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Automobiles Supplement February 2016
Automobiles Supplement February 2016
Automobiles Supplement February 2016
CHAIRMAN
Sheikh Thani bin Abdullah Al Thani
SUPPLEMENT EDITOR
Mohammed Salim Mohammed
PRODUCTION
Viswanath Sarma
ACTING EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Dr Khalid Al-Sha
ADVERTISING MANAGER
Ali Wahba
DESIGN
Abraham Augusthy
IMAGE PROCESSING
Mohd Sajad Sahir
YUNDAIS All-New
Sonata has received
the Middle East Car of
the Year Award in the
best mid-sized sedan
category, beating its
rival the Honda Accord. This was the
second regional award win for the
model in the past four months, with
Saudi Auto hailing the model as their
car of the year in August.
Taking place at Raffles Hotel
Dubai, the Middle East Car of the
Year Award (MECOTY) is in its second year and is fast becoming one of
the most prestigious, with each category judged by 12 highly regarded
automotive journalists from across
the Middle East.
Collectively, the judging panel is
made up some of the most seasoned
automotive journalists in the region.
Their opinions are the most sought
after in the Middle East, thus making it the most unbiased, credible and
prestigious award of its kind.
Commenting on the recognition of
the All-New Sonata, Jin (James) Kim,
Vice-President and Head of Operations for Hyundai Africa and Middle
East, said: Our success in the 2015
MECOTY Awards is a direct result of
FROM LEFT: Saeed Al Marzooqui, Chairman, Custom Events; Abdullah Al Saleh, Undersecretary of Ministry of
Economy; Khaldon Abdel Hafez, Marketing Manager of Juma Al Majid Establishment; and Jihoon An, Hyundai
Africa and Middle East Marketing Deputy General Manager at the event.
People touch devices at the Ford stand during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Three in four
consumers said they
consider connected
car services an
important feature
in their next vehicle
purchase
Mark Fields, President and CEO of Ford, delivers a keynote speech at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
People visit the Ford stand during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
The number of
vehicles sold in
the US with USB
charge ports rose
to about 14.6
million last year
from about 3.3
million in 2005,
the rst year they
were available,
and is projected
to climb to 16.7
million by 2022,
according to a
forecast from the
consulting rm
IHS. Global sales of
vehicles with USB
ports will increase
to 85 million in
2022 from about
49 million last
year, IHS said.
The proliferation of
consumer devices, the
growth of dashboard
touch screens and
other technology,
and the shrinking
size of engines to
meet fuel-economy
mandates mean the
12-volt automobile
electrical system is
just about tapped out.
Some carmakers are
already turning to
supplemental 48-volt
systems in future
models.
Washington Post
for vehicles.
Well get more and more creative to not only allow you to connect
with USB but also to connect wireless. Consumers want their car to be
just like their home.
Its not just an environmental issue, either. The proliferation
Renault to roll out new version of Alpine sports car next year
Bloomberg
ENAULT will roll out a new version of the low-slung Alpine sports
car in 2017, reviving the mothballed
nameplate in a bid to add racing flair
to the French carmakers lineup of utilitarian
compacts.
The two-seater will be able to accelerate to 100km an hour in 4.5 seconds, about
as quickly as a Porsche 911 Carrera, and itll
replace the Espace minivan as Renaults
most expensive car when it hits showrooms in Europe. Shuttered in 1995 because
of poor sales, the niche Alpine brand was
most known for the A110 Berlinette coupe,
which beat Porsche models in rally competitions in the 1970s.
Alpine represents racing glory, and
reviving the brand is a strategic opportunity
to win over new customers, Carlos Ghosn,
adding sporty cachet to the French manufacturer in an effort that also includes Renaults
return to Formula 1 racing. Still, sales of the
model will probably be modest because of
fading demand for niche sports cars and the
limited appeal of the brand. Forecaster IHS
Automotive predicts the Alpine will peak
at about 1,300 deliveries in 2018, less than
a rounding error for a company that made
2.3 million vehicles last year. About 30,000
Alpine cars were built between 1955 and
1995.
The Alpine is sort of a halo exercise,
which could fall flat, said Tim Urquhart,
an analyst at IHS Automotive. They made
some interesting and good cars in the 1970s
and 80s, but these are very dim and distant
memories.
Renault, which owns the budget Dacia
brand but lacks an upscale complement to
its mass-market offerings, has broader plans
beyond the Alpine Vision concept shown
Tuesday. The company said itll be just the
Two Power Sources ENGINE x MOTOR combine to create a fresh driving sensation.
The powerful driving experience will make your heart leap. The hybrid system seamlessly combines power from the engine and motor,
providing the dynamism and smooth acceleration of a vehicle with a larger engine. Both the engine and motor stop when the vehicle stops.
While driving, the Prius efficiently combines engine and motor power to deliver excellent fuel efficiency.
Image shown for illustration purposes only.
YUNDAI Motorsports
brand new car, the
New Generation i20
WRC made its debut
atthe 2016 FIA World
Rally Championship
(WRC) in Monte Carlo in January.
The New Generation i20 WRC
marks the opening of an exciting new
chapter in the short history of Hyundai
Motorsport, building on two successful
seasons in the competitive WRC environment. In that time, the team has
undertaken a steep learning curve to
establish itself as a genuine competitor against tough opposition.
Commenting on the new i20 during the unveiling ceremony at Hyundai
Motorsport factory in Alzenau, Germany, in December, Jin (James) Kim
Vice-President and head of operations for Hyundai Motor Company
in Africa and the Middle East, said:
Our ongoing involvement with the
WRC is a real brand shaper for us. The
championship is something which
really appeals to our target youth
audience therefore we will continue
to invest in this sector of our business, and this special edition i20 is
testament to this.
Following its foundation-laying year in 2013, the team quickly
developed a brand new WRC car from
scratch for its first season of competition in 2014. The car proved to be
both quick and reliable, securing a
maiden win in Germany on August
2014. From there, the team enjoyed a
The New
Generation i20
accumulated
8,000km of
testing prior to the
unveiling ceremony
and has proven to
be quicker than
its predecessor,
with the teams
drivers also
praising improved
drivability.
The 2016 Jaguar XJ-R sedan is the perfect shape and size
By Hannah Elliott
Bloomberg
move. Its a different intensity from anything weve seen at Audi, Lexus, or Mercedes
lately. Plenty To Offer, Inside and Out
If you can afford it, Id choose to include
the adaptive cruise control to your car, the
park-assist cameras, the heated windshield
(youll be driving in snow, after all), the
26- speaker Meriden surround sound system, and the front-seat comfort pack that
includes side rear shades for increased privacy while you drive. Skip the illumination
package that lights up the Jaguar logo in