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Customising customers
Middle East drivers want individualised vehicles, according to Bernd Rosenbichler, Marketing Director, Audi Middle East. Rosenbichler looks at the impact of Audi's latest models.
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Land Rover drives ahead
Land Rover's Middle East sales nearly doubled in 2005, with driven by the Range Rover Sport model. Phil Popham, Global MD, Land Rover, looks at how consumer preferences are changing, and testing new models in the extreme heat of the Gulf.
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Buying a Beemer
Middle East luxury car drivers tend to keep their cars for only two to three years, according Bob Chamberlain, GM Global Banking, BMW AG. Chamberlain says car financing is seeing a shift from outsourcing to insourcing, with customers increasingly buying and leasing their cars directly from BMW.
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BMW races ahead
The Middle East's appetite for prestige cars helped BMW achieve double-digit growth in 2005. Dr Michael Ganal and Guenther Seemann give an analysis of BMW's regional performance, including key growth markets.
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Rolling into prestige luxury
It's the ultimate gentleman's dream: a Rolls Royce, the iconic millionnaire's car. Rolls Royce recently displayed their experimental 100EX soft-top in the Middle East. But how is the carmaker staying true to its heritage while keeping its brand relevant in fast-changing times?
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Driving to safety
Competitive attitudes contribute to bad driving and the high road death toll in the Middle East, according to Adam Kechil, Director of Training, Belhasa Driving Centre. Kechil says good driving lessons are critical for making roads safer, and a probationary license system would also make a significant difference.
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M-Class dazzles ME
The second-generation M-Class leads the luxury SUV segment with a number of world firsts, including its seven speed 7G-Tronic automatic gearbox. With powerful new engines and the AIRMATIC air suspension system, the M-Class is also a proven off-road performer, with functions such as a downhill driving aid, start-off assist and an off-road ABS system.
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Interview: Dr Helmut Panke, BMW
BMW sales continue to be strong in the Middle East, despite the continuing weak dollar. Dr Helmut Panke, Chairman, BMW, says the company also has its eye on several emerging markets, including Iraq and Iran.
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Test Drive: Touareg
In the first of AME Info's new video series Test Drive, in association with AutoEmirates, we take VW's Touareg for a spin in the sand dunes. First seen at the 2002 Paris Motor Show, the Touareg is VW's maiden entry in the lucrative luxury SUV segment.
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Bahrain gears up for F1
The famous glued-down sand is gone from the 2005 Bahrain Grand Prix, replaced by tarmac painted in desert colours. The change is one of several improvements made to the circuit. Salman Al Khalifa, Bahrain International Circuit, says Turn Four has been made to flow better, with an entirely new layout planned for 2006.
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A1 races to help
Interest is growing in the new A1 Grand Prix, with more than a dozen countries buying team franchises. The UAE's car recently put in a public appearance at the Dubai Autodrome, to raise money for the tsunami victims.
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Bahrain in the fast lane
Growing regional interest in motor sport has raised speculation that other states, such as Qatar and Bahrain, may compete with Bahrain to host Formula One. But Martin Whitaker, General Manager of the Bahrain International Circuit, says he's confident the race will stay in Manama. Organisers of the first Bahrain Grand Prix say the 2005 race will be an even greater success.
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Peugeot flying machines
Peugeot unveiled its new 407 to the Middle East with a dramatic helicopter entry over the Abu Dhabi seafront. The 407 has already enjoyed high sales in Europe, and Peugeot hopes to repeat this in the GCC. Jeremy Wetherhill, Divisional Manager, looks at the company's strategy.
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Driving sales growth
Porsche recently launched the new 6th generation 911 in the Middle East, after a successful year which saw sales boosted by the new Cayenne SUV. Porsche is also expanding its territorial coverage by adding two new markets, Yemen and India. Mark Bishop, Managing Director, Porsche Middle East, says the 911 has been redesigned to make it far more easy to drive.
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Smart minds for smart car
IBM is collaborating with students from United Arab Emirates University in Al Ain to develop the UAE's first localised smart car. Advanced monitoring systems enable the vehicle to alert police when speed violations occur, and even issue tickets and fines. The system includes a complete map of the entire road network in the UAE, including all speed limits on individual roads.
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