Under the patronage of His Excellency, Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior

Qatar Motor Show Kicks off its Eighth Edition

14 new cars unveiled for first time in Qatar and the region

Doha, 17 October 2018: Under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, the eighth edition of Qatar Motor Show (QMS) opened at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre today, 17 October, and will run until 21 October 2018. Organised by Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) in cooperation with Fira Qatar, the show was opened by His Excellency the Minister of Transport and Communication, Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti. Commenting on opening of the show, His Excellency said, "This edition comes as Qatar intensifies its efforts to enhance innovation and safety in the field of transportation. New innovations in the use of electric cars are in line with our commitment to promote clean and sustainable energy. The roads, rail, port, and airport projects that the Ministry of Transport and Communication is now completing, will make Qatar’s transportation sector one of the most advanced in the world. This will support the development plans of all national institutions as they work to achieve Qatar National Vision 2030." This year's show is held under the theme ‘Driving to Innovation,’ and is the first since QMS adopted a new strategy aimed at enriching content, focusing on the concepts of innovation and sustainability, while raising the profile of the show on the international calendar of automotive exhibitions.Ahmed Al Obaidli, Director of Exhibitions at QTA, commented: “This year's edition focuses on new offerings for the public, car enthusiasts, exhibitors, and the car industry in Qatar and the region in general. QTA invests in developing the business events sector as part of its strategy to grow the tourism sector as a whole. We work with various partners from public and private sectors to attract the largest and most important international conferences and exhibitions as well as to promote local events to attract more visitors and, consequently, increase tourism spending and support the hospitality, transport, and aviation sectors."

Over the past seven years, QMS has evolved to become one of the leading motor shows in the region, strengthening its position as a platform for interaction between international brands and their local agents on one hand and consumers and potential customers in Qatar and the region on the other.

Ahmad Al Mulla, General Manager of Fira Qatar, said: “The business events sector is witnessing large growth in Qatar. QMS is one of the most prominent and highly popular events given its content and the experience it creates for visitors. It is also an opportunity for auto brands to showcase their latest innovations and technologies. With the exhibited cars and the accompanying activities, this year's show will provide an excellent experience for all visitors."14 local and regional ‘first-time’ reveals More than 165 models of classic, sports, mid-range, and luxury cars offered by top international car brands will be on display this year. 37 booths representing manufacturing brands, local well-known car accessory brands and partners will also be showing their products and activities at the fair. The show also features special stands for Qatar Tourism Authority in cooperation with Ministry of Interior, Traffic Department, Mowasalat, Qatar Insurance Company (QIC) and Arab Motors. On the opening day of the show, visitors were treated to several reveals of models that were being displayed for the first time in Qatar, and in some cases, the region. AlFardan Group revealed the all-new BMW X5 2019 model for the first time in the region, while Nasser bin Khaled Group launched Mercedes CLS 53 AMG and GLE 450 for the first time in the region. In addition, NBK launched Mercedes S65 Maybach 2019, D90 Maxus 2019 and the MG6 2019 from MG – all, for the first time in Qatar.Abdullah Abdulghani Group launched the all new Toyota Avalon for the first time in Qatar, and Lexus showed its collection of hybrid cars. Saleh AlHamad AlMana Group launched the all new Infinity QX50 car for the first time in Qatar, while Jaidah Group launched Chevrolet’s Corvette ZR1 for the first time in Qatar.Taleb Group revealed ZX Auto's Terralord pickup 2019 for the first time in Qatar, in addition to the BX7 TS and BXi7 from Borgward.

Universal Motors displayed Lotus Car model EVORA GT430, which is one of only 60 cars around the world that were hand-manufactured for this limited edition. Giving a sneak peak of an upcoming design, Genesis unveiled its concept of the first SUV, which will be launched under the model name of GV80.37 Exhibitors & 20 Top Brands:

Exhibiting brands and companies at the 8th QMS include BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Lexus, Nissan, Infinity, Chevrolet, Maxus, MG, Mitsubishi Motors, Harley Davidson, Jaguar, Land Rover, Genesis, ZX Auto, Borgward, Universal Motors (Lotus), Crystal Car, Auto Stacker, Kracher, Breu, Four Stroke, , Car Care Centre, , Al Jaber Car Care Centre, Pegasus, My Tyre, and Titanium (Smart Line). QMS 2018 Sponsors & Partners:Mawater Centre are the Strategic Partner of QMS 2018 while Qatar Insurance Company (QIC) is the Official Insurance Partner; Mowasalat is the Official Transportation Partner, W Doha Hotel is the Official Hotel and Joué Club is the Kids Garage Partner. Media Partners The event was supported by a number of media partners including Maqina, I Love Qatar, Qatar Living, Q Motor, ALL & ABOUT Qatar, Arab Motors Middle East and Cars & Karak.

Mawater Exclusive PavilionIn line with the aims of QMS to enrich content and cater to a variety of tastes, Mawater Centre organised a special exhibition of classical cars under the sponsorship of QTA. The Centre is exhibiting more than 65 classical and modified cars, 4-wheel drive cars, classical motorbikes, and government cars.