Abu Dhabi licence plate No 2 sold for Dh10.1 million Saturday night at an auction at Emirates Palace hotel to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Abu Dhabi Police Force.
More than Dh55 million was raised for Abu Dhabi Police in the sale of 60 Series 1 Abu Dhabi plates auctioned by Abu Dhabi Police and Emirates Auction.
The 800-strong crowd was a mix of buyers, admirers and a few sceptics who were coaxed out of millions by the auctioneer.
The multimillion dollar world of licence plates trading is typically a man’s domain, but Wadha Al Qaydi, 27, had driven from Ras Al Khaimah with her younger sister Jowahar to buy plate 1111 for her 2017 red Rolls-Royce.
At last year’s auction, she was the only woman. Then, she left empty-handed. “They were the highest, highest, highest, prices.”
The starting bid for plate 1111 was a comparatively affordable Dh120,000. The auction’s most prestigious plate, No 2, had a starting bid of Dh5 million.
Ms Al Qaydi was prepared to go as high as Dh1 million.
She curbed her enthusiasm when the auction began with plate No 1957, which started at Dh1,000 and sold for Dh53,000.
“If you have an expensive car, at least you want a good number,” she said. “But not expensive like this.”
Ms Al Qaydi had only bought a plate once before, paying Dh120,00 for an Abu Dhabi plate No 2202 for her Bentley GT. Now, she estimates it is worth Dh500,000.
“Two or three years before the Abu Dhabi plate wasn’t expensive,” said Ms Al Qaydi. “I know a lot of people who bought plates two or three years ago, and they became businessmen from this. They were buying for Dh70,000 or Dh80,000 and selling for Dh200,000. I know a lot of people here they became rich because of the plate number.”
Beside her is Khulood Saif, 37, who came for her car-obsessed 10-year-old son. She watched as bidding passed Dh6 million for plate No 111. “They pay Dh6 million for this number, and why? Dh6.2 million? You understand this? I feel my heart break. If I had Dh1 million, I would help people.”
Ms Al Qaydi was outbid for No 1111 before the bidding even began. The first bid was Dh1 million, rather than the Dh120,000 minimum written on the auction’s app.
“I knew it,” said Ms Al Qaydi.
It sold for Dh1.5 million to a Grade 5 student from Zayed Academy, Khalifa Al Mazrouei. Khalifa, age 12, had invested Dh500,000 of his own money, which he won in a Quran recitation competition last year.
The rest was from his father. “When I came inside, I told my dad I would not leave without this number,” he said.
The plate will be put on his family’s G-class Mercedes, which Khalifa drives in to and from school. “It’s capital,” said his father, Mohammed. “If you want to sell it at any time, it’s money.”
But this Dh1.5million was child’s play for others. Abu Dhabi plate No 2 was presented after several minutes of rock music, smoke and lights. “A historic number,” said the auctioneer. “The number two. The number of the Union. The second of December. Number one is no greater than this number, number two.” It sold for Dh10.1million.
Ms Al Qaydi had not given up. Out of the blue, she raised her card for No 5550, but the auctioneer was looking in the men’s section and did not notice. The price rose by Dh10,000 every second or two. Finally, he spotted her when the price had reached Dh180,000.
“Finally, the women!” he said. “No other bids?”
“The other bids have stopped,” shouted another woman, willing Ms Al Qayda to win.
She did.
“I feel happy,” said Ms Al Qaydi. “I will dance.”
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
FROM%20THE%20ASHES
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Representing%20UAE%20overseas
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
The%20specs
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CHELSEA SQUAD
Arrizabalaga, Bettinelli, Rudiger, Christensen, Silva, Chalobah, Sarr, Azpilicueta, James, Kenedy, Alonso, Jorginho, Kante, Kovacic, Saul, Barkley, Ziyech, Pulisic, Mount, Hudson-Odoi, Werner, Havertz, Lukaku.
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
Emirates Cricket Board Women’s T10
ECB Hawks v ECB Falcons
Monday, April 6, 7.30pm, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
The match will be broadcast live on the My Sports Eye Facebook page
Hawks
Coach: Chaitrali Kalgutkar
Squad: Chaya Mughal (captain), Archara Supriya, Chamani Senevirathne, Chathurika Anand, Geethika Jyothis, Indhuja Nandakumar, Kashish Loungani, Khushi Sharma, Khushi Tanwar, Rinitha Rajith, Siddhi Pagarani, Siya Gokhale, Subha Srinivasan, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish
Falcons
Coach: Najeeb Amar
Squad: Kavisha Kumari (captain), Almaseera Jahangir, Annika Shivpuri, Archisha Mukherjee, Judit Cleetus, Ishani Senavirathne, Lavanya Keny, Mahika Gaur, Malavika Unnithan, Rishitha Rajith, Rithika Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Shashini Kaluarachchi, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Vaishnave Mahesh
RESULTS
1.45pm: Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winners: Hyde Park, Royston Ffrench (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)
2.15pm: Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Shamikh, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard
2.45pm: Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Hurry Up, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
3.15pm: Shadwell Jebel Ali Mile Group 3 (TB) Dh575,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Blown by Wind, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer
3.45pm: Handicap (TB) Dh72,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Mazagran, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
4.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh64,000 (D) 1,950m
Winner: Obeyaan, Adrie de Vries, Mujeeb Rehman
4.45pm: Handicap (TB) Dh84,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: Shanaghai City, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly.
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
'The Ice Road'
Director: Jonathan Hensleigh
Stars: Liam Neeson, Amber Midthunder, Laurence Fishburne
2/5
Dubai Women's Tour teams
Agolico BMC
Andy Schleck Cycles-Immo Losch
Aromitalia Basso Bikes Vaiano
Cogeas Mettler Look
Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
Hitec Products – Birk Sport
Kazakhstan National Team
Kuwait Cycling Team
Macogep Tornatech Girondins de Bordeaux
Minsk Cycling Club
Pannonia Regional Team (Fehérvár)
Team Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Team Ciclotel
UAE Women’s Team
Under 23 Kazakhstan Team
Wheel Divas Cycling Team
Bob%20Marley%3A%20One%20Love
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Janet Yellen's Firsts
- In 2014, she became the first woman to lead the US Federal Reserve
- In 1999, she became the first female chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Meatless Days
Sara Suleri, with an introduction by Kamila Shamsie
Penguin
A Long Way Home by Peter Carey
Faber & Faber
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Match info:
Wolves 1
Boly (57')
Manchester City 1
Laporte (69')
Selected fixtures
All times UAE
Wednesday
Poland v Portugal 10.45pm
Russia v Sweden 10.45pm
Friday
Belgium v Switzerland 10.45pm
Croatia v England 10.45pm
Saturday
Netherlands v Germany 10.45pm
Rep of Ireland v Denmark 10.45pm
Sunday
Poland v Italy 10.45pm
Monday
Spain v England 10.45pm
Tuesday
France v Germany 10.45pm
Rep of Ireland v Wales 10.45pm
'Of Love & War'
Lynsey Addario, Penguin Press
Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
Women’s World T20, Asia Qualifier, in Bangkok
UAE fixtures Mon Nov 20, v China; Tue Nov 21, v Thailand; Thu Nov 23, v Nepal; Fri Nov 24, v Hong Kong; Sun Nov 26, v Malaysia; Mon Nov 27, Final
(The winners will progress to the Global Qualifier)
