A sense of occasion. Sheer driving pleasure. Sensory overload. Changing landscapes.Take the above phrases out of context and you would be forgiven for assuming that I was writing copy for an infomercial. Put them into the context of the annual 1000 Miglia UAE Experience and things change very quickly. Let’s set the scene.
Imagine a Bentley Blower, a Packard V8, a Ferrari 275 GTB, a fleet of classic Rolls Royce cars, a gaggle of air cooled Porsches including an original 356A, a BMW E30 M3, two Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadsters, and another hundred cars of similar ilk. Picture them all carrying speed on roads that are probably younger than the cars themselves. The landscape doesn’t include a single skyscraper either. Instead, it’s populated by mountains, valleys, dry riverbeds, and sleepy villages, all bathed in sunshine.
Many of the cars mentioned above would be right at home on a Concours d’Elegance lawn, being enjoyed as objets d’art along with champagne and light bites. Take that notion, turn it on its head, and you’ve got the 1000 Miglia.
The original concept is a timed rally, with a route painstakingly mapped out by rally legend John Spiller, look him up, with checkpoints along the way to mark timed intervals. There’s a point that most participants reach, usually on the second day, where this timing is dispensed with and everyone just wants to drive. Swiftly, I might add.
The result is a fast moving time warp on some of the most beautiful roads the UAE has to offer, which allows the participants to take in the stunning vistas of the northern Emirates. They can’t focus on the landscape too much, however, as the co drivers usually have their heads buried in the roadbook trying to figure out which direction they are headed. The drivers have to deal with all manner of obstacles, speed breakers, goats, potholes, and the occasional tipper truck unaccustomed to these small machines darting around on rural roads.
The cars themselves form part of the adventure. “Reliability” is a relative concept, and while most of the cars made it home under their own power, there were a few roadside adventures where teams had to resolve issues quickly and effectively so they could get back on the road. Parts may have been ordered from other Emirates and delivered to hotels for a spot of midnight wrenching. One instance involved a blown driveshaft and an emergency relocation of the water pump on a 1927 Bugatti Type 37. The fix involved the driver’s leather belt, pure ingenuity, and a few other bits and pieces. While I can’t confirm the story, the team later won a “Hero of the Race” award, so I can only assume that it’s true.
The machines weren’t the only stars either. Notoriously stylish classic car dealer Simon Kidston was at the wheel of one of the 300 SL Roadsters, while world renowned Gullwing whisperer Hans Kleissl was driving the other. While following a rather spirited Rolls Royce Corniche IV up a mountain pass, it quickly became clear that the driver knew exactly what they were doing. In fact, they were so good that it was a privilege to watch the rather yacht like Rolls being hustled through the hairpins without a hint of tire squeal or lost traction. We later discovered that former supermodel and racing driver Jodie Kidd was at the wheel.
Take away the fanfare and the glamour and you get a multi day, multi city driving adventure with some of the most beautiful automobiles ever to see asphalt. These are machines that are meant to be driven, burning oil and fuel with exhaust notes that need to be heard in person to be fully appreciated, preferably at speed. That wasn’t lost on any of the participants, which may explain the abundance of smiles, laughs, and handshakes at the finish line a few days later.
Virtually every participant was sunburnt and exhausted from the exertions of piloting these mighty machines, yet none of that dampened the spirit that came pouring out of the cars and infected the waiting crowd. Every car was treated to cheers and applause as it came across the finish line, with the checkered flag signaling an end to the 1000 Miglia UAE.
In an era with an abundance of static car events, the 1000 Miglia is a refreshing change of pace. The caliber of machines that attend annually is only surpassed by the caliber of the participants, proper driving enthusiasts who want to enjoy their cars as intended when they rolled out of the factory, whether in 1930 or in 1990.
It is also noteworthy that all of this takes place in a country that most people associate almost exclusively with hypercars. Peel back that layer and you’ll find a thriving classic car culture that does its best to support events like the 1000 Miglia. Furthermore, it drives home the point that while modern performance cars are mind bending, the speed and the lack of sensation tend to get old very quickly. On the other hand, taking a classic out for a drive on a twisty road doesn’t get old at all.
Funny how that works…
