The facelifted 2011 BMW X5 has reached showrooms in Saudi Arabia, UAE and other GCC countries. While externally largely similar to the outgoing model, the real news is the adoption of turbocharged engines.
The sub-compact 2011 BMW X1 crossover is now available in the UAE and across the GCC. Based on the 1-Series platform, the X1 will be sold in xDrive all-wheel-drive and sDrive rear-wheel-drive forms in the Middle East.
Peugeot has brought back the GTi name with the launch of the new 308 GTi. The Peugeot 308 model is a highly under-rated car in this region, as the hatchback craze is not as popular here as in Europe.
Reports are coming in that the entire Lexus LS line is being recalled for what seems like a minor steering issue, but Toyota is not taking any chances any more.
BMW Financial Services has announced a partnership with AQSAT, the financial company of Mohamed Yousuf Naghi, to provide a Shariah-compliant financial package to BMW Group customers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
After going on sale in some GCC countries, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing was officially unveiled in Kuwait recently.
Chrysler has issued a recall for six different 2010 models in the United States. More than 40,000 Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles are affected by a problem where drivers might be able to remove the key from the ignition before the vehicle is shifted into ‘Park,’ which could cause the vehicle to run away on its own.
Another day, another Porsche 911 variant. We’ve pretty much lost track of these “new” models since 2005, as the German firm kept churning out version after version of the same car, with minor differences between each model. The latest variant is the 2011 Porsche 911 GT2 RS.
BMW has launched two high-end hybrid models in the GCC, based on the X6 and the 7-Series, and both with equally long names. One is the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 and the other is the BMW ActiveHybrid 7. After a few false starts by Chevrolet, Toyota and Mercedes-Benz, these are likely the first true hybrid vehicles to be commercially available in the UAE. And we are assuming they are expensive.
General Motors has announced a U.S. recall on Hummer H3 models manufactured between 2006 and 2010. It is possible that the recall only affects American-built vehicles, as GCC-spec H3 models were built in South Africa since at least 2007.