Your Bufori is a rare beauty! They only make around 300 of these a year. It must be an absolute pleasure to drive and be seen in this…
This car is pure indulgence, a personal fashion statement as well as a dream come true. It’s my contribution to the vast array of suave cars in Dubai. I see so many people smiling and waving when they see the car that it makes me feel like a celebrity! I believe there are only two others on the road in the UAE, I’m on the lookout for the other two but haven’t seen them yet. I do know that one is the same colour as mine.
So, you must be a fan of classic cars, I guess?
I can’t resist the look of them. It’s something about the hand-built and timeless facade, the classic grooves, chrome and lights that attract me to them. However, there are two sides to every coin, so I also love ferociously quick cars.
But, it was only after moving to Dubai in 2003 that you got into cars…
Yes, before that I didn’t really have a deep passion for them. I began seeing so many colourful and luxury cars up close that I’d only ever seen on TV back in England when I got here that it got me interested in them, particularly the Hummer H2, BMW 6 Series and the Chevrolet Corvette.
Your Mark 3 La Joya is a tad more interesting than your old Corolla…
Just a bit! That Toyota was my first car in Dubai and great for weekend beach runs.
I added a Dh6,000 sound system to it before upgrading to a Mercedes-Benz CL55 AMG. However, I found the servicing to be too frequent and the running costs were adding up rapidly. It was a great car but sadly the maintenance was beyond reasonable so
I sold it in Jan 2009. Then, I got a good deal on a Ferrari F430 with extremely low mileage. I snapped it up and haven’t looked back since.
These Buforis are hand-built, made out of carbon fibre and Kevlar composite material and can be made to order. Did you request anything particularly fancy with yours?
I got cooled seats — essential for the hot summers of the UAE. I also had a customised media interface installed by Bufori which I’m told is the only one of its kind in the world. It’s a touchscreen that features a reversing camera, has an SD Card for all my music, a DVD player and it has iPod connectivity, Bluetooth and a 3D Dubai satellite navigation programme. The interior also boasts the finest sourced leather and real wood from sustainable forests. It’s more like being in a first-class aircraft cabin than in a car.
We’re going weak at the knees! How long have you had it?
It’s been mine for 18 months but since I’ve had it, I haven’t put more than 3,500km on it.
I saw the car by accident. I was looking at the Geneva motor show web page when I saw
a picture of it. It was love at first sight and a few days later, I was placing an order for one! I had considered a Morgan and a Rolls-Royce Ghost but the Bufori’s regal design and me wanting to be different were the main reasons for buying it. It takes me back to those Twenties and Thirties gangster movies in New York. You can just see Al Capone driving this! I just had to have one on my driveway.
What’s it got under the bonnet?
It has a rear-mounted 2.6-litre V6 mated to a tiptronic gearbox. It also has ABS brakes with red callipers. It gives a modern twist to a classic design. It likes stretches such as Shaikh Zayed Road, but this car can manage a lot more than that. It handles really well too, and you can drive it hard around corners like you would a sportscar.
Any future plans for it?
I’d like to foil-wrap it in a funky colour and take it to England for the summer and possibly
a road trip to Monaco.
Now that’s a plan! Is servicing and getting holds of parts a problem?
It can be serviced by any experienced mechanic while the Bufori technical team is on call 24/7 in Malaysia for any extra assistance. I usually go to the Emarat petrol station on Beach Road and they are amazingly helpful. The car was shipped with a full set of essential spares so I’m good for parts for a while!
Finally, you’re on the lookout for a couple of car clubs to cruise with, right?
I’d like to join a Ferrari owners’ club and a classic car club in Dubai, even though, strictly speaking, the Bufori is brand new!
Bio
Name Mitesh Lakhani
Job Entrepreneur, real-estate investor
From Leicester, England
Wheels 2010 Bufori Mark 3 La Joya
In the UAE Eight-and-a-half years
