Auto Shows

There was a time when BMW refused to develop M versions of the X5 or the 7-Series, because they considered them to be too big to be truly sporty. Of course, things have changed over the years, and the profit-chasing company is now revealing the BMW X5 M and the BMW X6 M in time for the 2009 New York Auto Show. It has to be said that BMW started developing these pointlessly-fast SUVs before the recession, although the Z4 M has been cancelled due to the recession itself.

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The all-new 2010 Kia sorento was unveiled for its Korean home market, at the 2009 Seoul Auto Show. The existing 2009 Sorento is a truck-based offroad-capable midsize SUV that never sold well in major markets, including in the GCC. So Kia decided to turn it into a car-based “crossover” SUV instead.

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The Subaru Legacy, an attractive and sporty Japanese midsize sedan that had everything going for it, is a massive flop in the UAE and certainly in most countries of the GCC. It looks like Subaru will take another shot at increasing their numbers on the streets of Dubai, and indeed the rest of the world, by unveiling a new iteration of the Legacy. Dubbed the “roomiest Legacy sedan ever with new levels of comfort and refinement,” it seems to have given up its handsome looks to gain a practical image.

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The first Gulf Bike Expo 2009, which ran from the 19th to the 21st of March, turned out to be an interesting affair, with up-close bike stunts and a variety of customised motorcycles. The entry tickets for Dhs 30 was steep (although we went in for free), so we are unsure about the value of the small show for Dubai Festival City visitors. But we really were surprised at how many ways something on two wheels can be customised, sometimes by adding a third wheel.

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Tata always intended to sell a “proper” version of the tub-on-wheels Nano in European countries. The fact that the upgraded version actually looks nice is always a good sign that it might do well.

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The striking Peugeot 206 first debuted sometime back in 1999, if I remember correctly. The quick-handling hatchback looked good then and it still looks good today. Its replacement, the 207, was launched more than a year ago, but Peugeot decided to continue 206 production side-by-side since it continued to be popular. In a sign that the 206 is not going away anytime soon, Peugeot has done the unthinkable, facelifting an obsolete model. It is now called the Peugeot 206+, and it debuted at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show.

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The GCC market gets the 7-seater Mazda CX-9, but the rest of the world also gets a shorter and sportier 5-seater CX-7 model. And that CX-7 has already reached the point where it needed a facelift to stay fresh, so the 2010 model gets a smiley new face to go with a new engine choice.

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Aston Martin made a big deal out of reviving their dormant Lagonda nameplate, to be slapped onto a new set of luxury models. At the 2009 Geneva Auto Show, it turns out their first model will be a crossover SUV, as hinted by this concept. While no one ever asked for an Aston Martin SUV, it looks set to become a hall-of-shame hit alongside the likes of best-sellers such as the Porsche Cayenne and the BMW X6.

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If you are in Oman on the 5th of March, visit the Bentley travelling museum, where a rare collection of vintage and recent Bentley models will be displayed at the Al Bandar Hotel in Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa.

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The Geneva Auto Show is one of Europe’s major motor shows, if not the world. This year, even with the recession, there are an obscene number of supercar launches, although a few others have concentrated on greener cars as well. The 2009 show also plays host to some important new launches, such as the Mazda 3 MPS, the Chevrolet Spark, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe and the Opel Ampera.

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