Dubai’s automotive calendar for 2025 showcases an impressive array of events that celebrate every facet of car culture, from underground street customs to prestigious heritage rallies. Here’s your comprehensive guide to the 11 most significant upcoming car events, focusing on what makes each experience unique.
AI Quick Summary
Dubai’s 2025-2026 automotive calendar is set to host a diverse array of events celebrating every facet of car culture, from custom builds and off-road adventures to luxury rallies and high-octane motorsport. Key highlights include the Custom Show Emirates, the Dubai 4×4 Expo, Icons of Porsche, and endurance races like the Michelin Dubai 24Hours. These events cater to a wide range of enthusiasts, offering unique experiences that blend heritage, innovation, and thrilling performance.
This summary was generated by AI using this article’s content.
Read Next
Custom Show Emirates
- Date: 17th – 19th October
- Venue: Dubai Exhibition Center, Expo City Dubai.
Custom Show Emirates 2025 was another successful Middle East’s biggest customisation event, uniting car and bike enthusiasts from over 15 countries in a thrilling display of passion, performance, and innovation.
The event featured everything from restored classics to high-performance builds, tuning kits, and safety gear, alongside electrifying live drift shows, stunt driving, engine battles, and custom build contests with major cash prizes.
Interactive competitions such as audio and fabrication challenges kept the energy high, while family zones and Kids Garage activities made it a fun, inclusive celebration of automotive creativity and craftsmanship.
DubiCars at Customs Show Emirates 2025
DubiCars was the official media partner for Custom Show Emirates 2025, featuring a dedicated pavilion where visitors met the team, took part in engaging activities, won exciting prizes, and received exclusive discount coupons for listing their cars on DubiCars, giving sellers exposure to over three million monthly users.
Dubai 4×4 Expo
- Date: 21st – 23rd November 2025
- Venue: Safa Park, Dubai
The Dubai 4×4 Expo is the UAE’s biggest outdoor gathering for off-road and overlanding fans. This open-air event showcases 4x4s, RVs, ATVs, accessories, and adventure gear from leading brands. It’s where the desert community connects with experts to learn about vehicle modifications, safety, and outdoor travel.
Visitors can join interactive workshops, attend live talks, and test cutting-edge off-road equipment. Beyond displays, the expo builds a sense of adventure and camaraderie through real experiences and hands-on demos. From dune explorers to professional overlanders, it’s the perfect destination for anyone passionate about rugged travel and desert exploration. Come meet us at the DubiCars pavilion at the 4×4 Expo—here are more details about the event.
Icons of Porsche
- Date: 22nd – 23rd November 2025
- Venue: Dubai Design District (D3)
Icons of Porsche has quickly grown into one of the world’s most exciting Porsche festivals, celebrating heritage, performance, and art in true Dubai style. Since its debut in 2021, the festival has brought rare classics from Stuttgart’s museum alongside Porsche’s latest models and prototypes. Beyond cars, it offers creative zones with live art, installations, and music from regional artists.
Visitors can explore exclusive reveals, enjoy themed food stalls, and experience family-friendly attractions like LEGO build zones. The event unites global Porsche enthusiasts, doubling in scale each year, and transforms Dubai into a haven for automotive design and culture.
Khaleej Times Desert Drive 2025
Date: 22nd November 2025
Venue: The Dunes Camping & Safari LLC
The Khaleej Times Desert Drive is a signature UAE event that invites participants to drive their own 4x4s through stunning dunes in a safe, guided convoy. Established in 2019, it’s known for its perfect blend of adventure, safety, and family fun. Drivers follow marked desert routes with checkpoints and games along the way, supported by expert marshals and recovery teams.
Participants enjoy breakfast, snacks, and giveaways before relaxing at the evening camp with live music and dinner under the stars. More than just a drive, it’s a community celebration that connects adventure seekers through shared passion for the desert.
1000 Miglia Experience UAE
- Date: 30th Nov – 4th Dec 2025
- Venue: Dubai
The 1000 Miglia Experience UAE is a prestigious five-day rally combining Italian luxury with Emirati spirit. Featuring only 120 exclusive teams, it covers over 1,000 miles across all seven Emirates and parts of Oman. Categories include historic 1000 Miglia racers, Classic Icons up to 1980, and modern masterpieces.
Drivers compete in precision stages while enjoying luxurious hospitality, evening galas, and a grand trophy ceremony before the Abu Dhabi GP. With past editions drawing global collectors and winning FIVA’s Spirit Award, the rally unites heritage, elegance, and endurance—making it one of the most extraordinary automotive events in the region.
Liwa International Festival
- Date: 12th Dec 2025 to 3rd Jan 2026
- Venue: Liwa, Al Dhafra region
The Liwa International Festival turns Al Dhafra’s desert into a month-long celebration of motorsport, culture, and family fun. Held beneath the towering Tal Moreeb dune, it features high-octane competitions like the Hill Climb, Freestyle Drift, and Burnout Challenges. Visitors can explore Liwa Village, filled with traditional markets, rides, and cultural activities.
Hot air balloon rides, camel races, falconry, and nightly fireworks add to the excitement. Drawing over 600,000 visitors, it beautifully merges Emirati heritage with modern desert motorsport. With its mix of adrenaline and culture, Liwa remains one of the UAE’s most dynamic and iconic festivals.
