October, the gateway to a new season of off-road adventure, motoring events and everything celebrating automotive passion: As North 9 establishes a home for specialized cars, Icons of Porsche is coming up on the 21st and 22nd November, and has The Square Nad Al Sheba as its new venue in Dubai.
Road closure for testing autonomous taxis
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has notified road users of an upcoming temporary closure on Emirates Road (E611), in which three lanes opposite Al Maktoum International Airport will be closed. The Al Maktoum International Airport Tunnel will also be fully closed in both directions, from Oct 26 – 31, 9 am – 4 pm. This is to facilitate highway testing for autonomous taxi companies. Al Dhafra will also face partial closure on the 26th and 27th of October.
Mercedes Benz autonomous driving taxis, for illustration purpose only. Point to point autonomous driving tests are being held in many parts of the world.
MG consolidates influence with taxis in the UAE and Saudi Arabia
MG Motor Middle East is enhancing its presence in public mobility and New Energy Vehicle sectors, with 570 MG8 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) entering taxi service across two of the Middle East’s largest automotive markets.
The strategic move—the brand’s biggest so far—includes 400 MG8 PHEVs for Metro Taxi LLC in the UAE and a further 170 vehicles for a taxi network within Saudi Arabia. With a combined driving range of up to 1,655 km and fuel consumption of 3.32L/100 km, the MG8 PHEV seems to be made to order for taxi and fleet operations.
Chevrolet unveils first experiential showroom
The new Customer Experiential Showroom at City Centre Mirdif is a global-first for Chevrolet. Developed in partnership with its exclusive Dubai dealer, Al Ghandi Auto, it realizes a bold new vision in automotive retail in the UAE. It brings automotive shopping to one of the city’s leading lifestyle destinations and is designed to offer a complete Chevrolet ownership journey under one roof — from discovering the latest lineup and configuring a preferred vehicle, to arranging a test drive and completing the purchase.
The space is equipped with physical and digital touchpoints – expansive LED walls, large digital screens and interactive tools allow visitors to compare and understand vehicles and personalize configurations even before resuming their journey with product specialists. Spanning more than 630 square meters, the space reimagines the customer experience across four key zones: a Lifestyle Zone showcasing Chevrolet’s SUV range; an Off-road Zone focused on weekend and adventure-ready vehicles; a New Energy Vehicles Zone highlighting the brand’s EV and PHEV portfolio; and a dedicated Performance Zone celebrating Corvette, complete with immersive storytelling and an interactive driving simulator.
Chevrolet’s new showroom concept combines digital innovation, hospitality and human touch to reimagine how customers experience the brand
North 9 aims to bring specialist car brands under one roof
North 9, a new automotive house has been launched in the UAE, aiming to identify and represent some of the world’s most distinctive automotive brands for collectors and connoisseurs across the GCC.
While the region is known for its passionate and sophisticated automotive cultures, it is also true that many of the world’s leading specialist automotive brands has no official representation. With the UAE’s classic car market expected to grow to USD 1.83 billion by 2032, North 9 will focus on filling the gap within heritage and collectible vehicles.
North 9 believes that the most compelling automotives are those with a distinct identity, a clear point of view and a story worth telling. With more of a curated approach, the focus will be on brands that reimagine and restore truly iconic vehicles, bringing highly bespoke creations never seen before in the region.
