Nissan has created a worldwide competitive driving test, called the GT Academy, for PS3-addicted GT5 gamers. The eight-month, pan-European competition sees “virtual and real-life racing merge to make the wildest dreams of two aspiring race drivers come true.” The prize is a four-month training programme to earn racing licences, followed by a real-life race driving a Nissan 350Z as part of the Nissan team at the 24H endurance race in Dubai in January 2009.
At the latest “Code 5” number-plate auction in Abu Dhabi, plate number 9 has become the third most expensive number plate in the world, at Dhs 15.4 million (US$ 4.2 million). Bought by a modest Abu Dhabi businessman who did not wish to be named, he purchased the number at the charity auction held on Saturday evening at the Emirates Palace.
So we had two different Bluetooth Handsfree kits installed in our vehicles, provided by the Yellow Hat auto accssories superstore in Dubai. As previously announced, they are going to install various low-budget car-related gadgets for us to review over the course of the year. This here is a brief preview of the Bluetooth handsfree phone kits we’ve been driving around with and getting used to.
Another rundown of the updates to the New Car Buyer Guide over the past two months. I continue to get some flak for incorrect prices, but then again, I make pocket-change for doing what little I do anyway. As usual, if you cannot see the updates in Internet Explorer, hold CTRL and click on REFRESH in your browser while cursing your internet provider.
Bentley – Arnage
BMW – X6
Chrysler – Grand Voyager
GMC – Terrain, Sierra 1500
Infiniti – G37 Coupe,
The updated 2009 Mercedes SL has been touched by Brabus. The upgraded cars get upgraded engines, a dressed-up exterior, new light-alloy wheels with diameters of up to 20 inches, suspension tuning and custom interior design.
Starting this week, we’ll occasionally publish some the various emails we receive. They will be answered privately as well as on this blog. Read the first batch of letters up till the week of May 6, 2008.
While we live in the City Of Gold, where the actual taxi service refuses to pick up passengers, the papers are reporting that out at the Gaza Strip, the ruling Hamas outfit has started using police cars to ferry Palestinians around because of severe fuel shortages.
Just when poor old VW thought they held the crown for world’s fastest car after a decade of near-bankruptcy-causing development, a whole host of smaller companies outdid them to the title. Joining the ranks of Saleen, SSC, Koenigsegg and Ultima is an unknown Swiss manufacturer called Weber Sportcars, claiming to have built the world’s fastest street-legal car. It is called the “WEBER SPORTCARS faster one,” if you can believe that.
You may have noticed the limited updates on this blog during the past week. It was because we moved to a bigger server as we continue to expand. Considering how awful the local internet monopoly is, expecting any improvement in speed seems like a dream. But I guess now is as good a time as any to announce that we are now an official media partner for the 2008 Sharjah Auto Show in November, which will coincide with our third anniversary. We get a stand and everything!
BMW showed off a new concept version of their former M1 supercar at the Concorso d’Eleganza supercar show at Villa d’Este. The BMW M1 was in production from 1978 to 1981, with a 273 hp 3.5-litre inline-6 engine, created as a road-going version of the M1 racecar. Since then, BMW hasn’t had a true supercar in their line-up, even though they are arguably the most sporting manufacturer of passenger cars ever.