High octane opportunities in Jordan

But this month, more than most, is a good time to head to the Hashemite Kingdom as you have the rare chance to catch a glimpse of professional drivers flinging top of the range rally cars around the Dead Sea - and you can also pick up the latest Range Rover Sport from Ole Jordan if you fancy a bit of off-road action yourself.

Jordan Rally

The 2006 Jordan Rally is arguably the key round on the FIA Middle East Championship but, for the organisers and HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein, President of Jordan Motorsport, it is much more than that.

Jordan is a making a serious bid to make rally sport history and become the first Middle Eastern country to have a round included on the FIA World Rally Championship. The whole rally has undergone a major upgrade as Jordan strives to convince the FIA that their new look event cuts the mustard - even the official rally web site, which is anticipating as many as five million hits, has undergone an overhaul.

The rally kicks off in central Amman on May 25 at the ancient site of the Citadel, with a ceremonial start and spectacular views across the city, but the real fun begins the next day as the drivers test their mettle, below sea level, at the rally course beside the Dead Sea.

Thirty-four teams, mostly from the Middle East region, have so far registered for the event which concludes on Saturday May 27 after two gruelling legs. A plethora of Subarus, Mitsubishis, Citroens and Opels will lock horns, with historic sites such as Mount Nebo forming the backdrop.

Range Rover Sport

If watching the dust fly in the Jordan Rally whets your appetite for having a spin in your own vehicle, then Land Rover might be able to help.

Earlier on this month, Ole Jordan, the sole distributor for Land Rover in Jordan, announced the release of the new Range Rover Sport. Positioned as a luxury sports tourer, the Range Rover Sport has won over 15 international awards since its launch 18 months ago.

Following on the success of the top of the range Range Rover Sport Supercharged, with its 4.2-litre V8 engine, this model possesses a naturally aspirated 4.4-litre V8 engine, delivering 290 brake horse power.

Land Rover sales for 2005 were the best in the company's history on a global and Middle East level, and the company is predicting a 40% increase in Middle East sales for 2006. The Range Rover Sport has certainly made an impression on buyers so far, accounting for 86% of Land Rover's sales in the Middle East in March.