Supercars had been in headlines in the UAE over the years, but for wrong reasons. - Supplied photo
Dubai - In 2015, photographs of a Pagani Zonda F - one of only 25 in the world - went viral after passersby took snaps of the car just moments after it crashed in Downtown Dubai.
Published: Tue 8 Mar 2016, 11:00 PM
Last updated: Wed 9 Mar 2016, 8:40 AM
Dominant supercars are not a rare sight on Dubai's roads, but over the years they have dominated the headlines - but not always for the right reasons.
In 2015, photographs of a Pagani Zonda F - one of only 25 in the world - went viral after passersby took snaps of the car just moments after it crashed in Downtown Dubai.
Thankfully no one was hurt, but the Italian hypercar - a term used for the world's fastest and most expensive models - was badly damaged after it hit a curb and collided with a concrete planter. The car was estimated to be worthDh3.5 million.
In September last year, passersby in Dubai Marina also witnessed Dh1.5million go up in smoke as a Lamborghini Aventador burst into flames.
The video went viral on social media, but again, the driver was lucky to escape before the flames swamped the bright yellow supercar.
Tragically, in March 2005, Prabhakar Chadha - grandson of the late Indian businessman Win Chadha - was killed in a car crash involving the Porsche Carrera GT he was driving.
Similarly, in 2013, 20-year-old Mohammad Ghazi Vahedna, died in front of his young brother in a horrific car crash when the Ferrari he was driving hit a palm tree in Motor City on July 13.
Described by a friend as someone who "had this need for speed", Ghazi was visiting from the UK to spend time with his family during Ramadan.
In the same year, Justin Bieber made the headlines too, but not for his usual singing performance.
A Dubai Police official said Bieber committed speeding violations when at the wheels of a white Lamborghini he was driving along Shaikh Zayed Road.
He was allegedly caught by cameras at different points along the road, police said.
reporters@khaleejtimes.com
How easy is it to rent a supercar here?Dubai is not short on car rental companies offering the latest in supercar hire.Whether you want to rent for a weekend or a week, type the words: "supercar Dubai" into google and you are hit with a number of websites to choose from.When Khaleej Times called several companies to enquire about renting a sports car, the process was simple, although the rules varied depending on the company.One company said the driver must have a valid driving licence of at least two years or more, and requested that valid ID - including the passport and driving licence - be made available to the office at least one day before rental so as to carry out the proper checks.
A second company said a valid driving licence and passport was also required however there was no limit on the validity of the licence, meaning new drivers could rent one of the powerful vehicles.Comprehensive insurance was included in all car prices and 24-hour rental fees were similar across all four companies contacted. For Dh3,500 a day, you can get your hands on a Ferrari 458 Spider or a Lamborghini Huracan, or for an extra Dh400, a Lamborghini Aventador would be well within reach too.
When asked what the most popular models were, Ferrari and Lamborghini proved to be the most in-demand.Excess charges (if driver was to blame for accident) ranged from Dh7,000-10,000 depending on the model rented.All companies said a full police report was mandatory in the event of any accident and if the renter was at fault, a 50 per cent charge of the cars daily rental price will be paid by the driver for each day the car remains in the workshop. If the accident is not at the fault of the driver, they will hold no liability for the damage.
kelly@khaleejtimes.com
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