Motoring Middle East: Car news, Reviews and Buying guides

Aston One-77, Aventador, Ferrari FF, Merc SLS, Bentley GT Speed police cars

By Shahzad Sheikh

[UPDATE 6th February 2014 – Yep, it’s the one you’ve all be waiting for. It was almost inevitable. Presenting the latest recruit to the Dubai Police Supercar Fleet – the Bugatti Veyron]

Even in the highly fictional world of 007, James Bond would never be issued with an Aston Martin One-77 by Q Department. As the name suggests only 77 of these extremely exotic Astons were made, and all are sold out – each going for a staggering $1.7m.

Frankly speaking, you’d be fortunate to ever see one of these in the metal – perhaps at a car show – never mind actually on the streets. Well from this Thursday you will not only have a chance to see the 7.3-litre V12-powered, 750bhp, hypercar on the roads of Dubai – which some might have expected – but you’ll see it actually on patrol in full police livery.

Street racers’ worst nightmare? You betcha! This thing is capable of 355kph and a 0-100kph time of about 3.5seconds – there’s very little that stands a chance of outrunning this supercopcar.

Not that the new fleet of supercars now being run and operated by Dubai Police would necessarily be used as pursuit vehicles – as a general rule, the UAE police don’t engage in pursuits.

On the other hand this rare and frighteningly valuable Aston, plus the Lamborghini Aventador, Ferrari FF, Mercedes SLS and Bentley GT Speed are not merely show cars to be rolled out for ceremonials purposes or special occasions.

Okay, sure, I photographed four of the five above at a show – a Travel Exhibition – but that’s not exactly a coincidence. Logically it’s the perfect place to launch the Dubai Police’s high-profile superfleet.

Brigadier Anas Abdulrahman Al Matrooshi, Deputy Director of the General Department of Operations for Transport and Rescue, happened to be on hand, and confirmed that these cars are a fantastic PR tool for the Dubai police and Dubai itself, helping to attract and boost tourism to the holiday and business-friendly Emirate.

Ready for action

On the other hand, he also insisted that these were fully-equipped police cars ready for duty and action (each has been fitted with police computers and comms units) and would be used for police work, although patrolling mostly the high tourist-traffic locales of Dubai.

And he was quick to quash any speculation that these cars were ‘sponsored’ or donated by the manufacturers. Nor are they confiscated or ‘captured’ cars (in some US States the law enforcement agencies are allowed to use cars that have been seized during criminal investigations but are not part of evidence).

In fact Dubai Police has purchased each of these cars, new, from the manufacturers, apart from the Aston Martin – which of course is sold out. This one came from a dealer, and from other sources I believe it is an ex-Sheikh’s car sold to the police through one of the high-end exotic car dealers in the UAE.

Apart from police equipment none of the cars have been modified, ‘I don’t think it’s necessary – they are fast enough!’ said Al Matrooshi with a twinkle in his eye, and you know what? He’s right!

Each will be serviced by the manufacturer main-dealer, which will be fascinating because I imagine these might end up being amongst the highest mileage cars of their kind anywhere – particularly the One-77, most of which are barely likely to be used much at all.

Lieutenant Maryam Ahmed Rashed Al Kaabi, of the CID, and one of the police officers that will be patrolling in these cars also confirmed to me that they had had special training to drive these cars, here in the UAE, though wouldn’t elaborate beyond that.

The Dubai Police Superfleet

Al Matrooshi wouldn’t drop any hints, but just smiled and said ‘yes, possibly’ when I asked if more exotic cars would be joining the Dubai Police fleet – and the really cool bit? He didn’t flinch a bit when I suggested maybe the Dubai Police should have one of Batman’s Tumbler Batmobiles – ‘Well, why not!’ he laughed. I like the way he thinks.

If the Aston is the true show-stopper of the fleet, the jaw-dropper for me remains the Lamborghini Aventador. The $400,000 flagship beast features a 6.5-litre V12 producing 700bhp giving it a top speed of 350kph and a 0-100kph time of an eye-watering 2.9seconds.

Next in the hierarchy would be the Ferrari FF at $325,000 also with a V12, this time a 6.2-litre producing 651bhp and capable of 335kph and 0-100kph in 3.7seconds.

The Mercedes SLS AMG would be next up for me, $200,000 with a 6.2-litre V8 – with the red interior door panelling I’m guessing this is the GT edition putting out 583bhp with a top speed of 320kph and 0-100kph in 3.7secs.

Last but not least, the new $200k Bentley Continental GT Speed – the most powerful Bentley ever produces 616bhp from its 6.0-litre W12 engine giving it a top speed of 329kph and a 0-100kph time of 4.2seconds.

The coolest police cars on the planet

On the fact of it, Dubai Police would appear to have spent over $2.8m on a handful of not very practical police cars – although there’s probably been a bit of discounting for er… ‘fleet’ sales.

But what they’ve ended up with are the coolest, craziest, childhood-dreams-made-reality, in-yer-face, don’t-even-think-about-it, cannot-be-outrun surreal fleet of the most sensational and spectacular police cars on the planet. It’s like these cars somehow burst out of some Need-for-Speed-style street-race simulation computer game and repixelated into reality.

Even I refused to believe that the police could have a One-77 till I saw it, but I’m glad that they do, because it makes no sense, but it’s just utterly awesome.
To doubters I say: money well spent

Now every time we’ve put a picture of one of these cars on our Facebook page, someone always makes a comment about how that money could’ve been better spent on charitable causes or something more worthy.

Well I’m not unsympathetic to this view, really I’m not, but I believe it’s slightly misplaced when it comes to the United Arab Emirates.

Whatever the costs of purchasing and running this superfleet, the real value is in the amazing job they will do as brilliant PR and marketing tools for the UAE. They will and are helping tourism which is crucial for the Emirate (it earned US$4.5bn in 2011 and that’s predicted to increase dramatically over the coming years).

But as for giving back, here’s some more numbers for you – in 2011 the UAE donated AED 7.74 billion (US$2.1bn) in foreign aid, benefitting 128 countries. In fact out of the countries that donate Foreign Aid, this relatively tiny and young nation comes in seventh in the world!

And needless to say, they’re not exactly skimping on equipping the police, fire and rescue services of the country with the best and latest equipment and transport too.

In this context, say $2.5m spent on a cop car superfleet to help raise the country’s profile, which will increase the country’s revenue, which subsequently could result in increased Foreign Aid, and improved services and facilities locally, seems a really small price to invest.

So forget the maths and leave the commonsense at the door and just join us in rejoicing and revelling in the sublime insanity of running some of the most exotic and extreme cars on the planet in police livery – it’s the stuff of motoring fantasies!

Let us know what you think of the Dubai Police Superfleet below