Daijiworld Media Network - Doha
With Inputs from Agencies
Doha, Apr 19: The 7th edition of the Qatar Motor Show got off to a brilliant start on Tuesday April 18 with focus on innovation. The motor show, organized by Qatar Tourism Authority and Fira Qatar, have 110 automotive vehicles taking the centre stage at the Doha Exhibition and Conference Center.
As many as eight cars are debuting for in the region, in addition to 14 local car launches.
Thousands of car enthusiasts are expected to throng the seventh edition of Qatar Motor Show which opened at Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC), said organisers.
"We expect thousands of people to visit the show which runs until Saturday April 22. Twenty-seven brands and 110 cars are being displayed at this exciting edition which has a special section for classic cars and another for Ferrari car lovers," Saif Al Kuwari, director of PR and communication at Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) told The Peninsula.
Minister of transport and communications Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti and minister of municipality and environment Mohamed bin Abdullah Al Rumaihi officially opened the exhibition which witnessed the attendance of a number of heads of missions and other dignitaries.
Speaking to reporters, Al Sulaiti expressed satisfaction on the brands and newly launched exclusive models on show which are of international level as well as underlined the significance of the event towards helping the private sector in particular and the economy in general.
Leading international carmakers introduced top sports, luxury and mid-range automotive models and branded lifestyle goods. The show saw the launch of the BAIC brand for the first time in Qatar, in addition the launch of Mercedes’s E-Coupe, E43 and SLC 43, Lexus’s Lexus LC 500, Chevrolet’s Tahoe Midnight Edition, Trailblazer Z71, Camaro ZL1, Malibu Turbo, and Silverado Midnight Edition. The show also featured the launch of Ford’s Fiso Raptor, Lincoln’s Lincoln Continental, Ram’s 1200 and 1500 limited editions, Hyundai’s IONIQ Hybrid, and Genesis’s Genesis G90 and Genesis G80.
Twenty classic cars are displayed in a 5,000sqm showroom. These cars are some of the rarest and most iconic pieces in the world presented by the Sheikh Faisal Museum, Mawater and Al Fardan.
"After months of preparation, we are pleased to raise the curtain on the 2017 edition of the show, an event that is proudly led by local talents and is contributing to cementing Qatar’s position as a premium destination for business events and shedding light on what our nation has to offer within the technology and automotive sector," said Ahmed Al Obaidli, director of exhibitions department at QTA.
Mawater is holding daily parades at 3 pm from the DECC VIP parking including sedan classic cars parade today, sport muscle cars parade tomorrow, GCC mixed classics on Friday and pick-up classic trucks parade on Saturday.
Batabit will host a speed bikes parade this afternoon as well as a series of biking parades including a choppers parade, and a spiders parade, wrapping the show on Saturday with a stellar performance on the Doha Corniche.
The show is also running five social media competitions every day with many valuable prizes for visitors to win by following the show’s social media channels.