Drake and Snoop Dogg are rappers each responsible for numerous chart-topping records, but that isn't where the similarities end. They are also connected via an unlikely UAE link, thanks to their respective endorsements of the most ambitious and gobsmacking car to emerge from the nation's nascent carmaking scene: the Devel Sixteen.
Normally in these pages, we rattle through vital statistics of the cars that we cover to transmit a sense of perspective and convey exactly how much speed, power and torque you can expect when you hand over your hard-earned cash.
The Devel Sixteen, however, doesn’t really conform to any traditional metric. The most attention-demanding figure is bafflingly large: 5,000hp. Well, 5,007hp, to be exact, according to the Dubai manufacturer’s latest tests. How on earth do you put that into context? With the aid of crazy-sounding multiples: one Devel Sixteen wields more power than seven Porsche 911 GT2 RSs; or 10 Ford Mustang GTs; or 16 top-end Toyota Camrys.
Two questions will probably be troubling your lips, right now: how and, indeed, why?
It all begins to make much more sense after spending time in the company of Devel president Majid Al Attar, who set up the company with his siblings Rashid and Mohammad. They have turned what he describes as initially representing "a hobby" into what is nowadays very much a business.
"We are three brothers who wanted to create something unique – that was our dream in the beginning," Al Attar tells The National at his home office in Dubai, above a garage space housing the most-photographed version of the prototype Sixteen, in a blue-and-white livery that is mirrored today by his dapper, navy-blue kandura.
“In 2004/05, we thought ‘we’ll take our dream a little further’. We came to a design – the car should look like an F-15 or F-16 jet fighter. We got sketches of the fighter and made some changes to make it look like a car.
"In 2007/08, we completed the body, and the intention was to put in two jet engines, with something like 10,000hp, but the design was so nice that we thought 'we need to look for an engine so we can drive it on the street'. We contacted many engine-makers and came up with the idea of making our own engine, which is the V16. This V16 makes 5,000hp or more – it depends on the tuning."
The traditional V6, V8 or even V12 formation was not for Devel. True to the spirit of uniqueness, there aren't any easily referenced peers to this engine, which like the rest of the car, will be produced in Texas (for the time being, at least; there are hopes to bring the process to the UAE in a few years).
Bugatti’s mighty W16 is arguably the nearest cousin to the Sixteen’s V16, yet that pumps out only 1,500hp – probably the one time you will see the word “only” precede such an ordinarily astronomical total.
For the days when a hypercar is too slow, meet this veritable rocket on wheels. What do you even have when you one-up a hypercar? A megacar?
The Sixteen was always likely to grab attention then, although Al Mattar smiles the grin of a man who can’t quite believe what has transpired as we discuss the past 12 months or so. It all started in earnest when the current prototype was displayed at the Dubai International Motor Show in November last year. The biennial automotive celebration was also the venue for the first prototype’s introduction to the public four years earlier.
First, in December last year, an Instagram shout-out arrived from Californian king of whacked-out hip-hop Snoop Dogg, who called the Sixteen "My. Xmas gift. To me." in a somewhat full-stop-heavy post that soon had his celebrity pals from Jamie Foxx and Jeremih asking what exactly they were seeing on their screens. Then, Canadian megastar Drake came calling – make up your own gag about Hotline Bling. "Drake contacted us to see the car and said he wanted to use it for his music video I'm Upset," Al Mattar says.
All of which has served only to heighten anticipation of the car's production debut, scheduled for next year. "There are some celebrities, I don't think they want [me] to say their names, but they're waiting to see the car next year," Al Mattar says of the potential customer base. "We are very exclusive. We don't just sell it to anybody. But it isn't just about celebrities – we want responsible people to buy this car."
With 5,000 horses underneath your right foot, that’s doubtless a wise policy, although there will also be two slightly more manageable variants (emphasis on the slightly): a 3,000hp V16 that Al Mattar says “can be driven every day” and a 2,000hp V8 – “2,000hp is more than enough, really,” he says, with a laugh. “The 5,000hp can be done – it is nothing impossible,” he says. “Our idea was to put more cylinders, more boost and more turbo.
“We didn’t want to wait for other people, who maybe will do it in a few years. If we can do it now, why would we wait for someone else to do it?
“We found some difficulty with the drivetrain, because no transmission can handle this power, but now we have the right company to do it for us.
“We’re going to produce only seven cars per year [across the three variants]. We have many enquiries and many people ordering the car. We are going to display the production car at one of the major [motor] shows in the world next year.”
Interested parties will need fairly weighty chequebooks: the starting price of the V8 car is US$1.6 million (Dh5.9m), with the outlay rising to a peak of $2.2m for the full-fat, 5,000hp V16.
The brothers, whose primary business is in real estate, have plenty of experience on the other side of the dealership desk, too, as keen car collectors. It was a love instilled in them at a young age, says Al Mattar, whose current favourite in their personal garage is a Ford GT40.
"Our father liked cars and he was buying them," he says. "He liked American cars, Land Rovers and Mercedes, so I think we can thank him. I was still in high school in 1994 when I bought my first car, a Ford F-250 truck – I was going to school in my truck and others were driving normal saloon cars. Much later, in the early 2000s, we started buying more cars."
