Autoblog

Click above to view the Renault Safrane in high resolution

The Persian Gulf is fast becoming a demanding market for luxury automobiles. So demanding, in fact, that some automakers have begun creating special models just for consumption there. Just days ago we brought you news that Rolls-Royce, having already shipped a golden Drophead Coupe for one special customer, was launching a limited edition Phantom saloon called the Peony edition.

This, however, is not a special Rolls-Royce. We won't list all the ways in which it isn't a Roller, but will save your time and ours by listing instead what it shares in common. It's a luxury sedan, and it's made specially to be engulfed by the Gulf market. That's about it. The Safrane nameplate was previously used for Renault's lackluster flagship sedan, replaced by the reviled Vel Satis in 2000. So what is this exactly that has revived the name? A rebadged Samsung SM5, essentially. That vehicle is produced in an 80.1% Renault-owned joint venture in South Korea. If you're noticing some similarities with our own Nissan Maxima, you've got a keen eye, as it shares its platform with the last-gen Maxima as well as the Nissan Teana (itself available only in the Asian market).

Unless you live in Dubai, you probably won't be seeing one of these any time soon, but you can check it out in the gallery below.

[Source: Renault via CarScoop]

Click to view the RR Phantom Peony edition in hi-res

Wealthy customers in the United Arab Emirates seem to have a penchant for special editions of the most expensive luxury saloons. As if it wasn't enough to get the Maybach Landaulet revealed right there on their home turn, one Arabian customer recently ordered a custom gilded Rolls-Royce Drophead. Now Rolls-Royce has followed up with a special edition of its Phantom limousine targeted specifically for the UAE.

Called the Peony edition, the bespoke Phantom borrows its name from the indigenous Asian flower that symbolizes royality in ancient Oriental culture. The car features a special two-tone pearl blue exterior and Seashell interior, emblazoned with the peony floral motif. It even comes with a complementary bottle of perfume specially crafted by Emirate fragrance specialist HIND. The special edition was created by the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Program, which does the bulk of its business with Middle Eastern customers. No word on how many will be built or how much it costs, but if there was ever a case of "if you have to ask, you can't afford it", this is it.

[Source: Motor Authority]

After the numerous reports we've brought you about the wealth of Bugatti Veyrons to be found in the United Arab Emirates, it should hardly come as any big surprise that when Top Gear magazine turned up in the capital Abu Dhabi, it had no trouble finding one for a photo shoot. In fact it didn't find just one, but three examples of the million-dollar supercar, with reclusive owners willing to hand over the keys to the British magazine.

Nor were these any run-of-the-mill Veyrons, either. Any true gearhead would know that the Veyron typically comes in two-tone paintjobs, but a few have left the factory in Molsheim with monotone tints, like the all-red example we reported on previously. That one, or one just like it, was one of the vehicles which the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority tracked down for TG, along with an all-white example and the extremely exclusive Pur Sang bare-aluminum-and-carbon edition spotted in the emirate previously. It's not every day that you see three Veyrons in the same place – let alone together with The Stig and, reportedly, a Koenigsegg CCX as well – but if it were to happen anywhere, the UAE seems to be the place. Thanks to all who tipped in!

[Source: PassatWorld]

While fuel prices continue to ratchet up and put a squeeze on all aspects of the world economy, times are flush within the borders of major oil producing nations. So flush, in fact, that several Emiratis found a total of 9.8 million dollars to indulge in low-number license plates at a recent auction. The fascination with distinctive tags is a world-wide phenomenon, but $926,000 for a plate that says "50G" is uniquely asinine. If that's what our last few fillups helped purchase, we're going to bike more.

[Source: Yahoo]

Dubai is fast gaining a reputation as the "Vegas of the Middle East" because of its impressive rate of development and sometimes crazy amounts of money thrown at government projects.

This time, the city's Civil Defence department has acquired a Corvette to help fight fires by being able to attend to them more quickly than ordinary vehicles. Brigadier Rashid Thani Al Matroushi, Director of Dubai Civil Defence goes on to explain that due to the Corvette's speed, the car can get vital rescue equipment to the scene of the fire, and in the case of people being trapped in cars, can help remove them.

The article doesn't go into much detail about the "special equipment" the 'Wette is fitted with, but it does mention a portable fire extinguisher, hydraulic equipment and first aid kits.

