UAE-based Zarooq Motors shows 500-hp off-road coupe

Zarooq Motors\' Sand Racer was designed specifically to hit the dunes around Dubai.

Zarooq Motors, a startup automaker based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has published more details about a performance-focused coupe designed specifically to hit the dunes.

Called Sand Racer, Zarooq's first car was penned by Anthony Jannarelly, the man who designed the Lykan Hypersport that famously starred in Fast & Furious 7. The computer-generated images suggests the coupe gets a tall front end with a muscular-looking bumper and thin headlights, a long hood, rakish A-pillars, round tail lamps and a sleek, fastback-like roof line.

Interior pictures haven't been published yet. However, Zarooq promises the Sand Racer boasts a well-appointed cockpit with room for two adults and all of the modern creature comforts buyers expect to find in a high-end car such as A/C -- a must out in the desert--, cup holders, and an infotainment system.

Power comes from a rear-mid-mounted 3.5-liter V6 engine that can be tuned to make anywhere between 300 and 500 horsepower, though the engine's origins haven't been revealed yet. The six's power is transferred to the rear wheels only via a six-speed sequential transmission, and the Sand Racer boasts up to 17 inches of suspension travel.

Designed and built in the UAE, the Zarooq Sand Racer will make its official debut early next year with a base price of about $100,000. The company will begin testing the first prototypes in the not-too-distant future, and it predicts the first batch of 20 cars will be delivered to buyers in 2016. The Sand Racer will be fully street legal in the UAE, though whether the same applies to Europe and the United States is up in the air at this point.

What's next?

Zarooq's plans for the Sand Racer include exporting it to a host of global markets and launching a one-make race series that will take place on a special off-road track that the firm is currently building on the outskirts of Dubai.

The company is looking at launching a four-wheel drive version of its high-riding coupe, a hybrid, an electric version, and even a long-wheelbase variant with four seats. Ultimately, Zarooq hopes that the Sand Racer will spawn an entire lineup of high-end, off-road-focused sports cars.