Driving the Next Chapter of Mobility in the UAE: Hussam Baghdadi on Heritage, SUVs, and the Future of Arabian Automobiles

For nearly six decades, Arabian Automobiles has played a defining role in shaping the UAE’s automotive landscape, growing alongside the nation and evolving with the needs of its drivers. Today, as the market enters a new phase driven by technology, diversification, and shifting customer expectations, the company continues to balance heritage with forward-thinking mobility.

In this exclusive DriveArabia interview, Hussam Baghdadi, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Arabian Automobiles at AW Rostamani Group, discusses how the company is strengthening its connection with the community, expanding its SUV portfolio with models such as the Nissan Patrol PRO-4X and Magnite, elevating the INFINITI luxury experience, and preparing for the future through strategic partnerships, aftersales excellence, and sustainability-led initiatives.

Arabian Automobiles has been part of the UAE’s automotive story for over five decades. How do you continue to build meaningful connections with the community while staying true to the local culture and values that define the brand?

For nearly six decades, Arabian Automobiles has grown alongside the UAE, not only as a mobility provider but as a trusted part of people’s lives. That trust brings responsibility: to honour the country’s culture, respect its values, and continue contributing meaningfully to its evolving way of life. Generations have experienced moments that began with a Nissan, INFINITI, or Renault, from desert drives and family trips to first showroom visits that shaped lifelong brand connections.

Today’s UAE is dynamic and fast-moving, with customers who value immediacy, clarity, and confidence. We stay close to the community through continuous listening, digitally and in-person, and translate that into elevated service standards, refined showroom experiences, smarter ownership pathways, and mobility that reflects how people truly live. Our cultural presence remains purposeful through key national moments, Ramadan initiatives, city activations, and desert experiences where our brands naturally belong.

For me, respecting heritage means evolving it with intent. We stay rooted in the principles that built our reputation, while preparing for a future shaped by smarter, more sustainable mobility, ensuring our legacy grows with relevance for the next generation.

The new Nissan Patrol Pro-4X has just entered the UAE market, adding a more rugged dimension to the Patrol family. What was the thinking behind introducing this variant, and how does it appeal to off-road enthusiasts and long-time Patrol fans in the region?

Our Patrol strategy this year was very deliberate. We structured the lineup around real-world usage patterns in the UAE, introducing three distinctive dimensions: refinement through the new Patrol, performance with Patrol NISMO, and capability-led toughness with the Patrol PRO-4X.

The PRO-4X exists for drivers who consistently take their vehicles beyond the ordinary. In this region, Patrol owners put their cars through demanding terrains, deserts, wadis, gravel routes, mountains, and long open highways. The PRO-4X is engineered for that reality: reinforced underbody protection, terrain-tuned suspension, functional off-road enhancements, and purposeful design cues. It retains the Patrol’s comfort and presence while adding serious capability where it matters most.
For long-time Patrol customers, it extends the model’s legacy; for younger SUV drivers, it represents bold authenticity. Together with the luxury Patrol and the performance-driven NISMO, it strengthens the Patrol family in a meaningful, structured way.

The Patrol remains an icon in the UAE, deeply rooted in the nation’s motoring heritage. How has customer feedback been towards the Pro-4X so far, and in what ways does it strengthen the Patrol’s identity in today’s SUV market?

Feedback on the Patrol PRO-4X has been exceptionally strong, particularly from customers who genuinely use their SUVs in demanding environments. They value its rugged enhancements, confident off-road performance, and the way it retains the refinement and stature synonymous with the Patrol name.

We saw strong enthusiasm during launch drives and desert activations, both from long-standing Patrol owners seeking a more purpose-built addition to their garage and from younger enthusiasts who value capability backed by credibility. Their feedback confirms exactly what we aimed to achieve: a Patrol variant that feels authentic, capable, and relevant to how SUVs are truly used in the UAE.

The PRO-4X strengthens the Patrol’s identity by bridging heritage with real-world capability. Alongside the luxury Patrol and Patrol NISMO, it completes a lineup that remains deeply rooted in the UAE’s motoring heritage while evolving intelligently with its drivers.

The new Nissan Magnite with the 1.0-litre turbo engine is drawing attention in the compact SUV segment. How does this model reflect Nissan’s commitment to offering performance, efficiency, and accessibility for younger urban drivers?

The Nissan Magnite has quickly become a defining product because it speaks directly to first-time SUV buyers and young urban drivers. It delivers accessibility without feeling entry-level, pairing efficiency and compact dimensions with confidence, style, and engaging performance through its 1.0-litre turbo engine.

It fits naturally into modern lifestyles: city commutes, weekend trips, social mobility, and technology-led convenience. Its design, connectivity features, and expressive character align with a generation that values freedom, individuality, and practicality in equal measure.

Magnite represents ambition with purpose, making SUV confidence attainable without compromising core quality. That’s why it has cemented its relevance so quickly, and upcoming enhancements will only push it further.

From the Magnite to the X-Trail and the Patrol, Nissan now offers one of the most diverse SUV portfolios in the region. How does Arabian Automobiles plan to position this lineup to attract different segments of customers across the UAE?

