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June 12, 2013

Ford Manila Bay Opens

Ford Philippines today celebrated the continued expansion of its nationwide dealer network with the official opening of Ford Manila Bay in Parañaque City.

Ford Manila Bay is the ninth new full sales and service outlet the Company has opened over the last nine months, bringing the total number of Ford dealers to 32. Ford remains on track to expand its nationwide network to 35 by year-end.

Buying a brand new car is now made easy and affordable by Honda with its amazing offers and perks for various models.

Land Rover Launches All-New Range Rover in the Philippines

Land Rover Philippines (LRPhils) Motors Inc. recently launched the All-New Range Rover, considered the world’s most refined and capable sport utility vehicle (SUV). The fourth-generation model of the iconic Range Rover line was unveiled at the Land Rover Activity Center in Bonifacio Global City.

Lexus debuts the third-generation 2014 IS sport sedan, with a bold design highlighted by the new dynamic signature spindle grille and for the first time separated LED Daytime Running Lights. A combination of “aggressive elegance,” a more powerful road presence and a stronger brand identity help make the new IS models more alluring than ever.

They say it’s all about the journey rather than the destination; especially when you’re heading to a more familiar place like Baguio. A trip to the Philippines’s Summer Capital is dime-a-dozen these days and often times, it can be taken on a whim with family and friends. Thus, the only differentiating factor is the drive, and by golly, you need a damn good car to stand out. And on this occasion, prayers to the automotive gods were answered in the form of the new Mazda CX-5 AWD Sport and the Mazda6 sports sedan.

Isuzu-TESDA Auto Mechanic Training Center Continues to Provide Access to a Brighter Future

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)-run Auto Mechanic Training Center in Tacloban, Leyte that is funded by Isuzu Motors Limited (IML) of Japan is continuing its mission to improve the lives of underprivileged but deserving out-of-school youths by providing them with education needed to gain employment.

Inaugurated in 2008, the training center is a project that forms part of IML’s “Heart and Smile” corporate social responsibility campaign. Apart from providing financial support, IML also supplies technical requirements essential to an automotive education course such as training materials, program modules, practical applications and other skills enhancement tools.

Photos by Ulysses Ang

Summer, with its highly predictable weather, is always the best time for a road trip with friends. And all it takes for the perfect getaway is two key ingredients: a great destination and an equally great car to match. Once these ingredients blend together, you’ve got a recipe for fun, “Summer Fun” to be exact. Just a couple of days ago, Ford flew a bunch of summer-wary motoring journalists down to Bohol to get their final dose of the summer sun.

Euro Toyota Corolla Could be Closer to What We're Eventually Getting

With the launch of the all-new Toyota Corolla for the North American market, speculation is high on what will eventually reach ASEAN shores, particularly, the Philippines. Though the North American Corolla is the strongest indicator yet, I would like to personally throw my bet behind the European Corolla, the photos of which were released at almost the same time as the North American version.

When was the last time you got a jaw-dropping deal for that dream car?

Hyundai makes your dreams come true, more easily now with stunning offers: For the spectacular i10, an all-in low of P68,000 when you avail of any variant at only 20% down payment; for the brilliant Elantra, save as much as P99,000 when you get an Elantra 1.8 GLS A/T at just 20% down payment; for the phenomenal Tucson T2.0 Limited, a cash discount of P150,000; and for the incredible EON, an all-in low down payment of P48,000 when you get the EON 0.8 GL M/T at 20% down!

All-in financing packages include one-year comprehensive insurance; three-year LTO Registration; Chattel Mortgage Fee; and Tint and Matting.

Participating banks are BDO, EastWest, PSBank, RCBC, BPI, and Maybank. Hurry to your nearest authorized Hyundai dealership now!

Petron Launches First Euro 4 Standard Gasoline: Blaze 100 Euro 4

Leading oil company Petron Corporation marked another milestone in fuels technology with the recent launch of the first Euro 4 premium plus gasoline in the country that meets European fuel quality standards. Another first from Petron, the new Petron Blaze 100 Euro 4 is specially formulated to meet the more stringent and environment-friendly Euro 4 standard.

