The 1000 Miglia Experience UAE is a blend of automotive heritage and modern extravagance.
Dubai, a city renowned for its glitz and glamour, truly lived up to its reputation on a sunny winter morning with the return of the 1000 Miglia Experience UAE. Stepping into the Emirates Golf Club was a sight any automotive enthusiast could only dream of.
My eyes darted like ping-pong balls, not knowing where to look first. At the Sotheby’s auction area, cars worth millions of dollars were scattered across the lawns like loose change. I was in automotive heaven. Ferraris, McLarens, Aston Martins, Pagani Zondas – they were all there. My gaze landed on a particular gem: the stunning Jaguar XKE, widely regarded as the most beautiful car in the world, including Enzo Ferrari. The area was surrounded by a crowd of admirers, cameras flashing and jaws dropping.
Deeper into the golf course, I was transported back in time by another stunning array of cars. This is where the participants in the 1000 Miglia displayed a rich collection of classic and vintage cars. The variety was staggering: from iconic Mercedes 300 SL Gullwings to Porsche Carreras, Ferraris and Lamborghinis. My personal favourites included the 1928 Le Mans Bentley, the 1938 Le Mans Lagonda, the Ferrari 288 GTO, and, of course, the car I would be driving – the iconic Lincoln Continental, owned by renowned car collector Yohan Poonawalla – especially so because of its fascinating history.
Quick photo-op break with the Pope mobile.
Imported initially for the Pope’s visit to India, this Lincoln was later donated to Mother Teresa, who auctioned it for charity. The car stood regal in its original white livery, with red seats and fluttering flags. What made this even more special was that I’d be driving alongside Narain Karthikeyan, India’s first F1 driver. However, navigating a rally that’s all about pacing yourself, and that too alongside a seasoned racing driver, was a bit daunting. But I digress – let’s talk about the rally itself.
Hani, Perseus and I getting into the local groove at lunch break.
2024’s 1000 Miglia Experience UAE, for which people flew in from all over the world, saw strong participation from India. There were five teams. Yohan, attending this event for the third year in a row, brought two cars: the Lincoln Continental, which Narain and I were in, and the stunning red 1974 Jaguar E-Type Roadster, which he drove himself. Other Indian entrants included Autocar India’s editor Hormazd Sorabjee and vintage car guru Perseus Bandrawalla in a Mercedes 450 SEL 6.9, Arshad Jasdanwalla and Shapur Kotwal in a Porsche 911 Carrera S 997, and Hani Mustafa and Sudeep Koshy, who are both auto journalists. With 85 other cars in the rally, it was clear there’d be fierce competition, but there was a friendly side bet between this contingent.
The Mille Miglia was a legendary 1,000-mile endurance rally held in Italy from the 1920s to the 1950s; in the years that followed, it evolved to become one of the most prestigious events for vintage and classic cars, extending outside Italy, like this UAE edition. Day 1 at the Emirates Golf Club was a perfect introduction to this combination of automotive heritage and modern extravagance.
The Mille Miglia is still a true test of endurance.
However, it wasn’t all glamour and fun. The rally is serious business, and participants come from around the globe to compete. It follows the Time-Speed-Distance (TSD) format, covering 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometres) across the UAE. This year’s route took us from Dubai to Ras Al Khaimah, on to Jebel Jais, Fujairah, and finally, Abu Dhabi. Although the driver briefings and training sessions gave me a sense of what to expect, navigating a TSD rally after so long made me a bit nervous. Still, it was impossible not to be excited as well to be part of something so historic.
Yohan had generously lent us his car for the event, and his navigator, Mohammed Luqman, had arranged for his son and another car to support our camera crew. The cars were prepped and polished for the start, and the atmosphere was electric. Fans gathered at the venue to see the cars off, and Narain and I, along with our vlog assistant Rahul Kakar, drove across the start line, waving to the cheering crowd. It felt almost papal, as though we were royalty.
Yohan Poonawalla’s stunning Jaguar E-Type on the Jebel Jais climb.
But that feeling quickly evaporated as we left Dubai. The tulip chart (which guides the rally route) wasn’t as clear as I had hoped, and we lost our way. Getting back on track was a challenge, especially in unfamiliar territory. However, with Narain behind the wheel, we managed to recalibrate – albeit with a few speeding tickets along the way – and got back on schedule.
The first special stage proved to be even more challenging. It involved crossing a series of short, consecutive distances within a precise number of seconds. Every car was equipped with a GPS tracker that measured time to the hundredth of a second. None of us were prepared for such a quick-paced challenge, and as expected, we made several mistakes. Either we were too fast or too slow, and by then, Narain, who is accustomed to putting the pedal to the metal, was getting tired of my constant requests to “slow down”.
I had also misunderstood the event format. I thought that every control point counted for penalties, so I spent the day calculating, navigating and asking Narain to drive at a steady pace, which to him was alien. However, it let us really enjoy the stunning section through Ras Al Khaimah, with magnificent views and smooth roads.
Timed controls were tough to crack.
The Lincoln was a dream to drive – comfortable and luxurious – and the weather was cloudy and perfect for an open-top car. As we began to get into a groove, we hit the second special stage, where we made another mistake. This section required us to finish a specific distance at a pre- determined average speed. We wrongly assumed we could get as close to the finish line and then cross it at the exact time we had calculated. Needless to say, we botched it again.
