W Motors is set to open the first hypercar factory in the Middle East | CNN (2024)

W Motors is set to open the first hypercar factory in the Middle East | CNN (1)

'Beast Patrol' from W Motors is billed as the world's most advanced police vehicle featuring license plate recognition cameras, integrated drones, and bespoke weapon holders

This is one of several vehicles that will be manufactured on W Motors new campus in Dubai that will include a factory, research and development lab, and an academy for training workers.

W Motors is set to open the first hypercar factory in the Middle East | CNN (2)

The factory will produce around 200 cars a year including Fenyr Supersports, the first hypercar to be manufactured in the Middle East with a top speed of 250 miles per hour.

W Motors is set to open the first hypercar factory in the Middle East | CNN (3)

The Fenyr being unveiled for the first time at Dubai Motor Show in 2015. The $1.4 million model has a listed production run of 110 units.

W Motors is set to open the first hypercar factory in the Middle East | CNN (4)

The Fenyr being taken for a test drive at the Goodwood Circuit in the UK.

W Motors is set to open the first hypercar factory in the Middle East | CNN (5)

W Motors' first vehicle, the Lykan Hypersport, is even rarer. Just seven were ever produced at the price of $3.4 million.

W Motors is set to open the first hypercar factory in the Middle East | CNN (6)

The Lykan featured in Hollywood franchise "The Fast Saga" in a stunt that involved driving through the windows of an Abu Dhabi skyscraper.

W Motors is set to open the first hypercar factory in the Middle East | CNN (7)

W Motors CEO Ralph R. Debbas (right), breaks ground on the new W Motors Campus in Dubai Silicon Oasis free trade zone in January with representatives of the Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority.

W Motors is set to open the first hypercar factory in the Middle East | CNN (8)

'Beast Patrol' is already used by Dubai Police, and will be rolled out to other police forces in the region.

W Motors is set to open the first hypercar factory in the Middle East | CNN (9)

The company will also produce electric and autonomous cars, having already produced the Iconiq Seven electric minivan in collaboration with Chinese partners Iconiq.

W Motors is set to open the first hypercar factory in the Middle East | CNN (10)

The same partnership produced the Muse autonomous car, unveiled in 2019.

W Motors is set to open the first hypercar factory in the Middle East | CNN (11)

Display panel inside the Muse for relaying information to passengers.

W Motors is set to open the first hypercar factory in the Middle East | CNN (12)

Company CEO Debbas hopes the new campus can kick-start a car industry in the UAE and wider region. "Somebody has to start," he told CNN. "Our goal is to lay the first stone to build the industry."

W Motors is set to open the first hypercar factory in the Middle East

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CNN

In 2015, W Motors achieved global prominence when cinema audiences watched Vin Diesel drive a cherry-red sports car through the windows of a skyscraper in the seventh installment of “The Fast Saga.”

The vehicle in question, a $3.4 million Lykan Hypersport with diamond-studded headlights, was billed as “the first Arabian hypercar” – although the Dubai-based company had it manufactured abroad.

For its latest trick, W Motors will attempt to launch an entire industry.

The first bricks of “W Motors Campus” were laid in January within the Dubai Silicon Oasis free trade zone on the outskirts of the city. The site will house the first hypercar (defined as a top-tier supercar) factory in the region, a research and development lab, and an academy for developing automotive talent.

The $100 million campus occupies 120,000 square feet – about the size of two football fields – and is set to begin operation in the final quarter of this year.

The hope is it can be a catalyst that sparks the car industry in the region, which has been underdeveloped.

“Somebody has to start,” says Ralph R. Debbas, the Lebanese-born CEO of W Motors. “Our goal is to lay the first stone to build the industry.”

W Motors is set to open the first hypercar factory in the Middle East | CNN (13)

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Dubai's first $100-million hypercar factory

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Jet fighter to Beast Patrol

W Motors, founded in 2012, started life as a producer of limited edition showpieces for wealthy collectors.

Just seven Lykan Hypersports were ever made. The company’s second model, the Fenyr Supersport – cheaper at $1.4 million and described as a “mix of manga robot and jet fighter,” by Car magazine – has a listed production run of 110.

The focus will shift at W Motors Campus. Around 200 cars per year will be manufactured at the site, of which 25 will be Fenyr Supersports. The rest will be split between police jeeps, electric cars, and autonomous vehicles.

The “Beast Patrol” jeep - billed as “the most-advanced police vehicle in the world” - comes equipped with facial and license plate recognition cameras, integrated drones, bespoke weapon holders, and driver behavior cameras to ensure officers are awake and alert.

“We have been working with police for two years to making sure their demands can all be embedded into one vehicle,” says Debbas. “This is no longer a car it is a tool.”

The model has already been added to Dubai’s eye-catching police fleet and Debbas says around 2,000 will be produced in the coming years, to be supplied to forces in the UAE and wider region.

W Motors will also be producing electric and autonomous cars at the new campus, having already collaborated with Chinese partners to produce the Iconiq Seven electric minivan, and the Muse autonomous car that was unveiled last year.

Debbas says the company will unveil its first solo electric supercar by the end of this year. He is tight-lipped on details of the new vehicle but says it will have a “futuristic aesthetic” and go on sale for less than $1 million. Increasingly, such models will become the focus for W Motors.

