Auto Buzz: A peek into the exciting motoring events and moments in the region

Dubai continues its campaign to be the centre of the global automotive scene, as brands continue to choose this Middle Eastern metropolis as their venue for launches and drive events. Here’s a peek into what’s been happening over the past few weeks.

Thousands gather at the Icons of Porsche festival

A record crowd set foot into the Icons of Porsche festival held at the Dubai Design District on November 25 and 26. More specifically, over 27,000 fans entered the venue between 4pm and 10pm over two days. If you do the math, that’s an incredible 38 individuals per minute that came to feast on the Porsche flavour – the most the festival has ever seen since its conception in 2021.

The 3rd edition of the event was a spectacular few night outs not just for Porsche and automotive buffs, but for their families as well, thanks to the live entertainment, a Porsche-centric LEGO stall, a Porsche Design kiosk, a mini marketplace for merchandise, and an Esports Arena. And of course, let’s forget the stars of the show, the large and curated variety of rare and popular Porsche vintage, sports, and racing vehicles.

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Event highlights included the regional premiere of the 718 Spyder RS and the future-forward Vision 357 Speedster concept. Adding extra oodles of visual grandeur to the show were the much-anticipated, all-electric Mission X hypercar concept, the 911 S/T, and a host of other vehicles from the Porsche Museum collection. Also on display was the new Panamera and the special ‘Sonderwunsch’ 911 Turbo that pays homage to the first-ever 911 Turbo.

And it is only befitting that an event of such this scale had a giant inflatable 911. The bright red figure, positioned in the middle of the Icons of Porsche festival, was officially awarded a new Guinness World Record for the ‘largest inflatable vehicle’. The inflatable which measured almost 20 meters in length, stood over six meters tall, and had a width of over eight metres, was based on the shape of the first-generation F-Series 911, in production from 1963 to 1973. This was a tribute to Porsche’s 75th Anniversary year, and the 911 model itself, which celebrates its 60th year in 2023.

Dr Manfred Bräunl, Chief Executive Officer of Porsche Middle East and Africa FZE said, “This sensational event is now not only the biggest classic car gathering in the Middle East, it has cemented itself as one of the ‘must do’ events on the global car culture events calendar.”

Flagship BYD Showroom Opens in DFC

Yet another electric car manufacturer strengthens its Middle Eastern presence. Chinese EV manufacturer BYD, in collaboration with Al-Futtaim Electric Mobility Company, has opened its all-new flagship showroom at the Discovery Center at Dubai Festival City. The new facility opened its doors to the public on November 23 and it gives customers the chance to experience electric mobility.

To find out more about these vehicles, please visit the respective manufacturer and distributor websites.