Anne Curtis is Ambassadress for Audi Q3

“I am extremely thrilled to be the ambassadress for the Audi Q3. It is such an amazing car to drive! Fun, comfort & safety at its best!”

Anne Curtis’ eyes sparkled as she arrived at the Audi Global City showroom. She could not take her gaze of the Samoa Orange car displayed in the middle of the posh showroom. It was the new Q3 – and it was going to be hers to drive as the newest brand ambassador of Audi Philippines.

Ford Philippines today reported its best-ever performance for the month of May with overall retail sales jumping 82 percent year-over-year to 1,230 units. The exceptional month was driven by the best-ever performance of the all-new Ford Ranger and continued strength in demand across the entire Ford lineup.

Ford’s year-to-date retail sales through May have also risen 82 percent to 5,016 vehicles, making it the country’s fastest growing automotive brand this year.

Peugeot Cebu Opens

After opening Peugeot Las Piñas, Peugeot Cagayan de Oro and Peugeot Quirino earlier this year,

Eurobrands Distributor Inc. (EDI), official importer of Peugeot vehicles in the country, formally opened today the doors of Peugeot Cebu. Like all the previous dealerships before it, Peugeot Cebu aims to provide the full Peugeot ownership experience to its customers while ascribing fully to Peugeot international standards. No less than Peugeot’s Sales Director for Asian Operations, Jean Yves Dossal, was on hand to formally open the dealership. The EDI management team tasked to launch Peugeot Cebu, meanwhile, was headed by EDI President Felix J. Mabilog, Jr.

Photos by Ulysses Ang

I miss Debbie. About six year ago, we started to spend day in, day out together—from going to the office, doing errands, to getting some weekend R&R. She was the unassuming, silent type: always dependable, never temperamental. For the most part, she was everything I needed; until three years on, I had to say goodbye. I had to move on and let go of my Toyota Yaris.

Nissan Holds "End of Summer Sale" for Almera

Nissan Motor Philippines, Inc. (NMPI) is giving everyone a reason to celebrate the start of the rainy season with the “End of Summer Sale,” exclusive to the all-new Nissan Almera.

To chase away the end-of-summer blues, NMPI is offering big cash discounts and freebies for the all-new Nissan Almera, available only from June 8 to 9 at all Nissan dealerships nationwide.

Currently, NMPI has an ongoing promo with the Nissan Almera until June 30 – an all-in downpayment of as low as P99,000 or cash discount of up to P30,000 or low monthly payment starting from only P7,000. In addition to this, NMPI is offering P5,000 worth of genuine Nissan Almera accessories for free plus additional P10,000 discount – but only for this coming weekend.

Ever dreamt of the day when driving would be a pleasure and not a chore? The day of driving a car that connects with you? Look no further, Honda, known for its high quality and high performance automobiles, delivers spirited driving pleasure to keep up with the dynamic needs of these modern times. Get ready, as the newest addition to the Honda Cars Philippines Inc.’s, Honda’s automobile business unit in the Philippines, line-up, the All-New CR-Z is bound to unleash your passion to drive.

Vision Petron, the award-winning national student art competition of industry leader Petron Corporation is now calling for entries for its 13th iteration, with the theme Lakbay Tagumpay—A Journey of Triumphs and Milestones.

Shell Introduces Philippine Student Contigient to the 2013 Eco-marathon Asia

Photos by Ulysses Ang

They say the first automobile race happened right after the second car rolled off the assembly floor. The spirit of competition has always been innately human, but even more so when it’s a combination of man and machine. And though motorsports has commonly been about which car can run faster, brake shorter, and handle better; there’s another kind of competition—one that takes into account the concept of smart mobility, environmental-consciousness, and innovative thinking. This is the Shell Eco-marathon.

All-New 2013 Kia Carens Officially Launched; Public Debut Slated on Friday, May 31

When you think MPV, you think of something practical but nothing much more. They’re seen as the modern equivalent of beasts of burden—great at ferrying passengers and large cargo. It isn’t something you bring to a Friday night date much less brag to the entire barkada. It’s a car purchased mostly because of necessity rather than desire. That is until the sleek and sexy Kia Carens came along.

