Dubai, Oct 18: A customised Lotus Evora is being hailed as the “fastest ambulance in the world”, able to race to injured people at 185mph.

The oil-rich emirate sees its fair share of supercars but this one will be put to a very different use by the Dubai Health Authority.

Unveiled at the Gitex technology week in the city’s World Trade Centre, the car is worth around £100,000 and will be used by 50 specially-trained paramedics.

Maitha al-Ketbi, a paramedic with the Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services, told Al-Arabiya staff will be able to reach patients in three or four minutes on average.

“The car is of importance to patients so we can reach them in a very short time,” she said.

“Those sport cars minimise the time of response and it can reach much faster than the ambulance cars, they can do the first aid by the time the ambulance arrives.”

The two-seater Lotus will not be able to transport patients but, like first responders in the UK, will allow paramedics travel quickly to perform initial first aid.