Prodrive Hunter: anticipation builds before UAE launch of ultra-extreme 4x4

The self-styled world's first all-terrain hypercar will be unveiled in the Emirates with a price tag of more than Dh6 million

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  The Prodrive Hunter is ready to roll. All photos: Prodrive

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  A limited number of Hunters have already been delivered to customers.

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  At rest in front of the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay.

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  Breezing past the palms.

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  It's not often you see a spoiler on an SUV.

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  Now that's what you call a hunkered down look.

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  The Prodrive vehicle that took part in the Bahrain Raid Xtreme event is what the production Hunter is based on.

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  If you're this close and the car is moving, you may want to step aside.

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  No number plate as yet.

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  Sebastien Loeb takes part in the Bahrain Raid Xtreme race.

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  The Prodrive Hunter is in the Middle East.

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  Sebastien Loeb tops a dune in the Bahrain Raid Xtreme race.

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  Darkened windscreen, ready for the desert.

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  The Hunter's dashboard set up is less basic than the car's outside look might indicate.

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  The Hunter has plenty of room underneath to tackle those pesky inclines.

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  The Prodrive car in the Bahrain Raid Xtreme race gets some air under its wheels.

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  A drone's eye view.

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  Nothing basic here.

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  The suspension on the Hunter is built for bumps.

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  The Hunter has been touted by Prodrive as the 'Ferrari of the desert'.

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  The Hunter's generous air vents.

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  The Hunter's rear spoiler.

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  Sand? No problem.

Anticipation is building ahead of the arrival of the Prodrive Hunter in the UAE next month, a vehicle the manufacturer is styling as the world’s first all-terrain hypercar.

A few hand-picked prospective buyers will have the chance to test drive the vehicle before they decide whether to invest, with the manufacturer promising a full-on personalisation programme for those who take the plunge.

The Hunter is a fearsome bit of automotive kit, according to the stats — it is a 600-brake horsepower, four-wheel drive roustabout which has the air of something you could realistically take into a war zone as opposed to a muddy hillside.

Prodrive says the car has been designed for journeys into the most dramatic and demanding desert regions, but affording passengers the comfort and style to stand out in downtown traffic and on urban highways.

The Hunter was developed from the competition car driven for Bahrain Raid Xtreme by rally driver Sebastien Loeb in the world’s toughest motorsport race, the Dakar Rally, and other rounds of the World Rally-Raid Championship.

So far, Prodrive, a UK brand, is in the process of building a limited number of Hunters on its home turf in Banbury, Oxfordshire, in accordance with the individual specifications of those who have already put their orders in.

Impressive car, then, but, predictably, it’s not for everyone — the Prodrive Hunter will cost £1.25 million plus local taxes (Dh6.25m).

Museum of the Future welcomes tarmac-trampling Audi e-tron Vision Gran Turismo — in pictures

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  Audi's e-tron Vision Gran Turismo. All photos: Audi

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  Tearing up the track.

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  The Vision Gran Turismo was originally hidden inside a computer game.

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  On the road, at speed.

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  The Vision Gran Turismo takes some design cues from Audi's 90 quattro IMSA GTO.

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  The futuristic cabin.

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  The car goes from 0-100kph in 2.5 seconds.

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  A pair of Vision Gran Turismos on display.

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  The Vision Gran Turismo gets its power from three electric motors.

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  Showing its mettle on the tarmac.

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  Strap yourself in.

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  The Vision Gran Turismo cornering at speed on roads near Zurich, Switzerland.