Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury

Comparo: 2009 Honda Accord V6 vs Nissan Altima V6 vs Toyota Aurion

Comparo: 2009 Honda Accord V6 vs Nissan Altima V6 vs Toyota Aurion

I get asked a bit too many times which is the best midsize sedan out of the three Japanese stalwarts – the Honda Accord, the Nissan Altima and the Toyota Aurion. Very few even care for oddities such as the Galant, the Passat or the Lumina, but it is not my job to promote those market-losers. Even fewer care that only one member of the A-grade trio is actually built in Japan. I have never driven the three cars back-to-back, and do not intend to, as none of them are exciting enough to warrant a second round. However, I have driven the V6 versions of each of the three four-door cars back in 2008,

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BMW X5 & X6 AC Schnitzer body kits in Abu Dhabi

BMW X5 & X6 AC Schnitzer body kits in Abu Dhabi


The BMW dealer in Abu Dhabi is offering AC Schnitzer body kits for the BMW X5 and the BMW X6, calling it The Falcon. Incidentally, BMW’s GCC office recently reported that the 7-Series is their top-selling model in this region, followed by the BMW X6 and then the BMW X5. Considering the abundance of BMW’s soft-roading clientele, they should have no problem selling these kits.

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Audi Q7 2010 gets very minor facelift

Audi Q7 2010 gets very minor facelift


The Audi Q7 has received a facelift for the 2010 model year. The only problem is no one will ever notice it. Even the engine range will be carried over. Audi has, however, released a long list of changes to point them out.

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American IIHS says midsizers safer than small cars

American IIHS says midsizers safer than small cars


For years, sub-compact cars have been shunned by snooty people who chose to drive a big car, citing concerns over safety. While their reasons probably have more to do with image than safety, the Insurance institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), an independent American agency that crash-tests hundreds of cars every year, say that the snooty people were actually right. While many sub-compact cars such as the Honda Jazz and the Toyota Yaris scored full marks in standardised crash tests against a stationary barrier, their downfalls became obvious when they were slammed against a midsize Honda Accord or a Toyota Camry.

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So we got a 2010 Lexus RX350

So we got a 2010 Lexus RX350


We first got wind of the 2010 Lexus RX’s imminent launch when I and my PR buddy did the rounds of ad agencies a few months ago, trying to get advertisements for this website. At the time, Toyota UAE’s ad agency said they will not give us their upcoming Lexus RX ads because they only wanted to target women, and apparently we don’t have enough women visiting this site. A month later, we see ads for the RX all over MBC Action, AutoMiddleEast, Car ME and every other possible men’s media. While we were flat-out rejected for the ad campaign for flimsy reasons,

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2009 New York Auto Show: Photo coverage

2009 New York Auto Show: Photo coverage


The 2009 New York International Auto Show is one of the smaller shows on the North American exhibition circuit, but no less important, as a number of new model debuts took place during this April event. Among the notable launches are the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, the 2010 Scion iQ, the 2010 Subaru Legacy, the 2010 Acura ZDX and the 2010 BMW X6 M.

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Video of the week: Bin Sulayem crashes Renault F1 car


Renault was pulling off a publicity stunt at the Dubai Autodrome, where Mohammed Bin Sulayem was going to drive a Renault F1 car in straight-line drag-races against various supercars one after the other. We didn’t attend because it was simply a cheesy publicity stunt, but as soon as Bin Sulayem hit the track against a Ford GT, the car promptly spun out into the wall along the pit-lane, and a wheel came off from the crash. A Renault statement apparently says the car is “lightly damaged” and he is fine. More here.

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Range Rover 2010 gets engine upgrade

Range Rover 2010 gets engine upgrade


The long-running current-generation Range Rover has received an upgrade for the 2010 model year. The Indian-owned company is soldiering on well at a time when expensive polluting vehicles are being shunned. The latest version debuted at the 2010 New York Auto Show.

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2009 Nissan 370Z Nismo debuts in New York

2009 Nissan 370Z Nismo debuts in New York


The 2009 Nissan 370Z isn’t even out yet in most countries, and Nissan has already unveiled the NISMO 370Z, a heavily tuned version developed in-house for true enthusiasts. The limited-production features an upgraded 350 hp 3.7-litre V6, close-ratio 6-speed manual, special body-kit and interior styling, tuned suspension and super-lightweight 19-inch forged alloy wheels. Converted by tuners Autech Japan in collaboration with Nissan, it debuted at the 2009 New York Auto Show.

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