Ahhh, Paris: the City of Light, the City of Love. It's the beautiful place where lovers walk hand in hand down the street amid the scooters and dog droppings; the place where people plan their entire day around decadent meals and cigarettes; the place where the locals laugh at you when you stumble over your rudimentary French. (I know this because it happened to me. Twice. In two days.)
But perhaps it's not the best place to do a test drive of a car. This should have been apparent to me as I was offered the chance, but I was blinded by the fact it would be in a low, sleek and exotic Lotus Evora. An opportunity to drive something from the tiny English car maker is rare indeed, even for the editor of this august Motoring section; how could I pass it up? Leaving the hotel doors to view the three Evoras lined up for the ride, I noticed that it might not be so easy to, shall I say, stretch the car's legs. The streets were lined with cars, bumper to bumper, moving at a slower pace than the pedestrians on the pavements. Ah, but it's still a chance to drive an exotic sports car.
And that's when I found out that it wasn't a "test drive", but a "test ride" - we would be ensconsced in the passenger seat while someone else took the reins. Hmmm. OK, I'll still take it - with the motor show taking up the next day, there wasn't much time for sightseeing. Luckily, my chauffeur for the expected half hour was Andreas Maennir, Lotus's PR manager for Europe. An amiable and talkative fellow, Andreas took us out onto the road and into traffic.
"I'm very lucky, because not only do I get to drive this, but I get one as a company car," he said in that Germanic dry yet friendly way. Nice gig, I thought. As we crept through the French capital, I admired the leather and detailing in the sports car's cabin. Unfortunately, because the photographer, Alistair, was in the torturedly tiny back seat, I found my own seat forced forward, shrinking the footwell space. I took solace in thinking how Alistair might feel; I hoped he wasn't claustrophobic.
Onward up the Champs-Elysées, ever so slowly, and the Arc de Triomphe came into view. By this time, I had noticed that we had not got the sporty Evora past second gear, and I was getting more acquainted with the car's braking than its sporty handling, with tiny microcars and scooters irreverently zooming to and fro in front of us. But everything up to that point was a piece of cake; entering Place Charles de Gaulle, the roundabout on which the Arc is situated, Alistair, a resident of Paris, gave Andreas some startling advice - drivers entering the roundabout had the right of way, not the other way around.
The circle was mass chaos. Heavy braking, then hard on the throttle; more chaotic then the worst traffic of Beirut, Cairo or even India. There were no lanes, but there were manners: if there was a spot, you went. If someone cuts in front, you stopped. "This is madness," added Andreas, without a hint of anger but dripping with exasperation. "This would not be so in Germany." But Alistair brought up a comforting point: "In Paris, there is little road rage. Drivers seem to accept people cutting in front of them; even acknowledging a good move."
Twice around the Arc was enough; we had more time in our slot but there was no point in this traffic, so we headed back to the hotel. And after shaking hands with Andreas and squeezing out of the front, I realised that the short drive illuminated less of the English car's manners and more of those of the French.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.
Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.
The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
Company%20Profile
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Episode list:
Ep1: A recovery like no other- the unevenness of the economic recovery
Ep2: PCR and jobs - the future of work - new trends and challenges
Ep3: The recovery and global trade disruptions - globalisation post-pandemic
Ep4: Inflation- services and goods - debt risks
Ep5: Travel and tourism
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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JAPANESE GRAND PRIX INFO
Schedule (All times UAE)
First practice: Friday, 5-6.30am
Second practice: Friday, 9-10.30am
Third practice: Saturday, 7-8am
Qualifying: Saturday, 10-11am
Race: Sunday, 9am-midday
Race venue: Suzuka International Racing Course
Circuit Length: 5.807km
Number of Laps: 53
Watch live: beIN Sports HD
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
England Test squad
Joe Root (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Alastair Cook, Sam Curran, Keaton Jennings, Dawid Malan, Jamie Porter, Adil Rashid, Ben Stokes.
WIDE%20VIEW
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The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
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Company profile
Company name: Dharma
Date started: 2018
Founders: Charaf El Mansouri, Nisma Benani, Leah Howe
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: TravelTech
Funding stage: Pre-series A
Investors: Convivialite Ventures, BY Partners, Shorooq Partners, L& Ventures, Flat6Labs
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
THE BIO
Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13
Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier
Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife
What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents.
Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.