Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors (MYNM) opened its newest Hyundai showroom on Madinah Road in Jeddah on Sunday night, followed by the launch of Hyundai Veracruz — the Korean car manufacturer’s latest sport utility vehicle (SUV). The new MYNM showroom with an area of 1,000 square meters is its sixth in Jeddah alone, raising the total to 14 in the Western Province. MYNM is the distributor of Hyundai passenger cars in the Western Province since 1991 and the sole distributor of Hyundai and KIA heavy commercial vehicles throughout the Kingdom. A test drive of Veracruz followed after the inauguration. J.E. Kim, executive vice president of Hyundai Motor Company for Africa and Middle East, said “Veracruz has been received worldwide with much acclaim and is rated the best models in its class.” Veracruz is powered by 3.8 V6 Lambda engine, with new Hyundai six-speech shiftronic auto transmission, and has all-aluminum construction. The Lambda V6 provides exceptional performance with excellent economy, Kim said. “With the Veracruz, you have selectable 4WD and traction control, which can smooth any road, even rough or loose tracks. It can handle tough going wherever you drive,” he added. The new SUV provides a perfect driving environment, with “all the controls at the driver’s fingertips, navigation and music. Above all it offers the seating flexibility. It is exceptionally safe and secure.”
BMG FOUNDATION
BMG Foundation Chairman Basil Al-Ghalayini said his foundation would be implementing in the future its new Corporate Social Responsibility Program (CSR) aligned with the microcredit movement that Muhammad Yunus — Noble Peace prize winner in 2006 — has established across the developing world. During the latter’s visit in Riyadh, Al-Ghalayini said the Foundation has lofty goals for the next decade, noting that “along with helping the needy through fund raising for charities from the GCC Polo Cup and Art Alive, we plan to initiate sustainable and self-generating community programs, such as microfinance programs for young entrepreneurs and supporting students pursue education to help the needy help themselves.” Under the microcredit movement, a new category of banking is created by granting millions of small loans to poor people with no collateral.
VOLVO C30
The new two-door Volvo C30 compact model was launched in Dubai on Sept. 6 at a ceremony held at Jumeirah Beach Hotel. The model is available in an entirely new exterior color schemes such as Gecko Green pearl, Matt Gold pearl or Chameleon Blue pearl. “We expect the Volvo C30 to make us more accessible to younger audiences. This is a perfect marriage of sport, beauty, comfort and safety. This car incorporates the latest safety features such as the BLIS (Blind Spot Information System), which uses cameras mounted in the side door mirror to register if another vehicle is in the blind spot. This is part of a policy of encouraging safe driving,” said Greg Maruszewski, general manager Volvo Cars Middle East. To further enhance the young and trendy attitude of the car, a range of three high-end audio systems — performance, high performance and premium sound — will be available. These different systems will offer the possibility to play different music formats such as MP3 and WMA files. An adaptor to plug in auxiliary devices like iPods or flash drives are some of the other options. The new Volvo also features a filter system through which the air entering the car is filtered. In the Middle East, the C30 is available in three versions: T5 (2.5 liters) turbo-charged engine, 2.4i and 1.6.
SPLASH
International fashion retailer, Splash, opened a new store at a top-notch location in Dubai as part of its expansion plan with its new look reflecting the new Yin-Yang concept. The store in the prestigious Deira City Center occupies an area of about 15,000 square feet and mirrors the brand’s global aspirations and dynamic retailing philosophy. Micky Jagtiani, chairman of Landmark Group, which owns and operates the Splash chain of stores, cut the ribbon to mark the formal opening of the Splash store. The opening ceremony was attended by a number of Gulf businessmen, fashion designers and traders besides the who’s who of the Dubai fashion circuit. Fareed Abdel Rahman, vice president of Deira City Center and Raza Beig, Splash CEO were also present. Beig said “Deira City Center of Dubai is a prestigious mall and we are delighted to have secured such a good location for our store. We have always aspired to be in Deira City and are proud to be a part of it. The new interiors of the Splash store dazzles the eye as it creates visual harmony and unity through the use of black and white which universally represent the two contrasting yet complementary concepts of Yin and Yang.” Splash showcases popular in-house collections for men and women such as Ms, Nexus, Maxim, Retro, ZYNC and Scarlet, with international brands such as Maui and Sons and Yishion. Splash is also the exclusive licensee for Lee Cooper and Kappa in the Middle East, as well as the franchisee for Bossini in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain. Splash has received many awards such as the “Business Excellence Award” and the “Marketing Campaign Award.” It was also listed in Forbes Top 40 brands’ list.
MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER
Mitsubishi, focusing on the developing mid-size SUV market in the Gulf Region, launched the second generation Outlander to the Gulf motoring press in Dubai on Sept. 4. The larger new Outlander incorporates bolder design, reformatted driving dynamics and full five-passenger capacity. In a step-up paralleling their latest technology in the 2007 Pajero, the car incorporates numerous user-technology firsts for the compact SUV segment. “The Mid-range SUV market is growing steadily,” said Katsuya Onoda, senior expert for Latin America, Middle East & Africa Department during the launch. All 2008 Outlander models are powered exclusively by one of two newly developed power plants: a 2.4-litter DOHC MIVEC or a 3.0-liter SOHC V6 MIVEC engine. The new engines boast die-cast aluminum cylinder blocks and new transmissions. Mitsubishi’s INVECS-II 6-speed automatic (3.0-liter model) and INVECS-III continuously variable (2.4-liter model) transmissions bring significant improvements in fuel efficiency, continuously selecting the gear ratio that keeps the engine working in its optimal power range. Both transmissions are available with paddle shifters (standard on GLS model). The GLX and the full options version GLS are full-time 4-wheel drive. Mitsubishi’s All-Wheel Control (AWC) philosophy for Outlander combines sophisticated electronically controlled 4-wheel drive with active stability control and a tuned suspension, plus an aluminum roof that lowers the center of gravity for better handling. The rigid monocoque body structure, which makes extensive use of high-strength steel, and rear multilink suspension provide a sporty feel to the car.
MOTOROLA RAZR2
Motorola’s ultimate iconic feature phone, the MOTOROLA RAZR2, will be available across the Kingdom later this month, said Haitham Badaoui, general manager of sales, Motorola Mobile Devices in Saudi Arabia. “Motorola RAZR2 is set to become a must-have communications device. The growth of the country’s telecommunications sector and the increasingly sophisticated tastes of consumers in Saudi Arabia make this an ideal time for the Motorola RAZR2 to make its debut,” he said. “With the modern style and powerful performance of RAZR2, Motorola is once again redefining the cell phone for Saudi Arabia’s most style-conscious consumers,” he added. “This device takes one of Saudi Arabia’s best ever-selling feature phones to the next level. Combining groundbreaking new features and an even slimmer exterior than the original icon, the RAZR2 will deliver to regional consumers the ultimate mobile experience.”
