Two race cars free-style drifting in a circut

A Sneak Peek at Qatar Auto Museum Project: Phase II

Past Exhibition

Qatar Auto Museum

1 November - 23 December 2022

While Phase I is still an ongoing exhibition located at the National Museum of Qatar Mawater Gallery, Phase II expands beyond the National Museum of Qatar to showcase the community and participatory component of the future museum. This exhibition celebrates the rich and distinctive car culture in Qatar through multi-site displays and experiences created in collaboration with, or by, our partners and Advisory Board members.

Phase II

November – December 2022

The second part of the exhibition expands beyond the National Museum of Qatar to showcase the community and participatory component of the future museum. This exhibition celebrates the rich and distinctive car culture in Qatar through multi-site displays and experiences created in collaboration with, or by, our partners and Advisory Board members.

It includes installations of unique racing cars at heritage sites, exclusive visits to private car museums and freestyle drag and drift performances at motorsport clubs. Highlighting the car as a common thread between diverse nations and a unifying vehicle of cultures, it offers visitors a unique opportunity to experience and learn about Qatar’s car culture, private museums, automotive collectors, motorsport clubs and national champions.

Participants in this exhibition include H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, H.E. Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Thani, Mr. Salem Saeed Al Mohannadi, Mr. Omar Hussein Al Fardan, Volkswagen AG, Audi Qatar, Sealine Sports Club (Mawater), Qatar Racing Club, Letbelah Museum, Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani Museum.

Participating locations:

Al Zubarah

25 October – 19 December

Al Zubarah is one of the best-preserved examples of an 18th- and 19th-century Gulf merchant town that has flourished as a pearling and trading center. In 2013, it was named a UNESCO World Heritage site. The site includes three major features, the archaeological remains of the town, dating back to the 1760s, the settlement of Qal’at Murair, and the Al Zubarah Fort, which was built in 1938.

Visit Al Zubarah and check out the following cars:

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2011 Volkswagen Race Touareg 3

The first generation of Volkswagen Racing Touareg was developed to compete in the 2004 Dakar Rally. It wasn’t until this third generation car that the Volkswagen Motorsport team won a place on the podium between 2009 and 2011.

Made to withstand the challenges of off-road rallies, the Touareg holds a 2.5-liter diesel engine TDI with twin turbochargers, reaching up to 310 hp.

In 2011, Qatari rally driver Nasser bin Saleh Al-Attiyah and his co-driver Timo Gottschalk clinched first place behind its wheel for the first time in Dakar. Al-Attiyah has claimed dozens of world titles and has been crowned the Dakar Rally champion four times to date.

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1990 Ford Bronco XLT

The Ford Bronco is often considered the first car model to be branded as SUV (Sports-Utility-Vehicle). It was introduced in 1965 and quickly became a motorsport favorite competing in various off-road racing events.

This Ford Bronco XLT is from the 4th generation (1987-1991). It has 6-liter V8 engine with 550 horsepower and automatic gear box. Qatari rally driver Saeed Al Hajiri competed with it under Rothmans Racing. Al Hajri won the Qatar International Rally six times between 1983 and 1992, the first two editions of the Middle East Rally Championship in 1984 and 1985 and was the first Arab to win points in worldwide rally championships.

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2022 BMW M2 CS Racing

The BMW Sport (a subsidiary of BMW) is known for making race cars that look similar to the average consumer vehicle - but the BMW M2 CS is anything but average.

A racing car with a number of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic components, a special electronic program and a 3.0-liter twin turbo six-cylinder engine, producing 450 hp and 550 Nm of torque, the BMW M2 CS is a force to be reckoned with. This car can accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in 4.2 seconds before reaching a top speed of 280 km/h.

Barzan Towers

15 November – 20 December

The Barzan Towers were built in the late 19th century, and were later renovated by Sheikh Mohammed bin Jassim Al Thani, founder of Umm Salal Mohammed village.

Make sure to visit Barzan Towers to also find:

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1972 Chevrolet Corvette

The Chevrolet Corvette is an iconic model that had a strong presence in the racing world in the 1970s. Also, it is known for being very popular during the “race to space” era in the 1960s as Chevrolet made sure astronauts were seen behind its wheel by letting them lease the car for as little as $1 per year. The Chevrolet Corvette is known for its performance and distinctive fiberglass body work, as well as its powerful 5.7 liter LT-1 engine that can produce 255 hp. This model is from the last series that featured chrome bumpers, a shiny egg-crate grill, side-fender grills and a removable rear window.

