Back to Dubai: A Week of Cars, Camaraderie, and the Mille Miglia UAE 2024

Rediscovering a Place That Once Was Home, Through the World’s Greatest Cars and an Unforgettable Rally

Dubai – a city where the skyline grows faster than my waistline. Yes, I know, I need to diet and exercise (New Year’s resolution!). Erm… where was I? Ah yes, after nearly six years away, I finally returned to the UAE for the incredible 1000 Miglia Experience UAE 2024.

This young country was celebrating its 53rd Independence Day (yes, I’m older!), yet it’s a place that still feels like a second home to me. Being back after such a long time felt like no time had passed at all. It was strange, a little disorientating – like stepping into a memory that had started to fade but was suddenly made vivid and real again; previously faint but now familiar. It was all so confounding, and yet so comforting.

The City That Constantly Evolves and Takes You With It!

Back in 2006, when I moved here with my then-young family and made it our home, it embraced me and made me one of its own. My life here was a chapter where I found success (and failure), where I grew, evolved, chased and even caught dreams.

Emerging from the efficiency of what is undeniably one of the world’s best airports, I couldn’t help but greet this great city with an affectionate gaze and a chummy smile. And then, the city whispered back, welcoming me, reminding me of all that we once shared and achieved together.

Dubai is a place that never sits still. It reinvents itself regularly, unapologetically racing ahead while leaving its past in the rear-view mirror. But like any great city, beyond the sheen of the new and the shine of the façade, it’s the people that give it its soul. Over the next few days, it was the warm welcomes – the handshakes that lingered a second longer, the hugs that held tight, and the heartfelt smiles that said, “We’ve missed you” – that really got me.

It was heartening to realise that I was still missed, that the connections forged years ago hadn’t faded, even in this transient city. To be remembered in a place that’s always in motion, where people come and go as quickly as the seasons, was a reminder that true connections endure – a gift I didn’t realise I needed.

Reuniting with old friends, reminiscing about old times, and discovering just how easy it was to pick up where we left off was truly delightful. And just as importantly, I made new friends – fellow car enthusiasts and kindred spirits brought together by the spectacle of the Mille Miglia Experience UAE 2024. This wasn’t just a homecoming; it was a celebration.

The Mille Miglia UAE: A Motoring Metaphor for Dubai

What better way to mark my return than by being part of something truly extraordinary? For one week in December, I joined the team managing the Mille Miglia UAE, an event that takes the legendary Italian rally and reimagines it across the stunning city streets, desert highways, and mountain roads of the Emirates. It is the perfect metaphor for the UAE itself: a spectacular blend of heritage and modernity, of history and reinvention, brought to life in a symphony of revving engines and frantic spanners.

This wasn’t just about cars; it was about community and the thrill of driving great cars – hard. We’re talking about a spectacle involving 90 exquisite machines, a 1600km journey across the Emirates, and a whole lot of petrol-soaked passion. As for the cars, it was the crème de la crème of cool classics. The Mille Miglia UAE – think of it as Ferrari meets falconry, with a splash of Emirati exuberance. And somehow, I ended up smack dab in the middle of it all!

It felt like I’d been summoned back for one last mission by my old buddy and colleague, Imthishan Giado – one of the main guys at Octanium Experiences which runs the rally. Back in town, I was to help the media team, host the awards ceremony, create some content, plus – most importantly – soak up every ounce of motoring glory and car community camaraderie that this event had to offer.

Show Time: A Walk Through Automotive Nirvana

The Mille Miglia UAE 2024 kicked off in style at the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai, where the pre-event car show showcased a jaw-dropping array of classics, a veritable feast for the senses. From the dazzling elegance of an endless array of Mercedes Gullwings, the desperate grunt of a Pontiac GTO, to the sleek sight of a yellow Diablo, each car was a sight to behold, with a story to tell and an owner beaming in pride.

There was new stuff too, like the latest Lambos, the reimagined Lamborghini Countach – a divisive modern take on a legend – and a line-up celebrating the history of the Mercedes G-Wagon, including the first electric version in the country. There were Porsches, Ferraris, and even a classic custom Lincoln Continental used by the Pope in India. And then there was the Mercedes 450SEL 6.9, a car I fell in love with despite always being more of a BMW guy.

This was a reunion of motoring history, engineering excellence, human passion and automotive art.

