The Bentley Continental GT V8 has received the prestigious Middle East Motor Award in the Premium Luxury Coupe category, beating rivals such as the Rolls Royce Phantom Series 11 (Coupe) and the Ferrari FF to the accolade. The Middle East Motor Awards (MEMA) is the biggest and the most coveted award of the Middle East Automotive Industry. The awards are judged by 17 highly regarded automotive journalists from 10 countries that collaboratively represent the Middle Eastern Automobile industry. Their opinions are the most sought after in the region thus making it the most unbiased, credible and the most prestigious award of its kind. Accepting the award on behalf of Bentley, Chris Buxton Bentley Middle East Regional Director, said “I am delighted to accept this award for the Bentley Continental GT V8. Bentley has a longstanding reputation for building exquisite cars. Our design and engineering teams have developed this iconic GT V8 with an uncompromising focus on quality and performance. The result is a stylish four seat coupe that offers supreme levels of power, refinement and luxury. With the new 4.0 liter V8 engine we are widening the appeal of the latest generation of Continentals, introducing a completely new driving experience. The new engine has all the exhilarating power, drama and performance you would expect from a V8 engine sporting the famous Bentley wings, effortlessly delivered with our characteristic ‘wave of torque”. The new 4.0 liter, 500bhp twin turbocharged V8 Continental GT coupé and GTC convertible achieves exceptional standards for power-to-emissions in the high luxury sports car sector. The V8 engine delivers maximum power of 500bhp (507PS/373Kw) at 6000 rev/min and an extraordinary peak torque of 660Nm (487 lb ft) which is available across virtually the entire rev range from 1700 to 5000 rev/min, providing exhilarating performance and effortless power delivery in the Bentley tradition. Combined with a new close-ratio 8-speed automatic transmission, this translates into a sub-5 second acceleration time for the 0-100km/h sprint and a top speed of over 290km/h. — SG McLaren Automotive has received two awards, including overall “Car of the Year”, for its debut model, the 12C, at the 2012 Middle East Motor Awards. The 12C was rated ahead of almost 50 car models, including some of the world's top supercar models, by a jury panel comprising of the region's top automotive experts across 17 categories. This is the first year a McLaren model has taken part in the awards, and the luxury high performance sports car manufacturer was named “Best Super Car”, before being crowned with the overall title of “Car of the Year”. The honors cap a successful first year of sales across the world for the brand. Speaking at the awards ceremony, organizer Saif Al Midfa, Director General of Expo Centre Sharjah, said “the 12C is a clear winner for ‘Car of the Year'. McLaren's debut model is a stunning car and worthy of making the ultimate wish list for any automotive fan.” Mark Harrison, McLaren Automotive Director for Middle East and Africa, said “to win ‘Best Supercar' in the Middle East is an amazing achievement coming in our very first full year as a luxury sports car manufacturer. But to win the overall ‘Car of the Year' title is unbelievable.” McLaren Automotive strives to be at the forefront of innovation; this is what has enabled McLaren to win one in every four of the Formula 1 races in which they have entered since first competing in the sport nearly 50 years' ago. The 12C also benefits from this race-winning technology with features such as the pioneering Brake Steer and carbon fiber monocell which allow the 12C to offer dynamic driving capabilities unlike any other car in its segment. The 12C was launched in the Middle East in November 2011, and has since achieved sales of over 1,000 cars worldwide, and more than 100 in the Middle East. McLaren Automotive's Middle East retail network of specialist, luxury automotive retailers is located in prestigious venues across Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and there is also a service centre in Lebanon. — SGHyundai has won the Best Hatchback award for its uniquely designed Veloster at the 2012 Middle East Motor Awards (MEMA), one of the most prestigious automotive award ceremonies in the Middle East. This year's Middle East Motor Awards were held in Sharjah, UAE last Wednesday). The selection process was overseen by 17 highly respected automotive journalists and experts from across the region, including UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Egypt, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. The Veloster's unique design follows Hyundai's new ‘fluidic sculpture' and goes a step further with one door on the driver's side, and two on the passenger's side, helping aerodynamics and safety, it stands apart from any other car on the market. Tom Lee, Head of Hyundai Middle East's Regional Headquarters, said: “With the Veloster we wanted to create something new, a car that boasts its own personality and creates individuality, redefining its segment with its 2+1 doors and more technology than expected in a hatchback. The award is testament that we have been successful with the Veloster, which is already proving a big hit across the Middle East, especially with young buyers.” In the Middle East, Veloster is available in a variety of fun and vibrant colours and is powered by a 1.6-liter MPI petrol engine, delivering 130 PS @ 6300rpm and torque of 157 Nm (116 lb.ft) @ 4850rpm, powering it to a top speed of 200kph. To maximize fuel economy, reduce emissions and enhance refinement, every Veloster is fitted with a six-speed automatic transmission. Hyundai has entered a new market segment with the Veloster, which brings together the functionality of a hatchback and the sporty feel of a coupe. It has already been acclaimed as being one of the “Top 10 coolest cars” by Kelly Bluebook in the US. Featuring a wealth of standard kit that includes an engine stop/start button, cruise control, fully automatic air conditioning and an advanced multimedia system with a seven-inch color touch-screen display and MP3 compatibility/iPod connectivity, the Veloster is ideal for cool urban living. — SG
