European car giant Audi recently held the official groundbreaking ceremony for its new Dh100 million ($27.2 million) Audi Terminal to be developed on the Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai.

The ambitious project is expected to be ready by the third quarter of 2012, said the company officials at the ceremony.

Audi's commitment to the region was confirmed through the foundation of its fully owned subsidiary in 2005: Audi Middle East, said Stefan Hamberger, Audi director of Africa & Middle East region.

K. Rajaram, CEO of Al Nabooda Automobiles, Ali Al Nabooda, general manager of Audi Dubai and Jeff Mannering, managing director of Audi Middle East also took part.

The current Middle East model range comprises the A1, A3 Sportback and A4, the A5, S5 and RS 5, the A5 Sportback and A5 Cabriolet, the A6, TT Coupe/Roadster and TT RS Coupe, the A7, A8 L, Q5 and Q7, the R8, R8 V10 and the R8 Spyder V10.-TradeArabia News Service