Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah earlier this week unveiled his country’s first car and has given it the green light to become a production reality.

The Saud Gazal-1 concept, first shown at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show in March, was designed by 50 automotive engineering students at King Saud University specifically for the climate and conditions of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. Saudi Arabia’s Higher Education Minister, Khaled Al-Anqari, thanked King Abdullah for his support of the project and congratulated the students at KSU.

Based on a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon platform, the Gazal-1 is 4.8 m long and about 1.9 m wide and named after a desert deer, which apparently maintains grace and elegance in harsh habitats. It was developed in collaboration with a number of large companies including Mercedes, Motorola, Magna Steyr and StudioTorino.

“This is the fruit of your support,” Mr Al-Anqari said. “What is achieved today is a clear proof of the ability of Saudi youth to make innovations and inventions … if they are provided with the adequate facilities and given opportunities. It also shows that we have capable people who can transform ideas into products of high economic value.”

Although still in the early stages, the plan is to bring the Saud Gazal-1 into production within two years with an ultimate goal of manufacturing 20 000 units annually. Estimates suggest it will cost around US$500 million to make the Gazal-1 concept a production reality.

Adapted from CarAdvice

AC Schnitzer unveiled their tuning program for the BMW 5-Series GT at the Geneva Motor Show last week.

In an effort to make the ‘wagden’ (half wagon, half sedan) look more appealing, Schnitzer added front and rear spoilers, a ventilated hood, aggressive side skirts, a redesigned rear fascia, chrome exhaust tips, and new wheels (available in a number of different styles, sized from 19- to 22-inches). Inside, the company installed aluminum pedals, velour floormats, and a new cover for the i-Drive controller.

On the performance side, the engine in the 530d has been tuned to produce 213 kW – an increase of 31 kW. Schnitzer also added a twin rear silencer and a specially tuned sports suspension.

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Adapted from WorldCarFans

The all-new Alfa Romeo Giulietta goes on sale in Europe this May, but the car will be released to the public at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, starting tomorrow. Giulietta is a name synonymous with Alfa performance and its resurrection is quite welcome.

The car is designed to compete in the premium hatch segment and is said to embody all that is good about Alfa and Italian design in general. It features the brand’s trademark triangular grills, a brand new interpretation of the classic shield, LED daytime running lights and rear LEDs too.. It was pencilled with coupe-like side windows and concealed rear door handles. Measurements are 4.35 metres in length, 1.46 meters in height, 1.8 meters in width and with a wheelbase of 2.63 meters. Boot space is rated at 350 litres.

Alfa borrowed the 8C Competizione’s dashboard commands and then grouped the main ones together in the centre. Satellite navigation is accessed through a pop-up display unit and interior equipment includes dual zone automatic climate control, leather steering wheel with radio controls, cruise control, and other options like Blue&Me.

There will be four engines at launch, half of them petrol the other half diesel. Bottom of the range is the 88 kW 1.4TB, followed by the 125 kW 1.4TB MultiAir with 184 N.m and 250 N.m of torque respectively. The 1.4TB produces 134 g/km of C02 emissions and returns 4.6 l/100km in the extra-urban cycle.

The two diesels are the 1.6 JTDM with 77 kW and 320 N.m of torque at 1 750 rpm. It returns 3.7 l/100 km on the extra-urban cycle. Lastly a 125 kW 2.0 JTDM producing 350 N.m and 124 g/km of CO2 completes the initial range. All engines come with a 6-speed manual while the MultiAir and 125 kW 2.0 JTDM can be mated with a dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Later the 1750 TBi Quadrifoglio Verde model kicking out 173 kW and 340 N.m will join the range. It features a turbo, direct fuel injection, two continuously variable valve timing units and a scavenging control system that promises to get rid of turbo lag.

Exact timing for right-hand drive production is still not known, but expect the new Giulietta to reach SA shores by the 4th quarter of 2010.

Adapted from WorldCarFans

The rumours have been put to bed by Lamborghini officials, who confirmed the release of the new Superleggera during a presentation in London last week. Although the ’570-4′ number designation has not yet been confirmed, it is safe to assume it the new car will carry the number combination inline with its performance figures.

The Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera LP570-4 will share the same gearbox options as the LP560-4. As the name suggests, there will be a modest 7 kW (10 bhp) power increase, pushing total power output up to 419 kW. In keeping with the Superleggera tradition, 70 kilograms will be shed to bring the overall weight down to 1 430 kg’s. The latest Superleggera is expected to sprint from 0-100 km/h in just 3.5 seconds and will no doubt benefit from a slightly higher top speed than its ‘standard’ LP560-4 sibling.

The car will be offered in six colours; Orange, Grey, Lime Green, Yellow, Black and White, with exclusive green, red and white ‘Superleggera’ decals along the side skirt.

There will also be the opportunity for owners to match the leather stitching of the interior to the colour of the exterior in green, orange, and yellow Superleggera’s. White, grey and black Superleggera’s will have the same option but with grey stitching instead.

The Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera will have its official release at this years Geneva Motor Show, starting on 2 March.

Thanks to the amazing work of automotive illustrator, Jon Sibal, we can bring you digital renderings of what the new supercar is expected to look like.