Michelin Dubai 24Hours
- Date: 16th – 18th Jan 2026
- Venue: Dubai Autodrome
The Michelin Dubai 24Hours is a motorsport spectacle like no other, testing endurance, speed, and strategy over a gruelling 24-hour race. Hosted at the Dubai Autodrome, it’s the first round of the 24H Series Middle East Trophy and attracts top GT3, GT4, and TCE teams worldwide.
Drivers range from professionals to skilled amateurs, battling through challenging night and day sessions. The 5.39 km circuit’s technical layout pushes both machine reliability and driver stamina to the limit. With massive GT grids and international champions, the event cements Dubai’s reputation as a world-class motorsport destination.
The Grand Picnic
- Date: To Be Announced
- Venue: To Be Announced
The Grand Picnic by Flat12 redefines car gatherings with its refined, community-driven charm. This curated event features rare vintage cars, exotic hypercars, JDM legends, and off-road icons displayed in an elegant, relaxed setting. A strict no-revving rule and vintage dress code create a nostalgic, sophisticated vibe.
Families enjoy music, creative kids’ zones, and gourmet food from top Dubai eateries. Cars like the Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport, McLaren Speedtail, and Porsche 911 sit beside classic Cadillacs and Land Cruisers. With free entry and a scenic venue, it’s one of Dubai’s most inclusive and stylish automotive gatherings.
Concorso Italiano UAE
- Date: 8th Feb 2026
- Venue: Dubai Marine Beach Resort & Spa in Dubai
Concorso Italiano UAE is the country’s most elegant celebration of Italian motoring excellence. Dedicated to classic marques such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, and Lancia, it transforms Dubai Marine Beach Resort into a tribute to Italian design and passion. Expert judges award top honours for restoration, originality, and overall beauty, while visitors enjoy authentic Italian buffets, live music, and Amalfi-inspired drinks.
Sponsored by RM Sotheby’s, the event combines glamour, fine dining, and timeless craftsmanship. For collectors and enthusiasts alike, it’s an exquisite meeting point where art, culture, and automotive heritage come together.
Gulf News Fun Drive
- Date: To Be Announced
- Venue: To Be Announced
The Gulf News Fun Drive is a UAE tradition that’s been celebrating desert adventure since 1986. Designed for families and off-roaders, it combines fun, safety, and community spirit across a 145 km route through rolling dunes. Participants enjoy meals, camping, entertainment, and goody bags over an overnight experience.
The event focuses on camaraderie rather than competition, supported by trained marshals ensuring safety throughout. Each year brings a fresh route, new challenges, and the same excitement. For many, it’s a yearly ritual—a celebration of adventure, friendship, and the desert’s timeless allure.
Offset DXB
- Date: To Be Announced
- Venue: To Be Announced
Offset DXB is Dubai’s boldest celebration of modified car culture and street creativity. Hosted by CarCulture.ae, it features over 100 curated builds—from classic JDM machines to luxury supercars and performance icons. Beyond cars, the event includes live graffiti art, freestyle BMX, skateboarding shows, and DJ battles, blending urban art with automotive passion.
The Jewel of the Creek venue adds upscale energy to the gritty street vibe. An awards show honours standout builds, while accessible ticketing welcomes all enthusiasts. Offset DXB perfectly embodies Dubai’s fusion of high-end innovation and underground automotive culture.
From classic rallies and off-road escapades to high-octane races and art-fuelled gatherings, Dubai’s 2025–2026 car calendar celebrates every corner of motoring culture. Whether you love precision engineering, cultural flair, or pure adrenaline, the city promises an unforgettable automotive year ahead.
Stay tuned to UAE’s most popular auto blog for more information about the latest happenings in all of the Emirates.
FAQs
What are the biggest car events happening in Dubai in 2025–2026?
Major events include Custom Show Emirates, Icons of Porsche, Dubai 4×4 Expo, Gulf News Fun Drive, 1000 Miglia Experience UAE, and Offset DXB, each offering unique automotive experiences across performance, heritage, and lifestyle.
When is the next Icons of Porsche festival in Dubai?
Icons of Porsche is held annually at Dubai Design District, usually in late November or early December. It celebrates Porsche’s heritage, innovation, art, and community culture with displays, live music, and family zones.
What is the Gulf News Fun Drive about?
The Gulf News Fun Drive is a family-friendly off-road event where participants drive their own 4x4s across UAE desert dunes. It includes camping, meals, entertainment, and focuses on fun, safety, and adventure.
Is the Dubai 24 Hours race open to the public?
Yes, spectators can attend the Michelin Dubai 24Hours at the Dubai Autodrome. The endurance race features international GT teams and offers grandstand access, paddock views, and a full day of non-stop racing excitement.
Which car event in Dubai focuses on modified and custom builds?
Offset DXB is Dubai’s leading event for modified car culture. It features curated custom builds, live graffiti, skate shows, and DJ sets, creating a fusion of street art, music, and automotive passion.
Dubai’s automotive calendar for 2025 showcases an impressive array of events that celebrate every facet of car culture, from underground street customs to prestigious heritage rallies. Here’s your comprehensive guide to the 11 most significant upcoming car events, focusing on
