February 2018 53 www.bahrainthismonth.com Setting New Records With deliveries of around 246,000 vehicles to customers worldwide, the upward sales trend continued for Porsche AG. The Stuttgart-based sports car manufacturer has exceeded the previous record, set in 2016, by four per cent. A significant boost came from roughly 28,000 deliveries of the new Panamera – an increase of 83 per cent compared to the previous year. “The hybrid models of the new Panamera, in particular, are very well received by customers, validating our product strategy,” says Detlev von Platen, executive board member responsible for sales and marketing at Porsche AG. In addition to the Panamera, the 718 models have significantly exceeded the previous year’s results, and the fascination with the 911 lives on, with more than 32,000 vehicles handed over to customers worldwide in 2017. However, the top-selling Porsche honour is retained by the Macan, with more than 97,000 vehicles delivered. Detlev is optimistic regarding 2018, saying: “With our product range and the strong sales regions of Europe, Asia and America, we are well positioned.” Nissan has announced key management changes to its leadership in the Middle East. Juergen Schmitz is appointed as managing director of Nissan Middle East and Markus Leithe has been named as the managing director of INFINITI Middle East. Juergen Schmitz brings more than 25 years’ experience in the automotive industry to the role. He joins Nissan from INFINITI Middle East, where he led the Nissan subsidiary from 2011 – first as general manager and then as managing director. “I am delighted to be joining Nissan at an exciting time for the company in the Middle East,” says Juergen. “With Nissan’s leading role in the region, there are exciting opportunities for further growth, underpinned by our iconic and best-selling Nissan Patrol, our extensive line-up and our outstanding customer service.” Markus’ expertise as a managing director in the automotive industry has been built on 20 years of international experience across Europe and the Middle East. ”I am excited to come on board with the INFINITI brand at an exciting time for the premium manufacturer,” he says. “The Middle East continues to play a strategic role for INFINITI and I look forward to continuing to grow INFINITI’s success in the region.” Euro Motors, the exclusive importer and distributor for luxury automotive manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover in Bahrain, now makes purchasing one of its masterpieces ever more appealing with the Jaguar APPROVED and Land Rover APPROVED certified pre-owned vehicle programme. With an entire floor dedicated solely for Jaguar Land Rover APPROVED vehicles, customers can browse through and select their dream cars with absolute ease. Each and every APPROVED vehicle available at the showroom goes through vigorous inspection and testing before being put on display, hence prospective customers are assured that the vehicles are available in the best of conditions while being extremely affordable. “A programme such as this enables us to meet the demand of the pre-owned vehicle market and facilitates in making Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles more accessible to everyone,” says Euro Motors Jaguar Land Rover general manager Stephen Lay. “All the vehicles in this programme go through comprehensive testing, which includes a multi-point inspection that covers 165 mechanical, electric and safety checks.” The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) 2018 in Detroit saw leading marques showcasing their latest introductions. Amongst these were BMW and MINI. BMW celebrated two world premieres: the updated BMW i8 Coupe, and the new BMW X2. The BMW i8 Roadster First Edition also made its debut at the show. The main focus of the MINI trade fair presentation at NAIAS was the new edition of the original in the premium small car segment. There was a joint premiere for the new MINI Hardtop and the MINI Convertible. The update for the current model generation, which also benefits the MINI Hardtop 4 door, ranges from specific design modifications and innovative customisation options through to an extension of the equipment programme and the addition of the latest MINI Connected digital services. World Premieres New Management New Pre-Owned Programme Markus Leithe Juergen Schmitz
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