Dubai: A fitting weekend curtain raiser to the festivities marking the upcoming 43rd National Day rolled through Dubai with dramatic flair on Friday.
Draped in a sea of UAE flags, the Meydan Motor Village reverberated with the powerful revs of 600 luxury cars as the Dubai Grand Parade was flagged off.
Earlier in the morning, the Dubai Motor Festival (DMF) is believed to have set a new Guinness World Record of the largest number of cars in a single motorcade with 58 automative marquees taking part in a mass convoy of supercars, classic automobiles and exotic cars,
The automobile carnival was bursting with top brands, from Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati to Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, and Bugatti.
The convoy traced a 47-km route around all iconic landmarks of the city in three hours with excited onlookers greeting it everywhere before it ended at Meydan.
Bill Tate, a Canadian expatriate participating with his custom built 600 horsepower Ultima GTR, could feel the excitement building up as he waited for the start call.
“I built this car last year and this is the first time I am participating in the parade. I am nervous,” he told Gulf News.
Ali Al Habashi, a UAE national and a first-timer participating in his Spyker that he has owned for two years, was surprised by the turnout.
“People love cars here and look at the amazing range and variety here. Frankly, I am really surprised and really excited by the huge response,” he told Gulf News.
Residents along the parade route cheered on the car owners, giving yesterday’s event a festive feel ahead of National Day.
Jin Chwen Ong, Director, DMF, said: “Dubai is home to a number of architectural marvels that have captured global attention, and the people of the city are known for their passion for cars and motoring. The Dubai Grand Parade brings both these aspects together in a stunning showcase of Dubai’s vibrant spirit and ambition as the region’s largest convoy of luxury automobiles pays a unique tribute to the city’s iconic buildings, bringing these landmarks into renewed focus.”
The Motor Parade is part of the second annual Dubai Motor Festival taking place until December 6 under the theme ‘Passion on Wheels’.
Besides the parade, Dubai’s residents and visitors also got a taste of electrifying auto-themed entertainment at the venue with many other activities that encouraged families to join in.
Some of the events included the world’s first car light show by Infiniti, Dubizzle Live and Red Bull Car Park Drift Grand Final and other family entertainment activities with competitions offering a load of prizes.
