Photo: Zarooq Motors
In terms of wealthy countries, the United Arab Emirates sits high in the rankings. Richness and prosperity ensure that local businesses flourish, with the Zarooq Sand Racer being a case in point.
On the Zarooq Motors website, we’re told that the Sand Racer is the first-ever vehicle made in the United Arab Emirates that is specifically designed for the desert. In plain English, here we have a car that blends off-road prowess with the performance of sports cars. Call it a niche within a niche or call it an extravagant way of spending disposable income, but the Zarooq Sand Racer is a versatile plaything.
We’re calling it a plaything because we have to be honest about its layout. With two doors, two seats, and a mid-engined configuration, practicality isn’t on the Sand Racer’s agenda. For practicality, the UAE prefers the Toyota Land Cruiser 200 Series or its sister model - the more luxurious Lexus LX 570.
The thing with the Zarooq Sand Racer is that the company designed it to be a turn-key desert runner with license plates. Whereas the Land Cruiser and LX 570 bog down in the sand due to their heftiness, Zarooq Motors’ product tips the scales at approximately 2,204 lbs (1,000 kg). Thanks to its 40:60 weight distribution, chunky off-road rubber, a rear-wheel-drive drive layout and 315 mm ground clearance, this Sand Racer thingy means business.
According to Zarooq Motors, the first prototypes will be ready in January. For the production-ready Sand Racer, the company expects to sell around 20 examples of the breed in 2016 at $100,000 a pop. The entry-level powertrain will consist of a 3.5-liter V6 with 304 horsepower and 274 lb-ft (371 Nm) of torque. A 500 horsepower version of the six-cylinder powerplant is currently in development.
Despite it being focused on doing the off-road stuff, the Sand Racer’s standard equipment list includes climate control, an infotainment system, and something you can’t do without in the desert - a spare wheel. If everything goes according to plan in 2016, Zarooq Motors promises to roll out a long wheelbase version of the Sand Racer with seating for four adults, as well as a fully electric derivative.
We’re calling it a plaything because we have to be honest about its layout. With two doors, two seats, and a mid-engined configuration, practicality isn’t on the Sand Racer’s agenda. For practicality, the UAE prefers the Toyota Land Cruiser 200 Series or its sister model - the more luxurious Lexus LX 570.
The thing with the Zarooq Sand Racer is that the company designed it to be a turn-key desert runner with license plates. Whereas the Land Cruiser and LX 570 bog down in the sand due to their heftiness, Zarooq Motors’ product tips the scales at approximately 2,204 lbs (1,000 kg). Thanks to its 40:60 weight distribution, chunky off-road rubber, a rear-wheel-drive drive layout and 315 mm ground clearance, this Sand Racer thingy means business.
According to Zarooq Motors, the first prototypes will be ready in January. For the production-ready Sand Racer, the company expects to sell around 20 examples of the breed in 2016 at $100,000 a pop. The entry-level powertrain will consist of a 3.5-liter V6 with 304 horsepower and 274 lb-ft (371 Nm) of torque. A 500 horsepower version of the six-cylinder powerplant is currently in development.
Despite it being focused on doing the off-road stuff, the Sand Racer’s standard equipment list includes climate control, an infotainment system, and something you can’t do without in the desert - a spare wheel. If everything goes according to plan in 2016, Zarooq Motors promises to roll out a long wheelbase version of the Sand Racer with seating for four adults, as well as a fully electric derivative.
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