Life & Style | Motoring
International Automobile Show aims to cut through cloud of global crisis
Amid the gloomy economic climate worldwide, the ninth edition of the International Automobile Show opened its doors on Tuesday, promising major product launches and a vibrant display of the best of the motoring world.
- By Cleofe Maceda, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:05 November 19, 2008
Dubai: Amid the gloomy economic climate worldwide, the ninth edition of the International Automobile Show opened its doors on Tuesday, promising major product launches and a vibrant display of the best of the motoring world.
The show, which will run until November 22, offers car enthusiasts a chance to get up close to a wide array of motor vehicles from nearly 25 brands. As for the nearly 40 exhibitors, the Sharjah Expo Centre venue provides over 16,000 square-metres of well-appointed space.
Sharjah Expo Centre project manager Iman Abdullah said the exhibition is a must-see event for car lovers as it showcases the latest cars from leading brands such as Mitsubishi, Nissan, Audi, BMW, Suzuki and Infiniti, among others.
Also participating in the show are other reputed brands in the automobile industry like Maybach, Hummer, Polarsun, Admiral, Ligier, PGO, Jinbei, Opel, Cadillac, Chevrolet and Temsa.
Being showcased in the exhibition are the latest models in convertibles, prototype cars, 4x4 vehicles, luxury coaches, motorbikes, water vehicles, classic cars, accessories, audio and video systems, navigation systems, commercial vehicles and auto finance facilities.
New focus area
Show organisers and exhibitors remain upbeat about gains to be made from the show despite speculation that the local car business will feel the effects of the global economic slowdown next year.
"The region has become the new focus area for automakers from around the world who are looking for markets that can help them beat the slump in their home countries and other traditional marketplaces," said Ahmad Mohammad Al Midfa, chairman of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
According to Michel Ayat, chief executive officer of Arabian Automobiles, the UAE or the GCC market has "traditionally defied conventions" and will be able to weather the financial storm.
The company is exhibiting at the show to beef up its sales drive in the emirate. "We're moving northwards toward Dibba where we see a strong growth potential in the coming years. Admittedly, we're taking the current crisis into consideration, but we are very optimistic our plans will push through as scheduled," Said Ayat.
K. Rajaram, chief executive officer of another exhibitor, Al Nabooda Automobiles, said it is still not certain how the liquidity crunch will affect the UAE in 2009, but they remain optimistic about their operations next year.
"Al Nabooda Automobiles is in the great position to be dealing with very stable car brands such as Audi, Volkswagen and Porsche. These brands are still growing despite the current adverse conditions on the worldwide level," Rajaram said.
Organisers said the car show will also feature major launches for 2009, which include the latest Mercedes-Benz GLK, the PGO Hemera, the Nissan GT-R super car, besides BMW and Audi launches.
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