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Car Culture in the UAE - A Panel Discussion
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Car Culture in the UAE - A Panel Discussion

·
November 21,2012
·
3 min read

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Dubai, UAE - YallaMotor.com attended a very interesting panel discussion titled "Car Culture in the UAE", hosted at The Shelter in Al Quoz, organized in collaboration with Promise of a Generation. 

Panel participants included experts and enthusiasts from various facets of the UAE car culture:

  • Mr. Ahmed Al Sharif, Acting Director, Emirates Motor Sports Federation (EMSF) 
  • Mr. Mohammad Al Falasi, Expert Drifter, Motorsport Solutions
  • Mohzin Raza, expert on car modifications, pioneer of the Modified Cars Club
  • Damien Reid, expert motorsport journalist specializing in the Middle East motorsport industry
  • Gaurav Dhar, expert on classic cars and a pioneer in organizing classic car clubs in the region

Here are some interesting points from the discussion: 

Evolution of the Classic Car Culture in UAE

Damien Reid observed the wide variety of classic cars found in UAE, unlike other regions in the world. There is a bit of everything when it comes to the car culture in UAE which is a reflection of the cosmopolitan culture and population of this country. 

Gaurav Dhar highlighted the growing trend of classic cars, saying there are currently at least 7,000 - 8,000 classic cars in the UAE if not more. A classic car is defined generally as being over 30 years old.

YallaMotor.com has also discovered the rising trend of classic cars in UAE and Egypt by covering the RAK Motor Show and the Classic Cairo Car Show, both reflecting the growing enthusiasm of classic car enthusiasts in the Middle East North Africa region.  

 

Rising trend of Motor Sports and Drifting

While the Emirates Motor Sports Federation is a pioneer when it comes to encouraging motor sports in UAE, it is also an equally important partner in promoting safe driving. One of the key initiatives taken by them is the Caltex Road Star campaign. Says Ahmed, "14 years ago it was very difficult to find and reward good drivers because hardly anyone wore a seatbelt! Today, we reward good drivers based on multiple factors, including seatbelts, car seats, speed limits and other factors." 

Mohammad Al Falasi defines drifting as "motortainment" since it's really an art of driving. It was developed in late 80's by the Japanese and has gained rapid popularity in the Middle East region. Mohammad also clearly differentiated drifting from the notorious and dangerous "Hajwala" form of drifting more popular in Saudi Arabia. Mohammad cautioned that this form of drifting has led to loss of many lives and is not real drifting. Real drifting is a more controlled art and can be performed safely once learnt.

Mohammad will be pioneering the ProDrift Academy in Dubai which will teach the drifting arts to anyone who's interested. The program starts from December 21st, stay tuned for more updates.

Here is a short video clip of the discussion around drifting and drag racing phenomena in UAE and Saudi Arabia: 

 

 

Car Modifications in UAE and GCC

Mohzin who probably owns one of the most airbrushed cars in UAE, talked extensively about the growing volume of car modifications in UAE. "There is a lot of work going on in the Northern Emirates, particularly Fujairah and Ras al Khaimah where car modifications happen on an extensive basis", said Mohzin. A lot of modified car owners secretly like to take their car out and not be too conspicuous about it. This is because they fear the car might get confiscated. There is a big ambiguity about what is allowed and what is not allowed. 

Mohzin clarified that on a cosmetic level, modifying a car for it's looks is generally permitted. However there is still a grey area about performance enhancement modifications and the authorities are working with international agencies to evolve this area of legislation. 

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