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March 6, 2014

BMW Launches Yet Another Segment-Bending Vehicle, the X4

BMW continues its product diversification by launching the X4 which is essentially an X3 with a more coupe-like roofline. From the outside, the X4 is clearly sportier with the larger air intakes, sweeping roofline (highest actually above the driver), and muscular rear-end. The X4 is available with LED headlight technology along with L-shaped LED tail lamps. It measures 4,671 mm making it longer than the X3 but is also 36 mm lower (1,624 mm height).

Subaru WRX STI Races Stick Bomb

Well, I'm lost for words on this one. Just watch it.

If you're interested on how they made this outrageous stunt, click after the break to watch the "Making Of". Enjoy.

Suzuki Philippines has quietly updated their compact crossover, the Grand Vitara, for the 2014 model year. And though the changes are purely cosmetic, the biggest news is a much more affordable price tag: P 1,160,000. In other words, for the price of a typical compact sedan, you can make your way up to a Japan-built compact crossover.

Bigger surprises and bigger treats are at stake in the fourth quarter offering of Kia Drive to 20, a year-long quarterly promo in celebration of Kia’s 20th year in the Philippines.

Columbian Autocar Corporation (CAC), exclusive distributor of Kia Motors in the Philippines, began a year-long promo for Kia buyers and test-drive participants last June 2013 to mark 20 memorable years in the automotive industry.

UPDATE: Volvo shows us how Apple CarPlay works in the upcoming all-new XC90. See the video after the break.

Apple brings its iOS to automobiles with the introduction of CarPlay at the Geneva International Motor Show. With CarPlay, Apple brings its intuitive system (which can be accessed via voice, touch, or knobs/controls) and brings a whole new level to controlling your iPhone through the car.

Mazda pulled the wraps off its newest concept car, the Hazumi at the 2014 Geneva International Motor Show and we like what we see. According to Mazda, the Hazumi is a “foreshadowing of Mazda’s next-generation subcompact car”—in other words, it’s the all-new Mazda2. Indeed, if there’s a car that deserves some of that KODO and Skyactiv love, it’s Mazda’s spunky little B-segment hatchback.

Here's a Ford Mustang for the Ladies

Here’s one Ford Mustang merchandise ladies won’t mind owning: a limited-edition OPI nail lacquer inspired by the iconic pony car’s 50th anniversary. As far as collaborations go, this is one of the more unexpected ones but Ford figured that women like to express their passion and bold personalities with nail lacquer; and since the Ford Mustang is an equally passionate and bold car—boom. They both figure it’s a match made in heaven.

The limited edition collection will debut starting July and OPI Products will carry several shades of Ford Mustang-inspired nail lacquer headlined by the Mustang’s hero shade: Race Red. ~~Sadly though, this product is only available in the USA~~. It will be sold internationally (this has been confirmed). Though this is lady stuff, who knows what men will do? Perhaps some will keep some as touch-up paint for their Mustang?

Nothing Says Soccer Mom More than the Subaru Viziv 2 Concept

Your eyes are not fooling you—it’s sort of déjà vu for Subaru who’s showing off the latest iteration of their forward-thinking Viziv Concept. After it was introduced at last year’s Geneva International Motor Show and turned into the Evolution Concept at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show, it has further evolved into the Viziv 2 Concept, and boy is it showing its love for soccer moms. How? Well, for starters it has grown soccer-ball like front and rear lamps.

Jeep has just released a trail-rated small SUV called the Renegade. Jeep has actually called the Renegade the most capable small SUV and the best part? It’s a global vehicle meaning there’s good chance we’ll get to see it here in the Philippines!

After months of teasing, Honda has finally pulled the wraps off its highly-anticipated Civic Type R Concept. It’s clearly a thinly-disguised model that will eventually bow in for the European market (for now) during 2015.

Photos by Ulysses Ang

I can’t remember the first time I felt so excited about driving a Toyota Corolla. After all, its reputation precedes it; it’s been the butt of jokes over its dull as cardboard driving experience. But, it’s cemented its reputation as a no-nonsense, ultra-reliable-until-the-world-ends type of car that’s created a following of over 40 million user-choosers. For all intents and purposes, Toyota could have continued churning out Corollas in the same recipe as the original, but instead they injected some new flavors. The question is: is this tangy new twist going to do wonders to the Corolla formula or is this simply the automotive equivalent of New Coke?

Michelin to Introduce Total Performance Award with 1,000,000 Euros (US$ 1,378,000) Prize

When the Le Mans 24 Hours race happens in June 2014 in Europe, Michelin will introduce the Michelin Total Performance Award – a new competition that seeks to speed up innovation in favor of not only performance on the racetrack but also in sustainable mobility.

Originally announced in June 2013, a grant will be awarded to the first team which succeeds in fulfilling five criteria relating to performance, longevity and energy efficiency. When these five conditions are met, one million euros will be brought back into the financing of research into sustainable mobility by an independent academic institute.

