Parmigiani Fleurier introduces a new Tonda PF Hijri Perpetual Calendar
A horological masterpiece, now in a stainless steel case with a vivid Viridian green dial.
Airbus CityAirbus eVTOL Prototype Makes Public Debut
For a while now, we’ve known that Airbus, like many other startups globally, is working on a couple of eVTOLs (electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing) aircraft. One of them, the CityAirbus, has made its first public debut. It is still in prototype form and is slated to take its maiden flight later this year.
The Airbus CityAirbus NextGen (curious name!) has been developed for various purposes in major cities worldwide. The eVTOL has a wing span of approximately 12 metres with a four-seat passenger compartment. Airbus aims for a range of 80km with a cruising speed target of 120kmph. Of course, the necessary infrastructure to support eVTOL operations in populous cities will play a crucial role.
The unveiling of the CityAirbus prototype came alongside the opening of the new CityAirbus test centre in Donauwörth. The facility will serve as a dedicated space for testing various systems for eVTOLs and is part of Airbus’ investment in Advanced Air Mobility.
airBaltic Adds Two New Flights From Vilnius For Summer 2024
Latvia’s flag carrier, airBaltic, has announced the addition of two new routes from its base in Vilnius. In the summer season of this year, the airline will operate flights from the Lithuanian capital to Lisbon, Portugal, and Hamburg, Germany. Both new services are part of a risk-sharing partnership between airBaltic and Lithuanian Airports.
Using an Airbus A220-300, the airline will operate two weekly flights between the abovementioned new routes. The Vilnius-Hamburg service will start on May 2, 2024, with ticket prices starting at EUR 59. Regarding the Vilnius-Lisbon route, it will go live on May 4, 2024, with ticket prices starting at EUR 129.
airBaltic also aims to add two more services for the summer season this year: Vilnius to Krakow, Poland, and Palanga, Lithuania, to Amsterdam, Netherlands. In 2024, the airline plans to connect Lithuania with 18 destinations and will continue to station two aircraft in Vilnius.
Porsche Taycan Joins The Dubai Police Fleet
Upping the count of pure-electric vehicles in the fleet, Dubai Police has onboarded the Porsche Taycan. Handed over by Al Nabooda Automobiles, the official dealer of the German brand in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, the Taycan is essentially a close sibling to the Audi RS e-tron GT that the law enforcement agency took delivery of last year. Moreover, the Porsche Taycan is plenty fast on acceleration and charging. Also, it advocates the push towards sustainable solutions.
Dubai Police is renowned for employing the duties of some of the most exotic cars. Besides the two EVs mentioned above, it took delivery of a McLaren Artura and a Lamborghini Urus Performance last year. And only a few days ago, a Volkswagen Amarok pickup joined the agency’s fleet.
New-Gen Ford Mustang Launched In The UAE
The only engine option available across the variants list is the 5.0-litre V8.
Dodge reveals the new electric two and four-door Charger
Silently(ish) coming to a sideshow near you soon!
Two Rolls-Royce Middle East Dealers Receive Recognition
Two dealers from the Middle East were awarded at Rolls-Royce’s World Dealer Conference held in Singapore. Chris Brownridge, the CEO of Rolls-Royce Motors Cars, handed over the awards.
Starting with Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Dubai, the dealership was recognised with two accolades. It, along with Rolls-Royce Motors Cars Prague, was awarded the World Dealer of the Year title. The Dubai touchpoint also bagged the award for Whispers Dealer of the Year.
Here’s what Mamdouh Khairallah, Director at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Dubai, said in an official statement:
The team’s enthusiasm and dedication have been key to our success, and I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude – you have been fantastic, and I am incredibly thankful to be working with each and every one of you. As we embark further into 2024, I am confident that we will continue to thrive and look forward to taking our success to even greater heights in the year ahead.
The other dealer in the equation is Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Riyadh. It was presented with the 2023 Client Engagement Dealer of the Year award.
Mohammed Naghi, Chairman of Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors (MYNM), expressed his gratitude:
We are honoured to be receiving these tremendous accolades. This award is a testament to the team’s hard work, without which none of this would be possible. Their commitment to the marque is unfaltering. I would like to congratulate my team on their success and thank them for their dedication, without which these awards wouldn’t have been possible.
Asics Launches Two New Metaspeed Running Shoes
Japanese sportswear brand Asics has introduced two new running shoes in its flagship Metaspeed Series. They are called Metaspeed Sky Paris and Metaspeed Edge Paris. Compared to the previous versions, the new ones are lighter by 22g. That comes courtesy of a new Motion Wrap Upper 2.0, which has also made the shoe nearly 8 per cent more breathable. Another new aspect is the addition of FF Turbo Plus midsole foam. As per the manufacturer, that helps in weight saving while providing a softer and bouncier experience.
Besides those improvements, Asics has also widened the full-length carbon plate in the forefoot section of the Metaspeed Sky Paris derivative. The brand claims this addition will boost ‘Stride’ runners, who spend large periods airborne and increase their speed by extending stride lengths. On the other hand, the Metaspeed Edge Paris has been updated with a better toe-off and a forefoot made using a new last. These improvements should help ‘Cadance’ runners, who have minimal up and down motions, and increase speed by extending strides and increasing the number of steps per minute.
Both shoes are available for men and women from the brand’s retail and online stores. They are priced at AED 1,050 / SAR 1,210 / KWD 87 / BHD 119.5 / OMR 116.5.