Toyota Opens 4 New Dealerships to Start 2013

This year, the #1 Automotive Company in the Country has added four more dealerships to its network to kick-off the next phase of its expansion plans. Toyota Calamba, Laguna (TCL), Toyota Mandaue South, Cebu (TMD-S), Toyota Marilao, Bulacan (TMR) and Toyota Tacloban (TTL) opened its doors to the public recently to cater to the growing demand of the market in these provinces. The opening of these dealerships in key strategic areas outside NCR aims to bring Toyota’s products and services closer to its customers. In 2012, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) opened 3 new dealerships namely: Toyota Global City (TGC), Toyota La Union (TLU) and Toyota San Pablo (TSP). With the addition of these new outlets, Toyota’s network of dealerships has already reached 35 and this number is expected to increase by the end of the year.

Photos by Ulysses Ang

Even if we were clothed in the most casual clothes imaginable (and the occasional Sketcher’s Shape-Ups), we felt like a million bucks when our ‘shuttle service’, a fleet of BMW 7 Series limousines arrived just to bring us to the Clark International Speedway. We certainly felt every bit like that British super spy, sans the Vodka-Martini and the suave accent. Nonetheless, with our good looks intact, we couldn’t wait for our date with M. And when we talk about ‘M’ here, we don’t mean a frumpy, grumpy middle-aged woman boss; what we’re referring to is the most sacred letter to any car enthusiast: the BMW M line.

Photos by Ulysses Ang

Car of the Year – Philippines: that’s high praise indeed for the Mirage, the first sub-compact to have won the award and the first for Mitsubishi. It certainly bodes well for a car that beat the entire resurgence of affordable sports cars. But it also raised expectations given it handily wiped out the competition. So is the hype surrounding the Mirage all worth it, or is it all, well, just a mirage?

New Audi R8 Set to Arrive Q3 2013

The Audi R8 is the sporty spearhead of the Audi model lineup. The high-performance sports car is now more dynamic and powerful than ever before thanks to numerous improvements, including a newly developed seven-speed S tronic. The fast-shifting dual-clutch transmission features a launch control function that provides optimal traction when starting. Power is delivered to the road via the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system with a rear-axle bias. The standard sprint times have improved by 0.3 seconds while fuel consumption has been reduced by as much as 0.9 liters per 100 kilometer.

New Porsche Cayman Launched in Philippines

In an exclusive event attended by Porsche owners and guests held in Alabang, the new Porsche Cayman was unveiled during its official launching in the Philippines last May 18, 2013.

The third generation of the Cayman has been completely redeveloped. It is lower and longer, lighter and faster, more efficient and more powerful than ever. A longer wheel-base, wider track and larger wheels enhance the driving performance of the mid-engine sports car to a level without equal in its competitive class. The new two-seater is – after the 911 Carrera and Boxster – the third sports car model line from Porsche to feature innovative lightweight body design. The new Cayman is up to 30 kg lighter, depending on the specific model and equipment, and it consumes up to 15 per cent less fuel per 100 km than the previous model – despite higher engine and driving performance.

The all-new Ranger is one of the toughest trucks in its segment today boasting class leading capability including best-in-class water wading of up to 800mm. When encountering flash floods on the road, drive with confidence and a peace of mind with the all-new Ranger as it can easily traverse through the demands of the coming rainy season.

Subaru Forester Earns IIHS Top Safety Pick; Only Compact SUV to Earn "Good" Marks Overall

Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), the manufacturer of Subaru automobiles, is pleased to introduce the announcement made by Subaru of America, Inc. that the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS; a nonprofit organization supported by auto insurers in the US) has awarded the best possible ranking of 2013 TOP SAFETY PICK + (TSP+) to the all-new Forester currently sold in the North American region. The Forester earned an overall rating of good in the small overlap test required for winning the TSP+ as the only one of 13 small SUV. This is the third TSP+ award for Subaru vehicles following the last year’s first win of 2013 Legacy and Outback (built after Aug. 2012). The Institute’s 2013 “TSP+” award which requires “good” ratings for occupant protection in at least four of five IIHS evaluations, with no less than “acceptable” in the fifth test.

