It is not your classic advert for a used car - one not very careful owner, zero to 100kph in less than two seconds, only one seater and a top speed of 330kph.
As absurd as this advert actually sounds, it is exactly what Ferrari is now offering customers in the Middle East.
The F1 Clienti programme gives enthusiasts the chance to buy an old Formula 1 car and race it on tracks around the world at specific events, with the help of trained drivers, engineers and mechanics.
"With the F1 Clienti programme, the driving courses and owner clubs, there there is now a 360 degree experience with Ferrari in the region," says Pietro Innocenti, general manager of Ferrari for the Middle East and Africa. "This has been the DNA of mature markets, now its time for the Middle East and Africa to have the all these experiences that are part of the brand."
F1 cars from 1970s onwards are available for purchase and there is a two-year moratorium for cars after they finish being used professionally on the F1 circuit.
Ferrari enthusiasts around the world have already bought previous championship-winning cars or those used by highly successful drivers, such as Michael Schumacher.
"Of course you are not allowed to drive one of these cars without the assistance of a team mechanic and engineer," said Mr Innocenti. "F1 Clienti give you have a shake down, so you understand the basic technique of driving F1 and then you have a series of events in different places where you are able to drive these cars on F1 racetracks."
Buyers own and keep the cars, but the F1 Clienti team manage and maintain them during race events.
The programme is aimed at Ferrari's clients who are ultra high net worth individuals.
The Middle East and Africa now accounts for about 8 per cent of the total sales of Ferrari cars, having doubled from 4 per cent in 2006. The brand sold 150 cars in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai last year.
It has become a key market for the brand, having launched its first theme park in Abu Dhabi and rolled out some of the largest Ferrari merchandise stores in the world in the UAE.
Global revenues increased last year by 7.9 per cent to 1.9 billion euros, as Ferrari delivered 6,461 cars to customers around the world.
The brand has also launched its Ferrari Approved scheme in the Middle East, where customers can buy a second-hand Ferrari after it has undergone a series of checks.
Ferrari joins a host of other luxury car makers offering such schemes in the UAE, including Rolls-Royce and Bentley.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
The specs: 2018 Maxus T60
Price, base / as tested: Dh48,000
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder
Power: 136hp @ 1,600rpm
Torque: 360Nm @ 1,600 rpm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel consumption, combined: 9.1L / 100km
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
AS%20WE%20EXIST
%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20Kaoutar%20Harchi%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPublisher%3A%20Other%20Press%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPages%3A%20176%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAvailable%3A%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Ready Player One
Dir: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Mark Rylance
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
Du Football Champions
The fourth season of du Football Champions was launched at Gitex on Wednesday alongside the Middle East’s first sports-tech scouting platform.“du Talents”, which enables aspiring footballers to upload their profiles and highlights reels and communicate directly with coaches, is designed to extend the reach of the programme, which has already attracted more than 21,500 players in its first three years.
Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
