Dubai's Kandura Rally revs up the UAE motoring community

The event featured dazzling cars inspired by sportsmen, movies and computer games

A modified car at the Kandura Rally. Photo: Kandura Rally

The UAE’s vibrant motoring scene revved in celebration at the second Kandura Rally.

Held at the Dubai Autodrome on Friday, the event featured more than 200 cars and motorcycles, many of them customised in creative ways.

Some of the cars displayed included a Camaro, which was inspired by American basketballer LeBron James.

Car owners also took cues from blockbuster films and computer games, with an Avatar-themed Mustang GT, a Jeep Gladiator with Call of Duty visuals and a Joker-inspired Dodge SRT.

The rally also featured competitions with cash prizes totalling Dh35,000. Some of the categories included best sports car, sports bike, touring bike, sound system and body kit, as well as loudest exhaust.

Scroll through the gallery below to see prize-winning cars at the Kandura Rally

Best 4x4 OffRoad winner at Dubai's Kandura Rally. All photos: Kandura Rally

Best Body Kit winner

Best Classic winner

Best Car Airbrush winner

Best Saloon winner

Best Sports Bike winner

Best Truck winner

Best Slingshot winner

All entries were assessed by a panel of UAE and regional motor professionals, including Emirati race car driver Ghaith Al Falasi and motorcycle builder Karim El Tawil.

One of the winners was Tony Keyrouz, who broke out his latest wheels. “Another win. Another trophy. I am delighted to have won the Best Offroad 4x4 Category, with the one-off Jeep Gladiator Delta 1 with the Call of Duty military theme making its first appearance,” he said.

The Kandura Rally also featured a Roll Racing event, in which drivers competed in head-to-head drag racing competitions.

“The motoring community has overwhelmed us with their support, making the event possible. This gathering truly embodies Dubai's passion for cars, style and extravagance,” said Pragna Vaya, managing director from Orbit Events, the company behind the Kandura Rally. “The rally captured the spirit of the UAE's thriving car culture.”

The previous Kandura Rally took place last July at Dubai Digital Park, with more than 200 cars taking part.

Ferrari Challenge arrives in Dubai Autodrome — in pictures

The Ferrari Challenge Asia Pacific Rounds five and six have arrived in the UAE at Dubai's Autodrome. All photos: Chris Whiteoak / The National

The first of the two events, making up the Winter Challenge, were held from 26-29 January in conjunction with Ferrari Racing Days.

Twenty drivers from across the world battled it out on the track in their 488 Challenge Evo cars in front of legions of race enthusiasts

This Challenge series is also open to drivers from the other championships in Europe, US and the UK

Another highlight of the meet was the F1 Clienti on the track

The other car models competing were the FXXK Evo and 599XX Evo from the XX Programmes and Club Competizioni GT cars organised by Corse Clienti

The race also featured drivers who participated in all the regional Challenge series organised by the Maranello-based carmaker

APAC challengers Yudai Uchida, pictured, and Nobuhiro Imada, both from Rosso Scuderia, battled it out as the fight for supremacy in Trofeo Pirelli AM continued

In Coppa Shell, Kazuyuki Yamaguchi, pictured, fought to keep his spot at the top of the table standings

Yudai Uchida won the APAC-P-AM at the Ferrari Challenge race 1

James Geddie won the WINCH-S at the Ferrari Challenge race 1