Sales of the overtly retro Ford Mustang is down 19% this year in the United States. The car is becoming boring as everyone seems to have one. To beef up interest, Ford is offering a US$ 1,995 (Dhs 7,300) glass roof option for the 2008 model.
The limited-edition 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt was unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show last month. The Mustang Bullitt, named after the 1960s movie Bullitt, is available in green like Steve McQueen’s original in the movie, but it can also be had in black. The classic movie is often credited for creating the car-chase movie genre.
This is the 2009 Lincoln MKS, Ford’s attempt at rejuvenating the dying Lincoln brand, unveiled at the 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show currently running this November. It is a full-size luxury car based on the Ford Five Hundred platform, which itself is a derivation of the Volvo S80 platform. In other words, it is a front-wheel-drive barge competing in a world of rear-driven powerhouses.
At the Dubai Motor Show, General Motors showcased their production 2-Mode full hybrid version of their full-size Chevrolet Tahoe. To clarify, a hybrid vehicle runs on petrol, but uses the movement of the vehicle to store electrical energy for use to run the vehicle when the additional power of petrol isn’t necessary, thereby saving fuel. Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) and GM have agreed to use 5 of these special Tahoes, as well as 5 Chevy Malibu hybrids in a trial run. Some 40 taxis drivers and 15 technicians will also be trained to handle these vehicles.
The 2007 Middle East International Motor Show in Dubai played host to its very own “world premiere” by General Motors. The new vehicle is the 2008 GMC Terrain for the Middle East market. Of course, this new compact 4WD is already on sale in Europe as the Opel Antara.
We were invited to the launch of four new Ford models yesterday. These included the Ford Mondeo and the Lincoln MKZ, with a relaunch of the Mercury Milan. Also launched were the Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego twins, but these cars were not displayed at the dinner event.
We just received a list of 2008 models from General Motors Middle East, and hidden in this list is a “CSV CR8” with “400+ horsepower” and what not. This is confirmation that Chevrolet will finally release the Australian HSV Commodore supersedans in the Middle East with Chevy badging, but dropping the Lumina name. There are even photos of the Chevy-badged car in the GCC.
I took the BMW X5 off-road because BMW kept pounding the public with evidence that it could, showing it as doing dunes and climbing man-made hills. I got it stuck and had to tow it out. On the other hand, the GMC Acadia was never advertised as being anything more than a road-going vehicle. But Diego, our not-so-bright PR guy, took it off-road anyway when I wasn’t looking.
The Middle East is forced to feel content with the 360 hp Chevy-badged Lumina SS, but its Australian maker is really having some fun with it for the domestic market. The 400 hp HSV versions of the Commodore (aka Lumina) sedan were released a year ago in Australia, but this is the first time they have unveiled the HSV version of this Holden Ute pickup derivative, named the HSV Maloo R8.
To give our lumbering Infiniti QX56 some company this Eid, we also got a brand new GMC Acadia as a little brother. Except that the “little one” is also pretty big and likes to park in the adult parking lot. It’s a good thing and a bad thing that parking is free during the holidays. Good because I don’t have to shell out more money to the RTA. Bad because every cheap nincompoop will now come out of the woodwork and fill up the limited spaces.