Classic Cars for Sale in Dubai and the UAE

Dubai and Abu Dhabi's collector scene

Emirati collectors have been documented with anywhere from 15 to more than 60 cars in a single collection, one dating back to 1937, alongside expatriate buyers who often spend upward of AED 200,000 to 250,000 on a first classic. Bonhams has run Dubai sales since 2010 and added an Abu Dhabi sale at Yas Marina Circuit during the 2023 F1 weekend, and Collecting Cars opened a Dubai office in December 2024 after already placing 107 Middle East vehicles at prices up to $387,000.

Independent showrooms add to that picture without being part of it. Tomini Classics in Dubai holds more than 100 post-war sportscars, and Nostalgia Classic Cars in Al Quoz runs a 10,000 sq ft showroom and a 25,000 sq ft restoration workshop across 25-plus brands, with Ferrari Testarossa and 512TR stock typical of what turns up on both floors. We name them as evidence of a deep local market, not as partners: our own stock and our own clients sit outside any showroom floor, which is the point of working with us.

What collectors here hunt

Six profiles account for most of the serious inbound interest we see out of Dubai and Abu Dhabi right now, from 1960s roadsters to 1990s youngtimers. Left-hand-drive American muscle cars sit outside the table and are priced per car.

Why a private sale beats the auction block here

Auction houses are active in the UAE. Bonhams has sold in Dubai since 2010 and added the Abu Dhabi sale at Yas Marina Circuit in 2023, and Collecting Cars opened a Dubai desk in December 2024. All of that is public by design: a hammer price becomes searchable history the moment the gavel falls, and the buyer pays a premium on top of it. For a well-known car, or a seller who would rather not have their name and asking price sitting in a public archive, a private treaty sale usually serves better.

We work both sides of that trade. On a purchase, we search off-market inventory, including cars held by owners who have not decided to sell yet, and negotiate directly rather than bidding against a room. On a sale, nothing goes on a public listing site or into a catalogue. Air-cooled 911s are the one line every Gulf-based buyer asks about first, with dealers and collectors alike citing 5 to 8 percent annual appreciation on good examples, so pricing one correctly before anyone sees it matters more than usual.

• Matching numbers checked on engine, gearbox and chassis, where the model carries them
• Existing service history gathered and actually read, not just filed
• A plain, written condition report before any buyer sees the car
• No public listing, no catalogue entry, no auction result for anyone to screenshot

Registering a classic you buy in Dubai

A car already registered in the UAE transfers like any other vehicle once the sale closes. A car bought abroad has to be imported first, and the RTA rule is what makes that possible: a car over 30 years old that passes a technical test covering brakes, lights, tyres and structural integrity qualifies for classic registration and a distinct Classic plate, outside the age ban on ordinary used-car imports. Left-hand drive is required for normal registration, with classic status as the exception for right-hand-drive cars such as a Japan-market Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34), which is still under the 30-year line in 2026.

Duty runs at 5 percent of CIF value and VAT at 5 percent on top, and the classic rule does not discount either. Shipping, customs and first registration are covered on importing a classic car to the UAE, and what the plate means for insurance and day-to-day use is in our guide to classic car plates in Dubai. Confirm any right-hand-drive exception with the RTA or a licensed broker before you commit to a specific car.

Selling a classic car privately in the UAE

If you are the one selling, the process runs in reverse. We start with a quiet valuation based on comparable private and auction sales, not a number pulled from a classified ad. Your car is never posted publicly: we match it directly against buyers we already know are qualified, meaning verified funds and a genuine, specific interest in that model, before we ever arrange a viewing. For the fuller process, from valuation through to funds clearing, see our guide to selling a classic car privately, and check where your model sits in our 2026 investment trends guide before you name a figure. Buying or selling, Dubai and Abu Dhabi's collector scene is small enough that discretion matters more than reach.