When it comes to a sporty looking car that gives plenty of power and awesome visuals, the 1.6 Turbo Renault Megane GT is hard to beat. With its eye-catching design and sleek lines, it has been a favourite of car lovers globally since being released. Big transport news in UAE for 2019 sees this superb car being available to buy in the region from Arabian Automobiles. This is the exclusive Renault dealer in the UAE and is found in Dubai, the Northern Emirates and Sharjah.

But what does this compact hot hatch have to make it worth a drive?

Genre-defining performance

Renault sells a few different hatchback models, but the Megane is perhaps the most popular of the lot. This latest model carries on that fine tradition and will surely sell well to motoring enthusiasts in the UAE. In simple terms, it is a real driver’s car that offers mouth-watering performance.

Boasting a brand new turbo-charged 1.6 litre petrol engine, 205hp is produced to allow it to get past 100kph in a little over 7 seconds. The top speed rests at around 230kph to deliver all the acceleration and driving thrills you desire.

Agile handling and a nippy feel

One of the real secrets that Renault uses here is the same as in their other well-respected hatchbacks: you do not need masses of power if the car is light! This 2019 Megane GT Turbo clocks in at only 1,329kg which gives a truly agile and responsive feel when behind the wheel. The wide base sees the wheels pushed out into the corners of the bodywork to help here as well. When you add in the option of four-wheel drive steering with this version of the Megane and a forgiving suspension, it is a truly beautiful car to drive.

Jaw-dropping design

Car buyers in the UAE will naturally wonder how this car looks as well as how it performs. After all, you need to look good when cruising around the region! Renault have done a great job here with 18-inch wheels giving it a sporty, feline look. The interior is spacious and comes with the option of Alcantara or fabric wrapping. The flowing curves of the bodywork also make it look much better than the last version of the Megane released in UAE.

If you love your cars then it may be worth going to your nearest Arabian Automobile Renault dealer to have a look. Be quick though – with limited numbers for sale, they may well go fast!

Today, Dubai car sales have rocketed, with the city being seen as one of the bonafide automobile capitals of the world. From the expos and film shoots, to the array of desirable motors which one can spot every day on the streets of the metropolis – cars are a part of the Dubai lifestyle, but it hasn’t always been that way.
You don’t have to go back that far when cars were virtually unheard of in this beautiful desert landscape – just to the 1960s, in fact.
According to the Khaleej Times, in 1966 there were only about 30 cars on the roads of Dubai, and they included Mercedes, Land Rovers and Bedford Trucks. Air conditioning was yet to be invented, and exhaust pipes had a very short life because of the salt in the air.
But when paved roads did start to appear, they engendered more enhancements. Chairman of the Arabian Construction Company, Ghassan Merhebi, told the news platform: “The roads made a lot of change. At last you could open shops, people could come to you, whenever somebody was driving you didn’t have dust all over you. Life quality improved with the paved roads. I got the first car after they were paved. I couldn’t have a Toyota Crown until the roads were paved.”
Al Wahda Road was one of the first streets to be built in Dubai, and it connected the city to Sharjah. This transport route has had a major upgrade in the last decade, which has eased traffic problems. Part of it now has a double decker section, and there are also underpasses and bridges to address congestion.
The other original Dubai byway was Al Seef Road. This also bears little resemblance to the four-lane structure which we see today. Back in the 1960s, Al Seef Road was a narrow, single lane affair, with cars having to circumnavigate the donkeys which also used it. Running along a strategically important route, Al Seef Road goes by the oldest building in Dubai – Al Fahidi Fort.
So next time you are cursing in a Dubai traffic jam, think of the city as a ‘late bloomer’ which is making up for lost time as far as automobiles go. And be glad you have air conditioning!

A major UAE investor is behind the release of a new Soviet-inspired luxury car from the state-owned Russian car manufacturer Aurus. UAE based Tawazun Holdings has put up 460m AED in the development of the vehicle, with the hope that they can make inroads into the luxury car market in the UAE.

A glamorous presentation was delivered at the Moscow motor show, with audiences getting a first look at the Aurus Senat sedan and the luxury Aurus Senat limousine.

The designers of the new vehicles took inspiration from the Russian-made ceremonial cars that leaders of the Soviet Union appeared in at high profile events. At the time, the luxury vehicles that have inspired the new cars were only manufactured for high ranking officials.

Vadim Pereverzev, the head of the design team, claimed the car manufacturer is hoping to make inroads into the share of the market that is currently occupied by Rolls Royce and Mercedes-Benz.

The announcement from Aurus comes only days after the arms manufacturer Kalashnikov made waves with its announcement of a new electric car with a retro Soviet-inspired design.

The design of the Aurus Limousine, featuring a very large front chrome grille, has been influenced by the ZIS luxury vehicle that was made specifically for Stalin.

The Russian state enterprise NAMI, the major stakeholder in Aurus, has worked with Russian automotive giant Sollers to design and manufacture the new vehicles. Funding for the project from the Russian taxpayers has reached around 12 billion roubles.

Aureus has initially targeted wealthy Russian citizens, but is hoping to compete with western luxury vehicles in the international market.

The price of the vehicles have yet to be announced, but is believed to be slightly more expensive than Mercedes-Benz and cheaper than Rolls Royce.

Tawazun Holdings was created in 2007 and is based in Abu Dhabi. The company was founded to forge strategic industrial partnerships and investments to help improve the manufacturing industry in the UAE. The focus of the company is spread across the automotive, defence, technology, and the aerospace industries.

The iconic British luxury car manufacturer Aston Martin Lagonda has launched a new showroom in Abu Dhabi. The unveiling of the dealership was witnessed by royalty as His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan was present.

The opening of the dealership was timed to coincide with the 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that that took place over the 22nd to the 25th of November. Aston Martin wings were featured on all of the Red Bull Racing cars that took part in the race.

Located in the Etihad Towers, the site of the new showroom spans 521 sqm and features eight iconic Aston Martin cars, including a DB11, a state-of-the-art DBS Superleggera, and an Aston Martin Red Bull Racing car.

While the new dealership is only half the size of the world’s largest Aston Martin showroom located in Tokyo, Japan, it is still plenty big enough for customers to get a close up view of the vehicles. The new site is equipped with a ‘Q by Aston Martin’ lounge that enables customers to personalise and design there own Aston Martin when making a purchase.

The grand opening of the dealership featured an evening event, allowing attendees the opportunity to get up close and get a good look at the iconic motors on display. Senior management were in attendance, including Aston Martin’s vice president and chief of special operations David King, and Dan Balmer, the president of Aston Martin Lagonda in the Middle East, Turkey, and North Africa.

The unveiling of the flagship dealership in Abu Dhabi is a statement of intent from the luxury car manufacturer. Aston Martin now has 14 showrooms in the Middle East, with the latest unveiling giving car lovers the opportunity to purchase their next Aston Martin in the prestigious Etihad Towers.

The Gulf 12 hour race took place over the 13th to the 15th of December and featured three racing teams that were made up of Aston Martin car owners. The race at Yas Marina Circuit was the first time the newly released Aston Martin Vantage GT3 had been viewed in the Middle East.