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1 year ago
In the middle of the ancient oasis city of AlUla, Saudi Arabia, Gulf Insider’s Charlie Cooksey caught up with Omar Al-Zubaidi, the Head of Genesis Middle East and Africa. They spoke about the luxury car brand’s electrified GV60, GV70, and G80 launch at the opulent location. Al-Zubaidi also shared his insights on the brand’s approach to electric vehicle infrastructure and its vision for the future. Also Read: Genesis Launches New Electrified GV60, GV70, and G80 Models in the Middle East Congratulations on launching three beautiful Genesis electric vehicles – the electrified GV60, GV70 and G80. While the GV70 and G80 have a similar uniform, what was the idea behind the difference in design with the GV60? The GV60 is Genesis’ first dedicated EV platform, unlike the GV70 and G80 which were both transferred from ICE Engines to electrified platforms. Genesis has always steered in the direction of enabling its vehicles to transfer to EV platforms in the future. The GV70 and G80 were designed to make way for this shift from ICE Engines to EVs. The GV60 takes a different route and is available with EV exclusively; not with the ICE Engine. Can you shed some light on the crystal […]
2 years ago
By Charlie Cooksey INFINITI is a car brand I’ve not been hugely familiar with, so this was a chance for me to both experience the new QX60 as well as learn more about the brand. Also, I had never been to Georgia before and for some time been curious to visit – it always makes a car drive more exciting when flying somewhere new. After landing at Georgia’s capital Tbilisi, I and the other motoring journalists were taken for about a two-hour drive into what seemed like the middle of nowhere. We stayed in a beautiful vineyard estate house that’s been converted into a boutique hotel. Surrounding the property were vineyards, snow-capped mountains, and generally just lots of stunning nature – it was Autumn so nature’s colours were red and radiant all around us. So, let me tell you about the QX60. It is a luxury, three row mid-size crossover SUV, sharing its platform with its ‘cousin’, the Nissan Pathfinder. Before even stepping into the latest QX60 I was impressed by the design. It doesn’t look too much like the previous model it replaces which had a more rounded and ‘bulbous’ look. The exterior designers of the new QX60 have made […]
2 years ago
By Charlie H. Cooksey Last month, I was invited by Ferrari to visit their hometown and factory location – Maranello in Italy. Located 30 minutes from Bologna, Maranello is a smallish town with not much going on – other than Ferrari, of course. This was my second visit to Maranello, and I really admire how proud the local people are to be from the home town of one of the most recognized and coveted car brands in the world. The town is littered with Ferrari flags, and there is no shortage of Ferraris on the roads. When I was last in Maranello, in September 2019, it was to attend the launch of the F8 Spider and 812 GTS. This time it was for something very different; the international launch and reveal of the Ferrari Purosangue (meaning; thoroughbred/ full-blooded), the company’s first ever 4-door, and their first SUV – though Ferrari do not like to call it an SUV. All us motor journalists had been kept in suspense before the launch. From the moment the company announced its plan to launch an SUV, how it would look had been a well-kept secret. I was lucky to be amongst the first in the […]
2 years ago
By Charlie Cooksey To get to this BMW drive event required the longest journey I’ve ever made, flying from Manama, Bahrain to Los Angeles, California. Some may say I’m mad to travel so far to drive a car for a few days, but such people don’t know the importance of the BMW 7 Series, and this trip included driving BMW’s first-ever fully electric 7 Series. The 7 Series was the main event, but this trip also entailed driving the majorly facelifted X7, BMW’s flagship 3-row luxury 7-seater SUV. Also, I had the opportunity to be amongst the first in the world to see BMW’s XM. The XM is a special project. It is an SUV like nothing else on the market – a wild cocktail of super performance, ahead of its time. It has style, luxury, comfort, and an aggressive presence, packed with a 4.4L V8 under the hood. It is also a plug-in hybrid. But back to my point – it was worth the 13,500km journey. This was a beautiful, picture-perfect location that BMW selected for such an important drive event. We were stationed for 3 days in Palm Springs, a desert city located just over 2 hours east […]
2 years ago
By Charlie Cooksey If I was to look at the globe on my office desk to pick a list of 10 of the furthest away cities from Bahrain, Vancouver would be in that list. A beautiful city on the far west Pacific coast of Canada, it’s one of the top 10 most sustainable cities in the world with 95% of its electricity being supplied by renewable energy. The city is known for its great quality of life, stunning surroundings, friendly people, and being a short drive from Whistler – quite easily the most beautiful part of the world I have seen, with more pristine lakes, mountains and lush green nature than you can shake a stick at. With all this in mind, it’s easy to see why Bentley decided to launch their supersized Bentayga here. Everywhere we drove in Vancouver and Whistler was picture perfect, further helped by the clear blue skies we were graced with during the event. The Bentayga is Bentley’s only SUV. First launched in late 2015 it was an instant success, quickly becoming the brands best-selling model of all time. Enter 2022, and Bentley have launched the all new Bentayga EWB (Extended Wheelbase). It is the […]
2 years ago
This weekend celebrates the long-awaited return of the iconic HEDKANDI brand to Bahrain. The brand has been centered in Ibiza and UK since its beginnings, with over 2.1 million album sales from over 200 albums. HEDKANDI is renowned for delivering the most glamorous and exhilarating events globally and has been a powerhouse in the music industry since its foundation in 1999. The creator of hedkandi, Mark Doyle, will be headlining the event this Friday. He will be joined by Mike Van Loon on the decks and accompanied by Soraya Vivian on vocals Sammy J on Saxophone and Rob Shaw on percussion. The Dynamite Dancers will add to this international team to provide an unforgettable opening to the season at the Club. Tickets cost BD 15 and you can buy yours here. The opening party of the season begins at 12 noon on 30th September around the Royal Golf Club Pool with the iconic artists and vibe of the acclaimed ‘hedkandi’ brand flying in from Ibiza and the UK. Don’t miss out on the best party of the year, their last visit to Bahrain 13 years ago was one of the country’s most legendary gatherings, and they’re coming back for the sequel! Dress to impress!
