Kia Middle East & Africa has showcased its first-ever pickup truck, the Kia Tasman, in an exclusive desert driving experience across Jordan. The event followed the model’s world premiere at the Jeddah International Motor Show in late 2024 and strong customer interest during its pre-booking phase.
Renamed but little changed since it first launched 40 years ago, Lada’s legacy model remains the brand’s defining model as it makes a comeback to Middle East markets. Formerly known as the Niva, the diminutive Lada 4×4 is both precursor to the crossover segment and a highly capable off-roader. With uni-body construction, rugged four-wheel-drive, and coil spring double wishbone and live axle suspension, it was designed as an affordable people’s car for city streets and rugged rural Russian winters alike.
It may not be the first small, affordable or capable small SUV, the Renault Duster is however the people’s car of the crossover era. Bridging the gap between dedicated compact off-roaders like the Suzuki Jimny and small sensible saloons pitched at emerging markets, the Duster made the practical SUV an accessible option for budget-minded drivers, with 2.45 million sold since its 2010 launch as a Dacia and 2012 Middle East introduction as a Renault.
One hundred years ago, before the independent country of Jordan was created, a certain British military officer called T.E. Lawrence led an army of the Arab Revolt on a grueling, two-month march through the desert that was believed to be impassable, and captured the Red Sea town of Aqaba on the other side. Immortalised in a 1962 movie, he was better known as Lawrence of Arabia, and because there’s footage of him piloting a Ford Model T in Wadi Rum, Ford invited us to Jordan to retrace Lawrence’s march in the comfort of modern Ford SUVs. The connection isn’t particularly tenuous,
The Red Bull Car Park Drift Regional Finals are headed to Jordan this year. Twelve drivers hailing from eight different Arab countries will be competing against each other for the ‘Regional King of Drift’ title on October 19th, 2012.
The most prestigious auto award in the Middle East, with the coveted ‘Car of the Year’ honour as well as individual category winners, the results for the Middle East Motor Awards (MEMA) were announced at a ceremony held at Expo Centre Sharjah on November 3, 2011.