As trendsetters go, Dubai seems to be the leader of the Middle Eastern pack, showing off the biggest, the fastest, and the most desirable goods — all this season’s ‘must haves.’ In a country where everything gleams, it should be of no surprise that, on the roads too, there is a certain element of sparkle, literally.
Top of the line Porsches, Lamborghinis, Range Rovers, and Audis, to name but a few, can be seen shooting down the desert highways on any average day in the Emirate of Dubai, a locale that has been dubbed ‘Las Vegas of the Middle East.’
“Dubai is a trend-driven city with lots of people with large disposable incomes,” said Tom Bird, deputy editor of CAR Middle East magazine, one of the leading informative magazines on automobiles in the region. Talking of what is ‘hot’ at the moment in the form of luxury cars, Bird fingers the Audi R8 and the Rolls Royce Drophead Coupe.
“The Audi is the most anticipated car the world over, whereas the Rolls is just excess on wheels,” said Bird. “Both have waiting lists stretching far into 2009.”
According to DriveArabia.com editor-in-chief, Mashfique Chowdhury, the Range Rover Sport is the car to be seen in these days with 4x4s dominating the market driven by ‘desert culture.’ “The Range Rover Sport is hip — it is the car that has been chosen by the majority of the people to drive,” he said. He also named the BMW 3 series, the X5, and the newly-released Mercedes S-Class as popular choices amongst the local. “The attractive thing about the Sport that has caught a lot of people’s attention is its style and power — it is the first mid-size model, making it attractive to the younger generation … Furthermore, it is expensive but still within the price-range of most people.”
Robert Aaraj, showroom manager for Formula 1 Cars in Abu Dhabi, added that 4x4s are more attractive to the population due to the weather conditions, but that, too, is seasonal, with convertibles increasing in sales during the period between November and February. “Owning a 4×4 car now is a trend by itself because customers can use it as an MPV (multi-purpose vehicle) between the roads and desert,” he said. “Yet, the new generation focuses a lot on super cars. What we noticed lately is that in almost each household there will be a sports car for the weekend drive and a 4×4 for daily use.”
The luxury culture
Chowdhury emphasized the point made earlier by Bird regarding Dubai’s population to spend, spend, spend on their motors. “Dubai is very extravagant, and the purchase of a luxury car is simply an extension of that,” he said. “Even people who don’t have that much will at least tinker; they will upgrade their sound system, for example.”
The focus on high-end luxury cars has its own purpose, with owners wanting to own a specific model that will set them apart. “The Bentley GT, Rolls Royce, Ferrari 599GTB, Bugatti Veyron, Lamborghini LP640, Mercedes CL65 AMG and SLR McLaren and the Porsche Carrera GT” are what are in at the moment, said Aaraj. “Why? Because supply is limited with a one-year waiting list from the date of order.”
Traffic is one of the Dubai’s major headaches but many drivers use the extra time to parade their vehicles in front of other motor-connoisseurs. Bentleys line up next to Jaguars, comparing accessories, add-ons and customized body-parts, all an expression of wealth, a challenge for the next man to do better. Although tinted windows are seen as a must to protect against the year-round heat and sunlight, some go to the extreme and tint the windscreen as well. Big, shiny rims, super-charged engines, sport exhausts, and navigation equipment are just a few of the adjustments people make to personalize their cars.
“People spend their time on their cars buying high-end body kits imported in from Europe and America,” said Chowdhury. For a simple ‘low-end’ body kit, customers will hand over $2,700, while a set of alloys may cost around $5,500. For some, there are no limits. “People just keep spending in order to grab attention and stand out. I’ve seen Lamborghini-style doors on regular cars before.”
The lengths individuals will go to in order to ensure the uniqueness of their car is more than apparent on the roads in Dubai. “I know of one person who is spending $300,000 customizing his $100,000 Audi R8,” said Bird. “For many with money, style knows no bounds — I have seen a Bugatti Veyron with a diamond encrusted number-plate — sums it up really!”
Jad Bsaibes, a 25-year old car enthusiast and owner of a newly purchased Mitsubishi Evolution, has noticed a change in the market when it comes to the customers. “The purchasing power is moving down the age bracket,” he explained. “The younger generation is buying sports cars now … I have friends buying them, and I own two.” According to Bsaibes, Dubai’s demographic diversity makes it easier for car manufacturers to sell an entire range of models. “It’s the large disposable incomes — people want to purchase the finer things rather than your average run-of-the-mill models.”
the lengths individuals will go in order to ensure the uniqueness of their motor is more than apparent
Setting the trend for the region
“The UAE is a melting pot of many cultures, ethnic groups and nationalities,” explained Craig Hardie, marketing and communications manager of Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge. “A lot of the people in the UAE are very passionate about their cars and are fairly knowledgeable on the new trends and technologies.” In 2006 total sales volumes for Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge increased by 46% in the region, which Hardie attributed to the launch of the new models, and by September of this year there was a noted increase of 28%.
“Dubai sets the trend in the Middle East as it has a very saturated market,” explained Maram S., marketing assistant at the Porsche Center in Dubai. “There are so many expats and so many nationalities, that in terms of selling cars it is one of the leading markets in the whole world.”
Lamborghini marketing director, Rami Taher, explained that Lamborghini’s sales in the Emirates surpassed those of anywhere else in the region due to the availability of buyers in the market. “The diversity in Dubai makes the market more appealing,” Taher said. “The concentration of the population, the real estate boom, and also, importantly, the infrastructure, especially for Lamborghini, all play significant roles in the sales.” The price of an entry-level Lamborghini is $205,000, with prices rising until $410,000 for certain customized models. Most of their 2008 models of the Mercielago are already pre-sold. The recently developed Lamborghini Reventon — reported to have an interior much like a fighter plane’s cockpit — is so exclusive that only 20 have been produced worldwide, with one having been sold to a buyer in the UAE. The price? One million euros.
The more aristocratic Bentley Marquee has seen a 1,000% sales increase in the region over the last four years, but it has also reached its maximum production capacity and cannot provide more than the 500 cars allocated to the GCC. “This means we will not see a growth in the allocation of cars to this region, but rather we will see a growth in the waiting list,” said Ian Gorsuch, Bentley’s regional director.
He is not alone. Many of the luxury car dealerships have waiting lists up to 12 months as people line up to buy the biggest, fastest, and the most prestigious cars in the region. As Dubai continues to boom, so will the luxury car sector, with larger disposable incomes being spent to show off who really is king of the road.
