The past couple of years we’ve seen a drastic change or let’s call it a shift towards SUVs. Although every single automaker is running after the hybrid and electric powertrains, still the SUVs are dominating the automotive industry. Let’s take, for instance, all the luxury and sport automakers such as the Jaguar F-PACE, Bentley
Bentayga, Maserati Levante, Lamborghini Urus, and lately the Rolls-Royce Cullinan and some rumors of a Lotus SUV.
I still remember quite well when the CEO of Audi, Rupert Stadler, said a couple of years ago that most of the car models will be SUVs. This is a vision that’s coming true (without mentioning the electrification of their models). Autonomous driving is being tested vastly all over the planet too.

The high demand for SUVs is rising to record heights, while interest in traditional cars has fallen. Many car companies that sell both models of vehicles have expanded sales in one segment only to lose them in another. Automakers that lean toward passenger cars could soon be stuck with many units at their factories, which basically no one wants. In my opinion, if the trend continues, cars that once led sales segments could vanish altogether one day.
For now, however, SUVs are riding high in the auto industry, with little to stop them—even the biggest truck models.
What do we have in our issue?
We covered both the prestigious European Motor Show in Geneva and the Big Apple city show in New York. We have chosen the best debuts so you can have a look at them.
Our cover story has been divided into two parts: the new baby SUV for Jaguar, the E-PACE and the all-new 2018 Porsche Cayenne.
In our Regional Drive section Hisham drove the all-new 2018 Ford Expedition in Dubai. In our Editors’ Choice section Ershad drove the famous Bond car, the new Aston Martin DB11 and the Audi SQ5 in Dubai. I personally bring you from Beirut the detailed drive of both the Jaguar F-PACE 2.0 and the Hyundai Ioniq.
We feature also the second part of our long-term test on the new Honda CR-V.
I hope you will enjoy our carefully chosen topics in this issue. You will always be able to message/ find us on our social media platforms for the latest and hot news from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and be sure to watch our videos on www.arabwheels.net.
Ramadan will start around mid-May so I wish you all ‘Ramadan Kareem’ full of blessings and
may peace fall upon our Arab region.

Issam Eid