2006
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Inifiniti G Sedan out soon
The all-new Infiniti G Sedan will be on sale in the Middle East in December 2006, according to Nissan Middle East. The 2007 G Sedan is driven by a VQ-series 3.5-litre V6 engine producing a maximum 327 bhp, which is joined to a five-speed automatic transmission with manual shift mode. The interior has been redesigned and comes with a 10-speaker Bose audio system.
Land Cruiser on 2.22% finance
UAE Toyota dealer Al-Futtaim Motors is promoting select Toyota Land Cruiser models on finance with meBank at 2.22% interest. The luxury SUV has a 4.7-litre, 250bhp engine, remote engine starter, navigation system and powered driver's seat. It is finished with an aqua metallic body colour.
Cash deal on Range Rover
UAE Land Rover dealers Premier Motors and Al Tayer Motors are promoting the new Range Rover at a special cash price of Dhs279,000. Sales come with a year's free insurance, five years or 100,000km free service, and five years of roadside assistance and unlimited mileage warranty. Conditions apply and the offer is open while stocks last.
Suzuki new Saudi showroom
Suzuki Saudia is opening a new showroom in Khobar to help keep up with increased demand for its vehicles in the kingdom, the company said in a statement. With its headquarters in Jeddah, Suzuki Saudia has increased its branches from 16 in 2005 to 21 in 2007.
KIA big Saudi plans
KIA Motors aims to open 36 more outlets in Saudi Arabia in 2007, Arab News reported. The Korean carmaker wants to be able to offer its full range of KIA models in the kingdom. It has 22 branches at present. It might also open a technical institute to train Saudi nationals.
Honda brings on Aerosports CR-V
Honda Motor has brought its all-new Aerosports SUV CR-V to the UAE. The carmaker is pitching its third generation CR-V as a crossover SUV with sedan-like handling and sports car design. It carries a 2.4-litre i-VTEC four cylinder engine with five-speed automatic transmission. Honda is forecasting sales across all its vehicles in GCC countries at around 40,000 units in 2006, an increase of 18% over 2005.
Zayani, hands-free kit offer
Bahrain's Zayani Motors is to offer all purchasers of Mitsubishi vehicles a free mobile hands-free kit. The move comes as a result of upcoming new traffic legislation which could see drivers heavily fined, or possibly imprisoned, for holding their mobiles to their ear while driving. Zayani Motors will offer either a Nokia HF-35W Wireless Plug-in hands-free set or a Nokia BH-300 Bluetooth Set.
Juma Al Majid eyes sales boost
Juma Al Majid, Hyundai's official UAE distributor, is eyeing a 15% increase in car sales this year, reported Gulf News. The firm's President Essam Abu Nabah said that design and technology improvements had aided sales as had a successful sports marketing campaign. The firm opened a new showroom in Sharjah last week and has plans to open a large facility in Abu Dhabi as part of a $60m expansion push.
Dubai, death every 30 hours
Figures released by Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority have shown that one person gets killed on the city's roads every 30 hours, while a person is injured every three hours, reported Gulf News. In the first nine months of the year, 215 deaths were recorded on Dubai's roads. Sheikh Zayed Road, the Emirates Road and Sheikh Rashid Road registered the most fatal accidents.
Driving school campaign backed
Dubai's residents have welcomed the decision made last week by the Roads and Transport Authority to clamp down on driving schools that violate federal law, reported Gulf News. Many believe that a higher standard of tuition should lead to better drivers and, hopefully, fewer accidents on the roads. A number of residents feel it is currently too easy to get a driving licence in Dubai.
Dubai violation crackdown
Motorists who jump red lights in Dubai will receive 12 black points rather than six from January 1, reported Gulf News. The accumulation of 24 points in one year will lead to licences being confiscated for six months and vehicles being impounded for one month. Violations such as causing the death of a person in an accident and drink driving will result in the automatic cancellation of a driving licence.
Riiyadh Motor Show in 25th year
The Saudi car market is worth around $11bn a year with over 275,000 vehicles imported annually, according to organisers of the 25th Riyadh Motor Show, which runs until 26 November. The latest models across a range of vehicles, from passenger cars, SUVs, trucks and motorcycles to special purpose vehicles are on show. More than 97,000 visitors are expected to attend the event.
Cherry Auto plant in Iran
China's Cherry Automobile plans to establish a $200m car making plant in Iran with Iran Khodro, reported AFP. The plant is expected to turn out 100,000 units a year of the QQ brand, a line of compact cars for the mass market, according to the Shanghai Youth Daily. Production is expected to start in two years.
Hyundai Sharjah showroom
Korean carmaker Hyundai has opened a new showroom in Sharjah. It will be run by Hyundai's UAE dealership Juma Al Majid, and handle both retail and fleet sales. Hyundai is developing hybrid cell cars for some of its markets, which could soon hit the region, according to spokesperson.
Driving schools to lose licences
Dubai driving schools that don't meet new standards required by law will have their licenses cancelled, the Roads and Transport Authority said. The laws come into effect on 1 January 2007. Officials say around 30 schools will be affected.
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