Feature Stories

Ram — Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles’ truck brand — extended their Middle East line-up for 2017 with the addition of the new Ram 1200 metric-ton pickup truck as well as several new trim levels of the existing Ram 1500 full-sizer. We got a taste of these new trucks at a recent event in Dubai, with a bit of offroading around the Bab Al Shams area.

Read More …

Nissan invited us to a “surprise” launch event in Dubai, only telling us that it will be a crossover of some sort. That crossover turned out to be the 2018 Nissan Kicks. The more surprising news was that it will replace the Juke crossover and the Tiida hatchback in the carmaker’s GCC line-up, even though these cars will continue to be on sale in other markets such as Lebanon and Jordan.

Read More …

It’s a bit early for gags, but this is a classic case of thinking outside the box. Say hello to Land Rover’s fifth-generation Discovery, which does away with the boxy (but characterful) shape of its predecessors in favour of softer, more tapered lines that its makers hope will attract a broader customer base to the model.

Read More …

Arguably, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class reached its peak back in the 1980s, when it wasn’t even called the E-Class. Comprising of models such as the all-rounder 300E, the handbuilt-by-Porsche 500E and the aftermarket-tuned AMG Hammer among others, the German carmaker’s W124-generation sedan was iconic. Unfortunately, right after this model was discontinued in 1995 after an 11-year run, Mercedes-Benz entered an era of confused designs and cost-cutting measures that didn’t subside until more than a decade later. Now, four generations later, there is an all-new Mercedes-Benz E-Class, but does it have what it takes to become an icon again?

Read More …

I’ve never understood the SUV-coupe genre. They’re about as functional as a hollow plastic hammer, offering neither the cabin space of a conventional SUV, nor the dynamism of a low-slung coupe.

Read More …

It’s hard to believe that the R35-generation Nissan GT-R has been around for almost a decade. So long, in fact, that it’s creator Kazutoshi Mizuno has already retired and chilling on a beach somewhere. But development of the car continues, as a new version debuted late last year. We finally got a chance to get behind the wheel of the latest version, if only briefly, at the Dubai Autodrome.

Read More …

Porsche has a history of creating cars that cause a negative reaction, even if only temporarily. Aging enthusiasts will remember the 914 from the 70s. Millennials will remember the first Cayenne. And more recently, there was the Panamera, the German carmaker’s first ever sedan which was actually a stretched hatchback. But while derided when launched, all three went on to become bestsellers, much more so than the iconic 911. For 2017, there is a new Panamera hitting the streets, but no one can say any more that the styling is found wanting.

Read More …