ZAROOQ SAND RACER – THE FIRST AND ULTIMATE SAND CAR FROM THE UAE

Corey SimoneVNews Editor

Photographers: Manufacturer

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is known for several things, high-end exotics roaming the streets, engineering feats and a famous desert that plenty of us would love to wheel. The Zarooq Sand Racer is the first car built specifically for the UAE desert while still being road legal and capable of carving the dunes like a sand rail. The Zarooq Sand Racer was designed and built in the UAE by Anthony Jannarelly, who also was responsible for the Lykan Hypersport car inFast and Furious 7 and built by JJ Special and Campos Racing.

The unique name for the car came from the Schockari Sand Racer, the fastest and most agile snake in the desert. To live up to that, the Zarooq packs a centrally mounted 3.5L V6 that puts out 300-500 hp while weighing less than 2,100 pounds with nearly 18-inches of wheel travel to keep you moving through the dunes with ease. Keeping with the performance theme, the interior has racecar quality features including carbon fiber panels and the ability to customize when ordering.

Zarooq Director Mohammed Al Quadi says “There’s a huge demand today for a potent sand racer, tailored for our desert.” With only a few options for sand vehicles, from large SUV 4x4s to ATVs and none are made for racing it fills that market gap for the driver who wants the ultimate in performance while being able blast through the sand in an enclosed cockpit with air conditioning.

Now this machine doesn’t come cheap, ranging in price from $80,000 to $160,000, with the first 20 special edition versions being delivered in 2016, but if you want a badass road legal car that can take on the sand this is the rig for you. If you don’t have the space to store something this cool but still want to take your turn driving it on the sand, Zarooq is currently working on a “Dubai off-road racing circuit” where you can arrive and drive. “The track will allow UAE residents and companies, as well as foreign visitors, to try the Zarooq Sand racer for themselves. As well as learn how to off-road race in the driving school” according to Iannis Mardell

For more information check out zarooqmotors.com