A road-safety experts explains why supercars going up in flames is a common phenomenon in the GCC.A combination of the UAE’s high temperatures and plain old showing off are largely to blame for the series of supercar fires seen in the country, experts say.Over-fuelling, over-heating and over-revving are all issues that could turn a million-dirham car to a burnt-out shell quicker than you can spell Lamborghini.Over the years there has been several incidents of ultra-fast, expensive vehicles catching fire in the UAE, the most recent being one that went on fire at an Adnoc filling station in Abu Dhabi this month, though luckily observant pump attendants were on-hand to put it out quickly.

"The manufacturers usually supply Gulf specification cars to our country, however some purchasers import grey market cars that are not built to Gulf spec and which are more likely to overheat,” said Mr Hodges.“Any supercar owner should really realise that the summer climate in our region can present real problems if you use a supercar to its limits during summer daytime hours.“Drivers should exercise what I call ‘vehicle sympathy’ and realise that even expensive cars can be broken by extreme use and temperatures.”.He advice to motorists is to drive sensibly, ensure radiators are topped-up with the correct coolant, let the engine cool-off before stopping by driving slower for the last couple of kilometres and ensure the car is serviced regularly to the manufacturer’s specified list by an approved service agent.Gareth Bale completes return to Tottenham from Real Madrid,Rare and enigmatic bird spotted on Abu Dhabi's Saadiyat Island,IPL 2020: 'One of the best events in world sport' says Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed,5 ways to say good morning in Arabic: from sabah al kheir to sah el noum,Jameel Arts Centre announces 2020-2021 programme,Emirati health minister takes country's first dose of Covid-19 vaccine,Revealed: The moment a mysterious Russian cargo plane landed in Umm Al Quwain,Masdar City think tank’s ambitious project proposes splitting the sea for tourists,Abu Dhabi to place notices on homes under quarantine,Everything you need to know about Abu Dhabi's quarantine wristband,Petrol station attendants praised for putting out supercar fire. Alot of cars set on fire. Select cars to compare from your search results or vehicle pages.Dozens of Italian motors turn into fireballs each year, but why doesn’t this happen to family cars?Hundreds of viral videos documenting hot rides getting, well, a little,First, we asked Melbourne supercar workshop Euro Motorsport,For the most part manufacturer fault is to blame, with owners’ sometimes.If the car is built properly, drivers hitting redline occasionally and driving hard shouldn’t damage the car, as long as some mechanical sympathy is exercised. This is purely show off but can go wrong in many ways. All Rights Reserved.WhichCar is now home to Wheels, Motor, 4X4 Australia and Street Machine magazines.The WhichCar Network: Everything car buyers need and car lovers want.Sign-up here for your free weekly MOTOR report. Why, we just had one such incident happen right here in India, when a Delhi businessman driving a Lamborghini Gallardo had to run for his life after his supercar went up in flames. I remember reading about a few american cars which names i cant remember of hand. Published: January 22, 2016 There’s been a spurt of Lamborghini supercars going up in flames from around the world. Related: Rare F40 … In addition, more modest family vehicles and Umm Al Quwain Police earlier this month said seven cars had burst into flames in the space of several weeks.“Many supercars are often driven very hard and at high revs and the drivers zoom into gas stations with their engine very hot indeed, and in some cases their exhaust outlet manifold can be glowing red with heat,” said Robert Hodges, a UK-based technical and road safety expert.“It is always better to plan a stop in a supercar during the summer months, and to deliberately drive for the last couple of miles at a slower, more gentle speed to let the vehicle’s cooling systems get the engine bay a little cooler to prevent damage before stopping.“We also live in a very hot climate in the UAE during the non-winter months, and so often high-performance cars are working at the extreme end of their engine and component capabilities.”.Many supercar fires are caused by incompetent or careless fuelling, with petrol coming into contact with hot components, Mr Hodges added.“Many service station attendants tend to ‘overfuel’ cars by topping-off fuel tanks until they almost overflow, while loose fuel hoses and connectors, or where engine bay fuel lines have been modified or tampered with often leak raw fuel onto very hot engine parts, and an explosive fire can easily start,” he said.“I have also seen many people not turn off their engines while the car is being refuelled so that they can run the A/C and this is a very dangerous practice, rapidly leading to engine overheating, especially during summer months.”.Supercars are often worked very hard, at the limit of their performance, so they need to be looked after carefully and all regular servicing must be completed on time.Mr Hodges said that manufacturers design and build cars to very high safety and performance standards but the way in which they are used is outside of their control.“At very high temperatures, even the alloy wheels of a car can burn incandescently like a firework as well as the paint if it comes in contact with vaporising burning fuel,” he said.Aftermarket modifications can also cause problems unless they are fitted by highly reputable specialist workshops, Mr Hodges said.“In general, any aftermarket modification which would invalidate the vehicle’s original warranty should not be fitted,” he said.“Increasing the performance of a car, such as improving brakes and adjusting suspension, without attending to other factors will often cause a problem, and the most common one is causing the engine bay to overheat.“Manufacturers of supercars spend a long time developing their cars to be safe and reliable as well as enjoyable - unintended aftermarket modifications can often negate all of the built-in safety and reliability.”.Another factor that can create problems in this region is using non-GCC spec cars, which are not built for the harsh environment.