European Car News

VW-owned Czech carmaker Skoda has launched the sporty RS versions of the their facelifted 2009 Octavia.

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The Porsche Cayenne is among the most common SUVs on UAE roads today. The people who buy them think they are buying exclusivity, but instead they end up having the same goofy-faced truck as their neighbours. So German outfit Gemballa, known for tuning Porsches, have unveiled their latest cure for the common Cayenne, in the form of the Tornado 750 GTS.

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Volkswagen has just released a more aggressive-looking Tiguan model in Europe called the Volkswagen Tiguan R Line. It does not get any engine upgrades but it does add some flavour to the dull design.

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Germany-based NOVITEC is building what they term as an “uncompromising high-performance concept” that will be a limited edition of just eleven cars. Indeed, they plan to make the new NOVITEC TuLesto the most exclusive high-end sports car in the world. It is under development right now. What you won’t hear them mention is that it is obviously based on the Ferrari F430.

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GM’s Opel division, all but forgotten in the GCC, has released a power-packed midsize sedan in Europe, called the Opel Insignia OPC. Good looks, 300+ hp turbocharged engine, 4×4 technology, below 6 seconds 0-100 kph and tested extensively in the famous Nurbrgring circuit, everything sounds like a winner, except maybe the name.

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The BMW dealer in Abu Dhabi is offering AC Schnitzer body kits for the BMW X5 and the BMW X6, calling it The Falcon. Incidentally, BMW’s GCC office recently reported that the 7-Series is their top-selling model in this region, followed by the BMW X6 and then the BMW X5. Considering the abundance of BMW’s soft-roading clientele, they should have no problem selling these kits.

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You have to wonder what the marketing people at Land Rover are getting paid for, when they thought it appropriate to rename the LR3 just because it received a new grille and a new engine for the 2010 model year.

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The Audi Q7 has received a facelift for the 2010 model year. The only problem is no one will ever notice it. Even the engine range will be carried over. Audi has, however, released a long list of changes to point them out.

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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.

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The 2009 Renault Koleos was released in the UAE on the fake slopes of Ski Dubai in the Mall of the Emirates to show off its off-roading capabilities. It is Renault’s first crossover powered with a 2.5-litre 170 hp engine.

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