The Middle East’s most-anticipated auto awards are out. At a gala function held at Al Majaz Waterfront in Sharjah, the winners in 19 categories of the Middle East Motor Awards were announced in the presence of motoring enthusiasts from the country and across the region.

The prestigious ‘Car of the Year’ award has gone to Jaguar F-Type, the car that has been described as the grand successor to the iconic Jaguar E-Type. McLaren 12C Spider was adjudged as the ‘Best Supercar’, while the ‘Best Premium Luxury Convertible’ was Bentley Continental GT Speed and Maserati GranTurismo the ‘Best Premium Sports Coupe’.

Being held at an outdoor public venue for the first time, the event was attended by the who’s who of the auto industry and car enthusiasts, who were in for a surprise as all the winning and shortlisted cars were on display at Al Majaz Waterfront.

“The countdown to the region’s biggest and the most coveted award for the automotive industry was pretty exciting. We had one of the most exhaustive line-up of categories, entries from world’s top automakers and distributors, and 18 jury members who are well-known names in the industry,” said Mr. Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, Chief Executive Officer, Expo Centre Sharjah.

Porsche Middle East and Africa drove away with three awards again this year – Cayman S the ‘Best Sports Coupe’ and Cayenne the ‘Best Performance SUV’.

“Last year, we took home two prestigious Middle East Motor Awards. This year, four of our models were short-listed, out of which two have won,” said Christer Ekberg, Managing Director of Porsche Middle East and Africa.

Other winners include Best Small Sedan - Peugeot 301; Best Mid Size Sedan- Honda Accord; Best Large Sedan - Chevrolet Impala; Best Executive Sedan - Cadillac ATS; Best Luxury Sedan - Lexus 460; Best Luxury Performance Sedan - BMW M6 Gran Coupe; Best Crossover - Toyota RAV 4; Best Midsize SUV - Jeep Grand Cherokee; Best Luxury SUV - Range Rover; Best Small Hatchback - VW Golf; Best Performance Hatchback - Ford Focus ST; and Best Premium Hatchback - Mercedes A250.

"I am delighted that the Peugeot 301 has been honoured at The Middle East Motor Awards as the Middle East’s Best Small Sedan," commented Jamal Sahl, Head of Peugeot Middle East. “Winning this award is a prestigious achievement for Peugeot and our local partners at Swaidan Trading Co. LLC and Omeir Bin Youssef & Sons LLC. It is a real testimony to the brand’s position in the Middle East and to the advances Peugeot has made in carefully adapting design and innovation to fulfill the expectations of its markets.”

“The UAE has one of the fastest growing automobile markets in the world and the MEMA is considered as a great catalyst for boosting sales, with the shortlisted and winning entries helping prospective consumers check out vehicles that are best in their class and choose the right one,” added Mr. Midfa.

According to recent reports, more than 200,000 cars were sold by the end of July in the UAE and the figure is expected to cross 355,000 by the year-end, compared to 310,300 units sold in 2012.

This year, motoring journalists from across the region put the entries through their paces for everything from design, to performance and technology, as well as the car’s suitability to the Middle East.

All the winning as well as nominated cars for MEMA Awards are on display at Al Majaz Water Front in Sharjah until Friday, 1st November 2013.
 

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