2013 Qatar Motor Show updates
News roundups from the show
By Shahzad Sheikh
It’s not the biggest of the best show in the region – that’s the Dubai Motor Show which happens later this year – but it is well supported by VAG (the Volkswagen Group) because the Qataris own around sixteen and half percent of the group.
And that group includes Volkswagen, Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini, Porsche, SEAT, Skoda, Ducati and part of Suzuki, at least when I last looked. But the time you’ve finished reading this sentence it’s probably bought another couple of companies.
Unsurprisingly then, there’s a few new products to look at from this group.
2013 Audi R8
There are major revisions to the R8 supercar and it debuts at the show in the guise of a V10 Spyder. Is it any different to drive? We don’t know as we haven’t been invited to try it yet, but here’s a picture of it. Read our previous story.
2013 Bentley GT Speed
You may already have seen this being thrashed on a rally stage on the new series of Top Gear (and idea they stole from me by the way, as I’ve been bugging Bentley for years to take the GT off-roading) but if you want to see it as rest in resplendence – check it out at Qatar.
James May seemed to think the slightly tweaked engine putting out 616bhp had vastly improved it, we haven’t had a chance to try it yet.
Meanwhile there’s also some fancy Italian Schedoni luggage custom made for the Mulsanne – if you’ve got a suitcase fetish.
2013 Maserati Quattroporte
Okay it’s not part of VAG, and it first debuted only 10 days ago at the Detroit motor show. We think it’s lost some of its style and sex appeal compared to the current car when it comes to the exterior looks, but the interior is vastly improved according to Imthishan who sat in it in Detroit.
So do ask the nice ladies to move aside for a bit so you get in a sit in the car. Read our previous story here.
2013 Volkswagen Golf GTI
Volkswagen has of course brought the seventh generation of the Golf to the show, and also the new GTI Concept – heralding the next hot-hatch. Power has jumped to 220bhp, it’s lighter and there’s new steering. We’re looking forward to trying the new Golf soon! Read our previous story here.
Brabus 800 Widestar G Wagon
We do like the G Wagon here, and especially if it’s ludicrously which this one is. The G65’s standard 612bhp engine has been boosted to 800bhp and over 1000lb ft of torque. It has a 0-100kph time of 4.2 seconds and it has outrageous styling.
W Motors Hypercar thingy
The star of the show, however is this self-billed ‘Arab world’s first hypercar’ called the Lykan Hypersport. It has a twin-turbo flat-six from Porsche tuner RUF producing 740bhp given the car a 2.8second acceleration time from 0-100kph, and it’s claimed to be just 35kph slower than the Bugatti Veyron. It’s also priced at a hyper-unrealistic $3.4m. Read our previous story here.
Have you been to the Qatar Motor Show? Let us know what you thought of it below
I was expecting MME to cover more about the regional reveals and debuts… I remember the British had the F-TYPE revealed…now that was sweet did you guys not see it?…. you might want to keep a fans section where we can submit images..maybe? keep up the great work!