Hello. The third instalment of my car-spotting adventure highlights some gems like the legendary Ferrari F40, Pagani Huayra BC and a really special Rolls Royce Phantom.
Name – Ferrari F40 & Ford GT40
Location – Dubai Autodrome, Dubai
Backstory – An incredible pairing for sure. The Ferrari F40 and 2005 Ford GT are legends in their own rights. Seeing them parked side-by-side sent goosebumps tracing crazy patterns all over my body. Sights like this are the primary reasons I frequented car shows in Dubai. There was just no telling what you might bump into. Which car would you choose in this case?
Name – Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport
Location – Bulgari Hotels & Resort, Dubai
Backstory – My friend and I were leaving a car show when I spotted this beast on the opposite side of the road, headed for the same show. I had seen Veyrons in Dubai before, but this one had eluded me and I had only seen pictures of it on social media. It took us a few minutes to find a section of the road where we could make a U-turn. We ended up spending a couple more hours at the show.
Name – Maserati MC20
Location – Edmonton, Alberta
Backstory – An image taken during my first real-world sighting of the Maserati MC20. The sleek V6 supercar is at the thrust point of Maserati’s charge into the future as the brand aims to reinvent itself, and I must say, they might have just struck gold. The Maserati MC20 looks stunning with sleek angles and a well-thought-out design. Also, check out how that pearlescent white paint reflects the sun. I love it!
Name – Ferrari 458 Speciale
Location – Dubai Autodrome, Dubai
Backstory – I can understand why Mr. JWW (automotive Youtuber) will always point to this car as the one he regrets selling the most. The 458 Speciale is the last naturally aspirated V8 from Ferrari and this example, with the unique red coat, looks fabulous. Mr. JWW flew in the car to take part in an event, and I caught up with him shortly after this picture was taken for a quick chat – super nice dude. You can check out his YouTube here.
Name – Lamborghini Aventador
Location – World Trade Centre, Dubai
Backstory – The Aventador replacement had better be as good-looking as this. The V12 bull boasts a commanding presence with its well-defined angles and aggressive stance. I remember the owner of this particular one reaching out to me on Instagram after he saw this image. I was on my way out of an event when I spotted it gleaming under the lights. I needed no further invitation to capture the ‘Dark Knight.’
Name – McLaren Senna
Location – Bulgari Hotels & Resort, Dubai
Backstory – McLaren officially produced only 500 Sennas. This one happens to be the first registered Senna that landed in the UAE (not the first one overall in the UAE). The first owner is a track enthusiast, and far from being a garage queen, this Senna was regularly driven hard at different race circuits. It’s been sold now as the owner has identified a track-worthy replacement.
Name – Rolls Royce Phantom
Location – Zuma Restaurant, Dubai
Backstory – The Rolls Royce Phantom boasts a road presence, unlike any other automobile. However, this particular one is made even more special because of its number plate. Single-digit plates don’t come cheap in Dubai and this one, ‘D5,’ was purchased at a charity auction for a staggering $9 million (AED33 million) in 2016. As wild as this may seem, it’s not even the most expensive number plate sold in the UAE. That title currently belongs to an Abu Dhabi number ‘1’ plate, which sold for $14.3 million back in 2008!
Name – McLaren P1
Location – Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai
Backstory – Supercars form a guard of honour for the hallowed McLaren P1. This was the start of an all-day event that involved a 130km drive from Dubai to Khor Fakkan. You bet I was there for the whole show even though I did not have a supercar. This particular P1 is owned by the director of one of the most successful real estate companies in the Middle East (his dad also happens to be the owner of the company).
Name – Ferrari La Ferrari
Location – Dubai Autodrome, Dubai
Backstory – It is always nice to see a non-Russo (red) Ferrari, especially one as unique as the flagship. This picture was from the first time I spotted it, gleaming in Dubai’s noonday sun. I may be wrong but this blue colour is the Azzurro Dino custom colour. I did see this gem again at the 2019 Ferrari Calvacade.
Name – Pagani Huayra BC
Location – Dubai Autodrome
Backstory –
I was at work when someone told me that a rare 1-of-5 Pagani Zonda Cinque had shown up at a car event. Immediately, I punched out for lunch and drove over like someone possessed. Unfortunately, the Zonda had gone but in its place was this incredible Huayra BC. It is part of the incredible collection of the current FIA president. It was the only time I ever saw the car – Garage Queen Extraordinaire!
As for the Zonda Cinque; I have seen countless pictures of it and narrowly missed it on a couple of other occasions. I’m still waiting for my first sighting of the elusive unicorn.
Tolu Akinshete