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1969 Chevrolet Camaro, Pro-Modified

This 1969 Pro-Modified Chevrolet Camaro was customized by Jerry Bickel. Pro-Modified is one of the most popular divisions of the drag racing sport, as these full-bodied cars resemble the original manufactured vehicle. Running up to 4000 hp, the best recorded elapsed time of this race car is 5.65 seconds at 408 kph. H.E. Sheikh Khalid Bin Hamad Al Thani and Mike Janis Jr won the NHRA National Championship in 2018 behind its wheels.

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1969 Chevrolet Camaro, Pro-Modified

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1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing

The Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing is one of the most important sports cars manufactured in the 20th century. Mercedes produced this model between 1954 and 1957. It was the fastest manufactured car in Germany during its time.

The Mercedes-Benz 300SL has a 215-horsepower engine and was given the denomination of 300 in reference to its 3-liter engine, SL for its “super light” tubular body, and “Gullwing” due to its distinctive top-hinged, up-swinging doors.

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1967 Ford Mustang

Ford began producing the Mustang in 1964 – today it is the longest-running model in Ford’s history. This model entered the racing world with the Indianapolis 500 in 1964, and in the same year succeeded in achieving first and second place in its class at the Tour de France.

This Mustang is known as the Elanor. It is a limited edition that was made after the 1967 Mustang Shelby GT500 for the film Gone in 60 Seconds (2000), starring Nicolas Cage and Angelina Jolie.

Mawater Warehouse at Msheireb

12 November – 20 December

Exterior of the Mawater Warehouse building. — Photo: Courtesy of Qatar Museums ©2022

Msheireb Downtown Doha is a sustainable regeneration project that revives Doha’s historical centre with a new architectural language that is modern yet inspired by traditional Qatari heritage.

Visit Mawater Warehouse at Msheireb to check out the following car:

Audi RS Q e-tron E2 car displayed inside the Mawater Warehouse. — The Audi RS Q e-tron E2 car. Courtesy of Audi Qatar. Photo: Courtesy of Qatar Museums ©2022

Audi RS Q e-tron E2
Lighter, more aerodynamic and even more efficient, the Audi RS Q e-tron E2 is the second evolution of the electric off-road endurance racer which secured four stage wins at the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia as well as winning its first desert rally at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.

It features an innovative drivetrain concept where a high-voltage battery is charged while driving via an energy converter, making Audi the first car manufacturer to use an electric drivetrain in combination with an efficient energy converter to compete for overall victory against conventionally powered competitors at the Dakar Rally.

Sealine Sports Club (Mawater)

The Sealine Sports Club (Mawater) is the home of freestyle drifting in Qatar. Visit the circuits to watch a freestyle drifting show by Qatari drivers.

For more information, check @mawaterqtr or call +974 5577 2296.

Qatar Racing Club

Qatar Racing Club is the home of Drag Racing in Qatar. The club’s official team, Al-Anabi, has grown to become one of the most successful drag racing teams in the region.

Follow Qatar Racing Club on Instagram (@officialqrc) for the most up-to-date information.

Find on Google Maps

Letbelah

Mr Omar Hussain Alfardan, president and CEO of the Alfardan Group began collecting cars in 1995. Over the years, his passion for collecting intensified as he actively searched for and acquired distinct cars and motorbikes that now form the nucleus of Letbelah, his private museum. The name “Letbelah” was inspired by a word rooted in the Qatari dialect used to refer to the shaded garage area where cars are parked.

The museum currently houses over 130 cars, 35 motorcycles, a collection of Vespas, speed boats and related memorabilia. Letbelah covers a chronological period which spans from the early 1900s through to today. The oldest car in the collection is the 1911 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost 40/50 HP Ceremonial Victoria.

Alfardan’s car collection comprises classic, contemporary, and supercars. His collection includes exclusive cars from internationally recognised automobile manufacturers such as: Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, BMW, Jaguar, Maserati, Land Rover, Mini, Fiat, Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Cadillac, Ford Shelby, Lotus, and KTM. The cars represent key moments in the social history of the world and were driven by historical figures. Furthermore, cars in his collection have received the first-place prize in multiple worldwide competitions such as the International Concours elegance competition and the Mille Miglia race.

For more information, email info@letbelah.com.

Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Museum

Built of local stone with traditional turrets, the building represents a collector’s piece in contrast to Qatar’s fast-paced growing landscape. With over 30,000 objects spanning over a hundred years and ranging in size, FBQ Museum could be seen as a modern version of a Cabinet of Curiosities, encapsulating the Sheikh’s personal collection, with a collection including Islamic art, Qatari heritage, vehicles, handmade carpets and coins and currency from over four continents. The diverse rooms and objects tell the story of Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim, his interests, as well as that of humanity in general. FBQ Museum’s car collection is a must-see for car enthusiasts. The perfectly conserved collection is filled with over 600 vintage cars ranging from convertibles to limousines and everything in between.

Make sure to check out the Car Museum section and book a tour in advance. Visit Al Samariya to make a booking.