HUMMER appoints Liberty Automobiles as UAE dealer

"We are delighted to announce this appointment," commented Terry Johnsson, Managing Director, General Motors Middle East.

"HUMMER is an iconic brand with literally nothing else like it. Liberty Automobiles Company has a dominant track record in desert racing with the Liberty Rally Team. HUMMER and Liberty make an ideal match."

The eagerly awaited 2006 HUMMER H3 signals the next chapter of HUMMER'S growing legacy. Together with its larger sibling, the legendary H2, HUMMER is poised to seize leadership of off-road capability among full and midsize sport utilities.

The launch of HUMMER in the UAE will see the brand available at Liberty Automobiles Company showrooms and aftersales facilities in Al Garhoud in Dubai and at the largest General Motors dealership in the world on King Abdul Aziz Road in Sharjah.

Further showrooms and aftersales facilities will be opening in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain in the first quarter of 2006. Liberty will be supported by General Motors' US$60 million Middle East Distribution Centre in Jebel Ali, ensuring ready availability of parts to deliver a great ownership experience to all HUMMER drivers.

"Liberty Automobiles Company has played an integral part in the growth of GM and has emerged as one of the region's leading dealers since it was established in 1977," commented Sheikh Khalid Bin Abdul Aziz Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Dubai-based Liberty Investment Company, of which Liberty Automobiles Company is a member company.

"30 years of automotive experience has geared us towards providing an outstanding car-buying and ownership experience, which we call 'the Liberty Experience'. We will use our off-road racing heritage, passionate team and unrivalled knowledge of the local market to drive the long term success of HUMMER in the UAE."

Sheikh Khalid Al Qasimi also owns the Liberty Rally Team, which recently enjoyed phenomenal success in the 2005 UAE Desert Challenge. Up against the international manufacturers' works teams, Liberty pulled off an incredible 3rd placed podium finish with a second vehicle finishing 7th. The team won a total of five awards in this year's Challenge including 1st and 2nd placed GCC Arab Team Awards and Best Team Spirit Award.

"This appointment ends a frustrating period when we had no authorised HUMMER dealer in the UAE, which is one of the region's most dynamic automotive markets," added Johnsson. "This has led to the growth of grey-market imports for the HUMMER brand but finally we are able to cater to the demand for both the H2 and H3. We see tremendous opportunity for volume growth."