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Saud Gazal-1 to become Saudi Arabia’s first car

By Tim Beissmann |

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah earlier this week unveiled his country’s first car and has given it the green light to become a production reality.

The Saud Gazal-1 concept, first shown at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show in March, was designed by 50 automotive engineering students at King Saud University specifically for the climate and conditions of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.

Based on a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon platform, the Gazal-1 is 4.8m long and about 1.9m wide and named after a desert deer which apparently maintains grace and elegance in harsh habitats.

It was developed in collaboration with a number of large companies including Mercedes, Motorola, Magna Steyr and StudioTorino.

Saudi Arabia’s Higher Education Minister, Khaled Al-Anqari, thanked King Abdullah for his support of the project and congratulated the students at KSU.

“This is the fruit of your support,” Mr Al-Anqari said. “What is achieved today is a clear proof of the ability of Saudi youth to make innovations and inventions … if they are provided with the adequate facilities and given opportunities.

“It also shows that we have capable people who can transform ideas into products of high economic value.”

Although still in the early stages, the plan is to bring the Saud Gazal-1 into production within two years with an ultimate goal of manufacturing 20,000 units annually.

Estimates suggest it will cost around $US500 million ($579 million) to make the Gazal-1 concept a production reality.

(with Arab News)


 
  • Robin Graves

    Where is the female version with a Burka? Looks like a lovechild from Mahindra

    • Ryan

      Women aren’t allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia. They are very sexist.

  • Vibe

    It looks like something out of GTA.

    That said, I quite like the rear.

  • RK

    Looks like a cross between a Kia Soul and a Land Rover Defender.

    • Michael

      One this is for sure, it does not look right.

  • Simo

    looks like the entire car was made out of rubber. what’s with the headlamps anyway?

    • Des

      It needs to be made of rubber the way they drive over here.

  • The Original Stevo

    And I thought Ssangyongs were ugly.

  • Shak

    its not ugly, its just not right looking somehow. Like whats with the lights and the Mahindra/Plastic grille. Most of the panels look like they are made of plastic as well.

  • Hyundai45

    jeep + honda odd-easy x matchboxtoycars = …

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=668475019 Jake Williams

    I think the one displayed was just a clay one, much like most concept cars…

  • bangle

    Does it come with two humps or one , is it female friendly , oh i forgot women are banned from driving in SAUDI ARABIA , updated LADA .

  • http://www.reelbadarabs.com/ reality check

    any moron can criticse. it takes intelligence to analyse. This is the first car. FIRST. what did you honestly expect? Intersting comments from closet bigots. i advise you to takea trip to jeddah or riyadh and be ready to be humbled. stop getting brainwashed by hollwood and the media. Go and meet some saudi students who are everywhere these days especially in brisbane. how long has holden and Ford been in australia and still most people will only drive one because they are rednecks or can’t afford a toyota. that said, the kids of rednecks are now driving kias and hyundais. that’s a slap on face. nuff said.

  • Baddass

    There’s something weird with the lights, that makes them look unreal. Like it’s a toy…

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1435885244 Yani Hendriawan

    is it easy to put on 2 wheels?

  • Tomas79

    Not Exactly Beautiful, but not bad for first attempt…
    Being based on the G-Wagen, it should really kick arse offroad!!

  • Mark

    Looks to me like an HHR and a FJ Cruiser had a wild night of drinking and promiscuous behavior.

  • Karl Krankshaft

    Doesn’t exactly ooze class with that nasty colour. Front is terrible. Back is poor but the roofline and glasshouse is quite nice as with the rims

  • Al Juraj

    Another useless vehicle

  • pirakavezok

    I don’t quite see the point of making a Saudi car. Unless you make high end luxury cars, making cars for day-to-day users is not profitable if the volume is as low as 20,000. Apart from the fact that it is designed by Saudi student, this car is not radically different from what is offered in the market. Paying millions $$$ for national ego is a silly thing to do.

    • Yonny

      Paying millions $$$ for national ego is a silly thing to do – yes, but a lot of nations do it, in the form of a creating a car industry from scratch. Malaysia, for instance.

      Also, they are probably looking ahead to the time (a few decades away?) when the petro-dollars won’t provide such a huge income. They probably want to start actually making stuff, instead of just pumping black stuff from under the ground into big ships to be taken overseas (or more correctly, getting other people to do all the pumping and shipping).

      And good luck to them too – they’re going to need it. Like most oil-rich nations the Saudis have pretty much squandered the wealth the oil brings and when the oil stops flowing they will probably sink back into a poverty-stricken obscurity.

  • Naveed

    Congratulations to Saudi Arabia
    Now, King have to introduce tax to all cars, which are not made inside Saudi Arabia.

  • Q8y_drifter

    I don’t quite see what the fuss over this car is about. I understand the front is kinda ugly, but it’s made by YOUNG STUDENTS with little experience in the actually car industry. Bravo to them! I personally really like the roofline and rear end. the wheels are not bad either. The front however needs a makeover IMO. Otherwise I really like it.

    • Al Juraj

      There’s really no point in designing something that’s not innovative. What can this car do that the original Pajero, let alone Range Rover, can’t? Anything new in the engine or suspension at least? The car industry has been around for over a century and has therefore gone very very far. Building an entirely new vehicle without the know-how doesn’t make sense.

      I’d much rather they focus on alternative fuels which is the main issue now. Oil will eventually dry out and everyone’s struggling to come up with a car that would be green to produce and run. They should come up with something the whole automotive world doesn’t have an answer for.

  • Chris

    Is it just me or do those rims look like watanabes?