Throughout the xBhp Power Tour 2023, we have had the privilege of experiencing some truly wonderful cars. More than 800 horses, check. More than 800 torques, check. Sub-3 second 0-100 km/h times, check. Top speed of over 300 kays an hour, check. After all that, you do not expect anything to blow your mind, right? Wrong. The Formula DXB that we got to drive at the Dubai Autodrome did just that and then some. 

In a nutshell, it is a single-seater car with wings and slick tyres. In terms of weight, the only significant bit is probably from the downforce it generates. 180 horses sent to the rear wheels only and a manual 5-speed transmission. Get the drift? You can’t in this one. It is the closest one can get to experience the thrill and demands of Formula race cars. No matter how many fast cars you have driven, this one takes getting used to. 

This experience was a part of our time at Dubai Autodrome. Read about it here.

Yes, it does 0-100 km/h in 4.4 seconds and the top speed is 230 km/h. We have been in quicker and faster cars. It is in the corners where it really gets you. The kind of speed you can carry and the way it just sticks and sticks and sticks. It has a mechanical grip for days and that is what takes getting used to. In every corner, the car is telling you that you could have gone faster… much faster! 

Then you start doing that and you realize the kind of steel psyche and physique that race car drivers possess. To be able to keep the pedal pinned down, to be able to keep your neck and head through insane cornering forces, it is a different world. Moreover, it is a stick manual and that drives the engagement level through the roof. It is almost like flying a plane just above the ground—every twist and turn demands precision and focus. Even if you have driven a fair few supercars, this experience hits different. The Formula DXB delivers an unparalleled rush that defies conventional driving experiences.