Production of Battista, the world’s first pure-electric hyper GT, has begun in a dedicated new atelier space in Cambiano, Italy. Located in the Piemonte region of Italy, this milestone represents an exciting chapter in the development story of new Italian luxury carmaker Automobili Pininfarina.

The award-winning Battista is now being handcrafted by a team of artisans in the bespoke 2,300-square-meter facility, with no more than 150 to be created over its lifecycle. Owners of Battista can look forward to world-class customer service through 25 experienced luxury partners in the Automobili Pininfarina global retailer network, as well as its own team of client relations specialists.

Per Svantesson, CEO of Automobili Pininfarina, said: “I am proud to lead the team responsible for bringing the award-winning Battista to life as a production car. Since launching Automobili Pininfarina in Rome in 2018, we have developed a team of 118 experts, drawn from 20 nations worldwide. This diverse ‘family’ is now established in both our Munich headquarters and in our northern Italy home where a growing team of designers, engineers and vehicle development specialists envision ground-breaking vehicles of the future.”

The Battista Atelier is split into 14 production and quality assurance zones. Using modern technologies — such as multiple new, bespoke mounting rigs across the atelier — and more traditional processes and tools, such as highly accurate pneumatic screwdrivers recommissioned for detailed fittings for Battista, the construction process respects the facility’s coachbuilding heritage.

From start to finish, assembly of each Battista takes 10 weeks, while the hand-painted finish of the Battista Anniversario requires an extended 18-week schedule. Each individual Battista is assembled by 10 craftspeople, taking more than 1,250 hours.

The Battista’s rolling chassis, comprising electric powertrain, T-shaped battery, carbonfiber monocoque and all electrical systems, enters the first zone for evaluation against Automobili Pininfarina’s strict quality standards.

The Battista begins to take shape as the primed body-in-white is then bonded with the monocoque. With its “Goccia” roof enclosing the cabin, the Battista gains structural strength and rigidity. The body is then dismounted from the chassis in preparation to move to a dedicated paint facility.

The standard paint cycle takes three to four weeks, using a new paint compound with a multi-layer metallic finish, in one of 28 colors inspired by the Piemonte region of Italy — the heartland of Automobili Pininfarina.

In the fifth zone, 80 percent of the vehicle is assembled, taking two days.

The first end-of-line checks and commissions are undertaken next, with bespoke software and tooling used to check all standards are being met with the vehicle.

Visiting the Battista Atelier gives each owner the opportunity to meet the team behind the vehicle, work in partnership to tailor the design of their car and see it being built as part of an unparalleled commissioning and ownership experience.

Clients are taken through an in-depth consultation process to configure their Battista. A bespoke design proposal is created for each client before they are invited to Cambiano to work face-to-face with the designers, where they then refine their final specification.

Almajdouie Hyundai has entered into an agreement to supply a range of light commercial trucks to support the operations of Americana Food Company, which includes the Pizza Hut brand that recently relaunched its business in the Saudi markets.

As part of the agreement, Almajdouie Hyundai will provide an integrated fleet of multi-purpose trucks equipped in cooperation with Almajdouie Steel Industries Co., to serve Americana Food Company. The fleet will include trucks equipped with high-tech refrigerators to preserve the quality of foods transported across the Kingdom’s different regions. Moreover, the company will also provide support services to the fleet.

“The contract was concluded after passing the initial tests, through which Almajdouie Hyundai qualified to become the authorized supplier of Americana due to the high quality and readiness of Hyundai trucks and vehicles that comply with the requirements of this type of foods,” a statement said.

Sherif El-Gohary, managing director of Almajdouie Hyundai, said the contract supports the company’s relations with major national companies operating in this field, and emphasizes the importance of Almajdouie Hyundai as one of the most significant companies that provide integrated transportation services and solutions across Saudi Arabia.

During the long weekend, creators on Likee, a global short-video platform, showcased their talent by posting unique content about the celebrations and fun they shared with their followers, family and friends during Eid-ul-Adha — a festive time that begins at the end of the Hajj pilgrimage.

During the Eid holidays, social media was filled with content from users who participated in relevant challenges to celebrate the spirit of Eid whilst demonstrating generosity and fun. On Likee, creators were eager to communicate their happiness and produced different types of relatable content that inspired positivity in their followers from both the MENA region and around the world.

“It is incredible to see quality content foster social connections and a sense of both community and unity between people,” said Gibson Yuen, head of Likee global operations. “Users are benefiting from past traditions and new technologies to spread positive emotions as well as taking time to show how they and their families celebrated Eid-ul-Adha this year. We are excited to watch more creators continue promoting their creativity and talent along with good virtue and kindness on Likee for the rest of 2022.”

