The 2010 Chevrolet Cruze, GM’s all-new Korean-built compact sedan that is surprisingly more anticipated in the Middle East than we expected it to be, is now available in Saudi Arabia and possibly a few other GCC countries, according to reports by our readers. There is no official word yet from GM’s regional headquarters in Dubai, but the Cruze is listed in Chevrolet’s UAE website.
The 2009 Mini John Cooper Works Cabrio, an upgraded version of the Cooper S Convertible, is now available in GCC countries.
Nissan’s American division is recalling certain 2009 and 2010 Altima and Maxima cars due to a mechanical defect. The upper front “strut insulators” in 26,000 cars may have been manufactured out of specification, resulting in a potential for the suspension’s “strut insulator” to crack.
McLaren Automotive has launched their all-new exotic sports car, originally known as the P11 project. Now unimaginatively dubbed as the McLaren MP4-12C, this jumble of letters and numbers is the closest thing to a successor for the groundbreaking McLaren F1 supercar of the 1990s. The McLaren MP4-12C will go on sale in the Middle East in 2011.
Aljomaih Automotive Company (AAC) has opened the first standalone General Motors premium brands, pre-owned vehicle showroom in the Middle East. The state-of-the-art showroom, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will showcase pre-owned vehicles from GM’s premium brands including Cadillac, HUMMER and Saab.
The combination of sporting performance and style is a hallmark of the BMW 5 Series enjoyed by discerning motorists around the globe. With the arrival of 100 Limited Edition BMW 5 Series vehicles at BMW importers throughout the region, Middle East enthusiasts now have the opportunity to own an exclusive Limited Edition model of this popular saloon.
The Lotus Exige range has always been about offering more performance by losing more weight. The latest Exige Cup 260 takes the 38 kg weight savings introduced in last year’s Cup 240 model, combines them with the extensive body and aerodynamic improvements and revisions introduced on the 2010 Exige in March 2009 and tops them off with new components and technologies.
The latest version of Audi’s beluga-whale sports car, the V10-powered R8 5.2 FSI Quattro, has gone on sale in the UAE and the rest of the GCC.
The first version of the all-new Hyundai Tucson has been revealed for its Korean home market, demonstrating swoopy new styling and a new engine.
We were not invited, but apparently the 2010 Mazda 3 was launched at a Dubai showroom in the UAE, with simultaneous debuts for the Oman and Saudi Arabian markets. While they proudly claim to be the newest compact car in the GCC, it is also the most disappointing new car released this year.