Rolls-Royce engineers set themselves a peculiar goal with the transmission: the driver should never notice it exists. The ZF eight-speed automatic fitted to modern models — enhanced on some cars with satellite-aided shifting that uses GPS data to select gears before corners arrive — comes remarkably close to that ideal. Shifts are imperceptible, kickdown is … Read more
Every Maserati leaves the factory with a recommended maintenance schedule. It is a sensible document — written for a car driven on European roads, in European temperatures, with European fuel and European dust levels. Follow it to the letter in Dubai, and you will be under-maintaining your car in almost every category that matters. This … Read more
Few phrases in modern car ownership have caused more expensive misunderstandings than “lifetime fill.” BMW’s automatic transmissions — overwhelmingly the excellent ZF 8HP eight-speed in everything from the 2 Series to the 7 Series and X models — are officially described as sealed for life, with no scheduled fluid changes. What most owners never hear … Read more
Few engines in modern motoring carry the mystique of Bentley’s 6.0-litre twin-turbo W12. Fitted to the Continental GT, Flying Spur, and Bentayga, it delivers colossal, effortless torque and a character no V8 quite matches. With production of the W12 now ended, these engines are becoming modern classics — which makes maintaining them properly more important … Read more
In most countries, a weak car air conditioner is an inconvenience. In Dubai, where cabin temperatures inside a parked car can exceed 70°C in August, it’s a genuine safety issue. Audi’s climate control systems are sophisticated and, when healthy, superb — four-zone control in a Q7, ionisers, solar sensors, rear vents. But that sophistication also … Read more
Walk into any parts market in Dubai or Sharjah and ask for a Range Rover water pump, and you will be offered at least four versions of the “same” part at wildly different prices. One is in a green Land Rover box. One is in a plain white box with the same casting marks. One … Read more
The UAE is home to one of the largest automotive spare parts markets in the world. From the trading houses of Sharjah’s industrial areas to the specialist suppliers of Dubai, virtually any component for any Porsche ever sold in the region can be found — often the same day. But this abundance is a double-edged … Read more
In most of the world, a broken air conditioner is an inconvenience you can tolerate until you get around to fixing it. In Dubai, it is something close to an emergency. With temperatures that routinely exceed 45°C for months on end, a functioning air conditioning system is not a comfort feature — it is a … Read more