2 years ago
Gulf Insider drives BMW’s exciting new iX and i4 in Florida, USA. By Charlie Cooksey During August, I was in Florida – America’s Sunshine State, for a few wonderful weeks. While there, I had the opportunity to enjoy driving various cars stateside. First, I hired a couple of American ‘muscle cars’, a Ford Mustang followed by a Chevrolet Camaro. Both were convertibles and I loved them. Driving these iconic American cars for a couple of weeks felt somehow satisfying. But things started to get interesting when BMW North America kindly provided me with BMW’s new electric iX for a week. The iX is an SUV powered by two electric motors providing all-wheel drive. Two versions are available, the xDrive50 (516 hp – zero to 100 kph in 4 seconds), and the M60 (610 hp – zero to 100 kph in just 3.3 seconds). This is Ferrari worthy power! The iX has a spacious, luxurious, and futuristically designed interior. On the centre console, there is a large digital dashboard display controlled by a cool ‘crystal’ rotary knob. Its large panoramic sunroof features electrochromic shading – a new feature found on only a few vehicles. There’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and […]
2 years ago
Gulf Insider drives the latest Porsche Cayenne GTS. By Charlie Cooksey The Porsche Cayenne is a luxurious mid-size SUV with amazing power, handling, and offers great performance. It’s hard to believe there was so much criticism when Porsche announced back in 2002 that the company was going to make its first SUV, and the first ever Porsche with four doors! Yet, history proved the Cayenne to be a genius move by Porsche. It became a massive success and began the trend for high-performance SUVs by other sports and luxury car brands. The GTS badge signifies the very top-of-the-range version of any Porsche model, and the Cayenne GTS does not disappoint. It has a twin-turbo V8 that provides 480 hp to rocket you from zero to 100 kph in just over four seconds – for comparison, the base Cayenne models use a 335-hp turbocharged V-6. The GTS also comes with lowered air suspension, a torque-vectoring rear axle, a revamped sport exhaust system, and black 21-inch wheels. All those extras would cost way more individually. Despite its power, this is an easy and very comfortable car to drive. An 8-speed automatic transmission sends power to all four wheels, and with as much […]
2 years ago
Gulf Insider experiences the Porsche Panamera GTS. By Charlie Cooksey Some people want to own a Porsche, but for whatever reasons may feel the brand’s 911 and 718 two-doors aren’t the most practical forms of transportation for them. Enter the Panamera, a Porsche supercar with a four-door body and an upmarket interior. You sit low in the Panamera, which gives a sports-car feel. The handling is great, just like you’d expect a Porsche to be, while it provides much additional space and comfort for even the tallest drivers and passengers. The Panamera GTS has a 473-hp twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8. “Normal” mode is best for comfortable high-speed cruising, while “Sport” makes everything firmer and favors more sporty driving. Despite its weight, the GTS can get you from zero to 100 kph in just 3.9 seconds, with a 300 kmh top speed. The interior of the GTS models come fitted with black leather and Alcantara adaptive Sports seats. There are ‘GTS’ logos on the headrests, as well as decorative trim and door sill guards made of brushed aluminium. The GT sports steering wheel and roof lining are also finished in Alcantara. The centre console is littered with touch-sensitive controls, and there’s a big 12.3-inch touchscreen. Porsches have a very […]
2 years ago
Gulf Insider drives the new Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0, and is impressed. By Charlie Cooksey Things have changed since the days when the Boxster was considered by many as the poor stepchild of the Porsche line-up. This model looks fantastic and may have even eclipsed the 911 cabrio in good-looks. This is a real sports car, so the cockpit is snug with absolutely no space wasted, and there’s a traditional power folding soft top. Under the bonnet there is a naturally-aspirated, flat-6 “boxer” engine offering 395 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque – a huge engine for the size of this car. The 0-100 km/h takes just 4.0 seconds, with a top speed of 288 km/h. The mid-engine layout helps it to feel balanced and stable through corners, while the superb steering reacts quickly and accurately. The 718 Boxster’s handling and steering is just wonderful. The 718 Boxster may not share the same iconic image of the Porsche 911, but it not only has great styling, it also is without doubt one of the best-driving sports cars there is. GTS spec includes the Sport Chrono package with its clock atop the dash, Sport Plus mode for even faster gearshifts, […]
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