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December 19, 2012

Hyundai Previews Accent CRDi, Sales Start Q1 2013

Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI), the official distributor of Hyundai in the Philippines, made the Christmas season even more brilliant with its exclusive preview of the Accent hatchback during a series of Christmas celebrations themed: “Sharing the Filipino Brilliance.” Displayed in all its green glory at Hyundai’s Christmas events, the Accent hatchback signaled once more Hyundai’s passion to bring even greater brilliance in the lives of Filipino motorists for the coming year.

Toyota Motor Philippines can’t seem to contain their excitement as they previewed the all-new 2012 RAV4 on the same day as their Toyota Media Christmas Luncheon. Although the unit wasn’t there in the flesh or were any indications about final pricing, they did hand out a brochure which sheds some light about Toyota’s compact crossover.

Here are some details contained in their official brochure (full brochure scan below):

Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. (MMPC) closed November 2012 recording the highest monthly sales since 1995. In the November 2012 combined Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) and Truck Manufacturers’ Association (TMA) report, MMPC registered total sales of 3,840 units capturing a 23.1% market share and keeping a strong post as the second industry leader in country. November 2012 sales also went up to 37.1% as compared to October were MMPC sold a total of 2,800 units. MMPC’s year to date sales of 31,551 units reflected a 4.6% growth as compared to the same 11 months last year.

Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) today announced that it has already broke its highest annual sales in just the 1st 11 months of the year. Based on the most recent CAMPI report, TMP sold a total 58,890 units (including Lexus) with a 34.6% market share.

Moreover, the Manufacturer is poised to take home its 11th consecutive Triple Crown with the top spot in the Passenger Car Segment (30.8% Market Share), Commercial Vehicle segment (36.8% Market Share) and overall sales.

Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, in cooperation with Asian Carmakers Corporation (ACC), the official importer and distributor of BMW cars in the Philippines recently held the inauguration ceremony of the Jose Ch. Alvarez (JCA) Technology Complex. The JCA Technology Complex, the new home of Xavier University Center for Integrated Technologies (XU-CIT), is set to be the leading institution for technical education in Northern Mindanao.

Volvo Car Group's future as a strong, independent car maker based in Sweden is now being reinforced with a multi-billion dollar investment in Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) and Volvo Engine Architecture (VEA). The main part of the two projects will be carried out in Sweden, constituting one of Sweden's largest ever industrial investments.

Review: 2012 Honda Jazz 1.5 V

Photos by Ulysses Ang

Editor’s Note: Welcome to “Short Cuts”, where we re-visit cars we’ve driven and reviewed in an in-depth manner in the past. The cars featured in Short Cuts are simply additional variants and/or minor refreshes of models we’ve driven before, so we’ll cut to the chase and drill it down for you. Of course, we’ll give you a link to our full-blown review for your reference.

The Modern Cartographer: An Interview with Google's Lalitesh Katragadda on Mapping Asia

Photo by Ulysses Ang

Cartography or mapmaking has always been regarded as a skill that requires equal parts science, aesthetics, and technique. In fact, cartography builds in the premise that reality can be modeled in ways that can communicate spatial information effectively.

The earliest form of maps was devised by the Babylonians, where it depicted Babylon as the center of the world. As crude and simple as it was, it soon brought about larger maps oftentimes lifting material from past works because of cartography’s sheer physical undertaking and difficulty. Since then, cartography became a more exacting practice thanks to the use of compass for navigation and mechanical devices like the quadrant and vernier for more accurate reproduction.

Traveling with Your Fur Babies: Safety with Dogs

Photos by Ulysses Ang & Bubbles Ang

Traveling safely with children is a widely discussed topic, so there’s little need to reiterate its importance, especially since they’re your most precious cargo. But in case you still don’t get it, here’s a simple mantra to live by: “buckle up and children below 13 in the back”; these are very simple steps, but steps nonetheless that can help save a life.

