| The
Dubai Motor Show organised by the Dubai World Trade
Centre (DWTC) is ranked among the top 10 automotive
exhibitions in terms of number and quality of exhibitors
and visitors and the quality of organisation. This
year the visitor turnout at the Show exceeded 41,200,
including a large number of VIPs, members of the Royal
Families and top ranking government officials from
the Gulf region. It also attracted a large number
of overseas visitors from Europe and the neighbouring
region, including Iran and the Indian Subcontinent.
"The visitor
turnout exceeded our expectations and the exhibitor
feedback indicates that most of our exhibitors had
a successful show and have committed to return to
the show in 2003," said Ibrahim Al Hashemi,
Corporate Manager - Exhibitions, DWTC.
The responses from
the world's leading automobile manufacturers present
at the event indicate that they were happy about
the quality of visitors. "This year the Middle
East International Motor Show has been the most
successful for the BMW Group in terms of enquiries
and the number of orders received for all our 2002
models, especially the totally re-designed flagship
BMW 7 Series model and the all-new MINI Cooper.
Our stand was filled to capacity on the opening
day of the show, and customers were pressing us
to accept deposits on cars immediately. We had some
visitors offer us twice as much for the 7-Series
models that are on display," said Mr. Robert
Bailey-McEwan, Managing Director, BMW Group Middle
East.
Some 40 leading vehicle
manufacturers participated at the Motor Show along
with more than 200 automobile parts and accessories
manufacturers from around the world. Some of the
well-know brands represented at the exhibition included
Toyota, BMW, Mercedes, Jeep, Ford, Jaguar, Land
Rover, Lexus, Porsche, Volvo, Volkswagen, Audi,
General Motors, Nissan, Skoda, Mitsubishi, Peugeot,
Hyundai, Pirelli and Bridgestone.
"The Dubai Motor
Show this year has been the biggest and the best
for General Motors. With a stand covering more than
2,100 square metres we have been able to present
the entire range of our latest models to the Middle
East region. The increased size of our presence
at the show underlines our commitment to the success
of the show and the continued confidence in the
UAE and regional markets," said Paul Johnson,
Regional Director, General Motors.
DaimlerChrysler,
which exhibited some of its breath-taking models
including the SL 500 roadster, S 63 AMG, Jeep, Chrysler
and Dodge, attracted big crowd to its stand. "DaimlerChrysler
Middle East is delighted to once again be participating
at the 6th Middle East International Motor Show.
We feel that the Motor Show is constantly improving
in terms of being a very professionally organised
event. The Middle East is an extremely important
market for us and we invest well in presenting our
products at each and every Motor Show in this region.
We can also see that the other automotive manufacturers
share our view in the way they have invested in
their stands and have presented their products at
this year's Motor Show. We look forward to participating
at the next Middle East Motor Show in 2003,"
said Per V. Rasmussen, President and CEO, DaimlerChrysler
Middle East.
The Land Rover with
its innovative outdoor stand, which featured a rock-climbing
wall, attracted a lot of attention and participation.
"People enjoyed the outdoor design which, of
course, is the natural habitat of the Land Rover
brand. The Dubai Motor Show is an important event
for the auto industry in the Middle East and we
felt exhibitors and visitors were positive and supportive
of the show," said Matt McClurg, Marketing
Manager, Land Rover Middle East & Africa.
The Dubai-based Future
Motors presented a number of exquisitely designed
cars from companies including Herbert Hartage GmbH
& Co, Carlsson Autotechnik GmbH and TechArt
Automobildesign GmbH and Pagani at the Motor Show.
Four well-known car
tuning and design companies present at the show
included the Switzerland-based, Fab Design which
specialises in high end Mercedes models, Hamann,
a German company that specialises in tuning BMW
and Ferrari cars, 962 Derek Bell, which designs
sports models on Porsche platforms and Brabus, the
exclusive Mercedes tuner from Germany. "There
is a big market for specially designed and tuned
cars in the Middle East. We are exhibiting at the
Motor Show for the first time and have received
a large number of genuine enquiries," said
R Rysanek, president and designer of Fab Design.
Motor Parts &
Accessories 2001, the parts and accessories segment
of the show attracted participation from the world's
leading automobile parts & accessories manufacturers,
including tyre companies and in-car entertainment
equipment manufacturers and auto industry consultants.
"Dubai hosts one of the most prominent Motor
Shows in the region, and we feel it is the ideal
platform to introduce to the automotive industry
the many innovative solutions we are developing,"
said Abdulla Al Ghandi, Chairman, Amautage Automotive,
a Dubai-based automobile industry consultant, who
offers a comprehensive suite of integrated products
and business solutions for the global automotive
industry.
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