“It’s equivalent to a canvas and I use the car as a canvas to paint who I am as a person,” expressed Issa Salem, a car lover since the age of 8. His love for cars from a young age was heavily influenced by the rich car culture in Abu Dhabi, which is also home to some of the most novel collections, namely that of Sheikh Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, which was a part of the Guinness World Records.
Issa’s love for car has evolved throughout the years and he didn’t exactly start from humble beginnings. His first car was a 2009 Lexus LX570. Starting off life as the family car and mostly driven by his mother on city streets, Issa acquired it when he was about to turn 18. And as time progressed, he modified it many ways.
Since the LX570 is based off the Toyota Land Cruiser, Issa sees it as more than a luxury car, but a tough and versatile SUV that can play very different roles.
“First it was a family car, then I turned it into a race car then into an off-road car and then back again to a family car,” Issa explains with a wide grin on his face. “It’s basically a Land Cruiser, but with a prettier face and elegant interior. In the Gulf we call it, [in Arabic] ‘Land Cruiser with makeup’,” he adds.
Cars meant something different to Issa throughout his life and they reflected his character as he developed. “When I was younger, I would say I was a bit shallower in that I just wanting to compete impress others. That quickly was reflected in the car I drove and how it looked.”
He invested a lot in his first car as he wanted to be the fastest and the best. “I saved up as much money as I could and got a 1.9 liter Magnusson Supercharger. I also kept getting wider wheel spacers from H&R so the wheels would pop out the sides more,” he explains.
As a result, his car gave off the impression that he was someone aggressive and wanted to be faster and meaner. This did change as he got a little older. Issa wanted his next car to be more about bettering himself and expressing himself in a more elegant and subtle way to others. The car he owns now is a 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser. At first glance, it looks normal and unassuming, but Issa assures us, it is anything but.
“You could say I’m building it to be a ‘sleeper’, a car that is unassuming but is actually high performance, whether you’re talking about speed or off-road capability. I relate to this as I like to be below the radar myself. And if I could describe my car in word it would be ‘versatile’ and it says the same thing about me.”
Built to meet his thirst for adventure, Issa has added a list of off-roading essentials.
“I have a set 2.5 King Shocks that have been revalved and reshimmed to be stiffer and more aggressive. I’ve also got Total Chaos upper control arms. My latest addition were the Dakar17-inch wheels from braid with a set of big Geolander tires by Yokohama. Moving into electricity, I have a Baja Design S8 light tucked behind the grille, two Squadron Pros, a rear chase light from a Kenwood CB radio for communication.”
Issa was never a huge fan of sports car as he’s always loved functionality and the way he modifies his car is a reflection of that.
“Everything I’ve done with cars in the scene has contributed to my growth and allowed me to express myself. For instance, when I was younger, I think I didn’t mind being louder more aggressive and competitive, but as I grew older I knew that us wasn’t the only way. As I had more commitments like university and work, I had to make sure my car was my canvas but also ready to get me where I need to be, and cost effectively. That doesn’t mean the hobby dies. It stays but the way you enjoy it changes a bit.”
For Issa, cars are not just his hobby but a learning experience and creative outlet because modifying cars isn’t easy. It takes a lot of creativity and problem solving. This enhanced Issa in other parts of his life like university and his career as a multimedia editor.
He did however, face his fair share of challenges. Issa used to overthink a lot and be worried about every detail.
“If I got one scratch on the car or something was out of place I would freak out about it. It would consume me but when I started getting into off-roading, I discovered that scratches and small damages can’t be avoided sometimes and it is part of the hobby and a part of life. I loved the sport so much, I learned not to mind it.”
He does however, feel the car scene is often undermined from being an art and truly a sport.
“There are a lot of sophisticated car clubs and a respectable car culture in the UAE, yet a lot of trouble makers are straining the car culture, making it look dangerous. A message I have for the car community is to continue to beautifying the road and continue enjoying the hobby, but please make sure you keep it true to what it is: something that is beautiful and fun for a lot of us. It’s something we can express ourselves. I would also say to make sure to be responsible and to set a good example in how we enjoy cars. Show people what the car culture really is: an art.”
While Issa compares his car to Mark Wahlberg because of its athleticism and muscular appearance, his friends call it the hitman.
“And the reason they call it the hitman is because its black and unassuming. So, it’s like the classic suit a hitman would wear to look elegant but is actually quite tough. In my case, my Land Cruiser goes to the desert, creates chaos and then casually drives away and looks classy doing it all…. just like a hitman when doing their job.”
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