But how about when it comes to another kind of baby, the furry kind? Today, it’s not out of the ordinary to have dog owners treat their four-legged companions as members of the family and not just the typical bantay or guard dog. It’s a common sight to see a Shih Tzu or two traveling by car just to frolic in a dog-friendly park or mall. Most dogs love to ride in cars, but just like children, there’s actually a proper way to ensure your furry baby’s safety and comfort when traveling. Here’s a simple visual do’s and don’ts guide:

HARI Partners with Synergeia for Education Reform in Mindanao

HARI Foundation, Inc. (HFI), the corporate social responsibility arm of Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI), the official distributor of Hyundai in the Philippines, proudly formalized its funding support for Synergeia Foundation, one of the country’s innovative crusaders for quality education for children through a memorandum of agreement (MOA) signing last November 17, 2012 in Cagayan de Oro to underwrite its commitment to improving the access to and quality of basic education in Mindanao through its new “Hyundai Embraces Lanao’s Partnership or HELP for Education” Program.

Philippine Car Price Guide: December 2012

This is the December edition of the Philippine Car Price Guide. Since it's already the end of the year, there's not much that's changed from the previous months. Still, there are some manufacturers which have introduced some 2013 models and so they feature this month:

Honda City Modulo
Honda Civic Modulo
Honda CR-V (2013 models)
Honda Jazz Modulo
Nissan Almera
Lexus LFA
Lexus LS
Peugeot (price adjustment)

In addition, we're including links to cars we've tested. Some cars are actually clickable and they'll take you straight to our test drive. How neat is that?

Photos by Ulysses Ang

About a decade ago, the bulk of automotive sales was comprised of compact sedans. Think Toyota Corolla; Honda Civic; Mitsubishi Lancer and Nissan Sentra. But soon, a great sales paradigm shift happened, and pretty soon, every car manufacturer had a crossover in their line-up. Though they stood on the very same platform that underpinned compact sedans, crossovers are regarded as a status symbol and combined with its higher ground clearance, ‘command seating position’ and flexible interior meant everyone had or wanted a crossover.

Ford Philippines today reported overall retail sales that rose 46 percent year-over-year to 1,225 units – representing its second-best ever monthly performance, following record sales in October.

The strong November performance was led by an all-time record month for the Ford Ranger pickup, with the all-new Ranger delivering retail sales of 344 units.

Nissan Almera Arrives at Dealerships, Officially Launching January 2013

To welcome the festive holiday season this year, Nissan Motor Philippines, Inc. (NMPI) announced that the all-new Nissan Almera will arrive at all Nissan dealerships nationwide starting December 14.

Though NMPI’s newest compact sedan will be officially launched in January 2013, customers will be able to see and experience the vehicle’s class-leading comfort and space, as well as upscale design coupled with great functionality. For those who will avail of the early reservation, NMPI is also offering a free and exclusive accessory package, which includes chrome side molding, exhaust finisher and chrome front lower grille finisher.

Photo by Ulysses Ang

SINGAPORE—Twelve years ago, the internet was seen as a tool for the wealthy and the privileged. Today, being ‘connected’ is seen as a necessity and in some countries, a basic right. Times have changed, and Google seems to be taking the lead as the company outlines its vision to bring the next billion people online.

‘Tis the season to celebrate as Volvo Philippines shares more reasons to be merry. This December, whatever your interests are, there’s a gift waiting for you for every purchase of a brand new Volvo from December 1 – 31, 2012. Choose one among the twelve gift selections that were carefully thought out to fit your lifestyle.

Ford Philippines celebrated its 12th Annual Henry Ford Awards (HFA) by recognizing outstanding work and contributions in automotive journalism. A total of 12 awards were given out in eight regular categories and four special categories.

Ford Group Philippines announced that its Chairman, Henry Co, will retire at the end of December, closing a remarkable career of more than 14 years of dedicated service to the company.

Co first joined Ford in 1997 as Manufacturing Director of Ford Motor Company Philippines, and later moved to Bangkok, Thailand where he served as Business Office Director for Ford ASEAN.

Rolex is Official Formula 1 Timekeeper from 2013

Rolex has just been announced as the official timekeeper of Formula 1 from the 2013 season onwards.

The deal was announced as a long-term partnership between Formula 1 and Rolex. As a result, Rolex will provide the time in different locations during each grand prix weekend. At the same time, the Rolex logo will be positioned around the circuit and at several corners during the Formula 1 races.

