The Luxury Auto Scene in Dubai: A Glance at the Sheikh's Favored Wheels
Extravagant Car Scene of Dubai Captivates Emirs - Exploring Dubai's Automotive Opulence: A Rapid Look at the Lavish Car Culture in the Sheikhdom
Dive into the sizzling hot nightlife of Dubai's Design District near the Dubai Creek, where a deafening race between a Porsche 911 Turbo and a Ford Mustang Shelby under the blazing 38-degree heat will give you a taste of the city's unique auto culture.
The United Arab Emirates, and particularly Dubai, boasts a world unlike any other, even when it comes to automobiles. Maybachs, Rolls-Royce Cullinans, Range Rovers, and Mercedes G-Classes are as common as the desert sand, while interest in electric mobility remains scarce. Dubai, led by shining stars like Abu Dhabi, has significantly grown in economic importance in just 30 years.
In Dubai, Larger and More is Better
Luxury and premium car manufacturers sell more high-end models per capita in Dubai than anywhere else. Classics like the Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7 Series manage to outsell their mid-range counterparts. SUVs and luxury SUVs like the Cadillac Escalade, Porsche Cayenne, Range Rover, BMW X7, or Mercedes G-Class hold a special allure. What rides are currently "in" is indirectly influenced by Dubai's influential sheikhs.
Sheikh Maktoum Hasher Maktoum Al Maktoum, a member of Dubai's ruling family under Sheikh Muhammad bin Raschid Al Maktoum, is an ardent car enthusiast, as are many of his relatives. His fleet is, as one might expect, lavish. Although most of it resides in his mansion near the famous Burj Al Arab hotel, it hardly scratches the surface of his collection.
In Dubai, Sheikhs Steer the Trends
The sheikhs, with their expensive one- or two-digit license plates adorning their luxury rides, serve as influential car trendsetters. Family and friends buy the corresponding vehicles for them.
Sheikh Maktoum Hasher Maktoum Al Maktoum shares his affinity for vehicles, saying, "I usually drive the cars myself, except when I have to go to an evening event. Then I'm driven." He currently favors the Range Rover Defender or a BMW M760 Li for daily driving. However, his true passion lies with Mercedes, pointing to his recently acquired red Mercedes SL 600 of the R129 series. Next to it stand a thistle-green 500 SL of the R107 series and a dark red Mercedes 280 S from 1972 – freshly restored. "I traveled with this car with my wife in Europe, visiting Austria, Switzerland, and France."
In Dubai, Electric Cars Battle an Uphill Struggle
Electric cars don't fare as well with the sheikh and his family. He was one of the first in Dubai to own a Tesla Model S but quickly sold it, stating that charging takes too long. Instead, he drives a Jetour T2, an affordable electric vehicle with a 187-horsepower four-cylinder gasoline engine. "It has cameras everywhere and big displays," he explains, "that's what I like. If the G-Class had that, I'd take it again. But the Chinese are making better cars all the time."
The luxury auto market in Dubai is a melting pot of trends, shaped by its unique environment, consumer preferences, and the influence of powerful sheikhs. Trends to look out for include the rise of personalization and customization, the growing influence of younger buyers, an increased role of women in the industry, favorable road infrastructure, a shift toward electric and hybrid vehicles, and the rise of Chinese car manufacturers.
- Dubai
- Car
- Mercedes-Benz
- BMW
- Car Purchase
- Influential Sheikhs
- Personalization & Customization
- Younger Buyers
- Women's Role
- Market Environment
- Chinese Car Manufacturers
- Electric and Hybrid Vehicles
- The Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation in the automotive industry.
- The luxury auto market in Dubai, a world unlike any other, has significantly grown in economic importance in just 30 years, and luxury and premium car manufacturers sell more high-end models per capita in Dubai than anywhere else.
- The sheikhs, with their expensive one- or two-digit license plates adorning their luxury rides, serve as influential car trendsetters, and the luxury cars they drive in Dubai are as common as the desert sand.
- Dubai's sheikhs, like Sheikh Maktoum Hasher Maktoum Al Maktoum, have a special affinity for Mercedes-Benz, and he currently favors the Range Rover Defender or a BMW M760 Li for daily driving.
- The luxury auto market in Dubai is experiencing a shift toward electric and hybrid vehicles, but Sheikh Maktoum Hasher Maktoum Al Maktoum sold his Tesla Model S due to concerns about charging time, and instead drives an affordable electric vehicle with a gasoline engine, the Jetour T2.
- In the luxury auto market, trends to look out for include the rise of personalization and customization, the growing influence of younger buyers, an increased role of women in the industry, favorable road infrastructure, and the rise of Chinese car manufacturers.
- The sheikhs' influence extends beyond luxury cars and can impact industries like fashion and beauty, home and garden, food and drink, business, gadgets, technology, travel, finance, lifestyle, sports, and sports betting in Dubai as they continue to set the city's trends and standards.
