Good news for Corvette fans in the Middle East! Chevrolet Middle East is now accepting pre-orders for the first-ever electrified Corvette, the 2024 Corvette E-Ray, with all-wheel drive in the Middle East. Slated to be available in limited numbers for the region, the Corvette E-Ray is the first-ever electrified Corvette. The Corvette E-Ray combines the standard Corvette’s 495hp 6.2-litre LT2 V8 engine with a 160hp electric motor to deliver a 655hp and 832Nm torque power output that ensures a 0-100kph sprint time of 2.6 seconds, making it the quickest production Corvette in history. It has a 1.9kWh battery installed within the central tunnel that allows all-electric drivability at speeds up to 70kph and even a quiet all-electric vehicle start. Vehicle orders from the local dealer are available on a first-come, first-served basis so interested customers should head to their local GM as quickly as the Corvette E-Ray.

British automaker McLaren has collaborated with the LEGO Group to unveil a literal scaled-down tribute to McLaren’s pioneering hybrid hypercar, the McLaren P1 with a special LEGO Technic McLaren P1 DIY scale model. The new LEGO Technic McLaren P1 set in a 1:8 scale will be available for buying online or via LEGO stores from August 1st for £389.99 or $449.99. LEGO Insiders purchasing the set between 1st – 7th August 2024 will also receive a special LEGO Technic McLaren P1 Logo as a gift with the purchase. It consists of 3,893 elements and each car features a unique serial number which unlocks special behind-the-scenes content. The model has a 7-speed gearbox with 2 shifter drums, suspension, a V8 piston engine, an adjustable rear wing, and opening dihedral doors with advanced mechanisms. This LEGO Technic McLaren P1 model was designed in close collaboration with the McLaren team. “We worked on multiple variations of the car to test different designs. We also faced a huge challenge with the iconic butterfly doors because they needed a new mechanism to stay open. It was a great experience to recreate the McLaren P1 and I’m hoping all supercar enthusiasts out there are ready to explore the details and intricacies of the real McLaren P1 in LEGO Technic form.” Kasper Rene Hansen, Designer, LEGO Group. 

This past week global auto players such as Automobili Pagani, Maserati and Aston Martin announced their participation at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed. Now, homegrown automaker McLaren declares its attendance by bringing special race cars to Goodwood to celebrate its six decades of motorsport success. Headlining Mclaren’s presence will be a special Mclaren Senna in Senna Sempre livery, made by McLaren Special Operations (MSO) as a tribute to Mclaren’s arguably most successful F1 driver – Ayrton Senna. The Senna Sempre livery debuted at the Monaco Grand Prix earlier this year on the MCL39 F1 cars piloted by Mclaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piasrti, one of which will also be showcased at the Goodwood Festival of Speed alongside the Senna Sempre-finished Mclaren Senna. Ayrton’s nephew, former Formula 1 driver and McLaren Automotive brand ambassador, Bruno Senna, will be at the wheel of his uncle’s 1991 title-winning McLaren MP4/6 – the only title-winning Formula 1 car powered by a V12 engine in which Ayrton Senna racked up seven Grand Prix victories and his third and final F1 driver’s championship. The McLaren Solus GT will join the legendary MP4/6 at the Goodwood hillclimb event, driven by double McLaren Formula 1 world champion Mika Häkkinen. 2024 marks the 50th anniversary since the racing banner’s first Formula 1 World Championship victories, sealing both the World Driver’s and Constructor’s titles in 1974 with Emerson Fittipaldi and the McLaren M23. And to commemorate the same, the Brazilian world champion driver will return to the wheel of his Mclaren M23. The 1974 Indy 500-winning M16C/D that helped Mclaren complete the prestigious ‘Triple Crown of Motorsport’ will also be on display. The all-new Artura Spider hybrid supercar will make its UK dynamic debut at the Hillclimb event, joined by the recently-launched Mclaren 750S, the new Mclaren GTS and a McLaren Senna and a McLaren P1 from Mclaren’s heritage collection. 