Likee creators used different hashtags such as #Eid_Year and #memes_imitation to capture the spirit of Eid, showcase their talent and make it a joyful occasion.

The #Eid_Year hashtag generated more than 6.6 million views over the past week. Likee creators showcased their talent and created unique messages that were specific to both Eid and Likee.

Creators @ShireenAlame, @6090311159 and @Hasan_Alrsam all took to Likee to wish their followers a very happy Eid, whilst encouraging them to participate in the sticker challenge and join in the celebrations.

For the #memes_imitations hashtag, users were encouraged to participate in a sticker challenge where they had to imitate the meme that was displayed on the screen. The hashtag challenge proved to be a success as it generated more than 2.4 million views over the past week.

Likee creators were able to generate a significant number of views with their imitations and were also instrumental in encouraging more users to participate in this fun and light-hearted challenge.

Each one of us comes from a unique cultural and geographic background, but that is not a barrier to making close friendships with one another. “Likers” proved that people around the world can participate in the same activities and imitate traditions even though they grew up in completely different environments. Embracing these similarities will not only help us relate to and sympathize with each other but to also stand together for good causes.

Hyundai Motor Company announced the eagerly awaited Ioniq 6 “electrified streamliner” with a digital world premiere film. As the new model in the brand’s Ioniq all-electric lineup brand, the electrified streamliner’s array of advanced technologies, personalized space and features and extended range redefine the boundaries of electric mobility.

Ioniq 6 delivers an estimated all-electric range of more than 610 km, according to Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure standard, as well as ultra-fast 400-V/800-V multi-charging capability made possible by Hyundai Motor Group’s Electric-Global Modular Platform. It also has what may be Hyundai’s most aerodynamic styling to date and an array of empowering features, such as dual color ambient lighting, speed sync lighting, EV performance tune-up and electric active sound design, enhancing the electric mobility experience.

“Ioniq 6 is the next ambitious step forward in Hyundai Motor’s strategy to accelerate its transition to electrification and into a position as a global leader in EVs,” said Jaehoon Chang, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor Company. “The Ioniq 6 electrified streamliner will provide a unique and distinctive experience for drivers and passengers, optimized in every way to redefine electric mobility.”

The electrified streamliner takes advantage of E-GMP to provide an extremely long, 2,950-mm wheelbase, supported by a choice of 20-inch or 18-inch wheels. With an impressive overall length of 4,855 mm, Ioniq 6’s 1,880-mm width and 1,495-mm height give it a distinctively sleek and stylish appearance amidst a sea of lookalike EVs.

“Ioniq 6 is designed and engineered to seamlessly enhance our daily lives as space to awaken your potential,” said Thomas Schemera, executive vice president, global chief marketing officer and head of customer experience division, Hyundai Motor Company. “The innovative interior is meticulously thought out as a cocoon-like personal space, enhanced with the latest technologies to create a safe, fun, and stress-free driving experience. The spacious interior, with sustainability and usability at its heart, once again represents a step forward for electric vehicles, in line with the values of our customers.”

Ioniq 6 is available with a range of drive motors and battery packs to fit the needs of every customer. The long-range 77.4-kWh battery can be mated with two electric motor layouts, either rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive. The top-of-the-line dual motor setup is an AWD option producing a combined power output of 239 kW and 605 Nm of torque. This PE configuration can go from 0 km/h to 100 km/h in 5.1 seconds.

Ioniq 6 boasts an impressive energy consumption rate. The energy consumption of the 53-kWh standard battery with 18-inch tire and RWD motor option is estimated to be under 14 kWh/100 km, according to WLTP. This makes the Ioniq 6 one of the most energy-efficient vehicles in the market.

Ioniq 6’s modular touchscreen dashboard integrates a 12-inch full-touch infotainment display and 12-inch digital cluster that houses advanced technologies for an enhanced digital user experience that can be customized to meet their needs.

Ioniq 6 is available in a spectrum of 12 exterior colors, including Gravity Gold Matte, Abyss Black Pearl, Serenity White Pearl, Curated Silver Metallic, Nocturne Gray Metallic, Nocturne Gray Matte, Transmission Blue Pearl, Biophilic Blue Pearl, Ultimate Red Metallic, Digital Green Pearl, Digital Green Matte and Byte Blue.

The model is slated to begin production in the third quarter of 2022. The market launch schedule will be announced later.

Environmental, social and governance imperatives can help accelerate the massive and fast transformation underway in the GCC. Through the region’s strategic role in energy transition, pioneering hydrogen, and circular economies, developing sustainable destinations, localizing supply chains, generating employment, expanding social inclusion and good governance, ESG can both drive transformation and create opportunities to develop world-leading, competitive advantage. This is according to a recent workshop titled “ESG: Reimagining our Region,” hosted by PwC in Dubai for regional media this month.

