by Amardeep Singh
FERRARI WORLD: WHERE AUTOMOTIVES MEET CARNIVAL TYPE RECREATION
“IF YOU CAN DREAM IT, YOU CAN DREAM FOR IT”. Picture this. Stalls and booths of classic and supercars parked in rows with kids testing them out. Miniaturized renditions of famous racetracks where you get to drive. A rollercoaster designed with Ferrari in mind considered to be the fastest in the world. What might seem like every gear head’s dream is actually one of the star attractions that shines across the landscape of Abu Dhabi.
The automotive amusement park is home to the Formula Rossa that has an acceleration: 0-240km/h in 4.9sec, 0 -100km/h in 2sec with a G-Force of 1.7Gs, matching that of an actual Ferrari supercar.
But that’s just the beginning. You could enjoy an ebullient change of speed and explore miniature Italy in a small-scale Ferrari 250 California, circa 1958 adorned with cityscapes to famous landmarks and racing venues like Portofino and the Amalfi Coast, Monza Racetrack, the Colosseum di Roma, Venezia, and of course, Maranello.
The amusement park was inaugurated in the year 2010 and is the world’s first Ferrari themed park as well as the largest indoor theme park. The design of the park itself is a homage to the classic double curve side profile of the Ferrari GT body. The United Arab Emirates has a tendency to overdo in terms of world records and even here there seems to be no stone unturned. The Ferrari logo that sits at the complex’s center, a stunning 65m x 48.5m logo, is the largest Ferrari logo ever created.
Top must see attractions are all centered around Ferrari’s extensive history including the V12, a flume ride, the G-Force tower, which takes visitors to a height of 62m, and the Pit Wall, where participants can make race-day judgment calls. Racing and driving simulators are available as well that might cause visitors to burn away some cash but its entirely worth it.
For the really adventurous, Ferrari World also includes the Paddock, which puts you into the shoes of a Ferrari pit crew on a Grand Prix day, and a museum that tracks the history of the car brand from its earliest days to its current unmatched dominance.
For car lovers and history lovers, UAE is a definite destination to visit and explore. And Ferrari World is just one of the several major setups that deserves a worthy mention. So why wait? Head on down to the heart of a country that rose from the desert to shine at the Arabian Gulf.
