Whenever Mercedes-Benz has prototype cars in the UAE for hot-weather testing, I can be sure that they will do a drive-by of my shitty area in Dubai at one time or another. This, I managed to snag some bad photos of the upcoming 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Convertible, which will be the drop-top version of the 2010 E-Class Coupe.
The world is right in the midst of the ongoing economic slowdown and sales are plummeting significantly worldwide. While the automotive sector is looking bleak, the special offers pile up. The 2009 Mitsubishi Pajero is still selling decently in the UAE, and now comes with a summer offer.
The Handling GT Evoluzione (HGTE) package for the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano is now officially available for order. The HGTE package is designed to deliver an “even sportier, more dynamic driving, to highlight the 599 GTB Fiorano’s positioning in the sports car segment,” whatever that means.
The mistake that is the new Audi Q5 crossover vehicle just earned a Top Safety Pick award for 2009 from the American Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), and received the highest front and side crash ratings from U.S. safety regulators.
Although the effects of the financial crisis have forced consumers to think twice about vehicle purchases in the UAE, Abu Dhabi Motors continues to allegedly achieve sales growth through attractive added-value packages that place customers’ needs first. The exclusive importer of BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, has extended the service inclusive period and mileage coverage of its popular BMW Service Inclusive Ultimate package, which now offers up to 6 years or 150,000kms free servicing, repairs and maintenance for the new BMW 7 Series.
Hyundai has released the first image of its mildly-facelifted 2010 Santa Fe in South Korea, ahead of the crossover 4×4’s Korean launch in July. The reworked 2010 model features some modest cosmetic changes.
Mugen, Honda’s official aftermarket arm, already has their own hyper-tuned version of the Japanese-market Honda Civic Type-R sedan. Interestingly, Europe has its own version of the Civic Type-R, based on the all-show-no-go 3-door Euro-Civic hatchback with non-independent rear suspension. The European Civic Type-R is imported to Japan in limited numbers, and this was enough reason for Mugen to offer a body kit for it.
The outgoing version of the Ford Mustang was offered with a glass roof option in the United States. It was so popular that as many as 10% of Mustang buyers opted for it. Now the option returns for the redesigned 2010 Mustang.
Arabian Automobiles, Flagship Company of AW Rostamani Group, the exclusive dealer for Nissan, Infiniti and Renault in Dubai and the Northern Emirates has launched its summer campaign with travel vouchers worth AED 3 million up for grabs. The summer campaign adds value to the innovative ‘Unbeatable 5′ advertising campaign launched by the company in May and currently in market.
The Indian-built Suzuki Alto has been around in the UAE for a while now, offering ultra-cheap “new” transportation to ultra-cheap people who refuse to simply buy a larger used car instead. For people with that screwy mentality, Suzuki is now offering the 2009 Celerio this summer, so they aren’t as embarrassed about their vanity-related mental deficiencies.