SUVs remain at the heart of mobility in the UAE, and Nissan’s portfolio is built around that reality. Our role is to position each model with absolute clarity around who it serves and why it matters.

The Magnite and KICKS support younger generations stepping confidently into the SUV space, backed by strong technology, digital journeys, and flexible ownership solutions. The X-Trail caters to families seeking space, safety, comfort, versatility, and long-term predictability. At the top, the Patrol range serves customers who expect commanding presence, capability, and distinct personality across the Patrol, Patrol NISMO, and Patrol PRO-4X.

Across the lineup, we combine showroom experience, advisor expertise, digital platforms, and aftersales support to guide customers intuitively. This ensures every model reaches the audience it truly belongs to, backed by the trust, innovation, and reliability associated with Arabian Automobiles.

INFINITI’s flagship QX80 continues to set the benchmark for luxury SUVs in the UAE, and the upcoming QX60 launch further strengthens your premium offering. How is Arabian Automobiles elevating the ownership experience for INFINITI customers and appealing to those seeking refined performance and technology-driven comfort?

Elevating the INFINITI ownership journey is a disciplined commitment. Our flagship showroom sets the tone: structured consultation, refined hospitality, clarity in communication, and confidence in every decision customers make.

The INFINITI QX80 and the new QX60 reflect that philosophy, delivering refined performance, intelligent technology, and comfort engineered for daily UAE life. Ownership support follows the same mindset: digital tools for convenience, premium continuity through initiatives like INFINITI Beyond, and service standards that ensure premium truly feels premium at every touchpoint.

Our goal is consistency. Luxury is not a moment; it is a sustained experience.

The Renault Koleos remains a core model for customers seeking value and sophistication in the SUV category. How is AAC positioning Renault to appeal to families and practical urban drivers, particularly in a segment that is becoming increasingly competitive?

Renault’s strength lies in cars designed for real life, practical, intelligent, stylish, and genuinely useful. That resonates deeply with families and urban drivers in the UAE. Our role is to ensure that Renault communicates relevance clearly through positioning, offering structure, and ownership support.

The Koleos exemplifies this direction, offering contemporary design, strong technology, including openR screens and advanced driver assistance systems, and a balance of efficiency and strength that suits everyday driving and longer inter-emirate use.
We also place Renault within cultural life, engaging communities through experiences like our creative Koleos reveal activations, aligning the brand naturally with modern lifestyle environments. The result is a high-value SUV that feels modern, approachable, and truly family-ready.

AW Rostamani recently announced a strategic partnership with JMCG to launch JMMC vehicles in the UAE. How does this partnership fit within your long-term vision, and what new opportunities do you see it bringing to your product range?

The partnership brings a versatile product range, including Co-Star buses built on proven Isuzu technology, offering exceptional reliability, safety, and comfort with Euro 5 and Euro 6 models. Future plans include electric buses from 13 to 32 seats and autonomous bus technologies, alongside ICE and electric cargo vehicles with capacities from 6 to 12 cubic meters for logistics and last-mile delivery.

By combining advanced products with shared digital infrastructure and predictive intelligence, AWR strengthens its position as an integrated mobility partner, delivering smarter, greener, and customer-centric solutions for the UAE’s evolving transportation ecosystem.

Aftersales service has always been a strong pillar for Arabian Automobiles. With the growing model range and brand collaborations across Nissan, INFINITI, and Renault, how are you evolving your service network, customer care, and parts operations to maintain your reputation for reliability and trust?

As our model and brand landscape grow, our aftersales philosophy remains constant: deliver service that feels intelligent, predictable, and effortless. We operate a unified, well-trained service network underpinned by data-driven planning, enabling better scheduling, smarter parts availability, and reduced waiting times.

Convenience drives everything we do: extended hours, express servicing, optimised service locations, digital booking, live updates, clear estimates, and pick-up/drop-off options. Parts distribution follows the same logic, which is centralised, efficient, and responsive, especially for key models like Patrol, X-Trail, QX80, and Koleos.

Aftersales is where credibility is proven daily. We over-invest here because the strength of our future relies on the confidence we build with every single ownership experience.

Looking ahead, what can UAE customers expect from Arabian Automobiles and its brands in terms of new product introductions, technology integration, or sustainability-driven initiatives in the coming years?

Customers can expect our portfolios to continue evolving with purpose, with stronger SUV offerings, steady progression across our premium brands, and broader commercial capability supported by AWR’s strategic integrations.

Technology will deepen without complicating the experience. Vehicle connectivity will become richer, customer support tools more intelligent, and digital journeys smoother from first interaction through ownership. Sustainability will remain a clear priority, guided by responsible ecosystem development that aligns closely with the UAE’s national direction and long-term mobility ambitions.

The future calls for intelligence, choice, responsibility, and clarity. Arabian Automobiles intends to deliver each of these, so mobility in the UAE remains powerful, practical, emotionally engaging, and deeply human. We believe the future calls for greater choice, sharper intelligence, a deeper level of clarity, and a firm sense of responsibility in how mobility is delivered.

Arabian Automobiles intends to give customers access to each of these qualities. Our next chapter, and even the early pages ahead, will bring experiences that feel smarter and more connected, all grounded in the values that have guided us through more than fifty successful years.