In 1985, Abu Dhabi's first BMW showroom and workshop opened in Umm Al Nar. Founded by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Butti Al Hamid, Abu Dhabi Motors, which is celebrating its 40 years this year, began with a modest 24 employees, bringing the popular German manufacturer and its range of car brands to the UAE capital and Al Ain.
“The 1980s were filled with unforgettable memories and milestones,” Syed Faiz Karim, the chief executive of Abu Dhabi Motors tells The National. “Abu Dhabi was just beginning its transformation, and there was a real sense of excitement in the air. Every new BMW model arrival felt like an event – we’d gather around the car for a first look, joined by customers who often brought their families to share the moment.
“There was no internet, no social media – just pure word of mouth. As soon as a new model launched, orders would pour in – sometimes for multiple colours – simply because owning a BMW in the emirate was something entirely new and special.”
Abu Dhabi Motors wasn't the first BMW showroom in the UAE, though. That honour goes to Arabian Gulf Mechanical Centre, which opened in Sharjah in 1976 and later expanded to Dubai.
However, it was another German car brand, Mercedes, that made inroads into the UAE first. Abu Dhabi businessman Abdul Jalil Al Fahim opened a dealership in 1962, even before the Emirates was formally formed.
“Abu Dhabi, at that time, had nothing – no roads, nothing. There was no sense in bringing cars here at that time,” Al Fahim's son Saeed Abdul Jalil Al Fahim, previously told The National. “But my father was a good friend of UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and they shared a vision for Abu Dhabi.
“They envisioned that Abu Dhabi will develop, will change. And Sheikh Zayed emphasised on my father, who was a trader, 'why don't you start something?' And, he didn't know what to start.
“Then a gentleman from Mercedes was travelling around the Gulf and he was looking for representatives. He met my father, and my father didn't know what a Mercedes was then. I mean, there was no luxury service here for a Mercedes, and no roads here. But my father said, 'why not?' So he signed up for him and prepared for the future.”
Al Fahim's dealership came to be called Emirates Motor Company, and is still today the only dealer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.
One of Mercedes' biggest fans was Sheikh Zayed himself, who was often seen around the towns and dunes in one of his many Mercedes cars. “In 1968, Sheikh Zayed bought the largest order of Mercedes in the history of the Pullman [the limousine version] for courtesy cars to receive dignitaries and for himself to drive around in,” Saeed Abdul Jalil Al Fahim said.
“But those cars were a car for a pope or a king, for special occasions. Mercedes was surprised, and they were wondering 'where is this Abu Dhabi?' for 12 cars in a year.”
For BMW, the most popular car in the 1980s and early 1990s was the BMW 3 series, says Karim.
“For those who truly wanted to experience what BMW was all about, the 3 Series was the natural choice – combining everyday usability with the thrill of the drive.”
Technological advancements and faster logistics have completely changed the game when it comes to repairs as well as the arrival of the latest models.
“In the 1980s, repairs relied heavily on the skill and hands-on work of our technicians. Parts were ordered from Germany, which meant repair times were longer due to shipping,” says Karim. “Today, advanced digital diagnostics allow us to identify issues quickly and get parts delivered sooner. So repairs that once took weeks can now be done in days.”
In 2012, Abu Dhabi Motors made global headlines by opening the largest BMW showroom in the world, located in Umm Al Nar. Spread across 35,000 square metres, the showroom features dedicated sales areas for of BMW's car brands, a shopping and boutique area, a cafe and a private cinema that hosts new vehicle presentations.
