Looking like a striking cross between a high-tech Robot Wars contestant, a Mad Max contraption and a supercar, Zarooq Motors’ SandRacer has been anticipated ever since the design was initially revealed during the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2015.
Now, the UAE carmaker has announced the sale of the first limited-edition batch of 35 vehicles, the SandRacer 500 GT, which will cost from US$450,000 (Dh1.7 million) each, for delivery in the fourth quarter of this year.
The first production model from the company, the SandRacer is a two-seater, rear-wheel drive, mid-engine proposition with potent on- and off-road ability. Its 6.2L V8 pushes out a not-inconsiderable 525hp and 660Nm of torque, and despite the SandRacer’s rugged, aggressive exterior, it weighs only 1,200 kilograms. Clever features such as removable rear diffusers will aid its transition from on-road speedster to off-road terrain-eater.
The carbon-fibre body design is made in Belgium, while the hand-stitched leather interior is courtesy of Mansory, in Germany, a brand that works with the top-level likes of Rolls-Royce and Lamborghini. It features a lightweight racing chassis with a built-in roll cage designed by Spanish company Campos Racing. Production of the SandRacer is based between the UAE and Monaco.
"Zarooq Motors makes supercars that are unique since you can take them on a weekend track day or for a luxurious commute in the city but also on any off-road terrain, even the toughest dunes of the Arabian Desert where they were born," says Zarooq Motors executive Mohammed Al Qadi.
The Emirati is one of a multinational team of four company founders, alongside Bruno Laffite (French), Laetitia Laffite (Belgian) and Iannis Mardell (British).
For more information, visit www.zarooqmotors.com.
aworkman@thenational.ae
