Emirates National Auto Museum, where the cars (all 200 of them) are the stars


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A 1967 Pontiac Firebird, a 2005 Ford Crown Victoria police car, even an old Adnoc petrol pump are on display at the Emirates National Auto Museum, located about 45 kilometres south of Abu Dhabi city.

The pyramid-shaped museum, which houses about 200 cars, is home to only a portion of Sheikh Hamad bin Hamdan's vast vehicle collection, among the largest in the world, some of which has featured on BBC show Top Gear.

In many cases, large is the operative word, too, because in 1990 the biggest two-wheeled five-storey caravan was built for the Abu Dhabi royal, known affectionately as the Rainbow Sheikh, and was certified by Guinness World Records. It is 20 metres long and 12 metres wide, with eight bedrooms and bathrooms, four garages and a 24,000-litre water storage capacity.

You'll also find the largest motorised model of a Second World War Willys Jeep at the museum, as well as seven Mercedes Benz 500 SELs, each painted in a different colour, and a giant replica of a classic Dodge Power Wagon.

Here are just a few of the museum's highlight exhibits.

The sheikh has in his possession what is reportedly the world's largest pick-up truck – a replica of a classic Dodge Power Wagon, but eight times its usual size, and it's on view at the museum.

It has four bedrooms in the cabin and weighs more than 50 tonnes.

Standing almost 6.5 metres tall, this fully functional replica of a Second World War-era Willys Jeep is one of the museum's star attractions and was specifically commissioned by Sheikh Hamad.

It is said to be too big to fit inside the museum, so it's outside, next to the aforementioned caravan and propped up on wooden supports.

It was certified by the Guinness Book of Records in 2010 as the largest motorised vehicle in the world.

Sheikh Hamad's rainbow collection of just over half a dozen Mercedes Benz 500 SELs are lined up in the museum. He bought these in 1983 and each was painted a different colour – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet – by German company Styling Garage with matching leather interiors and gun racks in the boot.

This isn't just any globe, it's a recreational vehicle built in the shape of a globe and done so to one millionth the scale of the actual planet. It has 10 bedrooms spread over three floors.

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

WORLD CUP SEMI-FINALS

England v New Zealand

(Saturday, 12pm UAE)

Wales v South Africa

(Sunday, 12pm, UAE)

 

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Updated: February 12, 2022, 11:18 AM