Maserati announces its attendance at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed with a supercar-heavy lineup comprising a couple of debuts, a blast from the past and a peak into the future. Making their debut will be celebratory models MC20 Icona and MC20 Leggenda – a 20 unit each Special Series edition built to commemorate the victorious MC12 and the two decades since the Trident’s return to competition in 2004. The MC20 Icona and MC20 Leggenda also feature special liveries inspired by the MC12 Stradale and MC12 GT1 Vitaphone respectively. Joining the MC20 Special Series edition supercars at the Festival of Speed’s Supercar Paddock will be the MC12 Versione Corse – a 2006-developed race car designed for exclusive non-competitive use with a 755hp V12 engine and limited to 12 customer units and a sole prototype unit in the world. An exclusive MC20 Cielo in exclusive Blu Victory paint shade developed by Maserati’s bespoke Fuoriserie division will also be joining the other Maserati specialities in the Supercar Paddock. Additionally, some of the Maserati supercars including the MC20 Icona, MC20 Leggenda and MC20 Cielo will take part in the Hillclimb event to showcase their power and appeal. Finally, Goodwood’s Electric Avenue will also have a Maserati in attendance – the GranCabrio Folgore, the first 100% electric convertible in the luxury segment and the fastest on the market.

Chinese carmaker Geely launches its all-new Preface sedan in the UAE with prices starting at AED 87,400. Geely has overhauled the new Preface sedan inside out with a new front fascia featuring a cascading waterfall-shaped grille and tinted rear tail light units with a sleeker profile and a more dynamic design. The new Geely Preface boasts the strongest power figures in its class with a 215hp 2.0-litre TD engine producing the highest torque in its class at 325 Nm while being mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox powertrain. This allows the new Geely Preface to run the 0-100kph sprint in 6.9secs whilst returning a mileage of 18.7km/l and possessing one of the largest cabin spaces in its segment. On the creature comfort front, the dashboard gets a best-in-class 13.2” HD infotainment screen with a headrest-integrated audio system from Infinity, a 10.2” LCD digital instrument cluster and a CN95 antiviral high-efficiency filter and air quality management system. The Preface also boasts Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems for easier commuting with the passengers being cocooned within the cabin with the safety assurance of six airbags. Geely launched the new Preface in conjunction with AGMC, the official distributor of Geely vehicles in the UAE. The new Preface is now on sale at your nearest Geely AGMC showrooms within the UAE.

Audi has announced the arrival of the Q2 compact SUV in the Middle East with prices starting from AED 139,900. The new Audi Q2 benefits from a new 8.8-inch MMI touchscreen infotainment system, Audi’s famed Virtual Cockpit and a host of personalisation options through various design and technology features. Customers can choose from various interior options such as decorative inlays and advanced driver assistance systems comprising rear park assist and lane departure warning assist. The new Q2 boasts LED headlights as standard with LED technology on the rear as well, featuring dynamic turn signals with a Matrix LED headlamp unit available as an optional extra. Customers wanting a sportier appeal can choose the optional S line exterior package that adds sporty accents across the vehicle. The new Audi Q2 gets a 35 TFSI powertrain option consisting of a 150hp four-cylinder engine with 250Nm torques. “We are unwavering in our commitment to providing the best for our customers in the UAE. The Q2, with its appeal to young, first-time drivers and young families, is the perfect entry point to the Audi brand. Combining style, advanced technology, and dynamic performance, the Q2 opens numerous opportunities for us as we continue to strive for excellence in technology, experience, and performance,” said Rene Koneberg, Managing Director of Audi Middle East. The new Audi Q2 will be available at Audi dealerships across the United Arab Emirates starting July 2024.

The Goodwood Festival of Speed, one of the most renowned events dedicated to automobiles and motorsport returns for its 2024 edition between July 11th to July 14th. British carmaker Aston Martin recently confirmed its attendance with a dynamic lineup comprising the most exotic supercars including the debut of the track-focussed limited-edition Valiant sports car. And now, Italian hypercar maker Pagani follows suit by announcing its participation with as many as six hypercars, the most by the brand in the history of the event. On July 11th, Automobili Pagani will host the official unveiling of the special-edition Imola Roadster and the one-off Huayra Epitome with the Duke of Richmond in attendance. Both these hypercars stem out of Pagani’s Grandi Complicazioni division – the brand’s special department for ultra-limited series cars. While the former is an 850hp eight-unit-only road-legal open-top hypercar, the latter is a special one-off commission and the only Huayra model equipped with a seven-speed manual gearbox. The Festival of Speed also comprises a Hillclimb event, one of the most anticipated sessions from the festival, and Pagani’s entrants for the 2024 iteration comprise a Huayra R and a Pagani Utopia with a dedicated livery. The special livery has been devised by Horacio Pagani himself in collaboration with the Duke of Richmond to celebrate the motorsport gathering. To the top of Pagani’s line-up for Goodwood, a Huayra Roadster and a Zonda Roadster will be stationed within Crossroads Corner for views of the hill climb, exhibited at the Kinrara Enclosure.