The United Arab Emirates has developed a formidable car culture over the years, with one of its premier cities, Dubai, exhibiting this luxe obsession more than most. While the majority of cities across the world have problems with poverty, crime or unemployment, Dubai has seen the rise of a new and unforeseen dilemma: the abandonment of some of the finest, luxury automobiles in the world.

This can undoubtedly be attributed to the global economic crisis that saw most countries – and its denizens – dialling back on the luxuries to get a firm footing financially. The same can be said for Dubai, whose wealthy ex-pats began to abandon the oil hub as debts began to claw at them, returning home and leaving behind extravagant cars to gather dust on the streets in the baking sun. Thousands of them.

Dubai International Airport is now a locale featuring Porsches, BMW’s and Ferraris abandoned across its grounds, some complete with loan documents and apology notes, and even the keys still in their ignitions. As a prime example of luxury being left in the wake of financial disaster, a Ferrari Enzo – one of four hundred manufactured in the world – was seized after spending many months hidden beneath dust in a car parking lot. The million dollar car was subsequently auctioned off with many of the other abandoned vehicles left behind by the debt ravaged.