In a bit of a surprise, I got a call from BMW’s people yesterday morning saying they have Mini Clubman S lying around, and whether I wanted it. I have nothing better to do nowadays so I said “sure, why not.” And now it stands under my apartment, thanks to BMW’s awesome home-delivery service for press cars. It goes back to their stable after five days.
I’ve been zipping around Dubai all morning today, getting my hair blow-dried and losing a few in the process. Because BMW home-delivered this 135i convertible today, and the weather is perfect for such a car.
My PR buddy picked up this Renault Safrane and passed it on to me a day later, with a layer of crap on the outside. However, the cabin was spotless, and there was no denying it — it felt like I was driving around in a Nissan.
Anyone who bugs about my crappy photography skills will be referred to these images. These were taken with a regular point-and-shoot Nikon digital camera that I bought in 2005. The photos have been quickly modified using the free 2001 edition of PaintShop Pro 6, because I never did figure out PhotoShop. It’s not that I don’t know how to take photos. I just prefer to spend my time doing other things when I get a car, like, you know, drive. Wishing you all a happy and enjoyable Eid Mubarak!
We recently got this Jaguar XKR Portfolio in our stable for a few days. Since we had already tested the standard Jaguar XKR earlier this year, reviewing this largely-similar car would’ve been repetitive, so we used it for a photo-shoot around random places in Dubai. The photos were taken by Rashmi Michael.
As you may have noticed, the website has seen almost no updates for the past week. I made the mistake of accepting too many press events and test cars, all in the week when I’m supposed to prepare our stand for the 2008 Sharjah International Auto Show at the Expo Centre. I was thinking of dressing up my BMW M Roadster, but have now decided to display it at our stand in all its beaten-to-hell glory, since I don’t have the time or the space to turn it into a shiny garage-queen show-car. Now,
This is one vehicle I wasn’t exactly looking forward to driving, but asked for one anyway due to popular demand. Our tester had been through many hands before finally reaching us, so it is a bit disheveled, but properly broken in. First impressions are as poor as when seen in photos, but we discovered its many practical aspects as we cruised around Dubai.
Al Habtoor Motors officially launched the 2009 versions of the Galant, the Eclipse and the Lancer Evolution X today, with a press track drive at the Dubai Autodrome.
The soft-top Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport was launched at a press event today in Dubai. I already reported on it before, so look it up for details. But I learned a few new things.
I am feeling a bit depressed right now. I value my cars as much as people value their family jewelry. But thanks to some new laws coming soon, the value of my decent 1990 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.6 AMG dropped as low as the price of my new mobile phone. It is the ultimate slap in the face for me, as it was my first car, bought in 2004 with my own earnings back in college, when every other kid on campus had a brand new car gifted by daddy. I can only drive it for two more years before it is scrapped,