Porsche restores historic UAE police car that escorted Queen Elizabeth II in 1979
A historic Porsche 924 police car that escorted Queen Elizabeth II during her first visit to the UAE in 1979 has been restored and unveiled in Abu Dhabi.
Porsche Centre Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, part of Ali & Sons Holding, completed the restoration of the vehicle, which was the first performance sports car to join the UAE Federal Police fleet.
The car was acquired by Abu Dhabi Police to escort the late Queen and her entourage during their visit to the newly formed UAE, seven years after the country's establishment.
The restored vehicle was formally handed back to Abu Dhabi Police during a ceremony at Al Maqta Museum, one of Abu Dhabi's earliest police facilities.
Lieutenant Colonel Ali Al Hammadi, head of the Police Legacy Department at Abu Dhabi Police, said the Porsche 924 represented an important chapter in the history of the force and the development of its vehicle fleet.
He said restoring the car would preserve a tangible connection to that period and allow future generations to learn about its history.
Restoration preserves original police identity
The vehicle was moved to Porsche Centre Abu Dhabi and Al Ain's service facility earlier this year for a comprehensive restoration aimed at bringing it as close as possible to its original condition.
The restoration team recreated the original painted police signage rather than using modern decals to retain the car's authentic appearance and identity.
Saeed Ali Al Dhaheri, managing director of Ali & Sons Investments, said the project was an opportunity to preserve an important part of Abu Dhabi's automotive heritage and the Porsche brand's history in the UAE.
Dr Manfred Bräunl, CEO of Porsche Middle East and Africa, described the 924 as one of the region's most significant Porsche sports cars, noting that it was the first performance Porsche to serve in the UAE police fleet.
Public debut at Icons of Porsche festival
The restored Porsche 924 will make its first public appearance at the Icons of Porsche festival in Dubai on November 21 and 22, 2026, at The Square, Nad Al Sheba.
Following the festival, the car will be displayed at Al Maqta Museum in Abu Dhabi.
The restoration also coincides with Porsche's celebration of 50 years of its transaxle models. The 924, launched in 1976, was the first in this series, featuring a front-engine layout with a rear-mounted gearbox and differential to achieve balanced weight distribution.
Produced in Neckarsulm, Germany, the model remained in Porsche's line-up until 1988. It was followed by other transaxle models, including the 928, 944 and 968.