Honda Cars Philippines Updates CR-V for 2013

The final pieces of the Thai puzzle are finally in place as Honda Cars Philippines has announced the availability of the Thai-built CR-Vs starting today at all Honda dealerships nationwide. While the Japan-made CR-V models dubbed 2.0 LX and 2.4 EX are available for a limited and at a discount (P 100,000 for the 2.0 LX and P 130,000 for the 2.4 EX), the arrival of the Thai-built CR-V means more variants, more features, and of course, a cheaper price tag.

Mazda Motor Corporation’s compact crossover SUV, the CX-5 has been named the 2012-2013 Car of the Year Japan. The award was announced by the Japan Car of the Year committee on November 29, 2012.

The CX-5 was the first model to adopt the full suite of Mazda’s SKYACTIV technologies including the engine, transmission, body and chassis. It offers a predictable and refined driving experience together with outstanding environmental and safety performance. It is also the first model to fully embody Mazda’s new design theme, KODO–Soul of Motion. With finely-honed vitality and dynamism, its styling is reminiscent of a cheetah about to pounce on its prey.

The Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors (AVID), a private, non-stock, non-profit business association pioneered by 11 leading automotive firms representing 20 world-class brands in the Philippines, signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the premiere science and technology body in the country, to formalize their partnership in launching the Innovation Congress, dubbed iCON, early in 2013.

Volvo Car Group has a philosophy that an electrified car should be as safe as any other new Volvo car. This is now highlighted by the latest Euro NCAP results. The new Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid has achieved the highest- ever score for a plug-in hybrid. The five stars in the recent test, which included a frontal offset collision at 64km/h (40 mph) demonstrates that the V60 Plug-in Hybrid has the same high safety level as the standard V60.

Hot on the heels of their 59 percent growth rate year-on-year, Motor Image Pilipinas, the country’s official distributor of Subaru automobiles has finally declared that “the wait is over” as they pulled the wraps off their much awaited, much anticipated Subaru BRZ sports car just last night in an edgy, young launch party for owners and media.

Review: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic LTZ Sedan

Photos by Ulysses Ang

Whether Chevrolet likes it or not, the Sonic story actually starts with the Aveo, a cheap and crummy sub-compact from parent General Motors’ Korean subsidiary, Daewoo. It certainly was cheap for its time, but it wasn’t cheerful in any sense of the word. It was one unsatisfying car to drive with a dismal design and abysmal driving dynamics. It was so bad that Chevrolet’s micro car, the Spark, was a much better drive.

That was 2004.

UPDATED: Will This Fix Everything? Honda Reveals 2013 Civic Redesign at LA Auto Show

Panned for its lackluster design and dynamics, Honda has rushed a redesign of its Civic compact and here it is. The question is: are the changes enough?

Goodyear Philippines Appoints New Managing Director

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has appointed a new managing director for the next phase of its growth in the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam and Hong Kong.

Effective December 1, 2012, Ron Castro will take up the newly created position of Managing Director for Goodyear Philippines & Distributor Markets. He will have direct responsibility for the Philippines business and oversight on the strategy and development of programs for Taiwan, Vietnam and Hong Kong. Castro will report to Paul Cadena, Managing Director for Goodyear ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), and relocate to the company’s Manila office.

The all-new 2013 RAV4 crossover SUV made its world debut at the 2012 Los Angeles International Auto Show. Toyota's fourth-generation RAV4, the world's original crossover sport utility vehicle, arrives early next year. With a fuel-efficient four-cylinder engine, new six-speed transmission, two-row seating for five, and a host of available in-cabin technologies, RAV4 offers a nuanced balance of performance and all-around capability, including class-leading cargo capacity, striking design, class-leading eight standard airbags, and a compelling array of standard features.

Photos by Ulysses Ang

Autostrada Motore, Inc., the Philippines’s official importer and distributor of Ferrari cars in the Philippines is celebrating Christmas extra early this year as they launched a new and faster variant of their award-winning Ferrari California just last week: the Ferrari California 30.

