Arabian Gulf Adventure tour culminates at Atlantis in Dubai

The historic cars, coming in from the penultimate leg of the tour in Muscat, Oman, were welcomed at the Hatta crossing by tour organizer Peter Cameron and will be on display for the general public until March 12 at the west-end car park of Atlantis hotel before being shipped out to their respective countries of origin.

The Arabian Gulf Adventure, a Rolls Royce and Bentley car owners' tour, is the first tour of its type in the Middle East.

The Arabian Gulf Adventure has now made stops in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Oman, and finally Dubai over a three-week period. Over 70 cars were involved in the tour which is only the third rally of its kind in the world. Similar tours were organized in Malaysia in 2001 and Borneo in 2005.

FIA Vice President for Sport Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who is also President of the Automobile & Touring Club of the UAE, an active member of the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens (FIVA), the world governing body for vintage vehicles, said: "It is our privilege to welcome the Arabian Gulf Adventure team and play host to these magnificent vintage cars.

"I am sure vintage vehicle owners in the UAE, and there are thousands of them here, will relish the opportunity to get up close to some of the most rare cars that Rolls-Royce has rolled out since its inception when the first model emerged in 1904."

Sulayem said that the ATCUAE, as the official representative of FIVA in the UAE, was happy to extend all support - from logistics and permits to customs clearing formalities - in order to ensure that the tour had a smooth ride on its final leg in Dubai.

During an informal meeting with a gathering of vintage vehicle owners at the Atlantis, Sulayem said he had their interests at heart and that the ATCUAE is in talks with officials from the Ministry of Interior on how best to evolve a law that regulates the registration and use of vintage vehicles.

Briefly elaborating on the issues involved, Sulayem said both the ATCUAE and Ministry of Interior were trying to find a solution whereby the interests of vintage vehicle owners are served best by not comprising the safety of the people on the streets.

"As a vintage car collector and enthusiast myself, I obviously want these beautiful vehicles and their owners accorded due respect,"

he said.

noting: "Vintage vehicles also play a significant in promoting the tourism sector, something that we are looking for. A viable, conducive law on vintage vehicles will ultimately be to the benefit of all concerned parties."

FIVA, founded in 1966, represents the interests of historic vehicle enthusiasts within a number of different countries and currently has over 75 member organizations under its umbrella in more than 50 countries worldwide, which in turn represent more than one million historic vehicle enthusiasts.

Tour organizer Cameron thanked all the sponsors involved and reiterated that the tour would not have been possible without the support and logistics of a number of individuals and companies.

The oldest Rolls-Royce on display at the Atlantis will be the 1912 Silver Ghost, and keeping it company will likely be the more technologically advanced Phantom Silver Ghost.