Test Drive: Lamborghini LP700-4 Aventador, We Drive the Ragging Bull!

“Roma Capitale e Lamborghini” is where the innovative Aventador LP700-4 was launched. I can admit that what I saw and drove in Italy wasn’t just a car but a raging bull full of impending energy dying to be thrown out. That impending energy was thrown out at the finest track in Rome, “Autodromo di Vallelunga”.

Test Drive: Porsche Driving School, For Drivers who Relish a Challenge

Leipzig, a city located in East Germany near the Polish border, well-known in the 17th century for its learning and culture in areas such as music, astronomy and optics, was ranked 35th in the world out of 256 cities for cultural, economic and social innovation. But the purpose of our trip was for the Porsche Sport Driving School. The question remains: Why in Leipzig? The answer is quite straight: It is the city where the Porsche Cayenne and Panamera are produced, and most recently, is where the Cajun project was confirmed.

Test Drive: Cadillac CTS-V Challenge, Yas Island Meets True Velocity…

We at ArabWheels and more specifically our Editor, Ronald, has already argued the absolute, daring beauty of the Cadillac CTS Coupe. I will admit that it is one of the most gorgeous designs to come out of General Motors for some time, and with no doubt one of the best looking vehicles. General Motors once again proved its capability of launching first-class designs, and what can happen when you let the designers do their thing…

Test Drive: Chevrolet Camaro Convertible, The Chevy of the Decade Drops its Top

Finally we announce the arrival of and drive the Camaro convertible! I recently had the opportunity to drive the muscle car on the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, driving both engines: the 3.6 L V6 powered with 312hp and the 6.2 L V8 powered with 426hp. Here is the catch from our drive of this beast, keeping in mind that the Camaro has beaten the Mustang in its sales for the first time since 1985.

Test Drive: Peugeot 508, The Lion's New Strategy

It’s the roaring French Lion again in Spain and more specifically, the South, in a region called Alicante. We are talking about the latest Peugeot 508 that was launched at the 2010 Paris Motorshow. It is neither a 407 nor 607; it is the car that all French lovers of Peugeot’s brand have been waiting for. An innovative design with a complete new interior, style and ergonomics, the new 508 has all of what Peugeot has to offer.

Test Drive: 2011 Jaguar XJ, The Definitive Jag

Jaguar had recently launched its latest full size sedan throughout the world, but until recently not many had laid their hands and experienced the reborn XJ. For that, Jaguar initiated one of its most thorough Press events since the launch of the game changing XK in 2005, and took us, along with the rest of the world’s automotive media, to test drive of the new Jaguar XJ on the scenic roads that surround Paris, France.

When Jaguar, the car, comes to our mind the first image that flashes through our imagination is that of a Jaguar, the cat, leaping forward in chase of its prey. The current XJ might not have a mission as a sprinter, but as a car designed to carry statesmen and executives with all the legroom they wish for, it’s the closest you get to the real thing…

When it debuted in the late 60’s, the XJ was seen as a break with the past, and the 2011 XJ is even more so. It provides the best luxury and sporting equilibrium in a segment shared with the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Lexus LS 460.

Test Drive: Bentley Mulsanne, Smells Like Cash Money

"It takes 400 hours to build just one Mulsanne; the interior alone requires over 170 hours."

There is no true way to pay homage to past Bentleys. When the design and engineering teams were given the task to execute the new car, the brief was simple: design and build the most supreme of Bentleys, a car that W.H O Bentley himself would be proud of and a car that represents the peak of British luxury motoring. The Mulsanne is the convergence of the most dramatically and intricately designed Bentley ever, where no compromise was the real incentive.

Test Drive: Chevrolet Cruze, Preserving Chevy’s Immortal Vision

Towards the middle of last year, the world saw an unprecedented rise in oil prices. People that were financially comfortable driving large gas guzzling off roaders were caught out, and saw the urgent need to downsize. Although this crisis affected the whole world it was particularly harmful on US auto sales as large numbers of people prefer big thirsty SUV’s and pick ups. As the market headed towards downsizing-Fast-GM saw that it was severely lacking in that market segment. The Cruze was already on the table as a future product but it was at least 2 years away.

What is currently happening to GM is only a product of years of neglect to smaller fuel efficient cars, and Chevrolet’s primary weapon to fight the recession and come out safe and sound is the all new Cruze, GM’s first truly global model, and a product that unfortunately is a little late, but is miles ahead of mid-sized Chevy’s of the past even though it’s currently being built in Korea, at GM Daewoo, GM’s Korean outfit.

Test Drive: BMW 135i Convertible, A New Age Classic

BMW new 1 Series is the divine descendant to the company’s iconic 2002 model. You recognize that one of course, don’t you? The "1" is a rebirth of species, a compact, basic "three-box" design that gets you back to the original sport sedan, BMW's 2002, which was produced from the late 1960s to the mid-'70s has helped to put the small Bavarian company on the worldwide map.

Certainly, the new 1 Series and its twin-turbocharged 135i are light-years ahead of the old 2002 in terms of luxury features and raw power, but the spirit of a relatively tiny, agile and extremely communicative road car remains. For the 135i, power comes from the 300 hp twin-turbo engine and offers that seductive BMW flavor that so many buyers yearn for.

VIDEO: Ford Taurus Ride and Drive Media Outtakes

As Promised, the ArabWheels blog will feature things we just can't put in print. a case in point is this video. Shot by Ford's PR group during our most recent outing in Abu Dhabi. Video After the Jump

Test Drive: Volkswagen Golf VI, Breeze of Adaptation

My first encounter with the fifth generation Volkswagen Golf was back in 2004, I took the experience seriously as the MkV was replacing a lackluster fourth generation. Not that the latter was a bad car, it was just massively unfit to bear the Golf nameplate.

Driving the new spritely Golf was quite a superior experience in the general sense of the term, and in my estimation the MkV was one of the best Golf’s ever, bar the first generation’s originality at the time. However, VW did not hesitate in replacing the Golf with a new supposedly more refined version; the collective automotive media were in awe at the unveiling of the new sixth generation VW Golf in summer 2008, as in their eyes and the eyes of many other industry critics, very little had changed on a package that seemingly required no refinements.

Test Drive: Audi Driving Experience at Losail International Circuit (Qatar, Doha)

Audi Middle East invited 850 VIP customers and us ArabWheels along with almost all regional Press to test-drive their new machines – The A6 and RS 6 were the stars – for a full track day on the Losail International Circuit in Qatar. Audi's program made sure to put us through serious 
track time as well as numerous handling exercises and last but not least, a white knuckle ride in the Diesel-powered Q7V12 TDI.

Test Drive: Chevrolet Traverse, A Pretty Respectable Crossover

What we finally have here is the 2009 Chevy Traverse! If you want to use the promotional literature, it’s not a car, not a wagon, not an SUV nor a minivan; yet, to some degree it’s all of the above, as it can tow a good-sized trailer and it's an 8-passenger crossover vehicle. At close look, it's somewhat a minivan with big wheels and no sliding side doors. A crossover vehicle is usually based on the lighter and unified body structure of a car. The Traverse uses GM’s dedicated Lambda platform, which also fortifies the GMC Acadia. Chevy needed the Traverse on the roads expressly, considering they don't have a fit between the Malibu and Trailblazer, The latter to be discontinued within the year.