Motoring Middle East

12/06/2023

MME is in Italy today following the 1000 Miglia!

05/05/2023

Not so ugly any more, is she?

Many thanks to for inviting me to their Iftar as the “80 series representative”.

They’ll be doing more with LC and Supra owners soon - keep an eye on their socials.

04/03/2023

“We want POWER!”

The people chanted for more, and the Wrangler 392 delivers. 470bhp. Permanent four wheel drive. One inch lift, rubicon package, locking diffs front and rear. All the toys, all the time.

Positives?
- The NOISE. It sounds like an old G55 (this is a good thing) and goes like hell. The exhaust has a quiet mode, but why would you bother?
- The SPEED. This accelerates in the real world as fast as aRam TRX, which is a lot more expensive.
- The ABILITY. Off-road, this makes mincemeat of every dune you attack. It doesn’t even need deflation half the time…

Negatives?
- The THIRST. Tiny tank and hilarious fuel consumption mean you don’t pass many gas stations after 300km. Doesn’t matter whether you’re on or off-road.
- The TYRES…should be bigger! Standard 33s are far too small for this thunderous V8. 35s as standard, please.
- The SHOCKS. Fine for most places, but pick up the pace and the standard Fox package can’t keep up, especially with this big heavy V8. Ask for an upgrade at the dealership or head to your favorite aftermarket shop.

It’s too thirsty to be a daily in my opinion, but the Wrangler 392 is an incredible weekend toy with poise, fury and noise to match. Get it while you can. They’ll never make anything like it again.

13/02/2023

Ugly Elsie in action at this weekend’s Fun Drive. Did you spot it in the Sweihan Dunes?

03/09/2022

Motoring Middle East is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Amit Benjamin, former Editor of Wheels Magazine.

As Editor, Amit built Wheels into one of the top motoring titles in the UAE, alongside our own former mag, CAR Middle East. We enjoyed a healthy rivalry with the Wheels team who were to a man, great writers and great people, often the first to cover the most significant new car launches.

For many readers of Gulf News, Wheels was their weekly window into the world of automobiles, from dazzling high-end vehicles to interesting features of regular people and their rides. It was a credit to Amit and his team that they managed this dual focus so successfully.

It's something that's largely lost in whatever remains of the automotive print market today, where influencers tell you what manufacturers want you to hear. Where there's no one left to push back as the voice of the consumer - you, the people who actually buy and use cars, as most manufacturers have long since forgotten.

Amit Benjamin was a true journalist, well respected in the industry, and a hard worker to the end. In these dying days of automotive journalism, to lose one of our own so young is a knife in our hearts as well.

Our condolences to his family in this difficult time.

25/08/2022

Bronco Raptor and Ranger Raptor doing hot weather testing in our searing heat.

We know the Ranger Raptor will be around the AED260,000 mark in the UAE. What do you think the price of the Bronco Raptor will be?

19/08/2022

Interesting rumour I heard the other day - apparently, the legendary Y61 Nissan Patrol is being cancelled after nearly 24 years in continuous production. This makes 2022 the last year of production.

It's been an enormously successful truck for Nissan, legendarily tough, successful in rallies and particularly famous in the UAE as the king of the left lane!

So why is it being cancelled? Purely my speculation, but the standard 4.8-litre straight six is far from the economical engine ever produced. After the fuel prices went up, I'm guessing demand dried up as well. Plus - they're so reliable, that once you buy one, you don't really, er, need another...although the two-tone "Super Safaris" they released in recent years have been quite tasty, and a very successful refresh.

I almost hope I'm not right about this one. This truck has been part of the region for so long that it would be sad to not see it in the Nissan showrooms, standing proud. It's resolutely old school, and I've enjoyed driving it over the years. If it really has been cancelled and you don't have one - then this might be the time to scratch that itch.

They'll never make anything like it again.

08/07/2022

Mighty Mouse! Great to catch up with and marvel over a perfectly kept MX-5 (that’s a Miata to you Americans, Roadster to my Japanese brothers). It makes me miss mine. What a lovely car it was to look at. A perfect sportscar. I’ve driven faster ones, but none imbued with such joy. Maybe again. Maybe.

03/07/2022

She’ll do the school run, but what she really wants to do is explore.

How did Elsie perform in the sand, after years of peaceful slumber?

- it drives like a tractor. About 200ish bhp, so it chugs along dunes with torque rather than screams up them. Commit yourself, and it’ll climb anything. But very different from modern engines with their high rpm power.
- The engine’s still fairly new and it’s bloody hot outside, but so far it’s holding together well. Kudos to the team at for bringing the motor back up to standard after untold years of stasis.
- supplied by is the most expensive kit you can get for an 80-series - how did it perform? On middle stiffness (what she likes) it has very good travel and a just-so ride quality. With near 4” of lift, no chance of hitting anything.
- My 285/70R17 Cooper tyres remain the only disappointment, thus far. Very good road tyres, great for fuel economy, quiet. Off-road, the soft sidewall don’t inspire me with confidence at all. Though they climb well at 11psi, I can’t help but feel they are a moment from popping off the rim.

Overall, she did well for an outing that even modern 4x4s have struggled with on occasion (I’m looking at you, Gladiator Sandrunner). What comes next? Adventure! (And probably more fixing things.)

26/05/2022

Too much or just right?

24/05/2022

Goodbye, Sonata?

The Hyundai Sonata might get a facelift, but it may not get another generation after its eighth.

20/05/2022

How adorable!

Gazoo Racing performance in 660-cc kei-car fun size.