Mannai Auto Group’s GMC Off Road Festival was held this weekend with over 700 people attending the family extravaganza which featured professional guides taking GMC owners across the desert to a special camp site set up to host vehicle performance showcases. The instructors also showed car owners how to get the most out of their off-road capable vehicles.
The guests included GMC owners of various nationalities who attended with their families. The convoy took them across Qatar’s sand dunes, while specialist stunt performers pushed the flagship GMC Sierra and Yukon in entertaining shows held at special intervals during the event. Both models effortlessly climbed the dunes demonstrating superior power and handling characteristics.
Mr Mohammed Helmy, Group General Manager, Mannai Auto said: “The Off-Road Festival was in many ways an early celebration of Qatar’s National Day, and represents our collective pride along with our customers of being part of this great community. It was also exciting for families and friends who made the most of the great weather Qatar is currently enjoying. We have to thank the GMC owners’ clubs in Qatar who contributed significantly to making this event a great success, especially the Sierra Club who came out with unbridled enthusiasm and were keen to challenge their own excellent skills alongside our specialized drivers.”
On this escape into Doha’s less explored city outskirts, Jeroen Barwegen, Regional Sales and Marketing Director for GMC also travelled from the regional headquarters in Dubai to participate in the festival.
“We thoroughly enjoy seeing our customers take part in these adrenaline-fueled adventures as it allows them to observe how our technical drivers maneuver GMC vehicles in desert areas,” said Jeroen Barwegen, Regional Sales and Marketing Director. “Our customers’ enthusiasm for the GMC brand and products was absolutely palpable. Hopefully, they learnt from these drivers and absorbed from them certain techniques. Desert duning can certainly be a fun-filled activity as long as you have mastered the right skills and can safely control your vehicle.”
He also added, “The event’s success served as a powerful testament to our longstanding partnership with Mannai, one of our strongest GMC dealers. Thanks to the efforts of both the dealership and the Sierra Club, the day had all the makings of a fun, memorable desert experience.”
Mr Barwegen was joined on the trip to Doha by and Ahmed Soudodi, Regional Brand Manager, GMC.
The camp site, equipped with Bedouin style tents, hosted GMC owners and their families between desert runs, with entertainment and play areas for the children, as well as food and refreshments for the whole family. The activities also included henna, face painting, camel rides, bouncy castles, and photo walls.
Professional guides lead the guests over a multi-stage course, where in addition to all the scheduled stunts and performances on site, GMC’s Sierra, Yukon, Acadia and Terrain were available for test drives.
Customers were also able to speak to specialists at a Mannai Auto Group accessories station on site, to consider custom options for their own vehicles. A GMC Sierra with special accessories for desert adventures was also on display to show customers how they can customize their GMC.