KSU Gazal-1
{{short description|First sport utility vehicle of Saudi Arabia}}
{{Distinguish|GAZelle|Gazelle FRV|Hillman Gazelle|Nissan Gazelle|Singer Gazelle|}}
{{Infobox automobile
| image = Flickr - plushev - Geneva2010 659.jpg
| name = KSU Gazal-1
جامعة الملك سعود غزال ١
| manufacturer = Magna Steyr & KSU
| aka =
| production = June 2010–present
| assembly = Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| successor =
| body_style = 5-door wagon
| related = Mercedes-Benz G-Class
| engine = Mercedes-Benz M273 engine {{convert|5.5|L|cuin|1|abbr=on}}:
{{convert|285|kW|hp|abbr=on}};
{{convert|530|Nm|lbfft|abbr=on}}
V8 petrol engine
| platform =
| layout = Front engine / Four-wheel drive
| wheelbase = {{convert|112.2|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
| length = {{convert|188.97|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
| width = {{convert|74.8|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
| height =
| designer = Studiotorino
}}
The KSU Gazal-1 (Arabic for ‘gazelle') is a sport utility vehicle developed by students at King Saud University{{cite news |author= |date= June 25, 2010|title= Saudi Arabia unveils 1st domestically made car |url= https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna37707041 |work=NBC News, Associated Press |location= |access-date=September 23, 2023 |series=Business News}} and technicians from Magna Steyr. The mass production began on 14 June 2010 under King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia. The managers of the project are Dr. Abdul Rahman Alahmari and Dr. Saed Darweesh. Dr. Khalid Alsaleh, who registered patents for the vehicle, mentioned in a TV interview that environment specific tests such as camel collision tolerance were conducted.
The car is the fourth home-made Arab automobile, after the Egyptian Ramses, the Moroccan Laraki and the Libyan Saroukh el-Jamahiriya. With a projected output of 20,000 for 2011, the Gazal-1 was the first Arab vehicle to be mass-produced in the Arab World.
The KSU Gazal-1 is based on the long wheelbase Mercedes-Benz G-Class and was designed by Studiotorino.{{cite web|url=https://www.studiotorino.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=187:gazal-2&catid=14:cars&lang=en&Itemid=166|title=STUDIOTORINO - Gazal|website=studiotorino.com|access-date=11 April 2024}} Most of the automotive parts are produced by Magna Steyr in Austria.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20100706082809/http://gazal-1.ksu.edu.sa/ Official Website]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20100621232106/http://enews.ksu.edu.sa/2010/06/15/gazal-1/ KSU Website]
- [http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/ghazal-2010-06-24 Top Gear Website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110202231029/http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/ghazal-2010-06-24 |date=2011-02-02 }}
{{King Saud University}}
{{Automotive industry in Saudi Arabia}}
{{Magna International}}
{{Modern-auto-stub}}