Zarooq SandRacer emerges with 390kW V8

UAE-based Zarooq Motors has revealed the final production version of its mad SandRacer 500 GT, before first deliveries of the off-road supercar take place in the fourth quarter of this year.

First revealed at the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix in December 2015, the SandRacer was initially powered by a 3.5-litre V6 that Zarooq said would offer up to 373kW.

At the time, the company said production of just 20 examples would begin by 2016, with pricing likely to be around $US140,000 ($A184K).

Two years later, Zarooq has confirmed it will produce 35 SandRacers, a number of which have already been purchased by local VIPs, all powered by a GM-sourced LT1 6.2-litre V8 delivering 390kW/660Nm.

Combined with a kerb weight of less than 1200kg (up from the 1000kg initially indicated), that will give the two-seat, mid-engined, rear-wheel drive luxury off-road coupe extreme levels of acceleration performance.

However, pricing has also increased -- to $US420,000 ($A552K) plus taxes and options in the UAE -- and the SandRacer won’t be produced in right-hand drive, so don’t expect to see it in the Aussie Outback any time soon.

Zarooq Motors co-founder and French former F3 driver Bruno Laffite said the SandRacer is now ready for production following a series of mechanical and design improvements, and thorough testing.

“All supercars look fantastic, feature luxurious racing-inspired interiors and are exclusive high-performance machines, but their common denominator is that they are suited to racetracks and certainly not designed for speed bumps,” said Zarooq Motors co-founder, Mohammed Al Qadi, the former COO of Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina F1 circuit.

“Zarooq Motors makes supercars that are unique since you can take them on a weekend track day or for a luxurious commute in the city but also on any off-road terrain, even the toughest dunes of the Arabian Desert where they were born.”

The first production vehicle from Zarooq features a hand-stitched leather interior made by Mansory in Germany, and incorporates a digital dashboard, climate-control, Apple CarPlay-compatible infotainment, power windows and bespoke Mansory carbon seats and steering wheel.

“We have applied our design and craftsmanship know-how as well as luxury materials which we usually use on vehicles like Rolls-Royce or Lamborghini to give the SandRacer's interior and body a distinctively superior touch,” said Mansory’s Christian Verstappen.

Wrapped around a unique lightweight tubular steel space-frame racing chassis with two suspension height settings (road and sand) is an integral roll cage designed by Campos Racing engineers from Spain and a carbon-fibre body produced in Belgium.

Key components include a longitudinal racing-grade five-speed sequential manual gearbox from Weddle Industries, and Dakar-grade Intrax dampers with maximum suspension travel of 450mm.

“Our added value in working with Zarooq Motors is that we combined what is usually impossible: the quality and performance of a racing car with the practicality and durability expected from a road-homologated supercar which can be used as a day-to-day vehicle,” said Campos' Chief Engineer, Philippe Gautheron.

Zarooq says the car was tested and optimised via a series of virtual crash tests and physical testing on both road circuits and off-road by professional drivers overt the past 18 months.

“The technical choices we have made were driven by our objectives of providing superior performance on circuits, roads or any terrain,” said Laffite.

Zarooq has manufacturing facilities in both the UAE and Monaco, and says it has the capability to maintain the SandRacer in both the Middle East and Europe.

“We want to be close to our roots in the desert but also close to our customers and our strategic partners in Europe. That is why we are spreading our capabilities over two geographies,” said Al Qadi.