Ratan Tata, boss of Indian conglomerate Tata, had vowed some time ago to release a “1-lakh” car, essentially a car that costs 100,000 Indian rupees, or US$2,500. That translates to Dhs 9,350 for a new car, and it has just been launched in India as I speak, as the Tata Nano.
Skoda is almost no presence in this region, but they still manage to sell more than a handful of cars in Europe. The Superb, which is based on a stretched version of the Volkswagen Passat platform, has been fully redesigned. So instead of looking like a cheap copy of the Passat, it now has a bit of brand identity, no matter how dull it may be.
The 2008 Detroit Auto Show will showcase the second-generation high-performance Cadillac CTS-V. The 2009 CTS-V outdoes its chief competitor, the BMW M5, by utilising GM’s new LSA supercharged V8, derived from the LS9 in the new Corvette ZR1, but tuned for refinement obviously.
The 2009 Hyundai Genesis has been officially unveiled for the American market. The full-size rear-wheel-drive car is designed to challange the likes of Lexus and Infiniti, if not also the Germans. But pricing is expected to be around US$30,000 in the States.
At a time when petrol prices are going up, Kia has decided to launch a fullsize 4WD with a truck-like body-on-frame structure, with a choice of V6 and V8 engines. Depending on market, it will be called Borrego or Mohave.
I hate Land Cruisers simply because most of them seem to be driven by morons. So as much as I’d like to hate our goofy-looking 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser tester, it has impressed me enough to think about adding it to my list of recommended cars after the review is done. It really is that good. But more on that later. Here are the latest updates in the new car buyer guide, although prices (and some of the specs) will be corrected and updated accurately later:
Mercedes-Benz is preparing to offer a new compact soft-roader called the GLK for the 2009 model year. To show it off early, Merc has released this lightly-disguised concept, called the Vision GLK Freeside, although I feel there isn’t much here to show off with.
You must’ve read all the reviews about this big lump already, but I’ll probably be able give some new insights into this long-awaited new model, given the sad nature of journalism in this region. It certainly isn’t the rocket that everyone was hoping for, given that it gets a 4.7 V8 instead of the 5.7 in the GCC. But it is a very luxurious vehicle that packs some interesting new technology.
Being a slow month for anything related to cars, due to the long holidays, I went about reviewing my own 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.7 Limited. Having had it for only 3 months, this is my longest review ever, but it is important to fight back some of the negative commentary I received for buying it instead of just another anonymous Toyota or Nissan cramming the roads.
Here’s some rare footage of the Bugatti Veyron actually doing what it is supposed to do. Being driven full-throttle at the Nurburgring racetrack in Germany, it looks sharp and would make any owner think it is money well spent. But then check out the mysterious car that shows up near the end. Is that an early prototype of some Japanese supercar?