It weighs 950kg with central-rear mounted 3.5-litre V6 engine producing 300hp and tuned upto 500hp…first editions will be in 2WD with a 4WD option delivered later
Dubai, Nov 25th 2015 – In its first Press conference held in the Sofitel the Palm, Zarooq Motors gathered its entire development team in Dubai a few days before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
“The timing and the location allowed us to have everyone around the table, including Campos Racing team (Adrian Campos and Rio Haryanto)” noted Bruno Laffite, Operations Director.
“It was a unique moment for us to exchange with the press and answer all their questions and we were glad to have attracted such a crowd of journalists, highlighting the level of interest we have generated locally in the UAE, in the Gulf but also internationally,” commented Mohammed Al Qadi, Motorsport director.
The genesis of Zarooq Motors is embedded in UAE motorsport “The Zarooq SandRacer was created in order to be able to organize an Off-road single-make championship,” explained Mohammed al Qadi.
“We have all the necessary skills in the UAE, from the design to the actual manufacturing of the chassis and the body as well as the final assembly, with our partners JJSpecial” he added.
“We wanted the car to be road legal, with A/C, because we want it to be as practical as possible, even if it is a racing car” said Bruno Laffite. “The support and insights from the industry we get thanks to our partnership with Motorsport professionals like Campos Racing is of great value today for the car and tomorrow for our championship”, he added.
…with an objective of being a sustainable UAE car manufacturer Zarooq Motors aims at building a sustainable brand synonymous with off-road capability, racing-grade performance and iconic look. “We don’t aim at being a large scale manufacturer, but a solid niche player consistently delivering innovative and reliable cars” underlines Mohammed. “We are an Emirati company and we want to show the world what we are capable of.”
The aggressive and iconic look of the car revealed Anthony Jannarelly, came to global automotive industry fame as the designer of the W Motors Lykan Hypersport. As part of JJSpecial, the Zarooq SandRacer is his latest creation.
“It had to be fit for purpose, of course, hence the significant ground clearance, limited overhang or the room necessary for significant suspension travel. It also had to meet the standards to be road legal, yet we clearly focused on designing a car that is unique, aggressive and we hope, one day, iconic” Anthony Jannarelly said.
The details of the car’s performance were covered with the GP engineers from Campos Racing who designed it The details of the car performance and engineering designs were discussed at length with Philippe Gautheron and Emilio Lozano, from Campos Racing, as well as Frederic Juillot from JJSpecial in charge of the manufacturing workshop. “We chose all our parts and partners in order to offer the best racing performance, from engine supplier, tires but also suspensions which are critical for Off-road Performance” remarked Bruno Laffite.
The development strategy is ambitious but realistic Zarooq Motors management has devised a realistic development plan, primarily focused on developing sales in the UAE and the gulf, aiming at drivers who want a high performance sand racing car, which is affordable and easy to maintain; the car can also cater of course to all the car enthusiasts of the region. “We actually have some people interested in importing the car in the gulf but also in Europe” mentioned Mohammed Al Qadi. “We will concentrate on exports and launching new products once our local sales are sustainable”
In parallel, and in order to foster the development of the local championship, Zarooq Motors is initiating a“Dubai Off-Road Racing Track” to host races but also corporate events in a premium and safe environment dedicated to sand racing. explains Mohammed Al Qadi.
Mohammed explained: “The chassis is now finished, the engine and wiring are in place and working, the body molds are being sculpted, and we are just waiting for a few parts to arrive to finalize the assembly, in December”. “If all goes well, we should be able to show the car to the journalists and then to the public very soon. Expect to be able to see it here in the Sofitel the Palm in a few weeks…” said Iannis Mardell.
“Of course, we are conducting a series of tests to proof the car and then we will take the road homologation”
As a result, the journalists and first clients should be able to test the car in early 2016. The first 20 cars will be a Special Inaugural Edition. Price, depending on Model, Edition and Options: $80.000 to 160.000.
Press release issued by Zarooq Motors
