UAE driving team revving up for a change in the US

If cars were celebrities, then this was their red carpet.

More than 100 of the world’s most beautiful, expensive, desirable and extravagant automobiles converged in New York City last week for the Gumball 3000, which saw the vehicles drive across the country to Los Angeles.

New York’s Times Square was closed down for the start of the event, which saw competitors drive through 12 states.

And revving up their engines for the first time were the UAE’s very own team ‘HabibeeZ’, who took their place on the exclusive grid. Gumball is the world’s most exclusive intercontinental car rally, consisting of a compelling challenge to drive 4,828km in six days. Over the years, it has attracted such big names as 50 Cent, ‘Jackass’ star Johnny Knoxville, Jamiroquai’s lead singer Jay Kay, supermodels Caprice and Jodie Kidd, movie stars Owen Wilson and Daryl Hannah and director Quentin Tarantino.

This year’s gumballers also rubbed shoulders with actor David Hasselhoff, skateboard legend Tony Hawk, basketball player Dennis Rodman, punk legend Duane Peters, Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker, Rapper Xzibit, David Guetta, Goldie, Danny Dyer and Idris Elba.

Despite its 13-year history of hosting the supercar event, it was doubtful Gumball had seen anything quite like the UAE team’s bespoke automotive masterpieces.

Gumballer Amar Sagar told 7DAYS: “Team HabibeeZ was formed in January 2012, and we have been working to make team HabibeeZ bigger and louder for every single day since then.”

The friends are all car fans but they’ve also added an extra level of glamour to horsepower, by getting their cars custom covered by a designer.

“We were able to contact world-famous fashion designer Christian Audigier, who designed the wrapping for our cars,” said Sagar.

“The foil wrapping itself was done by a local company and took about a week. He added: “This cost about Dhs1 million in total.”

To match their designer cars, HabibeeZ wore custom-made apparel created by local fashion designer Tamara Al Gabbani. Their mision on the rally was to emphasise the statement on their quirky, yet effective, bumper sticker, which read “More than just falafel”.

Sagar believes the global language of cars and entertainment can help educate, and transform people views on the Middle East. “We wanted to change the perception and standard associations people have of the UAE,” explains Sagar.

“Whenever someone says Dubai, or the Middle East - the first thing that seems to come into people’s minds is ‘falafel’ or ‘desert’. New York seems to think of the Middle East as only a desert, and a place where we sell falafels.”

He added: “The cars speak for themselves and change that.”

megha@7days.ae

TEAM HABIBEEZ RIDES

>> Rolls Royce Drophead Coupe - V12, 6.6l, 453bhp (value Dhs2.2 million)

>> Rolls Royce Ghost - V12, 6.0l, 570bhp (Dhs1.2 million)

>> Rolls Royce Ghost - V12, 6.0l, 570bhp (Dhs1.2 million)

>> McLaren SLR - V8 5.5l 620bhp (Dhs1.5 million)

>> Mercedes-Benz GL450 - Support/backup vehicle for the team (Dhs500,000)

MORE ON GUMBALL

Since 1999, Gumball 3000 has successfully combined art, automobiles, music and film to create a unique aspirational lifestyle brand. Headed by Maximillion Cooper, the Gumball 3000 Group now operates eight companies with offices in Europe and the US. In 2007, Forbes magazine said the Gumball 3000 brand was worth more than a whopping $200 million.