The 2007 model of the Volkswagen Touareg was launched at Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa. The new Touareg has 2,300 new parts, which gives an idea of the extent of changes to it. The front end has been completely redesigned to make it instantly recognizable as a new generation car and has the insignia radiator grille in chrome that is an unmistakable styling feature of the Volkswagen brand.

The Touareg is also the first Volkswagen to have the ABSplus system developed for reducing braking distances on loose surfaces by up to 20 percent. It lays claim to the new generation Automatic Cruise Control as well as the new Front Scan and Side Scan lane change Assistance systems which use a radar sensor to prevent collisions. All this is coupled with a lush new interior and an innovative sports chassis which counteracts body roll when cornering.

MHD has once again agreed to supply Budget Rent A Car with Jaguars - this time it’s an exclusive fleet of X-Types. They already have a tie-up providing Budget with Jaguar S-Types and Land Rover LR3s. Since Jaguar is already an established brand in Oman, and has had a very good response with Budget, both companies are very optimistic about the new additions being a hit with customers. The Jaguar X-Type, which is available in 2-litre Classic and 2.5-litre Luxury trims, has options and accessories for every customer’s requirement.

Making Waves

The Oman now has one more FM radio channel, and this time its private. Hala FM, broadcasting on 102.7MHz, is the latest Arabic FM channel to hit the air, and has a wide range of programmes
to cater to all kinds of audiences. From classic hits to the latest chart-busters, they even have celebrity interviews, and listeners can even vote for their favourite songs by calling the studio or sending an SMS. Launched by the Oman Holdings International (OHI) group, the channel is broadcasting from Al Khuwair. Tune in to find out more.

25mn auto-jobs vacant

India’s car industry has turned into a job creator and will soon be crucial for the country’s economic growth. Already, some 10mn people work in factories across India, and the numbers are set to swell.

India’s Automotive Mission Plan claims that by 2016, the industry should have created employment for 25mn people. Jagdish Khattar, managing director and chief executive of Maruti Udyog had said that for every job created directly by the automotive industry, a further seven are created indirectly in the economy at large. Currently, the sector accounts for five per cent of India’s economic output. Consequently, by 2016 its output in dollar-terms should have quadrupled, while GDP is expected to have merely doubled, making the automotive sector a contributor to economic growth in India at ten per cent of India’s GDP by 2016.

Tata-Fiat to bring global models

Tata and Fiat inaugurated their new production facility at Ranjangaon, Pune. Fiat officials said at the launch that India was a strategic market for the company, and would bring two international models, the Fiat Grande Punto and Linea in the second half of 2008.

Of the Rs36bn (Euro660mn) proposed in the joint venture with Tata, Fiat has already invested Rs25.6bn (Euro470mn). Other investments will be completed in five years. Stefan Ketter, senior vice president (manufacturing), Fiat Group informed thatthe local manufacturing content stands at 70 per cent and they are waiting
for power train production to begin. It is supposed to become 100 per cent and then will also be exported.

Meanwhile, managing director of Tata Motors, Ravi Kant, also stated about the evasive ‘onelakh’ car as being more real and that it could be introduced in the European markets with an agreement between Fiat and Tata. We shall wait… yet again.

A revolution in another age

The experts said it couldn’t be done but Henry Ford would build the auto industry’s first low-price V8 engine. Then he gave the job of designing it to his talented son Edsel. The result was a masterpiece of speed and beauty – a car that would become one of the most enduring American automobile legends of all time.

I N T E R N A T I O N A L
S N I P P E T S

Auto CEOs to meet Bush
President Bush and top executives of Detroit’s three automakers plan to meet again in Washington later this month to discuss increased use of flexible and alternative fuels.

Ford says, sales “terrible”
Poornima Gupta writing for Reuters reported that U.S. auto sales have dropped far below expectations for April. A Ford Motor Co. executive said on Friday, characterizing industry-wide results as “terrible” as rival General Motors Corp. rolled out an incentive program to boost crucial month-end deals.

More M3                                                    

This new BMW is being heralded as the most powerful road-going M3 ever produced by the Munich-based automaker, capable of completing 0-100Kmph stints in 4.8 seconds and topping out at an electronically-limited 248kmph. It’s important to reiterate just how technologically advanced the new car is over the model it will soon replace. While the latest M3’s engine has increased in displacement, cylinder count and power output, the new car’s power plant is lighter than the previous M3’s six-cylinder unit.

GM denies V12 sedan
A report by AutoWeek magazine claimed General Motors had approved development of a Cadillac sedan designed to tackle the Mercedes S-Class. The report said testing of a new 7.2-litre, V12 engine, made from two 3.6-liter V6s, for the car was “well underway” by Holden in Australia. GM product planner Bob Lutz and Holden’s engineering boss have both flatly denied the report.

S N I P P E T S

Study finds Toyota most productive, but a GM plant tops list
Toyota Motor Corp. led all North American automakers in manufacturing productivity last year, but Detroit’s three automakers continued to close the productivity gap with their Japanese rivals, according to a study watched closely by the industry. General Motors had four of the top 10 most productive vehicle assembly plants, including the most productive.

Pacella joins Italdesign-Giugiaro
Magna International executive Enzo Pacella will be the new CEO of the design and engineering consultants Italdesign- Giugiaro, industry sources told Automotive Europe. Pacella, 62, currently is managing director of two Magna International subsidiaries, Italamec in Italy and Wehrle Autoelektronik in Germany. He also is operations director at Germanybased Magna Electronics Europe. Pacella will succeed Dario Trucco at Italdesign- Giugiaro effective July 1.

Chrysler to build USD570mn engine plant
Chrysler will build a USD570mn plant in Saltillo, Mexico, to manufacture the company’s next generation of V6 engines. Chrysler, most of which is being sold by DaimlerChrysler AG to Cerberus Capital Management LP, said Friday that the plant is part of a 3bn investment in powertrains that is part of its restructuring.

Global production up at Toy., Hon., Nis. and Mit.
Toyota Motor Corp. and three other Japanese automakers reported an increase in global production in April, but Mazda Motor Corp. posted a decline. Toyota, closing in on General Motors Corp.’s spot as the world’s largest automaker, said its worldwide production totalled 667,273 vehicles in April, up 4.2 per cent from the year.

NYC’s yellow cab to go hybrid
NY city’s yellow taxi fleet will go entirely hybrid within five years, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced. He believes they will make a big difference to life in the city.

American M5 killer
General Motors is laying down the gauntlet.
The next-gen Cadillac CTS-V won’t be here until the fall of 2008, but with an anticipated 500 horsepower, it has the BMW M5 squarely in its sights. And that has us dreaming of the 7.0-litre, LS7, V8 that currently powers the Corvette, although GM types say there are a few possibilities vying to cram themselves into the CTS-V.

Roofless SLR This latest addition unites styling cues of the successful SLR racing models from the 1950s with the innovative technology of modern Formula1 vehicles from the McLaren-Mercedes team. Its lightweight semi-automatic top folds down in just 10 seconds, offering “undiluted open-air driving pleasure” for two lucky occupants.

Diesel Formula One cars?
The world governing body of motor sport has reportedly put forward a radical proposal for Formula One cars to be powered by low-revving turbo-diesel engines from as early as 2011. F1 Racing magazine says that a document has been sent to car manufacturers by the President of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), Max Mosley. As well as the existing manufacturers involved in F1 – Mercedes- Benz, Renault, Ferrari, BMW, Toyota and Honda – the proposal for Grand Prix racing from 2011-2014 was also sent to Ford and VW-Audi as potential candidates to enter the sport’s premier category.