For the whole month of May, Petron’s landmark motorist assistance program, Lakbay Alalay, is helping the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte’s (PGIN) tourism campaign, billed as Paoay Kumaway!, now on its second year of implementation.

Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) through HARI Foundation, Inc. (HFI) and Gawad Kalinga (GK) celebrated the inauguration of the Hyundai Center for Green Innovation (HCGI), located at the GK Enchanted Farm in Bgy. Encanto, Angat, Bulacan. The state-of-the-art green innovation center, built by architects and engineers commissioned by HFI, fuses the ethnicity of the “bahay kubo” and the Hyundai design philosophy of "Fluidic Sculpture”. It is envisioned to be the epicenter of ideas, talents, and resources committed to growing a sustainable green economy and community for the Filipino and stands as a symbol of the evolution and progress of Hyundai and GK’s enduring partnership to build empowered, self-sustaining Filipino communities from the grassroots.

Isuzu Philippines Sales Rise 7.6% in April, Lifted by Crosswind

Isuzu Philippines Corporation’s (IPC) bestselling model once again powered the company’s sales in April, as well as in the first four months of 2013.

Combined reports from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. and the Truck Manufacturers Association show that the Isuzu Crosswind AUV led IPC’s tally in April with 628 units sold, or a significant 22.7% rise compared to the model’s total of 512 units in March. Together with deliveries of the Isuzu Alterra SUV and D-MAX pickup, the company posted a 13.2% growth in its AUV, SUV and pickup vehicle lineup in April with 882 units sold compared to March’s 779-unit result.

Mitsubishi to Launch Mirage Sedan A.K.A. Attrage

All those rumors can be put to rest as Mitsubishi Motors Corporation officially announces the Mirage sedan, though it takes a different name: Attrage.

Built alongside the Mirage at Mitsubishi's Third Factory at Laem Chabang Industrial Estate in Chonburi province in Thailand, the name change may be due to the fact that the Attrage is slightly larger than the Mirage it is based off on. Though no details have been revealed as of yet, the Attrage is pointing out its generous rear legroom and large trunk. The Attrage is clearly the Concept G4 without the concept car bits.

Underneath the hood, the Attrage will share the same 1.2-liter MIVEC 3-cylinder engine that complies with Euro 4 regulations. It will also be available in both CVT or manual transmission variants.

With a Thai launch in July, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to determine that Mitsubishi Motor Philippines will indeed launch the Attrage sometime mid to late this year. In fact, sources indicate that the car maker is flying some journalists in next month for a special preview of the Attrage.

Peugeot Opens Temporary C-5 Libis Sales Outlet

In anticipation of the growing demand for Peugeot vehicles, Eurobrands Distributor Inc. (EDI), official importer and distributor of Peugeot vehicles in the country, has committed to opening 12 full service dealerships in the country over the course of 2013. To address the public’s clamor for Peugeot to have a sales outlet in the central business district immediately, EDI recently opened its C-5 Libis temporary sales outlet.

Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. experienced a 33% increase in sales during the first four months of the year, compared to the same period last year. All in all, TMP sold a total of 23, 395 units garnering 41.3% of the market, according to the latest CAMPI report.

For the month of April, TMP registered a total of 6, 334 units. Furthermore, the company has maintained its lead in both the Passenger car segment and Commercial vehicle category selling 1,990 units and 4,344 units respectively.

Toyota’s line-up proved to be strong as several models took the top spot in their respective categories. The Toyota Vios continues to be the top-selling vehicle in the country with 1,476 units sold for the month of April. The Toyota Innova on the other hand, maintains its hold as the #1 MPV model with sales of 1,245.

“TMP experienced positive sales across the board, seeing continued strength with our locally manufactured Vios leading the charge,” said Michinobu Sugata, President, Toyota Motor Philippines. “2013 is forecasted to be another record breaking year as reflected in the performance of the industry in the 1st four months of the year. We can expect this trend to continue as the Philippines shows growth in its economy and specifically the automotive industry.”

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