Clients test a car during the Live Drive Expo (LDX), a car test drive exhibition, held in New Cairo of Egypt, Sept. 24, 2021. Live Drive Expo (LDX), the first test drive exhibition in Egypt, was held from Sept. 23 to 26 in New Cairo, southeast of the capital city, where car enthusiasts can drive and compare 16 of the biggest car brands in Egypt. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)
by Marwa Yahya
CAIRO, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- "Finally, I can take my time to test new cars before signing a sales deal," said Mostafa Mahmoud, a 40-year-old media worker who was driving a 2022 Peugeot 3008.
Live Drive Expo (LDX), the first test drive exhibition in Egypt, was held from Sept. 23 to 26 in New Cairo, southeast of the capital city, where car enthusiasts can drive and compare 16 of the biggest car brands in Egypt.
"I read a lot about Peugeot 3008 specifications, but driving it helped me make a decision of purchase," Mahmoud told Xinhua, adding that the expo is diversified and people are able to test cars in suitable tracks.
Sherief Omar, executive manager of Cut Communication Company that organized the event, said that people who want to buy a car should test it and compare it with other models at first.
"Instead of testing cars in different places, clients now can visit one place that included the most famous car brands," said Omar, noting that now clients do not have to take a day off from work and test cars in remote areas anymore.
He said the expo showcases the car brands which have high demand with average prices in the Egyptian market, such as Hyundai, Chevrolet, KIA, Mazda, Subaru and so on.
According to Omar, they plan to hold the LDX every three months to push the sales, and to change the mode of buying cars in Egypt.
"Purchasing a car is a very important decision that shouldn't be made upon impressions or experience of others," he emphasized, saying that the expo is opened every four hours for four times a day, making all clients feel comfortable to test different cars but not too crowded.
The testing tracks in the expo are also suitable for ordinary people to check the components like engine, brakes, lights, Omar explained.
Ahmad Amaar, the manager of the testing track, explained that the expo visitors can take a minute and a half to test cars' acceleration and braking via designed routes.
"In one track, three cars can go in parallel," Amaar said, highlighting that 100 tests drive could be done in one hour.
The LDX is a brand new idea for the Egyptian automobile market, many visitors wish it could be developed into different locations across the country and including other car categories.
Munir Kamal, an expert with Egypt Car Branch in Chamber of Commerce, sees the expo as a good way for improving Egypt's automotive market sales, as he believes that it can help boost the consumption desire.
Following 2014 and 2015 that witnessed high sales volume in Egypt, in 2016 and 2017, the Egyptian vehicle industry has been rocked by a devalued currency and hikes in fuel prices.
"In 2018, the cars sales were recovered in light of the success of the government economic reform program that started to be fruitful," said Kamal, while adding that the market was hit again in 2019, ending the year with 11.3 percent drop from 2018.
He explained that in 2020 the auto market was also fluctuated as many people lost their jobs or sources of income amid COVID-19. Enditem
