The all-new 2013 Nissan Pathfinder has just been launched in the GCC, with a media event in the UAE. The new Pathfinder ditches its body-on-frame chassis for this year and gains some length to compete in the hotly-contested midsize crossover segment.
Brabus held the world premiere of their incarnation of the Mercedes-Benz G 65 AMG at the Qatar Motor Show. Dubbed the Brabus 800, the upgrade gives the G 65 AMG a massive power boost, and some optional exterior add-ons as well.
The Middle East’s first supposed super-carmaker, W Motors, has launched the Lykan HyperSport at the Qatar Motor Show.
The quirky-named 2013 Kia pro_cee’d GT is set to make its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March.
My father owned Japanese cars ever since he moved to Saudi Arabia during the 70s-80s gold rush. An ’82 Mazda 929, an ’86 Corona, a ’90 Laurel (yes, the grey & black ones) & then a ’94 Corolla. My first car was bought in 2009, a 2001 Caprice LS & at the first opportunity in 2010 I replaced it with a 2004 Lumina LS which has been serving me effortlessly. Father vs. Son, Asian cars vs. American cars. I hardly ever choose to drive a Toyota, Nissan, Hyundai et al when I have other options available. So when the chance came in a somewhat different manner,
Aston Martin has revealed the latest iteration of their four-door model, officially dubbing it the Aston Martin Rapide S. The Rapide S sedan is basically a facelift of the outgoing Rapide, but with a significant improvement in power.
The 2013 Nissan Sentra has officially gone on sale in the UAE. It is not a replacement for the new sub-compact Nissan Sunny, but will slot in alongside it as a larger compact sedan offering, replacing the older Nissan Sunny and possibly he Tiida sedan.
The 2014 Kia Cerato has officially been launched in the GCC, at an event in the UAE. Drawn up in America under a European designer, the third-generation Kia Cerato boasts sleeker styling that is 30 mm longer, 15 mm lower and 5 mm wider than the outgoing car, with a 50 mm extended wheelbase.
McLaren gave out more details on their next new model, the P1, which will be officially available by the end of the year.
There’s a lot of talk about a second recession hitting at some point in the near future, on the back of an economic downturn in Europe. But that hasn’t affected car sales in the Middle East, and the GCC in particular, as almost all brands have reported a further increase in sales for 2012. For a look at the cross-section of the market, here’s the results from Ford, BMW, Volvo, Porsche, Hyundai and Toyota.