MCLAREN RISING

From Dubai's Desert to Jebel Jais Heights

- RAMESH SOMANI

Dubai mornings have their own brand of theatre, skyscrapers glowing gold, engines warming up, anticipation thicker than the desert heat, but this wasn't just another weekend meet; this was a McLaren symphony, every model, every shape, every story lined up in a dazzling rainbow of speed. This was a gathering of McLaren royalty.

Every shape, every model, every colour — from the lithe Artura hybrids to the savage 765LTs, the futuristic Speedtails, and the timeless 12C that started it all. Their owners, a mosaic of personalities and passions, lined up at dawn in the heart of Dubai, each one ready for a pilgrimage of petrol and prestige. The convoy was more like a rolling art exhibit than a car drive. Orange, lime green, stealth black, and pearlescent whites shimmered under the desert sun as we shot past the dunes. Burj Khalifa disappeared in the mirrors, and the open highway beckoned.