Motoring Paradise

A trip to Dubai with a track experience and all things automotive? That is exactly what Anagh Bhaskar did as he went around to experience the sheer bliss that the city provides for automotive enthusiasts

- Anagh Bhaskar

As I got delegated to attend Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism's familiarization trip for automotive journalists, I couldn't hold in my excitement as Dubai is the place if you're a fan of everything automotive. The sprawling metropolis is home to cars of all kinds and make, from Lamborghinis, Ferraris and even ultra rare Bugattis and Koenigseggs to iconic heritage models, which one can see strolling around downtown at night. Seeing the exotic machines was definitely exciting, but the actual reason for my elation was the opportunity for my first real racetrack experience.

The Dubai Autodrome is an FIA Grade 1 sanctioned 5.4km track which opened in 2004, and has since then held annual motorsport events of various types including endurance racing as well as Grands Prix. When it isn't being used for events, the track is open to the public to choose from a selection of cars at the track to drive themselves or enjoy passenger hot laps with expert drivers. I got the opportunity to drive the BMW M240i at the club circuit, which is a smaller configuration measuring 4.1km.

After a mandatory safety briefing, I was escorted to the pit garage to check out the car I would be driving.

The BMW M240i xDrive uses the same powertrain as the BMW M340i sold here in India, which means that it comes with the 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder petrol making 374bhp and 500Nm of torque which is sent to all the wheels via the xDrive AWD system.