DUBAI, 6 September 2007 -- Two new SUV models from two different Japanese car manufacturers were launched in Dubai successively.

Al-Futtaim Motors yesterday launched the latest SUV to join the Toyota range, the new FJ Cruiser. The media launch of this SUV took place at the Toyota Showroom at Dubai Festival City.

The FJ Cruiser descended from a long line of legendary Toyota off-road vehicles, incorporating the DNA of the FJ40, and the renowned Land Cruiser.

Simon Frith, the new managing director of Al-Futtaim Motors, and Tony Barlow, the senior general manager of sales & marketing were present at the ceremony.

At the event, Simon Frith prefaced the launch with an overview of recent business highlights commenting, "2006 was a very important year for the Toyota brand and Al-Futtaim Motors. We launched many all-new, award-winning vehicles, including the Camry, the Yaris Sedan, the Aurion V6, the RAV 4 and the new Previa. The addition of these 5 new models helped us achieve an outstanding sales performance in 2006, with Toyota sales up 25 percent over 2005.

And on Tuesday night, Mitsubishi Motors introduced the all-new, second-generation Outlander at a launching party for the press and distributors which took place at the Habtoor Grand Resort & Spa.

Katsuya Onoda, senior expert of Latin America, Middle East & Africa Department; Masahisa Niimi, general manager of Liaison Office of Middle East and Shinichi Kurihara, executive officer, corporate general manager of Product Strategy Office were at the launch.

The larger new Outlander offers a compelling blend of driving dynamics, bold styling, five-passenger versatility, plus numerous user-technology firsts for the compact SUV segment.

During the last quarter of this year, 3 Toyota models will be launched, and the first of these is the new FJ Cruiser.

Tony Barlow commented, "The FJ Cruiser was launched in the United States in March 2006, and it has proved exceptionally popular with younger drivers and off-road enthusiasts."

The all-new Outlander debuts a new Mitsubishi design language that captures the performance-oriented essence of the brand. Clean, sharp lines, featuring a "diamond cut" front end and boldly sculpted fender flares, evoke the athleticism of a sport sedan and the sophistication of a premium SUV. The high-mount LED tail lamp clusters give the rear of the vehicle a distinctive appearance.

Outlander 2008 models are powered exclusively by a 2.4-litter DOHC MIVEC and a 3.0-liter SOHC V6 MIVEC engine.

By K.T. Abdurabb

© Arab News 2007