Raised: $13 million
Backers: Berlin-based venture capital company Target Global, Kingsway, CE Ventures, Entrée Capital, Zamil Investment Group, Global Ventures, Almoayed Technologies and Mad’a Investment.
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
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The biog
Favourite colour: Brown
Favourite Movie: Resident Evil
Hobbies: Painting, Cooking, Imitating Voices
Favourite food: Pizza
Trivia: Was the voice of three characters in the Emirati animation, Shaabiyat Al Cartoon
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Green ambitions
- Trees: 1,500 to be planted, replacing 300 felled ones, with veteran oaks protected
- Lake: Brown's centrepiece to be cleaned of silt that makes it as shallow as 2.5cm
- Biodiversity: Bat cave to be added and habitats designed for kingfishers and little grebes
- Flood risk: Longer grass, deeper lake, restored ponds and absorbent paths all meant to siphon off water