Our black Renault Safrane V6, a brand new 2009 leftover model that we purchased last Ramadan, is on its way to completing 5000 km, and is soldiering on just fine. It also has the best fuel economy in our 3-car fleet by far, for obvious reasons.
The current-generation Lexus LS 460 has always been available with a powerful direct-injection 4.6-litre V8 in other markets. However, when the latest LS was launched in 2007, it came with a detuned V8 for the GCC market, possibly over concerns of poor petrol quality in some countries in this region. Now the UAE dealer has rectified that.
Hyundai’s impressive run of successes is set to continue with the official launch of the Elantra compact sedan. Already revealed in Korea as the Avante, the Elantra sedan is a complete departure from the awful outgoing model, and is arguably the most futuristically-styled compact car on the market now, taking over the mantle from the formerly ground-breaking Honda Civic.
It’s been known for a while now that Nissan has planned a convertible version of, not the GT-R, not the Altima Coupe, but of all cars the Murano. And the Japanese firm has released the first photo of the new model.
Al-Futtaim Motors, the exclusive dealer for Lexus in the UAE, launched the new IS models, including the IS-F, at a Dubai Autodrome event.
So we were offered a brand new 2011 Lexus LX 570 for a weekend, or what we like to call the “Lexus Land Cruiser.” Since we didn’t get invited to the actual Toyota Land Cruiser 5.7 launch event, we figured we’d take the LX anyway, since it is essentially the same thing, and we’d indirectly reacquint ourselves with the Land Cruiser. But since we had already reviewed the 2008 LX before, we used this truck for a fuel economy test instead.
If anyone remembers, there is a third manufacturer from Korea besides Hyundai-Kia and GM-Daewoo. That would be Ssangyong, the company that makes only three quirky SUV models and a ridiculous-looking minivan, all with Mercedes-Benz engines dating back 20 years. After its recent bankruptcy, the company is seemingly back again with an all-new model built on a new platform and with a new engine. It revives the SsangYong Korando nameplate, which used to be a midsize offroader, except that the new model is a compact crossover.
AW Rostamani Trading, dealers for Nissan in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, is now also going to be the dealership for Zhengzhou Nissan Automobile (ZNA) in the UAE. ZNA is one of China’s “biggest” automotive manufacturers that was established in 1993 in partnership with Nissan.
We first tested the current iteration of the Lexus LX 570 when it debuted in 2008, alongside the Toyota Land Cruiser on which it is based. So when we were offered the 2011 Lexus LX 570 for a test-drive, we almost rejected it. But then we figured “why not.” Maybe something has changed. It turns out nothing has changed, although our tester was a more interesting vehicle than the one we drove before.
In its third biggest worldwide recall ever, Nissan is “voluntarily” recalling 2.14 million vehicles around the globe for an engine stall defect. Around 15,000 cars in the UAE are also affected.