Both Abu Dhabi Motors and Emirates Motor Company have since expanded far beyond their original showrooms, growing into full-service automotive networks – their histories inseparable from how the Emirates itself has transformed over the past four decades.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
FULL%20RESULTS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMiddleweight%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EEslam%20Syaha%20(EGY)%20bt%20Robin%20Roos%20(SWE)%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EWelterweight%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAlex%20da%20Silva%20(BRA)%20bt%20Bagyash%20Zharmamatov%20(KGZ)%20%0D%3Cbr%3EMurodov%20Samandar%20(TJK)%20bt%20Lucas%20Sampaio%20(BRA)%20%0D%3Cbr%3EShakhban%20Alkhasov%20(RUS)%20bt%20Salamat%20Orozakunov%20(KGZ)%0D%3Cbr%3EKhotamjon%20Boynazarov%20(UZB)%20bt%20Mikail%20Bayram%20(FRA)%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBantamweight%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EJieleyisi%20Baergeng%20(CHN)%20bt%20Xavier%20Alaoui%20(CAN)%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFlyweight%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3ERashid%20Vagabov%20(RUS)%20bt%20Lun%20Qui%20(CHN)%20%0D%3Cbr%3EYamato%20Fujita%20(JPN)%20bt%20Furkatbek%20Yokubov%20(UZB)%20%0D%3Cbr%3EAaron%20Aby%20(WLS)%20bt%20Joevincent%20So%20(PHI)%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECatchweight%20176lb%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EMark%20Hulm%20(RSA)%20bt%20Erkin%20Darmenov%20(KAZ)%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECatchweight%20160lb%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3ERustam%20Serbiev%20(BEL)%20bt%20Anar%20Huseyinov%20(AZE)%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECatchweight%20150lb%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIslam%20Reda%20(EGY)%20bt%20Ernie%20Braca%20(PHI)%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFlyweight%20(women)%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%0D%3Cbr%3EBaktygul%20Kurmanbekova%20(KGZ)%20bt%20Maria%20Eugenia%20Zbrun%20(ARG)%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
Saturday (UAE kick-off times)
Watford v Leicester City (3.30pm)
Brighton v Arsenal (6pm)
West Ham v Wolves (8.30pm)
Bournemouth v Crystal Palace (10.45pm)
Sunday
Newcastle United v Sheffield United (5pm)
Aston Villa v Chelsea (7.15pm)
Everton v Liverpool (10pm)
Monday
Manchester City v Burnley (11pm)
Scores
Scotland 54-17 Fiji
England 15-16 New Zealand
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League quarter-final (first-leg score):
Juventus (1) v Ajax (1), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Match will be shown on BeIN Sports
RESULT
Aston Villa 1
Samatta (41')
Manchester City 2
Aguero (20')
Rodri (30')
Fixtures (all in UAE time)
Friday
Everton v Burnley 11pm
Saturday
Bournemouth v Tottenham Hotspur 3.30pm
West Ham United v Southampton 6pm
Wolves v Fulham 6pm
Cardiff City v Crystal Palace 8.30pm
Newcastle United v Liverpool 10.45pm
Sunday
Chelsea v Watford 5pm
Huddersfield v Manchester United 5pm
Arsenal v Brighton 7.30pm
Monday
Manchester City v Leicester City 11pm
RESULT
Copa del Rey, semi-final second leg
Real Madrid 0
Barcelona 3 (Suarez (50', 73' pen), Varane (69' OG)
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 1
Alonso (62')
Huddersfield Town 1
Depoitre (50')
On Instagram: @WithHopeUAE
Although social media can be harmful to our mental health, paradoxically, one of the antidotes comes with the many social-media accounts devoted to normalising mental-health struggles. With Hope UAE is one of them.
The group, which has about 3,600 followers, was started three years ago by five Emirati women to address the stigma surrounding the subject. Via Instagram, the group recently began featuring personal accounts by Emiratis. The posts are written under the hashtag #mymindmatters, along with a black-and-white photo of the subject holding the group’s signature red balloon.
“Depression is ugly,” says one of the users, Amani. “It paints everything around me and everything in me.”
Saaed, meanwhile, faces the daunting task of caring for four family members with psychological disorders. “I’ve had no support and no resources here to help me,” he says. “It has been, and still is, a one-man battle against the demons of fractured minds.”
In addition to With Hope UAE’s frank social-media presence, the group holds talks and workshops in Dubai. “Change takes time,” Reem Al Ali, vice chairman and a founding member of With Hope UAE, told The National earlier this year. “It won’t happen overnight, and it will take persistent and passionate people to bring about this change.”
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hoopla%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMarch%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Jacqueline%20Perrottet%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2010%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20required%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24500%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
RESULT
Argentina 0 Croatia 3
Croatia: Rebic (53'), Modric (80'), Rakitic (90' 1)
Uefa Nations League
League A:
Germany, Portugal, Belgium, Spain, France, England, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Iceland, Croatia, Netherlands
League B:
Austria, Wales, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Ukraine, Republic of Ireland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Czech Republic, Turkey
League C:
Hungary, Romania, Scotland, Slovenia, Greece, Serbia, Albania, Norway, Montenegro, Israel, Bulgaria, Finland, Cyprus, Estonia, Lithuania
League D:
Azerbaijan, Macedonia, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Latvia, Faroe Islands, Luxembourg, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Liechtenstein, Malta, Andorra, Kosovo, San Marino, Gibraltar
Changing visa rules
For decades the UAE has granted two and three year visas to foreign workers, tied to their current employer. Now that's changing.
Last year, the UAE cabinet also approved providing 10-year visas to foreigners with investments in the UAE of at least Dh10 million, if non-real estate assets account for at least 60 per cent of the total. Investors can bring their spouses and children into the country.
It also approved five-year residency to owners of UAE real estate worth at least 5 million dirhams.
The government also said that leading academics, medical doctors, scientists, engineers and star students would be eligible for similar long-term visas, without the need for financial investments in the country.
The first batch - 20 finalists for the Mohammed bin Rashid Medal for Scientific Distinction.- were awarded in January and more are expected to follow.
