Dubai’s supercar scrapyard is home to thousands of luxury vehicles that have been left in the dust after being abandoned by their owners in the desert. Some of the most expensive cars in the world, including Bentleys, Rolls Royces, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, are rotting in the scrapyard.
The owners of the luxury vehicles are believed to be businessmen who came to financial ruin and fled the country to dodge the strict debt laws. Most of the vehicles are dilapidated, but some are still in mint condition with spare parts that can be found at half price.
Many British citizens fled Dubai after the financial crash of 2012, as their incomes were no longer able to maintain their lavish lifestyles.
Under Sharia law, unpaid debts come with harsh penalties. Many abandoned their luxury sportscars in the desert and fled the country to escape those penalties. Some even left credit cards and apology notes in their vehicles.
The UAE is known to be extremely tough on crime. Those who have excessive unpaid debts run the risk of being put in jail.
The scrapyard, believed to be the largest in the UAE, attracts people from all over the world looking for a bargain on spare parts for their supercars. Many parts can be found at half the price. Several owners even left their keys in the ignition when abandoning their vehicles.
Between 2,000 and 3,000 cars are abandoned at the Dubai International Airport each year.
Dubai is still considered the supercar mecca of the Middle East. In fact, it’s common for Dubai car rental services to offer luxury and sports cars, including Rolls Royces, Ferraris and Lamborghinis. It’s on par with New York, London, Miami, Monaco and Los Angeles for ultra-exotic supercar sightings.
The lifestyle in Dubai makes it a favorable place for supercars. Locals are paid extremely high salaries and pay no income tax. The roads are extremely well-maintained and well-lit. Much like in other parts of the world, luxury vehicles are viewed as status symbols.
Even the local police have been known to own and drive Ferraris, Corvettes, Bentleys, Mustangs, McLarens, Porsches and Paganis. In fact, the police just added a new supercar to their fleet: the Maserati GranTurismo. The car has a maximum speed of 300kph.
The new vehicles will increase police patrols across the city. The GranTurismo is the 15th supercar to join the ranks of the Dubai Police fleet, which also includes the Bugatti Veyron which was given the Guinness World Record for the fastest police car in 2017. The Veyron can reach a top speed of 400kph.