The Media Cars: Legends with Code Names

I teamed up with Imthishan to look after the officially invited media taking part in the event, and indeed the cars they were to be using. We used to create content together in the past, first with Car Middle East magazine and later founding Motoring Middle East. So it was incredibly easy to slip into the usual back-and-forth banter as we recorded an impromptu walkthrough of what, to us, were the most important cars at the event – our media cars.

Our routine would involve driving and checking each of the cars after dinner and refuelling them. This would take us into the early hours while most of the media slept. On one of these nights, we managed to park together in a row, all but two of “our” cars and dubbed them the “best press fleet in the world!”.

Inspired by Gone in 60 Seconds, and so only we knew which cars we were talking about, we gave them all codenames.

“Fluffy” (1987 Rolls-Royce Corniche II): Driving Fluffy was like being on a cloud, the epitome of sophistication. You weren’t hurried, because you knew the world would come to you.
“Mr G” (1993 Porsche 928 GTS): A sleek black grand tourer, that was futuristic for its time, and remains captivating today.
“Demon” (1982 Porsche 911 3.2 Outlaw): I later renamed it “Little Bastard” because it was both a bastard and mesmerising to drive. Utterly exhilarating, it would either kill you or make you feel alive.
“Fanta” (1979 Porsche 911 Outlaw): A direct sibling to the yellow Demon, this orange-tastic version was the same but different. Louder, even more raucous, but not as eager, and easier at the wheel.
“Ronin” (1976 Mercedes 450 SEL 6.9): A rumbling beast of a car, rich with character and history. A robust tank that I somehow became besotted with. Lusty, indestructible, dependable and tuned to your frequency, whether you drove it, or rode in it.
“Batman” (1979 BMW 3.0 CS): Stylish, timeless, and shockingly modern for a 70s car. It squirmed under braking but flew when let off the leash.
“Bond” (2001 BMW Z8): Pierce Brosnan’s greatest BMW as Bond, this is the sexiest BMW ever.
“Monaco” (1968 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda): Another Merc I was expecting to be meh, but turned out to be meow! A peachy eager engine with a raspy scream, quick and nimble, plus beautifully presented, and really quite adorable.
Smoothie (1989 Mercedes 560SL): Driven by our celebrity media guest, automotive icon, Quentin Wilson, it was as effortless as it was sublime.
Miami (2005 Mercedes SL500 special edition): A relatively modern motor in this company, but potent, comfy, and with the top down and the stereo cranked, it was Miami, the car that kept the roof blazing!

As you can see, we had everything from the dignified to the downright insane, and they all added their own unique stamp to the Mille Miglia experience – they also all got home; relatively unscathed!

Driving the Emirates: A Journey to Remember

The rally itself was a masterpiece of route planning and logistics. Over 1600km, we traversed the UAE’s diverse routes from the rugged beauty of the winding Jebel Jais mountain road and the hills of Hatta, to the serene sands of Margham and the high-speed highway blasts to Abu Dhabi. The roads were breathtaking, the scenery unforgettable, and the cars? They were superstars.

I spent the first two days in the Porsche 928 GTS, the second half in Miami. But I also had the chance to try others: the Mercedes Pagoda that won me over with its charm, the Rolls-Royce Corniche that redefined comfort, and the fiery 911 Outlaws that demanded your full attention and brought out the suppressed hooligan in me!

An Exclusive Chat with Quentin Wilson

One of the standout moments of the week was my chat with Quentin Wilson, the legendary TV motoring journalist and car expert. He summed up the spirit of the Mille Miglia UAE perfectly: “This isn’t a poor man’s version. It’s not a second-best. It’s hardcore.” He was right and went even further calling it “life-changing” explaining what a rare privilege it was to be driving among such iconic cars. “Highly recommended,” he concluded, and you don’t get praise higher than that!

Closing the Week with Style

The Mille Miglia UAE 2024 wrapped up with an awards ceremony, which I had the honour of hosting. After a week of managing media, creating content, and living the car guy dream, it felt like the perfect conclusion to an unforgettable adventure.

Looking back, this week was certainly about cars, great cars, the ones you connect with, develop a relationship with and miss when they’re gone. But it was also about people, a diverse community from the rich to the dedicated enthusiasts, from local to influential, from here and from there, all brought together through a shared passion that transcends borders, religion, colour and politics.

For me too, it was about old friends, new connections, and the home-from-home that welcomed me back with open arms. The 1000 Miglia Experience UAE 2024, gave me an experience I’ll never forget. What a week!