Creating industry focal point in Dubai with new vehicle spotlight, three-day exhibition and conference adds a taste of history

Classic commercial vehicles dating back to the early days of transport in the UAE will share the limelight with the latest models being launched in the Middle East market in Dubai this week.

Among them is a 1942 Dodge Power Wagon which was saved from the scrap yard after being left abandoned when a garage business shut down in Sharjah.

Restored and displayed at Sharjah Old Cars Club and Museum, it will now be part of a special historic attraction at Commercial Vehicles Middle East, the new three-day trade exhibition and conference getting under way inside the new Sheikh Saeed Halls at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre tomorrow (Tuesday) morning.

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UAE airline industry provides service to virtually every corner of the globe, and has been an integral part of the creation of  the local economy. The industry is a major economic force  in the country, both in terms of its own operations and its impacts on related industries such as aircraft maintenance, tourism, advertising and other related services.

The global financial crisis has impacted severely on airlines and airline labour in UAE. The crisis has resulted in job reduction programmes and alterations to work. Between May 2008 and May 2009, jobs were cut at several of the major  UAE  airlines. Aside from job losses, employees have been affected by reduced working time. These policies were evident at Emirates Airline, where  employees were asked to take  months unpaid leave.

Already deep in the first quarter of 2010, the airlines job market is evidently beginning to stabilize and new position openings are even posted online.

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Nissan announced today that it would recall 21,675 vehicles in the UAE, part of nearly 540,000 vehicles recalled worldwide, due to brake pedal defects and faulty fuel gauges, reported Al Khaleej Times.

Japan’s third-largest carmaker issued voluntary recalls on selected vehicles to check brake pins and correct fuel gauge inaccuracies, according to a statement issued by Nissan Middle East.

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• Taurus offers more user-friendly technologies than other cars twice its price, including 10 class-executive technologies not available from any other manufacturer.
• Dubbed America’s most innovative sedan; named one of “Top 10 Family Cars from 2010” and awarded “Best Resale Value” accolade by editors of Kelley Blue Book.
• Earned the U.S. government’s top five-star ratings for driver and passenger safety in front and side crash tests.

The new hi-tech 2010 Ford Taurus created a revolution in the full-size category earlier this year when it debuted on the Middle East motoring scene, giving a tantalizing glimpse into the motoring features of the future. And the only way is up for Ford’s flagship model as it sets the trend for what consumers can expect from the Ford brand in the near future.

The highly acclaimed new Taurus has already been dubbed America’s most innovative sedan, winning Edmunds.com’s Technology Breakthrough Award and appearing as the official vehicle of the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show and last year’s GITEX in Dubai. Techies, safety experts, drivers and critics have all put the Taurus in a class of its own.

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Alfardan Sports Motors Company, the exclusive dealer of Maserati and member of Alfardan Group, recently launched Maserati Trident’s third prong- the Maserati GranCabrio. A press conference was held at the Alfardan Sports Motors Company showroom at the heart of The Pearl-Qatar seeing the attendance of officials from Doha and Italy to take the wrap off this latest addition to Maserati’s elegant and mind-blowing automotive showcase.

Alfardan Sports Motors Company brought home many of Maserati’s award-winning, flagship models such as the Maserati Quattroporte Automatic and the Maserati GranTurismo achieving significant sales growth and market share during the past two years owing to the company’s unparalleled sales and after-sales services and Maserati’s unique, awe-inspiring and glamorous designs.

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Discovery Exhibition Organizers announced the launch of their unique concept exhibition AutomodEx 2010 during a press meet earlier. The event will be held at the Dubai Autodrome from March 9 to 12, 2010 and aims to become UAE’s flagship high performance tuning exhibition. It combines the elements of an exotic car and bike show, a radio controlled race tournament and the unveiling of the latest editions of some the world’s finest cars.

The event is supported by Tuning UAE who is organizing the exotic car & bike segment of the show and the organizers have identified Dubai Autism Center as the official charity and beneficiary of all the proceeds of the Radio Controlled Race Challenge segment.

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The Ferrari California was at the heart of Emozioni in Pista, the annual track day organized by Ferrari Middle East and Africa Branch in cooperation with Alfardan Sports Motors Company, the official importer of Ferrari and member of Alfardan Group.

The event, enhancing the real feel of Ferrari’s legendary road-going and racing sports performance, was dedicated to the guests of Alfardan Sports Motors Company and held at the Lusail International Circuit, in Qatar.

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The Ford team took the 2010 F-150 SVT Raptor on an extreme off-roading session in the desert dunes of Dubai, UAE. Here’s some of the highlights.

• Four-day event reiterates appeal of Downtown Dubai as city’s most vibrant lifestyle destination
• Several classic car collectors bring show-piece vehicles
• Competitions for participants including public poll

The rich heritage and colourful legacy of classic cars is once again on display in Downtown Dubai. The second Downtown Dubai Classic Car Show will be celebrated over four days this year following overwhelming participation from the public and classic car enthusiasts last year.

The second edition of the much-awaited event will be held from February 18 to 21, lending further colours and excitement to the city, already bustling with the Dubai Shopping Festival 2010.

The event also underscores Downtown Dubai, the 500-acre development by Emaar Properties, as the most vibrant lifestyle destination in the city, attracting thousands of visitors and residents to a wide array of activities.

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In cooperation with Sharjah museum authorities, hundreds gather to view timeless models from the 20’s and 30’s including Ford and Buick models

Visitors can take a step back in time this week as Al Qasba—the premiere tourist, cultural and entertainment destination in the emirate of Sharjah—enters the final days of its Classic Car Show exhibition featuring rare automobiles from around the world.  The event—which is being held at the complex’s Block A walkways—is free to public audiences of all ages.

Held in coordination with the Classic Cars Museum in Sharjah, the exhibit features cars from a variety of international companies, specifically models from the 1920’s and 1930’s era.  This was the first period in history with a real boom in commercial car sales and rapid advancements of the industrial mechanics.  The historic automobiles featured this week include 1928 Buicks, Ford 1928 and 1930 Model A cars, 1928 Chryslers and 1930 Plymouths.

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