2011. If I call it a watershed year, it would probably be seen as self-indulgent because July of 2011 marked the beginning of Drivemeonline.com. That little trivia notwithstanding, it was a pivotal year by virtue of being part of a pivotal period for the automotive market in the Middle East. …
Nissan Tekton is born: Built in India for the world
A new Nissan built for the B+ segment was born on July 9th as Nissan Tekton marked its world premiere in Mumbai. Developed under Nissan’s ‘One Car, One World’ philosophy and manufactured in Chennai, India, for domestic and export markets, the all-new Tekton highlights India’s expanding role in Nissan’s future …
NEWSVROOM Early July: Launches and Milestones
Kaiyi X7 AWD and X7 PHEV SUV Kaiyi, the young and innovative Chinese brand under the Chery umbrella, has launched two new SUV models – Kaiyi X7 AWD, powered by a petrol engine and Kaiyi X7 PHEV, a plug-in hybrid SUV. With its two variants, Kaiyi has underscored its commitment …
Eight Chinese automakers lose license in major clean up
It has been long coming. The action series that would be titled ‘The cleansing’. While this marks the end of many Chinese legacy automotive brands, it also can be read as a quality commitment to the international markets swept over by the Chinese automotive manufacturers. The Ministry of Industry and …
Kia launches PV5 first platform beyond vehicle
Kia Middle East and Africa signs strategic agreement with Museum of the future, committed to innovation, design and the future of mobility in sync with UAE’s vision for tomorrow. Unveils PV5. Kia and Museum of the Future entered into a partnership that is connected by a mindset and mobility solutions …
FERRARI LUCE: NOT JUST AN ELECTRIC FERRARI
Rome was not built in a day and so wasn’t Ferrari. It was in Rome, on the 25th day of May in 1947 that Ferrari won its first victory—the Ferrari 125 S had won the Gran Premio di Roma at the Baths of Caraculla circuit. Seventy-nine years later, Ferrari has …
NEWSVROOM Early May 2026
On a weekend in which Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar returns to competitive action in Round 4 of North America’s premier endurance racing series – the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship – we look at compelling news that makes sense closer home. Featured on the cover is the Vantage on its way …
Takata airbags recall from Stellantis
Stellantis has issued a ‘Stop Drive’ notice to certain Chrysler, Citroën, Dodge, Jeep®, Opel and RAM vehicles manufactured between 2003 and 2018. The recall is a preventive measure following global safety assessments related to Takata airbag inflators. Authorized service centers across the Middle East will provide free repairs for all …
Only 1 in 4 rear passengers always wear seat belts!
Ever since its invention in 1959, the three-point seat belt is estimated to have saved over a million lives. Keeping passenger safety paramount, the UAE made seat belts mandatory for all passengers since July 1, 2017 with a penalty of 400 dirhams and four black points on the driver’s license. …
NEWSVROOM 2025 Catch Up Edition
End of 2025 saw some significant events. Our first task this New Year is to catch up with three of them. JAC launches three next-gen models Towards the end of 2025, Al Habtoor Motors marked a significant milestone in JAC’s growth in the UAE. As the exclusive distributor of JAC …