Globally, governments are shifting toward ESG, with huge implications, and it is no different in the Middle East. This is a complex topic with far-reaching consequences for businesses and society, in general. With the aim of cutting through some of this complexity and encouraging debates and discussions on this topic, PwC held an ESG media workshop hosted by its key regional and global ESG leaders.

The workshop provided insights on ESG challenges, economic opportunities, and competitive advantages from adopting the ESG agenda and outlined the core priorities for ESG in the Middle East that are specific to the region, such as decarbonization, climate change, diversity and inclusion, nationalization of workforce and water shortage, among others.

The session also aimed at building engagement on the crucial topic of ESG in the run-up to COP27 in Egypt and COP28 to be hosted by the UAE in November 2023. As sustainability and the environment will be high on the agenda for the coming 17 months, and further potential government initiatives are expected, there is a need to increase awareness and understanding of this critical topic.

Experts including Dr. Peter Gassmann, global strategy and leader, Strategy&; Stephen Anderson, PwC Middle East Strategy and Markets leader; Dr. Yahya Anouti, PwC Middle East ESG leader; Amanda Line, PwC partner and PwC Academy leader; and Azzah Fawzi, PwC Middle East ESG Reporting leader; offered insights into the current state of play, highlighting the burning platforms of ESG, with fact-based snapshots of both the tailwinds and the challenges that will drive change and competitive advantage.

Dr. Anouti said: “We are on a mission to make ESG the new competitive advantage for the region. We already have the most competitive sustainable energy in the world and that opens up unique opportunities for innovations such as green hydrogen. Similarly, giga-projects hold enormous potential if we can design them to have lower waste outputs and we build circularity into them.”

Anderson said: “At PwC, we believe that environmental, social and governance imperatives can accelerate the massive and fast transformation of our region and our role is to work with clients to help them embed ESG into their business. We have a unique set of capabilities within our organization to take clients from ESG strategy through transformation to reporting. We are committed to using our knowledge and expertise to help ensure our region realizes its ESG ambitions and sustains them for future generations.”

The Ascott Limited, an international lodging owner-operator, is celebrating the opening of its eighth property in the Kingdom with the launch of Citadines Abha, in partnership with Almutlaq Real Estate Investment Co. The 140-unit apart-hotel marks the sixth regional opening for the group this year, as it forges ahead with its tenacious expansion plans for the Middle East, Africa and Turkey. Citadines Abha takes Ascott’s operational footprint to 1,062 keys in Saudi Arabia, and 2,391 across the region.

Nestled 7,450 feet above sea level in the mountainous district of Abha, the property overlooks the majestic Asir Mountains and provides residents and visitors with a perfect refuge from the bustling city life. It offers easy access to Abha’s vibrant leisure excursions, including shopping malls, restaurants, and entertainment hubs in close proximity, and is located just 6 km away from the Abha Regional Airport.

Aesthetically designed to optimize living spaces, Citadines Abha encapsulates the ideal adventurous and relaxing experience. With subtle hues of mustard yellow and inspiring modern Arabesque patterns, each apartment is equipped with spacious living spaces, stylish dining areas, sophisticated kitchenettes and scenic floor-to-ceiling windows.

Featuring a variety of elegant apartments that cater to the needs of every traveler, the property offers chic studio apartments for adventure seekers and solo explorers, while business travelers can book their stay in the premium one-bedroom apartments. Meanwhile, family and friends can relax and unwind during their stay in the lavish two-bedroom apartments. The urban property is also home to world-class amenities, including a swimming pool, gymnasium, resident’s lounge, restaurant, meeting rooms and a business center.

Vincent Miccolis, Ascott’s managing director for the Middle East, Africa, Turkey and India, said: “Saudi Arabia continues to be a key source market for Ascott, considering the rising needs for global living standards by expats and international guests on business and leisure, as well as domestic travelers keen to explore the local gems and opportunities within the country. The government has in recent years invested significantly into the strategic expansion of the country’s tourism and hospitality sectors, to establish the Kingdom as a top tourist destination in the world ... We believe that our latest address — Citadines Abha — will bring a new dimension to leisure and business travel in the city, providing premium short- and long-term stay options.”

Tariq Almutlaq, chairman of Almutlaq Real Estate Investment Co., added: “AREIC is delighted to partner with Ascott on its journey in Saudi Arabia, offering the residents and visitors of Abha an experience of world-class serviced living with exclusive amenities. In collaboration with AREIC, Ascott’s growing portfolio in the Kingdom contributes to its robust development, which is an essential part of Saudi Vision 2030 led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, deputy prime minister and chairman of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs. Ascott is an internationally awarded upscaled brand, and we look forward to a formidable partnership to provide more exclusive serviced hotel developments across Saudi Arabia in the near future.”