Hey look, our Toyota Camry went to Las Vegas. Or rather, as close as you can get to Las Vegas without leaving Dubai soil. But why are we talking about Las Vegas anyway? Considering we neither drink nor gamble, the only interest we have in Las Vegas is that CSI TV show.
For some reason, the Chrysler Sebring was considered a disaster in terms of design and sales. Held up by fleet sales in its U.S. home market, generally a sign that a car sucks, as well as being cancelled for sale here before its time, we actually quite liked the design that debuted in 2007. It might have been too weird for some, but we celebrate uniqueness and creativity, even if the car lacked in packaging compared to its mainstream rivals. However, the Sebring is back with a new face and a new badge, with Chrysler having enough confidence to bring it back again.
We were planning on taking a hiatus from testing any more cars for the summer, but when the man from Chrysler offered me a Ram 1500 for the long weekend, I casually agreed to take it off his hands. I remember it being a handful to drive the last time I tried it, back when it was still called a “Dodge” Ram, so I wasn’t too keen on driving it again. But I was wrong.
The Ford Expedition is ancient in car years. Dating back to a 2003 design that was mildly updated for 2007, the 2013 Ford Expedition still uses a 310 hp 5.4-litre V8, thankfully mated to a 6-speed automatic and a proper four-wheel-drive system. After years of barely being seen on Middle East roads, we’re told the Expedition is experiencing a revival of sorts in the GCC, even as it nears the end of its life-cycle.
We picked up this 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet only a couple of days after driving the Boxster S in Germany. The similarities were uncanny, but the 911 still was unique in its own right.
International car launches are common in the automotive industry, where local journalists are flown to various exotic locations to drive a new model before anyone else. Of course, such trips aren’t common for us, but we did go on our second ever trip outside the GCC, to test-drive the all-new 2012 Porsche Boxster in its hometown of Stuttgart, Germany. It beats driving a Hyundai in Korea, that’s for sure.
Al-Futtaim Motors, the Lexus dealer for the UAE, has unveiled the new 2013 Lexus RX range, including the hybrid and sport models.
If you recall, we first drove this Lexus IS 300C back when it was fresh off-the-boat, with only 20 km on the clock. We used it during that last Eid-Al-Adha to haul recently-alive fresh beef, but we were hesitant to push it too hard, considering it was not even broken in. So when we got it back again now, as a long-termer, with a four-figure number on the odometer, we were in a good position to compare its straight-line performance, before and after.
The upcoming Mercedes-Benz CLA will be the German carmaker’s attempt at a compact “four-door coupe”, and is currently undergoing testing around the world, with one prototype making an appearance right here in the UAE.
| The Good: – Classic good looks – Decent engine – Unbreakable offroad |
The Bad: – Maybe too classic – Unrefined onroad drive – Hard cabin plastics |