The Michelin man is about to embrace the capital.
The tyre giant is rolling out five branches of its one-stop shops in Abu Dhabi as it caters to surging demand.
The company has opened five TyrePlus branches in the capital, which offer customers extra services such as braking or air-conditioned refilling.
"The customer needs more than just a tyre change, so we train the technicians here as well in oil change and brakes and shock absorbers, all of the ancillary works alongside tyres," said Christopher Preston, the chief executive of Al Fahim's automotive division, which distributes Michelin Tyres in cooperation with Central Motors & Equipment.
"What that means is not only can the customer get a full service here, but we can identify all of the safety and maintenance issues when he comes for the tyres," he added.
TyrePlus, a franchise of Michelin, already has 30 branches in the Arabian Gulf, 10 of them in Dubai, which it entered in 2008.
"We wanted first to find the best location and be sure that our model is really successful for the dealers, so we started in Dubai as the headquarters was in Dubai so it's easier to control and monitor everything," said Herve Skrzypczak, TyrePlus franchise manager for Africa, India and the Middle East.
"We adjusted all the standard operational procedures coming from the rest of the world. We first stabilised the results in Dubai and then we can start to expand the network when we are sure that it's successful," he added.
Tyre sales are a competitive business in the UAE, where hot temperatures mean drivers have to change them regularly. But the extra services offered by TyrePlus as well as its locations, two of which are downtown in Abu Dhabi's Al Bateen and Salam areas, may set the company apart.
"There is a move to move all car maintenance out to the Mussaffah area and the municipality is very cautious about allowing other works," Mr Preston noted.
The company aims to increase its presence to around 15 branches in Abu Dhabi over the next three or four years.