Saudi Arabia is venturing into a territory normally reserved for automakers. The kingdom is developing the Ghazal, a sport-utility vehicle for the hazards of the desert, to diversify its economy beyond oil.
The SUV, built by King Saud University in Riyadh, is an all-wheel drive vehicle with a rugged carbon-fiber frame aimed at taking on the likes of Toyota Motor Corp. (7203)’s Highlander. The project, which has attracted interest from Saudi investors, reflects the prospects for the Middle East’s largest car market, which is forecast to climb 29 percent by 2015.
“The target is to produce cars and develop a car manufacturing industry in Saudi,” said Adel Al Shayea, head of the university’s industrial engineering department. “The body is built to be very resilient toward accidents, especially against camel accidents, which are quite common in the desert.”
