Ferrari F40, Alfa Romeo Giulia, Ferrari GTO. Not a bad start to the day in Dubai, UAE.
It’s been nearly 18 months since the plane wheels first touched down in Dubai for me, and I can’t help wondering how the emirate has changed me. Every now and then – in an emirate boasting 50+-degree temperatures – I catch myself referring to anything below 20 as ‘a bit chilly’. I will roll my eyes if the lift to my 36th story flat is being a bit ponderous, and regularly step inside for a coffee whilst someone else fills the company McLaren with petrol. These were not matters of concern in 2010 for this Lancashire lad.
The big one though is the supercar culture. A little over two years ago, the sight of a Ferrari 458 or even a Lamborghini Super Trofeo Stradale rolling down the road would have been a tale I’d have regaled across many a meal (probably not brunch) but with so many of these luxurious examples on Dubai’s roads, they don’t quite offer the same buzz they once did. Tearjerking, right?
Every so often though, in an emirate built on excess and a ‘bigger is always better’ philosophy, there comes a find that makes the heart beat that little bit faster and the inner eight-year old grin from ear to ear. It’s not very often you see either a Ferrari F40, a Ferrari GTO or an Alfa Romeo Giulia let alone all three side-by-side in the same garage, and this particular iPhone fodder was waiting for one member of the team on their way to the crankandpiston oval office this morning.
If you’ll excuse us, we have a tale to regale during our lunch breaks.
