The 2010 Acura ZDX is Acura’s first ‘four door sports coupe’ which was revealed in the New York Auto Show 2009. It is basically following the trend set by BMW with their X6. It certainly looks great with its funky styling and impressive interior. While it may match the X6 in terms of looks, it might have trouble matching its performance.
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.
The handsome but aging Range Rover Sport has been given a mid-life facelift. The change is notable for the fact that it is the first upgrade under Tata ownership. And that upgrade entails a 510 hp supercharged V8, among other updates unveiled at the 2009 New York Auto Show.
I always try to be impartial about brands, but I actually have a soft spot for my Jeep Grand Cherokee. So I can’t help but feel slightly excited about the all-new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee that made its debut at the 2009 New York Auto Show. Because in terms of features, it raises the bar yet again when it comes to combining affordability, offroad ability, crossover SUV looks, V8 performance, soft-touch cabin trim and some semblance of on-road handling. Do not take this as my endorsement for the dying Chrysler brand or Jeep in particular. The rest of Jeep’s range continue to be embarrassing.
The 370Z Coupe is due in the GCC sometime in August, but the 370Z Roadster, with a convertible soft-top roof, is all set to debut at the 2009 New York Auto Show.
General Motors released a small softroader for the GCC market last year, called the GMC Terrain, a Korean-built model that shares its styling with the badge-engineered Opel Antara. Now America is getting its own version of the Terrain, based on the same platform, but with completely different styling. The all-new 2010 Terrain makes its world debut at the 2009 New York Auto Show, and we just found out it will come to the UAE, to replace the Korean one. However, if you don’t like its goofy styling, you will not miss much. This Canadian-built iteration of the Terrain is just one of a number of GM vehicles that is utilising this platform.
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.
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.
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.
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.