By the end of Day 1, our results were far from stellar, with penalties piling up. We found ourselves almost halfway down the leaderboard, and Shapur had overtaken us from the Indian contingent. Yohan faced issues with his Jaguar but refused to quit and, with some quick repairs, finished the day. Meanwhile, Hormazd and Perseus seemed just as confused as we were, and Hani Mustafa had taken a more relaxed approach to vlogging the event.
Narain, with his racing pedigree, wasn’t thrilled about our standing. So, after some late-night studying of the results (which I mostly read in Italian), I began to figure out how the system worked. On Day 2, things improved. We got in sync as a team and learnt that only the two special stages counted for penalties, which meant we could enjoy the rally more. The open-top Lincoln made the drive even more enjoyable, especially as we crossed some breathtaking landscapes. The drive up and down Jebel Jais was spectacular, and with most of it being a slow special stage, we actually took in the views. We also finished the day in a better position and narrowed the gap with Arshad and Shapur. Dinner and lunches at the rally were always fun moments, with a lot of talking about the day’s events and how everyone had done, but also a great sense of camaraderie with everyone sharing a common passion.
By Day 3, a little tiredness was creeping in, and the rally was tough on the cars and the drivers. The weather had started warming up, and we encountered dusty dirt roads, steep climbs and winding sections. However, a long lunch amidst the desertdunes was a welcome breather, and everyone let their hair down or tied it back in the local headgear. It was a fun break from the otherwise intense competition. While things weren’t easy, it was long, too, and the route began to take its toll. Some cars couldn’t finish, and others were being helped, with people pitching in during a breakdown and even sharing parts. Yohan’s service team was invaluable, helping us sort out our fuel pump issues and ensuring his Jaguar pulled through despite serious challenges.
The dust and dirt of Day 3 had got to my throat, and by Day 4, I had pretty much lost my voice. The excitement of Narain belting the Lincoln around the Dubai Autodrome, which was part of our route, and catching up to Shapur in the Porsche was the last straw, and my voice finally totally went. So, we finished with a lot of sign language, and finally, after mastering the system, we managed to pull ourselves up the ladder and into the top third of the leaderboard. Still, more importantly, we won the little private wager, pipping Arshad and Shapur at the post.
Yohan Poonawalla won the Hero of the Rally award.
While none of us made it to the Abu Dhabi podium, we passed our nearest rivals, which felt like a victory. In the end, just being part of this incredible event, surrounded by passionate car enthusiasts and extraordinary machines, was a win in itself. However, one of us did score a victory; Yohan won the Hero of the Rally award for persevering to finish the event for the third year despite all the challenges his car threw at him.
Overall, the Mille Miglia UAE is a must-do for any car enthusiast. The event, the people, the cars, and the memories truly are the experience of a lifetime.
When time stood still
Driving the Mercedes W116 450 SEL 6.9 in the 1000 Miglia Experience was a celebration of classic cars and timeless engineering.
The UAE’s embrace of the 1000 Miglia underscores the region’s growing stature as a global hub for classic car culture, and the organisers, Octanium Experiences LLC, delivered a show worthy of the Mille Miglia’s great legacy. On Day 0 of the 2024 event or the day before the flag-off, the lush greens of the Emirates Golf Club transformed into an automotive catwalk. Chrome polished to a mirror-like sheen, original leather seats steeped in history and the unmistakable aroma of unburned petrol filled the air as some of the most legendary internal combustion engines growled, burbled and roared in a mechanical symphony. This wasn’t just a gathering of old cars. It was a celebration of obsession.
Mercedes-Benz, a staple of any classic car event, brought its usual star power to 2024’s 1000 Miglia. The brand was out in full force, with several 300 SLs – one of the greatest sports cars of all time and a perennial favourite at classic car gatherings.
The UAE’s good roads and superb infrastructure are a haven for car lovers.
In fact, I took part in this event behind the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz W116 S-Class, the car that revolutionised the world of luxury sedans half a century ago and elevated the Mercedes-Benz brand to near-mythical status. I would be driving the very sedan that reasserted Stuttgart’s dominance in crafting meticulously engineered, full-size sedans.
The W116 I had wasn’t a regular 450 SEL but the rare 6.9 variant. In the late ’70s, the 450 SEL 6.9 was the fastest production sedan in the world, a title it wore with understated swagger. Its 6.9-litre M100 V8 engine, a feat of engineering, produced a tidal wave of torque that could humble even modern sports cars. It was the quintessential autobahn stormer, and now, it was my steed for this grand journey.
From the urban sophistication of Dubai, the rugged mountains of Ras Al Khaimah and the breathtaking hairpins of Jebel Jais to the tranquil beaches of Fujairah, every mile was an incredible experience.
Jebel Jais, often hailed as the ultimate driving road in the UAE, was a highlight, and climbing to the top in the 450 SEL 6.9 was a revelation of how tidily this 50-year behemoth can behave on a twisty road. This wasn’t just a car; it was a battle-tested legend, and the sheer ease with which it devoured miles with reliability and grace was simply staggering.
6.9 V8 made the W116 S-class the fastest sedan in the world 50 years ago.
This S-class simply refused to age or falter, and it’s this dependability that you can bank on – 50 years on – that makes Mercedes a popular choice for events like this.
Due to time constraints, I could only complete two days of the four-day event, which was a real pity as I was just getting into my stride. But the 1000 Miglia isn’t just about ticking off checkpoints or clocking miles. It’s about the stories, the camaraderie and the sheer joy of driving. And for me, this magical experience was one big tick off the bucket list.
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