NoFilter DXB weekend features Dh27m Lamborghini Centenario and drift racing

Dubai Harbour stages first big event as motor show has a new urban feel

A driver shows off his drifting skills at the turbo-charged motor show. EPA

Supercars will be on display at NoFilter DXB, a revamped version of Dubai International Motor Show. Photo: NoFilter DXB

High-octane cars on display at NoFilter DXB. EPA

Visitors inspect the exhibition of NoFilterDXB outdoor urban motoring festival as the new phase of Dubai International Motor Show in Dubai, United Arab Emirats on 24 November 2021. NoFilterDXB festival is running from 24 till 27 November 2021. EPA / ALI HAIDER

Visitors check out a sleek Bugatti at the NoFilter DXB event. EPA

Antique cars will also be on display. Photo: NoFilter DXB

The Ineos Grenadier 4x4 prototype will be seen for the first time at NoFilter DXB. Photo: NoFilter DXB

A supercar parade will take place at NoFilter DXB. Photo: NoFilter DXB

The event will also feature the RedBull Drift Zone. Photo: NoFilter DXB

Petrol heads will be captivated by a high-powered roster of supercars over the next three days. EPA

A weekend of drifting and bike stunts are in store for visitors to the NoFilter DXB lifestyle festival as Dubai Harbour's first big event kicks into gear this weekend.

High-performance sports cars will line up alongside street art, musical concerts and adrenalin sports displays as the International Dubai Motor Show unveils a new look for 2021.

The car exhibition has been one of the most popular annual events in the Dubai calendar in recent years, and a mainstay since 1989.

But like many other conferences, the show was sidelined by Covid-19 in 2020.

This year it is back with a bang – with a new urban feel and a weekend of public events.

The NoFilter event got under way on Wednesday and will be shifting into the fast lane in time for the weekend.

Previous shows featured expensive line-ups of luxury vehicles, from the world’s fastest electric car the Aspark OWL to custom-made, bulletproof limousines and off-road vehicles made for the battlefield.

Historically staged at Dubai World Trade Centre as a five-day commercial event, the show has a new home for 2021 at Dubai Harbour.

The port officially opened to take its first cruise ship passengers on Thursday, a year later than scheduled due to the global pandemic that brought the industry to a crunching halt.

It promises to be a lively weekend for visitors on cruise liners arriving in Dubai, as the NoFilter DXB festival gets into full swing with supercar parades and the latest motorsport innovations.

Set against the stunning backdrop of Dubai Marina, visitors can strap themselves into a high-performance sports car as a stunt driver takes them on a drift racing demonstration.

As one of only 20 in the world, the Dh27 million ($7.3m) Lamborghini Centenario will be on public display for the first time in the region.

The car is based on the Lamborghini Aventador, which was unveiled at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show to commemorate the 100th birthday of the company's founder, Ferruccio Lamborghini.

The limited production Centenario has a top speed of 350kph and is the highlight of a string of cars on show.

Limited-edition motors, classics and rare sports vehicles belonging to car clubs across the UAE will feature at the event.

A nod towards urban street culture is a fresh addition to the show and brings basketball displays, stunt bikes, skateboarding, street art and graffiti alongside the region’s first floating football pitch.

Gates open from 11am until 10pm on Friday and Saturday, November 26 to 27, with tickets priced from Dh30.