Chrysler held a two-day media event for the all-new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee in the UAE. And by “all-new”, we really do mean all-new. Now based on a Mercedes-Benz M-Class platform, that’s where the similarities end between the former siblings, as the Jeep is a completely unique vehicle.
Skoda dealers for the UAE is now Ali & Sons Motors, who happen to be the existing dealers of Skoda’s sister brands Volkswagen, Porsche and Audi in Abu Dhabi currently. The official launch of the new Skoda Auto showroom on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai took place this week. The occassion also marked the introduction of the Skoda Superb 3.6, joining the existing Superb 1.8T that was apparently already available quietly via the old dealer. Suprisingly also on sale already is the latest Skoda Octavia.
Red Bull clinched the constructors’ world championship with a stunning one-two result ahead of points leader Fernando Alonso in the Brazilian Grand Prix, but their insistence on not imposing team orders and letting Sebastian Vettel take a deserved win over Mark Webber puts them in a tricky position for Abu Dhabi next weekend.
The 2011 Ford Mustang has been launched in the UAE at a crowded event inside and outside the Dubai Autodrome’s Kartdrome grounds. We’d call the public event a success as about a million Mustang owners and fans showed up for the afternoon launch.
| The Good: – Ultra-cool retro styling – Cabin materials and space – Good ride and power |
The Bad: – Softer than muscular rivals – Relatively pricey – Compromised luggage boot |
| The Good: – Exquisite exterior styling – Fair ride and handling – Good multimedia tech |
The Bad: – Dull interior styling – Slightly outdated drivetrain – A bit pricey for what is offered |
| The Good: – Interesting overall styling – Quiet ride and good handling – Efficient and powerful engine |
The Bad: – Missing some key options – Shallow luggage boot – Vestigial paddle-shifters |
Fuel prices have gone up as much as 27% this year, so Hertz UAE says they have examined typical driving habits and compiled a series of tips which not only will help save on fuel costs, up to Dhs 600 per year, and incidentally cut pollution too, but also indirectly promote better driving habits and road safety standards in the UAE. Some of these tips we’ve mentioned before, some are common sense, but some are actually new.
AW Rostamani Trading, dealers for Nissan in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, is now also going to be the dealership for Zhengzhou Nissan Automobile (ZNA) in the UAE. ZNA is one of China’s “biggest” automotive manufacturers that was established in 1993 in partnership with Nissan.
We went to the launch of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East launch yesterday at the Dubai Autodrome, on which we’ll report later. But more interestingly, there was a display of six classic cars, all shipped in from the Porsche Museum in Germany.