Simply Abu Dhabi XXXVI

D riverless cars and electric vehicles may be set to turn the automotive landscape on its head but for the enthusiast who’s not ready to go down the silent, driver-assisted path just yet, we can be thankful for Dubai sports car manufacturer Jannarelly Automotive. This UAE business is gaining worldwide recognition with distributors across Europe, the UK, Kuwait and the United States taking orders from aficionados who are hungry for an alternative, new sports car which offers the reliability you get from modern mechanicals but wrapped in a retro body and minimal driver aids. For the price of a Porsche Boxster or a BMW Z4, Jannarelly offers to bring weekend motoring back to its most pure and rewarding form. Founder Anthony Jannarelly wanted to build a sports car where the emphasis was on driving pleasure rather than tenths of a second and for it to be engaging at any speed. That’s not to say the Jannarelly Design-1 is not quick with a zero to 100km/h time of 3.9 seconds and a 230km/h top speed from its 3.5-litre, mid-mounted V6, but this car is about style and an enticing exhaust note which rewards all the senses. After spending a day behind the wheel, I was captivated as I soaked in its 1950s design themes which have been matched to modern Nissan mechanicals borrowed from the latest 370Z coupé.