If 30-year old Ahmed Abdel Raouf could choose just one dream car to be his, it would be the Toyota Land Cruiser, namely the 80-series model from the 90's that was with him throughout his childhood.
"This beautiful car played a major role in my childhood, so it saddened me a lot when my father sold it," Ahmed says. "We could've kept it as a sweet memory at least but my father had the final say. So, when I got older and it came back to the UAE, I knew I had to get this car again. It was one of my dreams, and I made it happen, thanks to God," he adds.
Born and raised in Al Dhaid, a town in the United Arab Emirates renowned for its desert oasis, date palm plantations and fruit farms, Ahmed's fascination with cars began when he was eight years old. He used to play with a toy Ferrari while his father drove an Isuzu Trooper, which he cherished and considered a capable vehicle. Because of how much Ahmed spoke about it, people began to refer to him as the 'Trooper Man'.
Ahmed also expressed his love to car by drawing, which he did daily and even on exam papers.
“I would finish the exam and then draw cars on the same paper. Even the class teacher would tell me, 'Ahmed, there’s no need to decorate the paper. Just answer the questions and if you want to draw, draw on the empty page behind the paper'”.
Ahmed’s first car was a manual gear Corolla. Although it was an old car, what made it special was the manual gear and thrift.
“I got an old, manual gear Corolla and it was special because of the involving manual transmission. I drove almost around the entire UAE. I even went in some rugged paths. Funny enough, the man we later sold the car to started using the car off-road and people were shocked seeing this car, a small front-wheel drive Corolla going up sand dunes."
Although economical and involving to drive, Ahmed quickly decided it was time for a change, namely for the street credibility the Corolla had, or the lack thereof.
"Some cars have their own respect and prestige on the roads. With a Corolla, no one gives you that respect and importance on the roads.”
And so he transitioned to his second car, the Lexus LS 400. Ahmed thought this car was beautiful and easy to source spare parts for. And After a year of driving it, he finally had the budget to purchase the car of his dreams.
A black 80-series Land Cruiser with red and yellow stripes caught his attention online. More importantly, it reminded him of his childhood. So, he commuted 2 hours from Al Dhaid all the way to Al Samha, Abu Dhabi to pickup the car of his dreams.
Apart from playing an essential part of his childhood, Ahmed loved the newfound ability that would come with a capable four-wheel drive. A tough drivetrain and exterior meant he could now explore places he wouldn't be able to before.
“This was the first Toyota Land Cruiser model with coil springs on the axles and solid axles which are know to be stronger in the desert. One of the essential reasons I wanted a Land Cruiser because of the four-wheel drive that enables me to drive to places I was not able to go to in the town of Al Dhaid and the central region I mean.”
If Ahmed's Land Cruiser is a main character in his life's story, so is Al Dhaid. The old-school town in Sharjah has influenced his love for everything classic, namely old cars that "please the feelings of nostalgia", as Ahmed puts it.
Life in Al Dhaid is more laidback and the locals, including Ahmed long for it whenever they are far away from it.
"It became home, something I'm familiar with. People are kind and humble with traditions that are inherited from their parents."
Ahmed is not only interested in cars but he loves to collect old devices as well, like “PDAs”.
"I took a collection of those devices that were special, including the Ericsson R380, which was renowned for being the first smartphone in the world."
If Ahmed could describe his car in one word, it would be “Powerful”. It's powerful in the desert and he can easily drive on dunes as well as the roads, It will forever be his dream car and he will always choose it over again. This is because it reflects him and reminds him of his childhood, family and the beautiful memories they shared.
“There’s a saying that if you don’t look back at your car when you step outside, it isn’t your dream car. Every time I step outside the car, before leaving, I take one last glance at it. Until we meet again."
Ahmed decided to give his car a name that was both appropriate for the vehicle and vintage. He picked the name "Grendizer Cruiser".
“'Grendizer' is a hero from the Japanese anime that was famous in the 70’s and 80’s. I felt like it suited the car. It’s a strong car, miraculous and helps people discover new places. It also has red stripes on the bumper paired with a steel off-road bumper, which all make it look like a superhero.
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