A gulf apart
Supercars on the police pursuit fleet? Welcome to the unique world of law enforcement, Dubai-style
Dubai has an enduring love affair with the motor car. Admittedly it came late to the automotive party; even 50 years ago the population was a mere 59,000 and the oil was only just starting to flow. But the rapid growth of the Emirate has been sensational, and building has incorporated roads in a way that old-established cities could never do. With fuel at very low prices, superb roads and ample free parking, driving in Dubai is in stark contrast to the experience of congestion charges, average-speed cameras, and punitive emission costs endured in other countries.
Expensive cars – and particularly supercars – are a common sight on the roads of Dubai, and luxury cars are always top-of-the-range models, fitted with everything on the extras list. If the entry-level diesel Range Rover is even offered in the UAE, it is doubtful whether one has ever been sold.
Driving is spirited. Tailgating, abrupt lane-changes and overtaking from any lane, on any side, are customary. Queuing conventions are discretionary and, while speed limits are clearly displayed, they’re hardly ever taken seriously. Speeding fines from fixed cameras are sent to the offender’s mobile phone, they are not expensive, and there is no points system for licences nor any penalty for continued infringement. The glorious noise of accelerating supercar engines can be heard day and night and their closing speed on the motorway is quite stunning.
So it’s probably no surprise that the Dubai police force has its own fleet of supercars, just to try to keep up. Perhaps the Audi R8 is an obvious rapid-response patrol car, maybe even the Nissan GT-R. But how about the Aston Martin One-77? There’s even a Bugatti Veyron! Plus a Lamborghini Aventador, McLaren MP412C, a Ferrari FF, Merc SLS, a Roush-tuned Mustang… the list goes on.
Of course, the logical notion that these cars are used to chase speeding drivers of similar high-powered cars is entirely wrong. The fleet is operated by the Tourist Police Department strategy, developed in 2013 as part of the Emirate’s bid to host the prestigous 2020 World Expo – the first to be held in the Middle East, North Africa & South Asia region. Dubai won the bid and from October 2020 to March 2021 it is expected that 25-million visits will be made to the Expo, with 70% of all visitors coming from outside the UAE. The theme is ‘Connecting minds – creating the future’.
Already tourism is a crucial element of the government strategy to increase the flow of foreign money into the Emirate. Although oil
‘The logical notion that these cars are used to chase speeding drivers of similar highpowered cars is entirely wrong’
production in the ’70s really brought Dubai to international attention, today the black stuff accounts for only 5% of its revenue. The guaranteed warm, dry winter weather, plus a location within six hours’ flying from many developed countries, together ensure a growing flow of well-heeled visitors and investors.
Unlike Las Vegas – which was also built in a short time in the desert – Dubai has been careful to develop as an upmarket destination, featuring the world’s tallest building, the largest shopping mall, and those designer habitats on land reclaimed just off the natural coastline. Brands are critical to the strategy of creating a cool and aspirational place to enjoy. It is an expensive city to live in and to visit, but this merely reinforces its exclusivity. The Dubai police are also proud of the fact that the World Economic Forum ranked the UAE as the third safest country in the world in 2015.
The Middle East region encompasses a wide variety of countries with differing political and religious regimes that are not always attractive to tourists and investors. Dubai has carefully and skilfully presented itself as a peaceful place in which to live and work, and it is important that the image of the police is welcoming rather than intimidating. The supercar project is a cornerstone of this approach, and comes from an organisation that is recognised as the most progressive of Arabic police forces.
The supercar fleet is used all year round for events of all types, sometimes driving around the streets or as static exhibits in tourist areas such as the Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa building. They will be exhibited at the Dubai Motor Show in November, where they always draw a large crowd. The weekly programme is not fixed, so people are encouraged to call the non-emergency number for details
of where the cars can be seen – tourists’ suggestions are even considered when the police make additions to the fleet. Following public demand, die-cast models are sold in toy stores, made under licence by Majorette.
Experienced drivers are selected from serving officers with a record of accident-free driving, good spoken English – and the ability to look photogenic in the special uniform. They then attend a course on how to drive the cars in a crowded urban environment, and also have to learn all the stats for each of the 14 models on the fleet.
Is there a favourite car? First comes the blanket response that they are all ‘loved equally’, but later the Aston and Ferrari emerge as the most enjoyable. The drivers have endless patience in answering questions and posing for photos, surely a small price to pay for having a Veyron as your company car.
One topic is not for discussion: where the cars are sourced from, and where they go once their tour of duty is over. But we know that they are serviced and maintained by the relevant dealership in Dubai City – Bentley also looks after the McLaren – so it can be assumed that most manufacturers are relaxed about the project generally. The cars are replaced regularly (the latest version of the Aventador has just arrived), although icons such as the Aston Martin One-77 and the Veyron will probably remain on the fleet for some time.
Ordered in white, the cars are delivered to police workshops for the Dubai livery to be applied, and lights and other police fittings attached. There are no unusual modifications and even the standard ride height is fine for negotiating speed humps on the Palm. Overheating in summer temperatures of around 50ºC is not an issue, though the engines are not typically worked hard.
Perhaps surprisingly in a country where fuel is a third of the price elsewhere, there are three hybrids on the fleet, including a Porsche Panamera and BMW i8, as part of a programme to introduce hybrid and all-electric police patrol vehicles and taxis in Dubai City. This reflects the desire to demonstrate to tourists that 21st Century environmental issues are being taken seriously here.
The look of the police cars is completed with a range of special licence plates. As in other countries, plates with low or special numbers are highly prized and are sold at auction and on the UAE Auto Trader website. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum drives a Brabus G-wagen with the licence plate 1. The police have a collection of numbers, the most important being 2020, which appears on the McLaren as a reminder of the Expo in three years’ time. The Veyron wears 2, the Bentley 4, the Aston 11 and so on. No opportunity has been missed to add to the glamour of the fleet.
First Lieutenant Saif Sultan Rashid Al Shamsi is head of the Tourist Police Patrols section, and has been unstinting with his hospitality and advice, as well as providing access to these wonderful photographs. It took much persuasion to convince the Dubai Police that
Octane wanted to tell the story of the supercar project in a serious and respectful way.
Even so, as I was leaving, I couldn’t help but ask what the next addition might be. A Bugatti Chiron perhaps? The answer came as an enigmatic smile and no further comment. But you wouldn’t bet against it.
‘Drivers must be accident-free, speak good English – and look photogenic in the special uniform’