What's the news?
Lightweight, capable of racing up dunes better than anything else and named after a rapid snake - this outlandish creation could only have come from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), naturally.
It's called the Zarooq Sand Racer (ZSR), and it has come about thanks to the input of three motorsport and business professionals who are the company's directors: Mohammed Al Qadi, the former senior director of operations for Yas Marina Circuit who has organised national and international events in the UAE for 15 years; Bruno Lafitte, nephew of Jacques Lafitte, a professional driver who has raced in Formula Ford, Formula Renault and Formula 3; and Iannis Mardell, who is associated with a Formula 1 racing school, which has brought on more than 30 F1 racers.
Al Qadi said: "There's a huge demand today for a potent sand racer, tailored for our desert. You have big 4x4s, which are bulky, and you have buggies that are open and not the safest or most practical, or you have recreational all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) that are not initially made for racing. We have everything we need in the UAE to build the ultimate high-performance desert racing car and make it an international success."
Named after the Schockari Sand Racer (in Emirati, the Zarooq), a rapid and agile desert snake, the car will be road-legal but capable of racing in off-road championships. It will be hand-built in workshops in Dubai and is tailored to the harsh, arid environment with a closed cockpit equipped with air-conditioning.
The ZSR was designed by the man behind the Lykan Hypersport - the star of Fast and Furious 7 - Anthony Jannarelly, and will be made in partnership with JJ Special. Campos Racing GP2, winners of the Formula E World Championship, had a hand in the chassis and the ZSR has a mid-mounted engine, as well as enough suspension travel (between 350- and 450mm) to ensure stability when jumping and landing. The inside is clothed in carbon fibre and as it is hand-made, the JSR has the option of many bespoke additions - including performance, infotainment, equipment or even the body shell shape.
Lafitte says that the company "set out to build a racing car - nothing less!", and it's kind of hard to argue with that sentiment when you see the bare basic stats. The motor will be a 3.5-litre V6, capable of anything from 300- to 500hp, and the whole thing weighs 950kg.
Anything else?
There will be a dedicated single-make championship in the UAE for the ZSR, with maintenance and racing packages available. Zarooq is also investing in a Dubai off-road racing circuit so people can trial the car in a reasonably safe environment: "The track will allow UAE residents and companies, as well as foreign visitors, to try the Zarooq Sand racer for themselves," Mardell explains. "There will be 'arrive-and-drive' offers as well as corporate event facilities and we will also be launching an off-road racing school."
ZSRs can be pre-ordered now, with first deliveries expected in early 2016, with the first 20 cars being Special Inaugural Editions. Pricing is anything between $80,000 and $160,000, depending on spec and options, although of course there are no Irish prices - well, not a lot of sand dunes in Kilkenny, eh?
The ZSR will get its official launch at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November.