Gazal 1 production gets green light
By Andrew C., 30 Aug, 2010. 0 Comments
Gazal 1 Concept
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has approved the production of the country's first home-built car, the Gazal-1. Last March, the Gazal-1 was first showcased as a concept car. Students in King Saud University's automotive engineering program designed the concept, building it around a Mercedes-Benz G-Class. The students designed the concept along with Magna Steyr and StudioTorino. But before production begins, the issues centered on financing would have to be resolved.
Estimates show that project requires a $500 million investment in order to proceed. In an interview with the Association for Financial Professionals, project official Abderrahman al-Ahmari said that contacts are ongoing with Saudi investors for the mass production of the Gazal-1.
As soon as the team finds the needed investment, it aims to start production in two or three years. There are plans for 20,000 units to be produced annually. Official car specifications have yet to be announced but we know that it will be based on Mercedes' G-Wagen and built to suit the climate of Saudi Arabia and its Gulf neighbors.
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