Thirty is the operative number of the Ferrari California 30 as the car is 30 kilograms lighter and 30 horsepower more powerful than the standard California, hence the unique name. The California 30’s 4.3-liter V8 engine is now rated at 490 horsepower and 505 Nm of torque thanks to a new exhaust manifold and engine mapping. In addition, the California 30’s torque curve has been modified and is broader throughout the engine’s rev range. As a result, the California 30 can accelerate to 100 km/h from a standstill in just 3.8 seconds.

The all-new Nissan Almera will soon make its way to the local roads as Nissan Motor Philippines, Inc. (NMPI) will soon enter the highly competitive, highly lucrative B-segment market.

Launched successfully in various countries including Thailand, U.S., China, India, Singapore and more recently, Malaysia, the Almera has become branded as Nissan’s global best-selling sedan, with sales reaching to more than 500,000 units to date. Built with a reputation of an “affordable dynamic sedan,” the all-new Almera boasts of class-leading comfort and space, upscale design together with great functionality, yet comes at an affordable price that is competitive in the sedan segment.

Round 5 of 2012 Lateral Drift Championship Series

The recently held round 5 of the Lateral Drift Championship night race was considered a success, together with the Zero to 400 Drag race event produced by Emperor Motorsports wherein a total recorded gate spectators was about 2,000 plus who entered the Clark International Speedway and witnessed this one of a kind and most awaited night drift event by motor enthusiasts.

It was an action packed race day at the CIS as the action started as early as 7:00 am and with the time attack by Circuit Showdown which ended around 2:00 pm. After which, it was now time for the Drag and Drift that would end up until the wee hours of the night. This is the 2nd time Later Drift Productions produced a night drift this year and last year.

Cebuana Lhuillier Links to Federal Phoenix for CTPL Issuance and Claims Processing

Bound by a common vision of bringing insurance closer to the Filipinos and hasten vehicle registration at the Land Transportation Office (LTO), major motorcar insurer Federal Phoenix Assurance Co. (FPAC) embarked on a groundbreaking partnership with the leading microinsurance agency Cebuana Lhuillier Insurance Solutions (CLIS), insurance arm of the country’s largest pawnshop chain Cebuana Lhuillier, through the Cebuana Compulsory Third Party Liability (CTPL) Insurance or Cebuana CTPL.

With the glamor and bright lights that symbolize the City of Angels, what better place for the global auto show debut of the Volvo S60 Polestar Concept than the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show? After all, the 508-horsepower beast, built by Volvo's official performance partner, Polestar, is arguably the most glamorous and lightning-quick Volvo concept car ever made.

Photos by Ulysses Ang

Everyone likes change. If change didn’t happen, then you’ll still be making phone calls in a booth, and you wouldn’t be reading stuff like this over the internet. Though change is generally good, there’s a fine line of being too conservative and too radical. If there’s too little challenge, you’ll be branded as passé. If you’re too radical, they’ll say you’re weird. Finding the exact mix is the challenge to becoming well-received.

Lexus Manila Launches All-new LS

Lexus Manila unveiled the new 2012 LS model range, including the LS 460L 5-seater and 4-seater.

Following the recent GS and ES models, the new Lexus flagship is a bold blend of refinement and evolution. It incorporates powerful new styling featuring the Lexus spindle grille design, with enhanced driving dynamics and industry-leading technology.

(L-R): Minnie Valencia, VP for Marketing and Sales, Paolo Borromeo and Max Borromeo, Dealer Principals, Matt Bradley, Ford ASEAN President and Randy Krieger, Ford Group Philippines President.

Ford Philippines today celebrated the continued expansion of its nationwide dealer network with the groundbreaking of the Ford Alabang dealership and the opening of the new Ford Pampanga dealership. Matt Bradley, president, Ford ASEAN, and Randy Krieger, president, Ford Philippines joined Ford’s dealer principals at both locations to help celebrate the milestones.

Auto enthusiasts have a treat in store at the upcoming 6th Manila Auto Salon, with the latest trend in vehicle customization through 3M Vehicle Wrap Film Series 1080. Exclusively distributed in the Philippines by Winterpine Marketing Corporation, 3M car wraps will be showcased through an on-site installation at their booth at the SMX Convention Center from November 29 to December 2, 2012. As a special offer for Manila Auto Salon visitors, all bookings for a 3M full vehicle wrap will be offered at 50% discount.

