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Stiffer traffic laws in Saudi
Saudi Arabia's Council of Ministers has approved a new traffic law that stiffens penalties for drivers who cause accidents and denies a driving license to those convicted of taking or dealing in drugs, reported Arab News. Individuals convicted of injuring another person in an accident will be jailed for not more than a year and/or fined up to SR10,000 ($2,667). The kingdom has registered more than 1.36m accidents in the last five years causing the deaths of 21,900 people and injuring 122,600 others.
Dubai road projects reach $6.8bn
The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority has implemented Dhs25bn ($6.8bn) worth of roads and transport projects since its inception in November 2005, reported Gulf News. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the RTA, said the authority has completed a number of key projects related to road infrastructure development and public transport while a number of others are still being carried out.
Porsche GT2 hits MidEast in February
Porsche is bringing out the GT2, its fastest ever road car, in the Middle East in February. Costing around $176,000, only 65 were allocated to this market, and all have been pre-sold. Deesch Papke, managing director of Porsche Middle East, told AME Info that new orders would likely take a year to deliver. The company said it is also considering releasing a Cayenne S Transsyberia, the SUV that recently completed the gruelling Transsyberia Rally.
Gargash appoints GM
Gargash Enterprises, the general distributor for Mercedes-Benz in Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates, has appointed Ewan Ramsay as its new General Manager. Ramsay was previously the GM at Honda UK and before that he was the MD of Daimler Chrysler Retail in the UK. Ramsay will oversee sales, servicing and parts as well as Sixt Rent-a-Car and Autotek.
Maktoum Bridge to open
Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority has announced that widening of the Al Maktoum Bridge has been completed and it will be open for traffic from Tuesday, November 6. Roads leading to the bridge have also been widened in Bur Dubai and Deira. The bridge handles around 9,500 vehicles an hour or 250,000 a day.
GM strong Saudi sales
General Motors (GM) has recorded strong sales in Saudi Arabia in the first nine months of the year with 58,305 units sold by the end of September, reported the Saudi Gazette. The figures were largely driven by sales of the Chevrolet brand which accounted for 41,283 of the deals. Across the entire Middle East region, GM has witnessed sales of more than 98,600 units so far this year.
BMW introduces new 6 series
BMW Group Middle East will be introducing the new 6 Series Coupé and the new 6 Series Convertible in the Gulf in November. The new offerings will feature attractive modifications to their characteristic design, an interior further refined in many details, new colour highlights, and innovations in drive technology.
Cadillac SLS to debut in Gulf
The Middle East will be the first export market for the Cadillac SLS, the long-wheelbase version of the STS luxury sedan. The car will be revealed at the Middle East Motor Show in Dubai on 13 November and will reach regional showrooms in the first quarter of 2008. The newcomer is the third variant in the successful STS range, after STS itself and the high-performance STS-V.
New Rolls-Royce unveiled in UAE
Rolls-Royce has unveiled its new Phantom Drophead Coupe in Abu Dhabi. The latest luxury vehicle from the UK-based automaker is a two-door, four-seater convertible combining the latest in light-weight engineering technology with the finest hand-crafted materials. It features several unique design options, such as a stainless steel bonnet and teak decking - inspired by J-class racing yachts.
Paid parking in Ajman
Ajman will introduce a paid parking system beginning in January that will be in effect from 8:00am to 2:30pm from Sunday to Thursday, reported Khaleej Times. Shaikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, chairman of the Ajman Department of Municipality and Planning, said parking will be free on Fridays, Saturdays and public holidays, and the system will be implemented only in areas near the main roads and the parking lots of government departments.
Cars tracked with microchips
According to The Saudi Gazette, car plates of all vehicles in Saudi Arabia will be changed for free by next year in lieu of a new distribution system, cited Bahrain Tribune. The plates will contain a microchip so it can be tracked by satellites, as part of the Saudi traffic agency's project to monitor traffic.
RTA launches Madinati Phase 2
The Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has launched Phase II of Madinati Project. This aims to achieve RTA's further interaction with the public, increase traffic awareness of road users and maintain right of way installations by encouraging the public to report offences, damage and loss inflicted on lives and properties. So far, RTA has received 2015 reports from 1124 callers.
New Nissan faces line up in Saudi
Nissan has launched four new faces — Altima, Xterra, Qashqai and Navara along with the company's all-new 2008 models in Saudi Arabia, reported Arab News. The brand is being marketed by Alhamrani United Co., a member of Alhamrani Group of Companies.
Liberty to offer Kawasaki bikes
Liberty Automobiles Company is entering the bike market through its partnership with Kawasaki. Liberty signed up as the exclusive UAE dealer for the Kawasaki range that includes motorcycles, quads and all-terrain vehicles.
Audi Experience program begins
Audi Middle East has launched the Audi Experience program that will take place over the next few months in four different areas of interest: the Audi Lifestyle Experience, which contains the After Work Lounges and other lifestyle events, the Audi Art Experience, which will bring world renowned concert pianist Lang Lang to the Madinat Jumairah Dubai on 12th November, the Audi Sport Experience, which kicks off with the Audi Middle East quattro Golf Cup in January, as well as the Audi Driving Experience, which begins this weekend in Dubai at the Kempinksi hotel.
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