Middle East off-road driving enthusiasts have a new facility to test and develop their skills. Land Rover, the global leader in the production of luxury all-terrain vehicles, today inaugurated its first Land Rover Experience Centre in the Middle East region, in collaboration with Bahrain International Circuit (BIC).
The new Experience Centre will enable Bahraini residents, as well as wider Middle East consumers, to experience an all-terrain adventure. As the first Experience Centre by Land Rover in the region, the new Land Rover Experience Centre at Bahrain International Circuit will serve the Bahraini market, in addition to welcoming customers and prospects from around the MENA region. The facility boasts spacious grounds, diverse off-road tracks and is in close proximity to the Bahrain Grand Prix Circuit. The 2004 Grand Prix was the first held in the Middle East.
At the opening ceremony, Bruce Robertson, Jaguar Land Rover Managing Director, Middle East & North Africa together with Shaikh Salman Bin Isa Al Khalifa, Chief Executive of BIC and Nawaf Khalid Al Zayani, Managing Director of Euro Motors, Jaguar Land Rover’s exclusive dealer in Bahrain, declared the Land Rover Experience Centre at Bahrain International Circuit “open”. Mark Cameron, JLR Global Brand Experience Director, was also in attendance and had flown in especially from the UK Global Headquarters to support the official opening.
Bruce Robertson commented: “Land Rover is committed to delivering its unique brand spirit to customers through authentic brand experiences. This new Experience Centre represents another proud achievement for Land Rover. Customers and prospects will have even more opportunity to experience Land Rover products, while also gaining access to our professional off-road driver training. With all our Land Rover Experience venues we aim to give the customer a special, unique experience. The experiences are tailored to fulfil guests’ expectations, and to ensure that they are given a dynamic, hands-on and above all memorable experience.”
BIC Chief Executive Shaikh Salman Bin Isa Al Khalifa commented: “Bahrain International Circuit is delighted to be partnering with Land Rover and unveiling this wonderful new Experience Centre.
As ‘The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East’, we take pride in being able to offer some of the most unique motoring experiences in the world – whether it’s driving on our floodlit Formula One track, racing on our Grade A karting circuit, powering down our NHRA drag strip, or testing your 4×4 skills at this state-of-the-art Land Rover Experience Centre, we work hard to make sure that the very best of motorsport activities can be enjoyed, live, at BIC. We invite everyone to come down to the circuit and to give this facility a try. We and Land Rover look forward to welcoming you to BIC in the near future.”
Mr. Nawaf Khalid Al Zayani, Managing Director of Euro Motors Jaguar Land Rover expressed his delight at what is considered to be yet another milestone achievement for Bahrain and said: “We at Euro Motors Jaguar Land Rover, are extremely proud that the Kingdom of Bahrain was chosen as the first market in the Middle East to launch a Land Rover Experience Centre. With its state of the art facilities and internationally acclaimed services, the Bahrain International Circuit perfectly matches the level of excellence and superior standards that are set by Land Rover.”
“With 49 Land Rover Experience Centres in 20 countries, including Bahrain, the Land Rover Experience is an ideal opportunity for existing Land Rover owners, potential customers and enthusiasts from the Kingdom of Bahrain, as well as those from the Middle East, to get behind the wheel and experience the all-terrain capability of the latest Land Rover vehicles. Here guests can experience the complete range of state of the art Land Rover vehicles under the guidance of professionally certified, experienced instructors on an exciting and challenging off-road course.” he concluded.
The BIC driving experience
Located in the heart of the Sakhir desert, BIC’s off-road course covers 3.5 kilometres of varying terrains such as sand, rock, hill and water landscapes. There are 32 natural and man-made obstacles allowing guests to traverse terrain including slide slopes, humps, rocks, gravel roads and watercourses, all the while assessing the driving environment, maximising the capability and technology of the vehicle and most importantly developing driving skills in the world’s most capable luxury vehicles.
The Experience Drives are unique and tailored to all guests, no matter what their skill level. The experiences range from a Half Day taster through to an Advanced Experience. All include an explanation of the Land Rover technologies on offer, instruction on how to best utilise these, and most importantly the chance to put them into action. Visitors will have the chance to choose between two experiences: the first is as a passenger in a Land Rover vehicle, while one of BIC’s expert Land Rover lead instructors drive the course, with the second being an opportunity to get behind the wheel to take on the facility’s many challenges head on, guided by a qualified Land Rover Experience instructor.
There are currently six Land Rover LR4 vehicles on site at BIC with future plans to offer the full line up of Land Rover models; from Range Rover to Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque.
Land Rover Experience Instructors
The Experience team at BIC are all qualified and certified instructors. Our Lead Instructors were sent to the UK to complete their training. The Centre is open on a daily basis and guests are advised to book in advance to avoid disappointment.
In addition to the drive experiences, group bookings for events ranging from birthdays to team building sessions are also welcomed.