In partnership with Motor Image Pilipinas, the exclusive distributor of Subaru in the Philippines, and Auto Trend, a premium car dealer, three outstanding vehicles will be customized with the 3M Vehicle Wrap Film for the exhibit.

First Drive: 2013 Porsche 911 Carrera S

There’s no shape more instantly recognizable than the silhouette of a Porsche 911. With its illustrious history going back to 1963, no other car has been the epitome of careful progress and evolution from the stables of Stuttgart in Germany. From tip to stern, the all-new 911 (internal designation 991) continues the legacy penned by Ferdinand “Butzi” Porsche but modernized with cutting-edge technology.

The all-new 911 is one of the biggest development steps in the history of the model. Almost 90 percent of components have been redeveloped including an all-new platform, only the third since the original 911. The new 911 grows 100 millimeters between the wheels and some 55 millimeters in overall length, but with shorter overhangs (minus 32 millimeters in front and 12 millimeters at the back) and a lower roofline than the previous model. Yet despite the increase in size, because the 911 predominantly uses aluminum in its construction, the new car is up to 50 kilograms lighter than before.

Asian Carmakers Corporation (ACC), the official importer and distributor of BMW cars in the Philippines, will serve as the official premium mobility sponsor of the 37th Consular Corps Ball which will be held on November 30. A fleet of 5 Series units will be used to shuttle VIP guests during the said event.

Volvo Car Corporation has taken another step on the journey towards autonomous driving - self-driving vehicles - by demonstrating a new traffic jam assistance system. The new system, whereby the car automatically follows the vehicle in front in slow-moving queues up to 50 km/h, will be ready for production in 2014.

Food, Fun, and the Ford Focus: Two Unique Fuel Eco Runs

Photos by Ulysses Ang and Ford Philippines

Fuel economy runs have become dime-a-dozen for us in the motoring media. Whenever there’s an invite for one of these things, we put on a game face, all for the glory of which team sips the least fuel. The strategies and techniques for becoming the ultimate fuel miser are well-known that there are no “trade secrets” to speak of. In short, give us a list of who’s going on a fuel economy run, and we can tell which team will win even before the start flag’s waved.

Sensing this predictability, Ford Philippines has come up with two unique fuel economy runs designed not just to test the mettle of its newest compact, the Focus, but to bring out hidden talents of some in the motoring press.

With more than 150 thousand ‘LIKES’, Kia Motors Philippines’ Facebook page just upped the ante for local and multinational brands who use the social media website for their digital marketing campaigns. Bringing ‘A Different Beat’ experience to its customers, Kia launched the Kia Beat Bop and Create Your Own Beat which allows their Facebook fans to play for a new iPad and even a Kia Picanto.

The period January-October 2012 saw the Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors, Inc. (AVID) post 18% growth in total sales to 24,004 units from the 20,340 units sold in the same period last year. Said growth can be attributed to strong sales in the Passenger Car (PC) segment, which went up by 29% and in the Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV) sales that grew by 5%. The launch of new models also provided the extra boost in sales, especially in the LCV category.

The positive sales performance was steered by British United Automobiles, Inc. (MINI), The Covenant Car Company, Inc. (Chevrolet) and Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc.’s newly launched models. Each member registered an overall increase of 41%, 23%, and 13% respectively.

Review: 2012 Toyota Camry 2.5 V

Photos by Ulysses Ang

No one’s denying that the Toyota Camry is the perfect choice for the executive. Aside from a company car friendly price tag, the Camry’s got all the toys for high levels of passenger pampering and promises one of the lowest maintenance cost in its class. If there’s one complaint that almost everyone levels at the Camry, it’s this: it lacks any sort of driver involvement. However, even that’s changed with the all-new model.

Manila’s premiere styling and tuning show, the 6th MANILA AUTO SALON opens its gates again on November 29 to December 2, 2012 at the SMX Convention Center , Mall of Asia in Pasay City with a legendary twist.

“Racing With Legends” is a documentary, which for the first time ever, shows the great racing events that transpired during the Golden Age of Philippine motor sports and tells about the pioneering spirits of the race car drivers and organizers of that special era.

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