Despite the popularity of Asian and some American-made cars in the Middle East region, last night’s inaugural CAR ME Awards saw European manufacturers walk away with ten out of a possible fourteen categories at a glittering ceremony attended by the ‘who’s who’ of the region’s automotive industry.
"With cars from all over the world short-listed for the awards, we were more surprised than anyone to find that it was European-made models which dominated. Their style, image, and performance surpassed all other contenders, and in quite a few of the categories, there was little or no contest. Other factors such as quality, innovation and market positioning also had a role to play in the judging process; however, it was these three attributes which stood out the most," said Shahzad Sheikh, Editor of CAR ME magazine.
Under the patronage of 14-times FIA Middle East Rally Champion, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the first-ever CAR ME awards 2007 saw cars in the performance category largely dominated by UK-based manufacturers. In the category of luxury, German cars came out on top, while in passenger and SUV rankings; again it was UK and European cars who won out. Further, the coveted Car of the Year title also went to a UK manufacturer. The awards also paid tribute to industry events, concept of the year, person of the year, and manufacturer of the year and were attended by special guest of the night double formula one champion Mika Hakkinen.
In addition to recognizing excellence in the region’s automotive sector, these awards will also serve to help Middle East- based readers select the highest performance and most luxurious models currently available in the market.
The awards were presented to senior decision-makers from the region’s automotive industry with the aim of celebrating key products, innovations, services and persons in the context of the Middle East's automotive market over the last year.
The following organizations were recognized at last night's CAR ME awards 2007:
1. Performance
A. Sports saloon
Winner: Chevrolet Lumina SS
B. Coupe/sportscar
Winner: Aston Martin V8 Vantage Sportshift
C. Convertible
Winner: Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe
D. GT car
Winner: Bentley Continental GT Speed
E. Supercar
Winner: Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano
2. Luxury
A. Compact executive saloon
Winner: Mercedes C-Class
B. Executive saloon
Winner: Volvo S80
C. Luxury car
Winner: Bentley Arnage T
3. Passenger
A. Small car
Winner: MINI Cooper / Cooper S
B. Saloon
Winner: Toyota Camry
4. SUV
A. Compact SUV
Winner: Land Rover LR2
B. SUV
Winner: Mercedes GL
C. Off-roader
Winner: Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
5. CAR OF THE YEAR
Winner: Aston Martin V8 Vantage Sportshift
6. Industry Awards
A. Automotive event of the year
Winner: Abu Dhabi F1 Festival (February 2007)
B. Design and technology award
Winner: BMW 3.0- liter twin turbo engine (as fitted to the 335i)
C. Best regional product launch of the year
Winner: Mercedes SLR 722
D. Competition car of the year
Winner: Mitsubishi Pajero Rally
E. Concept car of the year
Winner: VW Golf W12-650
F. Person of the year
Winner: Misheel A. Al-Sulaiman, Vice Chairman/Managing Partner of United Racing Company
G. Manufacturer of the year
Winner: Audi
CAR Middle East is the GCC region’s premier motoring magazine, unmatched in production quality, images, local and international content, exclusive scoops and sensational features. CAR ME brings together the collective clout of ITP Group and EMAP, the largest magazine publishers in the Middle East and the UK respectively. It is directly affiliated to CAR magazine in the UK, the world's leading automotive magazine brand. Established in 1963, CAR pioneered the term 'supercar', invented the drive story and set new standards in terms of photography, design and layout. Holding true to the ethos of the parent title, CAR ME remains upmarket, intelligent, stylish and definitive. It combines market-leading quality and credibility with its unique wit and energy to set new standards of automotive journalism in the Middle East.
ITP Group
ITP is the largest business and consumer magazine publisher in the Middle East, with a wide range of market-leading titles covering almost all major areas of interest. A full list of titles and information about ITP Group can be found online at www.itp.com
