Toyota recently announced the 2010 Toyota Land Cruiser is going to get a new engine and transmission option, retiring the long-running 4.7-litre V8 to replace it with a Lexus-derived 4.6-litre V8. The upgrade is only for the Japanese-market model currently but may spread to GCC and other markets later.
I first saw this exact red Infiniti G37 Coupe at its UAE launch in Dubai more than a year ago. Since then, magazine after magazine kept grabbing this press car from under us for their stupid comparison “tests” against the BMW 335i, until the red car became so “old” that we didn’t bother asking for it any more. Anyway, since my request for the Nissan GT-R was pushed even further away (as expected), I asked for a G37 Coupe to pass the time. It turns out that red car is still in press circulation, with 16,000 km on the clock,
I get asked a bit too many times which is the best midsize sedan out of the three Japanese stalwarts – the Honda Accord, the Nissan Altima and the Toyota Aurion. Very few even care for oddities such as the Galant, the Passat or the Lumina, but it is not my job to promote those market-losers. Even fewer care that only one member of the A-grade trio is actually built in Japan. I have never driven the three cars back-to-back, and do not intend to, as none of them are exciting enough to warrant a second round. However, I have driven the V6 versions of each of the three four-door cars back in 2008,
For years, sub-compact cars have been shunned by snooty people who chose to drive a big car, citing concerns over safety. While their reasons probably have more to do with image than safety, the Insurance institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), an independent American agency that crash-tests hundreds of cars every year, say that the snooty people were actually right. While many sub-compact cars such as the Honda Jazz and the Toyota Yaris scored full marks in standardised crash tests against a stationary barrier, their downfalls became obvious when they were slammed against a midsize Honda Accord or a Toyota Camry.
A different take on the Outlander crossover SUV was shown by Mitsubishi at the 2009 New York Auto Show. The first thing you notice on this Mitsubishi Outlander ‘prototype’ is the front which distinctly looks the same as that of a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X. Also the rest of the car has been changed, along with the interior, trying to give it a more upscale feel to it.
We first got wind of the 2010 Lexus RX’s imminent launch when I and my PR buddy did the rounds of ad agencies a few months ago, trying to get advertisements for this website. At the time, Toyota UAE’s ad agency said they will not give us their upcoming Lexus RX ads because they only wanted to target women, and apparently we don’t have enough women visiting this site. A month later, we see ads for the RX all over MBC Action, AutoMiddleEast, Car ME and every other possible men’s media. While we were flat-out rejected for the ad campaign for flimsy reasons,
The 2010 Acura ZDX is Acura’s first ‘four door sports coupe’ which was revealed in the New York Auto Show 2009. It is basically following the trend set by BMW with their X6. It certainly looks great with its funky styling and impressive interior. While it may match the X6 in terms of looks, it might have trouble matching its performance.
The 2009 Nissan 370Z isn’t even out yet in most countries, and Nissan has already unveiled the NISMO 370Z, a heavily tuned version developed in-house for true enthusiasts. The limited-production features an upgraded 350 hp 3.7-litre V6, close-ratio 6-speed manual, special body-kit and interior styling, tuned suspension and super-lightweight 19-inch forged alloy wheels. Converted by tuners Autech Japan in collaboration with Nissan, it debuted at the 2009 New York Auto Show.
The 370Z Coupe is due in the GCC sometime in August, but the 370Z Roadster, with a convertible soft-top roof, is all set to debut at the 2009 New York Auto Show.
Nearly a year after its worldwide debut, Nissan has finally launched the all-new GCC-spec 2009 Nissan Murano in the UAE at a launch ceremony in Dubai.