$450,000 off-road dune runner

It might look like a modern rendition of the Lamborghini LM002, the original SUV made by the Italian supercarmaker, but this new off-road vehicle in fact comes from the Middle East. This is the new Zarooq Sand Racer 500 GT, the latest iteration of the Emirati off-road, street-legal supercar. Almost two years back, the UAE-based company introduced the Sand Racer for the first time when it was planned to be a competition and street-legal car, powered by a V6 engine.

The Sand Racer 500GT is powered by a 6.2-liter V8 engine lifted out of the Corvette Stingray, but the power has been bumped by a couple of horses to take the total output to 525 horsepower. Unlike other off-road vehicles, the Sand Racer 500GT has rear wheel drive only like sand rail buggies and Dakar rally cars. The suspension travel of the car is up to 45cm thanks to Dakar-spec Intrax dampers, and there are two height settings: road and sand.

Thanks to a carbon fiber body and built in roll cage, the Sand Racer 500 GT weighs only 2,645-lb, which helps it propel the off-roader from 0-60 mph in under four seconds. On the inside, the car features two carbon-fiber seats, a digital dash and hand-stitched leather made by Mansory in Germany. Zarooq plans to make 35 Sand Racers in 500 GT specification, priced at $450,000.

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