(MENAFNEditorial) Sheikh Zayed Bin Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan inaugurated the 6th Al Hilal Auto Festival – Family Edition on Thursday, April 3, 2014 at the Beach Car Parking area of the Abu Dhabi Corniche. Held under the theme 'This is not a car show, this is family fun,' the festival commenced with a musical concert featuring the Emirati traditional dance "Al Yola" Band. During the opening, Al Hilal Bank, a progressive Islamic bank, highlighted the importance of the annual festival by adding more value in terms of a bigger event size and the number of offered services and products. The bank also rolled out its famous 60-minute 'walk in, drive out' auto finance schemes with competitive rates that start from 1.99 per cent and car insurance programs provided at a rate of 2.25 per cent via Al Hilal Takaful
Promising to be bigger and better than its previous editions, the 2014 festival will showcase a greater variety of vehicles – from the latest models of cars to motorcycles and luxury yachts. During its four day run until April 6, 2014, Al Hilal Auto Festival – Family Edition will display more than 350 branded vehicles from over 21 top-of-the-line exhibitors. Visitors are also being given the opportunity to test-drive cars from Nissan and Jeep models on inclined tracks to enjoy an authentic-feeling driving experience. Another highlight is the unveiling of the 2015 Jeep Cherokee.
A larger theater serves as the venue for a variety of events including a Car Fashion Show, a Fire Show, a Shaabiat Al Cartoon Play, a TRON Show, a Chair Acrobat Show, a Police Dog's Show organized by the Security Inspection Department (K9) at the Abu Dhabi Police, and other entertaining activities. One of the featured acts, Shaabiat Al Cartoon, had a live interaction session with the visitors. Moreover, a specially hosted booth from Al Hilal Takaful offered free medical examinations.
New areas have been added this year such as the Tamiya-branded cars booth and a variety of used cars for interested buyers
In keeping with its slogan of 'the Orange Bank that thinks Green,' Al Hilal bank also unveiled 'TWIZY,' the UAE's first electric 4-wheel car built by Renault. The 'TWIZY' is a quadricycle with four wheels and four coupled disc brakes which is not only safe, stable and easy to charge but also boasts of sufficient autonomy. The two-seater car can reach top speeds of 80 km per hour and is powered by a 6 kWh battery which gives a range of between 55 km for dynamic driving to 115 km under full eco-driving conditions. TWIZY also includes a driver's airbag and a 4-point front and 3-point rear seat belt. As part of the 'Go Green' initiative, the festival is accommodating Al Hilal Bank's 'eGrab,' the world's first 100 per cent electric mobile bank
Mohamed Jamil Berro, the Group CEO of Al Hilal Bank, said: "Al Hilal Auto Festival has carved a niche as one of the UAE's foremost auto shows and is eagerly awaited by serious car buyers. The immense success of the show can be attributed to the wide range of activities and events organized by Al Hilal Bank to cater to adults and children to reflect its commitment to a family-friendly festival."
"This year's family-themed edition is expected to surpass the previous year's visitor attendance. Our visitors enjoy test-driving vehicles and availing of attractive auto financing and car insurance rates -- all while spending a good time with their family in a fun-filled carnival atmosphere. As part of our commitment to eco-friendliness, we are also showcasing the UAE's first electric vehicle, TWIZY. We thank all the visitors, government entities and our sponsors for making Al Hilal Festival 2014–Family Edition such a great success," added Berro.
Another popular festival hangout, the 'Hala and Nassour Kids Village,' was specially built for children to enjoy the dynamic four-day show while their parents browse across the many offered vehicles. The village, which occupies a wider space than last year, offers 10 kiosks for different educational facilities. A theater designed to help children develop their talents as well as showcase entertainment activities such as new interactive and sports-themed events is also a key part of the festival, which gives out more than 100 gifts to children daily as an added attraction
Moreover, the village is hosting over 20 kiosks where local Emirati women entrepreneurs from the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation display handmade cultural products as well as restaurants offering multi-cuisine food. Al Hilal Bank will also be giving away attractive prizes to winners of several competitions and challenges that were conducted across social media platforms along with on-the-spot contests at the event.
Also participating at this year's festival are Government entities such as the Abu Dhabi Police Department, Emirates Red Crescent, Abu Dhabi City Municipality, Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (du) and the UAE Football Association which mounted kiosks to help spread awareness about their current facilities and their progress towards Abu Dhabi Vision 2030. Onsite counters have also been set up for opening Seghaar Saving Accounts for children
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