May 2019 43 www.bahrainthismonth.com motoringnews&launches Al Haddad Motors took home two customer service awards at this year’s Mercedes-Benz Cars Middle East (MBCME) Customer Services Conference that was held in Dubai. The company received the Dealer Retail Standard Fulfilment award and the Best Planning and Forecasting award based on its performance in 2018. The awards were presented by the president and CEO of MBCME, Mark De Haes and the director of customer services, Thilo Grossman, to Al Haddad Motors GM, Warren Hudson, who was accompanied by aftersales manager, Ian Beattie, parts manager, Jorge Roldao, and marketing manager, Imran Ali. “These awards merely mark the starting line and not the finishing line for Al Haddad Motors. Our Customer Services department has embarked on a journey to improve procedures and performance in every single aspect of our daily business,” said Warren Hudson. Infiniti debuted the Qs Inspiration, a sports sedan concept for the electrified era, at Auto Shanghai 2019. The vehicle offers a new perspective on the design and layout of the sports sedan, with an elevated driving position and highperformance electrified allwheel drive (e-AWD) power. Representing the brand’s desire to challenge tradition, the Qs Inspiration previews a forthcoming Infiniti production model and hints at the company’s electrified future. The concept’s all-new flexible architecture has been developed specifically to accommodate high-performance electrified powertrains, and enables a reinterpretation of traditional ‘three-box’ sedan design. Infiniti designers and engineers have been able to adapt the mechanical layout and physical proportions of the car, engaging drivers and keeping them connected to the road, while providing a sense of elevation and control. Three decades on from the arrival of the technology-laden Q45 sedan, the Qs Inspiration features a low-mounted powertrain and potent e-AWD system. The raised driving position offers a clearer view of the road ahead, without a raised body to compromise dynamics. Challenging Tradition A Double Win The new Venue, from Hyundai, described as the company’s smallest, most affordable SUV, took centre stage at the New York Motor Show. The SUV is powered by a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder engine paired with either a six-speed manual or intelligent variable transmission. It boasts 121hp and the company predicts it will achieve up to 33mpg. The Venue, which goes on sale later this year, is packed with interior features, including an eight-inch infotainment screen, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, BlueLink with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant integration, dual USB charging ports, a rearview monitor, heated front seats and side mirrors, as well as various drive modes. It can also be equipped with forward collision avoidance, lane keeping assist, blind spot warning, driver attention warning and rear crosstraffic alert. SUV Debuts in New York Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has announced that Jozef Kabaň has been appointed head of design. Kabaň, 46, is an experienced and talented designer, having spent the majority of his career at a senior level in the automotive industry. He joins Rolls-Royce Motor Cars from the BMW Group where he has been head of Design Studio BMW since 2017. Passionate about car design and art from an early age, and with an obsession for detail, Kabaň completed his studies in Bratislava and London, concluding with a Master’s of Art in Car Design at the Royal College of Art in London. Aged just 20, Kabaň was one of the youngest ever designers to join the VW Group. He progressed rapidly, and in 1998 was awarded project lead for the Bugatti Veyron, for which he designed the exterior. He gained global recognition for the project, demonstrating his ability, even at this early stage in his career, to combine the automotive world with those of luxury and art. He later worked with Audi AG and then Skoda Auto where he was recognised for revolutionising the manufacturer’s design ethos. He also maintained design responsibility for small volume projects, including limited and special editions and show cars. New Design Head
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