An outfit called OffRoad-Zone, based in the Al Quoz area of Dubai known for off-road modification services, is now offering a new set of activities for 4×4 owners, allowing people to safely try out different types of off-road driving situations.
Our BMW M Roadster soldiers on, having spent more than one year with us, racking up only 3000 km since we bought it at the beginning of 2008. Driving a hardcore-tuned sports car in daily traffic isn’t easy, so we fell back on our other automatic cars for city driving. Even then, costs came up during the year, some involving expected repairs, some just general maintenance, and some because BMWs have the durability of ice cream in the desert.
In what is being billed as the region’s first ever dedicated bike exhibition, the Gulf Bike Expo 2009 show will take place at the Dubai Festival City from 19th to 21st March 2009. The event will showcase the latest in bikes, ATVs, apparel, accessories, custom-designed bikes and motorcycle-related products from major international brands from Europe, the USA, Canada, Italy and Japan.
I wasn’t planning to ask for the 2009 Honda City, but when Honda ME called me up and suddenly offered it to me this weekend, I agreed as usual. The previous Honda City was a cartoon-mobile that was embarrassing to be seen in, but this new one looked interesting from the day that spy shots started appearing last year, enough for me to dedicate posts to it.
Adding to the exhaustive portfolio of Murcielago variants, Lamborghini has unveiled the limited edition Murciélago LP 650-4 Roadster, with a chopped-off roof and an upgraded engine.
Porsche is unveiling the 2009 versions of the Boxster and the Cayman around the GCC. Already revealed in Bahrain and some other countries, the UAE reveal will take place in Dubai next week. Improvements include a facelift, upgraded engines, retuned suspension and steering and new wheels. New available features include optional launch control, optional PDK automanual gearbox, PCM multimedia system and PSM stability control. As seen in European markets, a slight price rise is expected.
The abilities of a vehicle are nothing when the driver isn’t up for the challenge. Here is footage of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van working Germany’s famed Nurburgring racetrack. Having driven the Sprinter ourselves, we’d say an empty Sprinter can handle long sweeping turns once up to speed.
Tata always intended to sell a “proper” version of the tub-on-wheels Nano in European countries. The fact that the upgraded version actually looks nice is always a good sign that it might do well.
The striking Peugeot 206 first debuted sometime back in 1999, if I remember correctly. The quick-handling hatchback looked good then and it still looks good today. Its replacement, the 207, was launched more than a year ago, but Peugeot decided to continue 206 production side-by-side since it continued to be popular. In a sign that the 206 is not going away anytime soon, Peugeot has done the unthinkable, facelifting an obsolete model. It is now called the Peugeot 206+, and it debuted at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show.
It would seem the Lexus has launched their girly new SUV in Dubai, the 2010 RX350, and did not even tell us. While us being kept in the dark for various products is only getting worse, I heard elsewhere that they plan to target this one towards women, so any men out there who thought about buying an RX — you’ve been warned.