Dubai’s junkyards are home to a surreal mix of wrecked supercars and luxury exotics, offering valuable parts to the market
- Photographer Larry Chen toured Dubai’s vast junkyards, revealing a trove of wrecked supercars.
- Among the finds was a nearly new, but damaged Lotus Eletre, likely waiting to be dismantled.
- The junkyard also included exotic models from Ferrari, Porsche, McLaren, and Rolls-Royce.
The Middle East is home to an impressive array of supercars and exotic vehicles, which, unsurprisingly, sometimes meet unfortunate fates. These damaged cars often end up in junkyards, where they are dismantled for spare parts. Hagerty recently explored some of the vast automotive graveyards of Dubai and unearthed a few noteworthy discoveries, most notably, a wrecked example of the brand-new Lotus Eletre.
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Lotus introduced its first fully electric SUV, the Eletre, in 2022, though deliveries didn’t officially begin until 2024. The example found in the junkyard doesn’t appear to have any obvious cosmetic damage, so those shiny yellow body panels might still be good for salvage. However, the air suspension has failed, causing the car to sit lower than usual, and the door handles are popped out, likely due to some internal issues.
While the specific details of the Lotus Eletre’s condition are unclear, it’s possible that it was involved in one of the flash floods reported in the refion, which could easily spell the end for any car, especially one with so much advanced electronics inside. Depending on how high the water reached, the electronics could be toast, and the cabin could have taken on some serious damage.
An Unexpected Collection of Exotics
This yellow Eletre is just one of many sporty and luxury vehicles that keep piling up in Dubai’s junkyards. Well-known automotive photographer Larry Chen, based in Los Angeles, recently toured one of these vast yards, showcasing a variety of damaged vehicles from brands like Bentley, Rolls-Royce, McLaren, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, Aston Martin, and Maserati.
According to Chen, it was likely one of the most colorful junkyards he’s ever visited, thanks to the eye-catching color palettes found in high-end cars.
The video, shared on Hagerty’s YouTube channe, offers a closer look at the incredible variety of vehicles and their varying degrees of damage. As Chen pointed out, the junkyard is well-organized, with specific rooms dedicated to various car parts.
That’s good news for anyone hoping to salvage some components, because, as he noted, some parts can be eye-wateringly expensive. A set of carbon ceramic brakes, for example, could cost up to $50k when purchased new. The same applies for body panels, accessories, and mechanical components from high-end cars like the V12-powered Ferrari 812 Superfast.
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A nearby junkyard also focuses on American muscle cars, from brands like Ford, Chevrolet, and Dodge, providing spare parts to meet the demand in that market.
Overall, Chen was impressed by the range of enthusiast vehicles found in the junkyard, a rare sight in many US-based yards. These types of cars, often worth far more than a standard junkyard find, tell an interesting story of how some of the world’s most coveted machines can end up discarded. You can watch the full 30-minute video of Chen’s tour above.
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