“The conventional Fenyr production will keep going but - bit by bit - we will be switching to fully electric,” says Debbas.

W Motors is set to open the first hypercar factory in the Middle East | CNN (14)

The Muse autonomous car, produced in partnership with Chinese company Iconiq Motors.

Building an industry

The second phase of the campus project after manufacturing begins is to establish an academy for training students in automotive disciplines.

Priority skills will include mechanical engineering, electrics, and artificial intelligence, says Debbas. The academy will seek affiliation with leading higher education institutions in the US and Europe.

The academy represents a step towards cultivating a viable car industry in the country and region, the CEO says, addressing a current shortfall.

“We have many challenges – first is a lack of knowledge,” says Debbas. “Then it takes time to build a culture and industry around it. Hopefully in 10 years we have many more companies.”

While the UAE is unlikely to challenge Western hubs in traditional car manufacturing, Debbas believes it could be a leader in the field of electric and autonomous vehicles.

The country does enjoy competitive advantages, says Simon Duval Smith, automotive industry expert and editor of eVISIONS magazine.

“The UAE is a particularly good area for manufacturing specialist vehicles,” he says. Advantages include “cheap labor costs, energy resources are cheap, lots of space for expansion – and a very attractive tax regime to attract engineers from around the world.”

The “fly in the ointment” is logistics, Duval Smith adds, as the UAE is not a fixture on shipping routes, presenting difficulties for the supply chain.

This could be overcome if a tipping point were achieved with enough manufacturers operating to draw suppliers to the region. “In the southern states of the US there was no car industry 30 years ago and now it is bigger than the Detroit region,” says Duval Smith.

W Motors is set to open the first hypercar factory in the Middle East | CNN (2024)

FAQs

W Motors is set to open the first hypercar factory in the Middle East | CNN? ›

W Motors Automotive Facility will become the first of its kind luxury hypercar centre for production in the Middle East when it opens its doors in 2022. The state-of-the-art facility will exclusively handle turnkey project production of all W Motors' hypercars as well as Special Projects Division vehicles.

What was the first production hypercar? ›

The Lamborghini Miura, produced from 1966 to 1973, is often said to be the first supercar.

What cars have W Motors made? ›

Based in Dubai, W Motors produces models including the Lykan HyperSport, Fenyr SuperSport, and GHIATH, a series of security and defence police vehicles.

Who owns W Motors Lykan HyperSport? ›

W Motors
Company typePrivate
ProductsLuxury automobiles
OwnerPartly owned by Ralph R. Debbas
Number of employees51–200
WebsiteOfficial website
8 more rows

Who is the king of hypercars? ›

Ferrari SF90 Stradale

The SF90, Ferrari's powerful hybrid hypercar is the badge's latest recipient, and things are a little different this time. This car has been popular among the car enthusiasts as the drag king. It is extremely quick off the line and keeps that momentum till reaching a top speed of 211 mph.

What are the big three hypercars? ›

What Makes Up the Holy Trinity? The Holy Trinity of hypercars is made up of the top three most powerful cars in the world to date. They are the McLaren P1, the Ferrari LaFerrari, and the Porsche 918 Spyder.

What is the most powerful W engine? ›

It is a machine of such immense size and power that it boggles the mind: the Wärtsilä RT-flex96C, currently considered as the world's largest and most powerful engine. But, this engine's story is not just about size, it's also about efficiency and innovation.

What is the Lebanese car in fast and furious? ›

The Lykan HyperSport are a series of sports cars manufactured by the Lebanese automotive company W Motors.

Who makes the W engine? ›

Volkswagen group produced the first W engine to be used in cars. The W engines layout has seen advancements as it can now hold 16 or more than 16 cylinders. Unlike V engines, the W engines can house three or four groups of cylinders connected to one or two crankshafts.

Does Jeff Bezos own a Lykan HyperSport? ›

W Motors' Lykan HyperSport: Known for its extraordinary design and performance, this car is a testament to Bezos's appreciation for unparalleled craftsmanship oai_citation:3,A Look Inside Jeff Bezos's $20 Million Car Collection – Beyond the Office.

What is the top speed of the W Motors? ›

Performance. The manufacturer claims a top speed of 395 km/h (245 mph), depending on the gear ratio setup.

When did hypercar start? ›

HYPERCAR. The Hypercar category, a joint project of the FIA ​​and the ACO, that back in 2018 was envisaged as the NEW top class of the FIA ​​World Endurance Championship, had its debut in 2021, but it wasn't until this year when these ruleset really came of age, attracting a raft of manufacturers.

Was the McLaren F1 the first hypercar? ›

From 1992-1998, McLaren used the F1 model to continuously raise the bar in the supercar segment, and many journalists point to the F1 as being the very first true hypercar.

What was the first ever Ultracar? ›

Meet "Chaos", the world's first "Ultracar" by Greek Hypercar-maker SP Automotive. Its engine delivers 3,065 HP and this thing costs $14.4 Million, if you have them would you buy it?

What is the rarest hypercar in the world? ›

Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina – Rarest Supercar of All? The P4/5 is a one-off supercar built by Italian design house, Pininfarina. It was based on the Ferrari Enzo and commissioned by James Glickenhaus.

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