It's one of Dubai's busiest highways. But for once, the thundering traffic of Sheikh Zayed Road is nowhere to be seen. Instead, lined up at the traffic lights are five cars, their high-performance engines gurgling impatiently. There's a Bugatti Veyron, Ferrari F12, a Lexus LFA, Lamborghini Aventador and... a Ford Fiesta, the kind of car more synonymous with ferrying youngsters safely to school.
But it's not any old Ford Fiesta. It's the professional rally driver Ken Block's 650bhp, AWD Ford Fiesta RX3, ready to do battle with the big guns. At the time of writing, a staggering 15 million people – the total YouTube views to date – know what happened when the lights turned green.
The drag race is one of the most memorable sections of Gymkhana, the series of viral videos showing off Ken Block’s incredible driving skills that saw its latest instalment shot in Dubai recently. It’s also one of the Gymkhana director Ben Conrad’s favourite moments.
“Ken’s Fiesta is a race-spec car, and a pretty powerful vehicle,” he points out. “But yes, even though we shot it twice, the Fiesta won both times. It actually happened, although the Bugatti gave it a good run for its money. It’s a good contrast, though, isn’t it? It feels down to earth.”
In a heartbeat, Conrad gets to the nub of why Ken Block’s Gymkhana series is so popular. For all the supercars in the latest film – including plenty in Dubai Police livery – it’s the fact that Block pulls off his stunts in cars and places everyone can relate to that makes the film so interesting.
“It’s wish fulfilment, in a way,” agrees Conrad. “I’ve been involved with the series since Gymkhana 4, and the spectacle is important – as is Ken’s driving – but the films have something tangible in them, too. So in Gymkhana 5, he had Bay Bridge in San Francisco to himself. In this one, he was driving through a deserted Dubai – things that you dream of, but can never actually do.”
Not unless you can get the busiest, most famous highway in Dubai – Sheikh Zayed Road – temporarily closed down. But this is what Conrad managed for his favourite Gymkhana 8 stunt, where an enormous Ford F-150 Raptor pick-up truck not only teeters down the centre of the highway on two wheels, but is then buzzed by Block’s Fiesta doing multiple burnouts, including some which seem to take place underneath the body of the pick-up.
“That truck is not made to go on two wheels,” laughs Conrad. But he says it was the logistics of getting the road shut down which were almost the greater feat, crediting the “enormous” help of Dubai Films and XDubai to provide the playground for Block to strut his stuff. Well, a playground with a time limit.
“We only had three hours to shoot that scene, and for whatever reason, whenever we schedule a film, the hardest, most difficult trick for Ken always seems to be the first thing we do. We are dealing with machines, so things can go wrong, and while you’re worrying about that, the traffic has been shut down, the clock is ticking, and we need to get the shot.”
If it sounds stressful, it helps that Block is an incredible driver. “Ken nailed that scene right out of the gate, so we got everything we needed,” Conrad explains. “He pushes us because he’s a pro and he loves doing these films. The more he’s driving, the better it is. It’s the same as working with an actor really – you want to keep them going, keep them in the moment.”
One of those moments in the film is when Block is careering his Fiesta around a moving Boeing 747 taxiing down Fujairah International Airport’s runway. Visually, it’s stunning – you half expect Tom Cruise to be hanging off the side of the Jumbo Jet. And while the preparation that goes into a stunt like this might appear huge, Conrad reveals that Block prefers spontaneity.
“Actually, that scene only came off at the 11th hour – we were still looking for a plane. Then an airstrip is a secure area, so getting the whole crew in there is difficult,” he explains. “The thing is, Ken has no time to practise the scenes. He’s doing them on the day, but I think that resonates. The audience can see that it’s dangerous and wild and not overly rehearsed or scripted. It feels more real – because the driving has such energy to it.”
In the past, Conrad has matched the gritty nature of high-octane driving with the feel of the film. But Gymkhana 8 feels like a step change. Immensely cinematic, there’s a neat storyline as Block blasts through sand dunes into the city, while the helicopter and super slo-mo shots lend the film depth and spectacle.
“To us, Dubai is a very exotic place – and also a place where you’d have to say the car is really celebrated,” he explains. “So the nature of Dubai led us to a more cinematic style, yes. Beginning in the desert, and going into the city, meant we could also play with all the different textures the region provides and really embrace them. Dubai is beautiful and futuristic, so the film needed to reflect that.”
Yet for all the popping exhausts echoing off glittering skyscrapers and salubrious addresses newly adorned with freshly burnt rubber, one of the most memorable stunts involves a completely stationary car. Right at the start, a cheetah jumps out of the front seat of Block’s Fiesta, and lollops into the desert. Is Block really that much of an animal lover?
“Ken was fine with it – I was more nervous,” laughs Conrad. “We had proper safety techniques and animal trainers, and he was only in the car for a very short amount of time ... but yes, it’s a real cheetah, and it was really in the car with Ken.”
It’s the kind of stunt – along with Block’s closing gambit of jumping into the sea from a helicopter – which might entice non-petrolheads to enjoy Gymkhana 8. If not, the super slo-mo edits in front of the Dubai Fountain will certainly turn heads.
“You sometimes want to slow things down to convey the precision of Ken’s driving,” agrees Conrad. “What we always try to do is translate what it feels like to witness what he does in person. And in a lot of ways, it’s operatic.”
motoring@thenational.ae
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BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Confirmed%20bouts%20(more%20to%20be%20added)
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Results:
CSIL 2-star 145cm One Round with Jump-Off
1. Alice Debany Clero (USA) on Amareusa S 38.83 seconds
2. Anikka Sande (NOR) For Cash 2 39.09
3. Georgia Tame (GBR) Cash Up 39.42
4. Nadia Taryam (UAE) Askaria 3 39.63
5. Miriam Schneider (GER) Fidelius G 47.74
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LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday Valladolid v Osasuna (Kick-off midnight UAE)
Saturday Valencia v Athletic Bilbao (5pm), Getafe v Sevilla (7.15pm), Huesca v Alaves (9.30pm), Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid (midnight)
Sunday Real Sociedad v Eibar (5pm), Real Betis v Villarreal (7.15pm), Elche v Granada (9.30pm), Barcelona v Levante (midnight)
Monday Celta Vigo v Cadiz (midnight)
Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
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Company%20Profile
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How Filipinos in the UAE invest
A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.
Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).
Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.