Motoring Middle East: Car news, Reviews and Buying guides

Is it a mirage, is it an illusion? No it’s the car-loving eccentric Rainbow Sheikh’s extraordinary museum
By Mohamed Humaid

Situated out on a deserted road on the way to Liwa is one important locations for petrolheads here in the UAE. As the location is so far away from anything else, you would never assume the Emirates National Auto Museum even exists there.

The only giveaway to it though (and what led me accidentally to notice its existence on my way to Liwa) is a gigantic old Land Rover model whose nose is sprouting over the main road.

From a distance, one is fooled into believing it is just another old LR that, despite being the nation’s trusty stead years ago, happened to eventually give up and was left to die there. Such is the level of detail of this model!

However, upon closer inspection, this turns out to be a larger than life model complete with a grocery store and a restaurant. The grocery forms the lower floor, while the upper one is the restaurant.

Don’t expect fancy 5-star restaurant or mini-Spinney’s department store though, it is a lower than average grocery and the restaurant was closed until further notice. Noteworthy, the grocery store is called Bosta, which is the local word used to describe the beloved Land Rover.

Behind the gigantic Bosta lie some random bushes at the end of which an old Mercedes SEL can be seen. But it is not your ordinary SEL; it sits on what appears to be a Monster Truck chassis, creating what could probably be described as a Monster Merc. Monster trucks not luxo-oriented enough? Maybe. SEL’s can’t conquer all terrain? Guess so. Why carry out such a job? I don’t know. Does it look cool? I think it does. Does my opinion really matter? In fact, no. But, hey, this car out there sums up what this place is all about.

Near the car park where the SEL resides, there’s another two large models: one for Houdaj (Caravan) and one for the globe. These models include bedroom apartments, we hear, but were closed for public upon our visit.

As the writing on that SEL hints, this place houses the personal collection of car collector H. H. Sheikh Hamad bin Hamadan Al Nahyan. Just next to the monster Merc is the gate entrance. Fees are Dhs.50 per person and for this you’ll get to see and take photos for the royalty’s cars.

The collection is varied. Right after you enter you’ll notice the huge Dodge Power Wagon model (which also serves as an apartment inside). Underneath the apartment truck, sit many other real trucks while in front of it sits a real Power Wagon and yet a smaller model for the same truck.

There are several Cadillacs, Citroens, Chevrolets, Minis, and even specialty vehicles for everything from military to theme parks. Nevertheless, you cannot escape the feeling that the Sheikh’s true passion was for Mercs and American trucks.

He has several identical Mercs, each painted to a color of the rainbow with its complete interior painted to match (this is a wonderful job that covers the whole interior let it be seats, steering wheel, dashboard…etc.). Each car was for a specific day of the week, it is said. One Merc was painted with all colors of the rainbow and, as the Arabic writing on its tail suggests, was named Sarab (which translates to “mirage” in English).

The rainbow Merc SEL isn’t the only car with a name in the collection; there were many Humvees and other trucks that had names like Shoujaa (brave) and Dhiab (wolf).

The passion for American trucks is also apparent in a verse of poem on the rear flanks of a Moster Chevy that translates to: “I have a desire for the loud [vehicles] from America, high-revving and always leading”. The trucks include several Dodges, Toyota FJ40s, Nissan Patrols, Willys, GMCs, and even a white Lamborghini LM002. Other cars on display include the infamous Ford Model T, Queen Elizabth II’s Rolls Phantom, American taxi and patrol cars, and even dune buggies and a track-only Abarth.

If you’ve been tempted to visit, the coordinates for the museum are: N24o06’02’’ and E054o25’34’’.

Pictures by me – for more click here