Rising luxury car sales to drive demand for customisation

The increase in sales of luxury cars in the past few quarters is providing a windfall for the regional car tuning and customisation industry. This was revealed in a straw poll of international tuning specialists, regional industry representatives and tuning enthusiasts who converged on Expo Centre Sharjah for the opening ceremony of the second edition of the Middle East Motor Tuning Show at Expo Centre Sharjah on Thursday.
The event was inaugurated by Shaikh Khalid bin Faisal bin Sultan Al Qassimi, World Rally Championship driver and winner of FIA's Middle East Rally Championship, and will run until May 14. The opening ceremony was attended by Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, Director-General of Expo Centre Sharjah, government officials and trade representatives. The region has emerged as one of the biggest markets for luxury vehicle makers with the UAE representing about 40 per cent of the Middle East luxury car market, according to an industry estimate. And, about 25 per cent of the cars sold in the UAE are premium to luxury cars and the country is seen as a trendsetter market for the whole of the region, it added.
"Premium and luxury vehicles offer the highest degree of customisation options and the rise in the sales of such cars augurs well for the tuning industry in the region," said Al Midfa.

"Moreover, the UAE is also in the process of allowing customised cars to hit the roads without breaking any traffic rules. Once this happens, the country will become the hot spot for automotive modification," he said.

Luxury car manufacturers are expecting their business in the Middle East to increase in 2011. Ferrari expects sales to increase by 11 per cent in 2011, while Maserati sales are forecast to go up by four per cent. For 2010, German luxury car maker Audi reported a Middle East sales growth of 8.5 per cent in the first half, Mercedes-Benz a six per cent rise in sales in the January to June period and Rolls Royce saw its car sales leap by a 100 percent during the full year.

In the UAE, the most sought-after customization works include engine and performance tuning, exterior and interior styling and specialised paint jobs. The main driving factor is uniqueness, as people seek to set themselves apart on the highway, say leading tuning specialists. Other factors driving the growth for the automotive and the tuning market are increasing population, higher incomes, urbanisation, energy efficiency and low-cost automobiles.

A key attraction at the show is the 'Project Falcon' Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD created by Al Ghandi Customs. It is the winner of MBC Action's 'Battle of the Garages', and is on display at the show. Spirra Strikes, the only Korean supercar in the world, too is being displayed for the first time ever. Only 10 of these ultra elite beauties will be sold in the GCC. West Coast Customs, the pioneers in the world of car tuning, is showing off the latest in vehicle modifications and tuner accessories. Tuning enthusiasts can also see Hally Auto, a one-stop-shop for all Nissan GT-R needs, unleash the vehicle into a wild beast. The winning airbrushed car and design of the Air Brush Contest was one of the key attractions for visitors on the opening day of the show. The contest was a pre-event activity held in association with Tuning UAE 
and Dubizzle.

The Styling and Accessories Area is featuring firms that can add to the look and style of cars, while Car Audio section is offering the ultimate selection in car entertainment products.

The Drifting Arena fuelled by Monster Energy is set to help auto enthusiasts showcase their balance of steering, accelerating, braking, shifting and pushing the boundaries of what a car is capable of to the limit. MEMTS 2011 is a comprehensive showcase of latest trends in car modification from leading companies from across the world. It is featuring luxury sport cars, modified vehicles, racing vehicles and teams, spare parts and components for car modification, bodykits and airbrush design, tyres, high performance lubricants, car audio and multimedia, tuning clubs, specialist technical publications, and accessories.