Much like the brothers’ collection, the Devel range is also growing: the hulking Sixty military-grade vehicle is due for its production debut next year after being displayed at last year’s Dubai Motor Show alongside its 5,000hp stablemate. And there are plans in the next few years to produce hybrid and fully-electric variants of the Sixteen, which is currently a petrol-powered proposition. By now, you won’t be shocked to learn that Al Mattar promises “massive power”. After that? An entirely different third model will join the Devel range.
With the UAE's motoring output presently at an all-time high – thanks also to trailblazers such as W Motors and Jannarelly – it seems an exciting time to be an Emirati carmaker.
“When we see others building [cars], it makes us very proud,” Al Mattar says. “This is the UAE. We have everything here – why should we wait for somebody else to do it?
“The world is looking at this country. I think this is just the start.”
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Read more:
From racetrack to road: how Formula One technology is being used in everyday cars
Exclusive: UAE company set to unveil first Level 5, 'steering wheel optional', fully autonomous car in the world
See another side of Dubai in new book 'Cars of the Emirates'
Latest from The National's Motoring section
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Scoreline
Swansea 2
Grimes 20' (pen), Celina, 29'
Man City 3
Silva 69', Nordfeldt 78' (og), Aguero 88'
It’ll be summer in the city as car show tries to move with the times
If 2008 was the year that rocked Detroit, 2019 will be when Motor City gives its annual car extravaganza a revamp that aims to move with the times.
A major change is that this week's North American International Auto Show will be the last to be held in January, after which the event will switch to June.
The new date, organisers said, will allow exhibitors to move vehicles and activities outside the Cobo Center's halls and into other city venues, unencumbered by cold January weather, exemplified this week by snow and ice.
In a market in which trends can easily be outpaced beyond one event, the need to do so was probably exacerbated by the decision of Germany's big three carmakers – BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi – to skip the auto show this year.
The show has long allowed car enthusiasts to sit behind the wheel of the latest models at the start of the calendar year but a more fluid car market in an online world has made sales less seasonal.
Similarly, everyday technology seems to be catching up on those whose job it is to get behind microphones and try and tempt the visiting public into making a purchase.
Although sparkly announcers clasp iPads and outline the technical gadgetry hidden beneath bonnets, people's obsession with their own smartphones often appeared to offer a more tempting distraction.
“It's maddening,” said one such worker at Nissan's stand.
The absence of some pizzazz, as well as top marques, was also noted by patrons.
“It looks like there are a few less cars this year,” one annual attendee said of this year's exhibitors.
“I can't help but think it's easier to stay at home than to brave the snow and come here.”
Cry Macho
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam
Rating:**
Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
UAE rugby season
FIXTURES
West Asia Premiership
Dubai Hurricanes v Dubai Knights Eagles
Dubai Tigers v Bahrain
Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Division 1
Dubai Sharks v Dubai Hurricanes II
Al Ain Amblers v Dubai Knights Eagles II
Dubai Tigers II v Abu Dhabi Saracens
Jebel Ali Dragons II v Abu Dhabi Harlequins II
Sharjah Wanderers v Dubai Exiles II
LAST SEASON
West Asia Premiership
Winners – Bahrain
Runners-up – Dubai Exiles
UAE Premiership
Winners – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Runners-up – Jebel Ali Dragons
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners – Dubai Hurricanes
Runners-up – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Conference
Winners – Dubai Tigers
Runners-up – Al Ain Amblers
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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RESULTS
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
The bio
Job: Coder, website designer and chief executive, Trinet solutions
School: Year 8 pupil at Elite English School in Abu Hail, Deira
Role Models: Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk
Dream City: San Francisco
Hometown: Dubai
City of birth: Thiruvilla, Kerala
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
More on Quran memorisation:
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The five pillars of Islam
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Wydad 2 Urawa 3
Wydad Nahiri 21’, Hajhouj 90'
Urawa Antonio 18’, 60’, Kashiwagi 26’
Most%20ODI%20hundreds
%3Cp%3E49%20-%20Sachin%20Tendulkar%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E47%20-%20Virat%20Kohli%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E31%20-%20Rohit%20Sharma%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E30%20-%20Ricky%20Ponting%2C%20Australia%2FICC%0D%3Cbr%3E28%20-%20Sanath%20Jayasuriya%2C%20Sri%20Lanka%2FAsia%0D%3Cbr%3E27%20-%20Hashim%20Amla%2C%20South%20Africa%0D%3Cbr%3E25%20-%20AB%20de%20Villiers%2C%20South%20Africa%2FAfrica%0D%3Cbr%3E25%20-%20Chris%20Gayle%2C%20West%20Indies%2FICC%0D%3Cbr%3E25%20-%20Kumar%20Sangakkara%2C%20Sri%20Lanka%2FICC%2FAsia%0D%3Cbr%3E22%20-%20Sourav%20Ganguly%2C%20India%2FAsia%0D%3Cbr%3E22%20-%20Tillakaratne%20Dilshan%2C%20Sri%20Lanka%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Greatest Royal Rumble card as it stands
50-man Royal Rumble
Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos
Casket match The Undertaker v Chris Jericho
John Cena v Triple H
Matches to be announced
WWE World Heavyweight Championship, Raw Tag Team Championship, United States Championship and the Cruiserweight Championship are all due to be defended
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%3Cp%3ECreator%3A%20Tima%20Shomali%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%C2%A0Tara%20Abboud%2C%C2%A0Kira%20Yaghnam%2C%20Tara%20Atalla%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.