It would seem BMW is on a roll, filling oddball niches that did not need to be filled. After the X6 and the 5-Series GT, the latest shot is taken by BMW’s Mini brand, with the reveal of the Mini Countryman 4-door crossover.
The BMW 3-Series coupe and convertible models have received a mid-life facelift to complement last year’s update of the sedan, even as the German firm is readying the all-new 2012 3-Series for release next year.
Ford has facelifted the luxury version of the Ford Edge, revealing the 2011 Lincoln MKX midsize crossover at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show.
The next-generation 2011 Ford Focus is making its worldwide debut at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show this month. Available in both the 4-door sedan and 5-door hatchback body styles, the all-new Focus will start production for Europe and North America late in 2010, with a local market launch early in 2011, and the GCC will then follow.
SMS Supercars, who are known in the U.S. for pimping up Mustangs and Challengers, have decided to do the same with the Chevrolet Camaro. Along with exterior and interior upgrades, SMS beefs up the power in these muscle cars. They have released photos of its upcoming Chevrolet Camaro model, the SMS 620 Camaro.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA Vice President and President of the Automobile & Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE), has announced his support for the 2010 Gulf Bike Expo. Following the success of the inaugural bike exhibition and festival earlier in 2009, of which he was also a patron, Mohammed Ben Sulayem will resume his role for next year’s show.
Unlike the Chevy Camaro and the Ford Mustang, the Dodge Challenger never caught on in the UAE, thanks largely to high prices and lacklustre advertising. To ramp up sales, Chrysler has unveiled a new ‘performance appearance’ package for the 2010 Dodge Challenger in the American market, but only for the SE and R/T models, both of which are not offered in the GCC.
The Toyota Yaris has received a minor facelift for 2010, and can already be seen around the streets of the UAE. It is odd that the dealer is focusing on offloading leftover 2009 models before truly marketing the new version, but then again, the changes seem to be limited to new bumpers and not much else.
Honda’s Indian division has unveiled the Honda New Small Concept, a concept version for what will become a new sub-compact hatchback model, at the Auto Expo 2010 in New Delhi.
Cadillac has released details of the 2011 CTS-V Coupe, which debuts at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show this month. It combines the new CTS Coupe’s body with the 556 hp supercharged V8 from the CTS-V sedan.