One of the primary reasons behind its development is that the distance between fire stations and accident scenes are larger than normal, so it makes sense to have a fast first response vehicle. It took a team of four people two months to develop.

It's also the latest GM product to be adapted for civil use by the Dubai authorities. Previously they've used a Hummer H2 and a fleet of Chevy Tahoes.

Thanks to Cataen for the tip!

[Source: Gulf News]

Click on the image above to view more pictures from the event.

As promised, organizers put on quite the spectacle on Saturday when the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was officially announced. Tens of thousands of people reportedly turned out for an F1 demonstration on the streets of the gulf emirate that featured all the big-name drivers, including Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa. No big surprise that Ferrari sent both its driving aces to the event, but Spyker's absence seems conspicuous. Abu Dhabi crown corporation Mubadala Development is a minority shareholder in both teams.

Follow the jump for the rest of the story plus the official press release.

Related posts:

• Bahrain is still in the race, and the race is still in Bahrain
• Update: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix announcement may come Feb1
• F1 circuit to join Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi
• Abu Dhabi to build Ferrari World theme park
• Ferrari theme park in Abu Dhabi

[Source: AbuDhabiGP.com]

Looks like the oil-rich sheiks of Abu Dhabi are getting more serious about the prospect of hosting a Formula One grand prix than we thought. Last week we reported that they're adding an FIA-regulation race track to the Yas Island project that will also host the Ferrari World theme park, and with big question marks rounding off the one main restriction, they could be planning on hosting a grand prix very soon.

Word is there will be an event on February 1st where an official announcement may be made. If it happens, expect some teams and cars to be in attendance, along with the sport's most irresistible force, McLaren's newest driver, the inimitable Fernando Alonso.

[Source: Grandprix.com]

Basil Shaaban aims to be the first Arab driver in F1, and with a little support from F1 head-honcho Bernie Ecclestone, he just might make it.

Shaaban was born in Lebanon, raised in the Emirates and studied astrophysics at Berkeley in California. Having raced in the A1 GP series for the Lebanese team, he is struggling to find the financial support to continue racing in the British F3 series. From Formula 3, Shaaban hopes to move up to GP2, the second-tier stepping-stone race series run by Renault chief Flavio Briatore, before eventually making it into Formula One.

Ecclestone has expressed his support, and no wonder as he endeavors to increase F1's presence in the oil-rich Arab world. The grands prix in Dubai Bahrain and in nearby Istanbul bring F1 to the Middle East, and Basil Shaaban could be the first to bring the Middle East to F1. Shabaan says his aim, beyond racing and winning, of course, is to promote something positive from the Arab world. Good luck, Basil.

[Source: F1i]

Here's a policy we'd like to see made standard across every border.

Al-Futtaim Motors has promised full-car service on all Toyota and Lexus vehicles within 59 minutes. The policy started last month on the 15th and will end 59 days later on August 12th. Unfortunately, the service only applies to vehicles within the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and it's not worth it for us to drive that far for faster service. All of the chain's service stations in the UAE have also extended their hours to accomodate customers, and each customer will have a chance to win a Toyota Yaris in a prize draw.

'With the number of vehicles on the road on a steady increase, service centres in the UAE are currently faced with time constraints on car servicing, which in turn affect customers," states Kevin Jones, General Manager of Services. "Keeping our customers first, we have tried to combat that inconvenience by putting to work our years of expertise, the specially designed equipment and tools and Toyota's trained technicians, to offer our customers a full car service in just 59 minutes."

Unfortunately, the cited article doesn't say exactly what's included in a "full-car service", so if it takes these guys 59 minutes to change your oil, check the air pressure in your tires, and attempt to sell you new wiper blades, then they should that art has already been perfected and can be performed in 10 minutes.
 
[Source: AME Info]

Sales for Nissan's upscale Infiniti division in the United Arab Emirates skyrocketed in the first quarter, up 183 percent year-over year. Of course, total sales over the same period were just 552 units, but there's reason for optimism: sales have more than doubled each year for the past couple of years (the brand was re-launched in the region in 2004), and the advent of the new M in the marketplace is expected to continue the trend.

Check out the brand's Middle East website here.

[Sources: Gulf News; Infiniti]