They were either shot, run over, abandoned, beaten, or starved. Volunteers from Chevron Philippines Inc. (CPI), marketer of the Caltex fuels and lubricants, took an afternoon off work to care for these abused animals that were being treated at PAWS (Philippine Animal Welfare Society) rehabilitation center in Quezon City. The volunteers donated 22 boxes of pet food and prepared meals for the shelter’s 256 cats and 74 dogs. The activity was part of Chevron’s annual “Week of Caring” program that advocates diversity and the spirit of volunteerism in its employees and like stakeholders.

“Chevron is one of the few big companies to go to PAWS and support animal welfare. This effort opens up new opportunities for us in strengthening our advocacy to prevent animal cruelty through education, animal sheltering and adoption,” said Charlene Laxamana, PAWS administrative officer.

Terrain Conquered: Isuzu D-Max LS 4x4 Visits Ilocos Norte

Photos by Ulysses Ang

Staring out into the distance, the landscape looks hot and barren as far as the eye can see. Amidst the midday sun, it sears the retina with an almost blinding effect. It’s a scene seemingly lifted straight out of the desert planet of Tatooine in Star Wars or Arrakis from Dune. It looks a desolate, foreboding place until your ears pick up the faint hint of an engine at full throttle; and before you know it, a mechanical beast comes into full view, drifting into a 180-degree spin, kicking up the powdery fine sand into the dry, arid air. This is no alien planet; this is the Paoay sand dunes, the personal playground of the Isuzu D-Max.

Lexus Adds F-Sport Model to RC Line

Lexus is adding yet another model in the RC Coupe line-up: the RC F-Sport. Sandwiching the regular RC and the performance-oriented RC F, the RC F-Sport features a unique “F” mesh grille as well as unique 19-inch alloy wheels with machine-finish and dark metallic paint. Inside, the RC F-Sport inherits the innovative LFA moving center ring instrument cluster and perforated leather on the steering wheel and shift knob. The RC F-Sport also gets an exclusive Rioja Red interior and seats with unique contrasting stitching.

Nissan Motor Company, has announced the development of the Smart rearview mirror, the world's first LCD monitor that not only provides clear rearward visibility under various conditions, but also allows the driver the ability to switch between the LCD monitor and the traditional rearview mirror, depending on the driver's preference. Nissan will introduce the Smart rearview mirror at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show.

UPDATE: Volvo Philippines has also provided us a video of the Concept Estate in action. See it after the break.

Volvo is finally revealing its third of three concept cars built on the company’s new Scalable Product Architecture—the Concept Estate at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show. But aside from showing off how their future products might look, the Concept Estate also shows Volvo’s new interior design—one that focuses on simplicity.

The growing Suzuki car customer base in Palawan will get a free 23-point check-up and special discounts on spare parts and services when Suzuki @ Work goes to the city on March 7 and 8 from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM at Suzuki Auto Palawan, San Manuel, Puerto Prinsesa City.

Hyundai Intrado is Advanced Fuel Cell Concept, Design Linked to Future Tucson?

At the Geneva Motor Show, Hyundai is showing off its newest fuel cell concept, the Intrado. This is the first model to be designed under the direction of Peter Schreyer, who became the President and Chief Design Officer of the Hyundai Motor Group in January 2013.

Isuzu Philippine Sales Rise 9.8 Percent in January, Reveals Timeline for Product Updates in 2014

The robust sales performance of the all-new Isuzu D-MAX has carried the momentum of Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) in January as the company recorded a 9.8% growth.

Sales of the all-new D-MAX in January reached 261 units, a 146.2% spike from the 106 units the pickup model logged in the same month in 2013. The all-new D-MAX’s sales movement continues months following its introduction in September 2013.

Who says it’s not exciting to go backwards? Television star and former professional skateboarder Rob Dyrdek recently proved that the Chevrolet Sonic can jump backward and break a Guinness World Record in the process. Driving a Sonic Hatchback, Dyrdek broke the record for “Farthest Reverse Ramp Jump by a Car” with a total of 89 feet and 3.25 inches (approximately 27.2 meters).

The rumors of MINI killing off the Clubman seems to be just that: rumors as MINI revealed the Clubman Concept for the 2014 Geneva Auto Show. And pundits know if MINI parent company BMW attaches the word, “Concept” to the name, it’s a thinly-veiled, almost production-ready car. So what makes the second-generation Clubman different? Well, for one it’s got six doors. Yes, six doors if you were to include the split-opening tailgate just like the original Clubman.

UPDATE 1: Now available in the Philippines (4/12/2015).

The death of the full-sized body-on-frame SUV is greatly exaggerated. Ford recently unveiled a refreshed Expedition, still available in both standard and extended wheelbase variants, for the North American market. The biggest news is that the 2015 Expedition shuns V8 power and replaces it is a sole powerplant: a 3.5-liter V6 with Ford’s EcoBoost power.

Review: Chevrolet Spin 1.5 LTZ

Photos by Ulysses Ang

The Asian Utility Vehicle or AUV was once the staple of car manufacturers in the Philippines. With a lucrative tax incentive and the Filipino’s penchant for traveling with their extended kin made them the proverbial “king of the road”. Today, AUVs have taken a different role altogether. With the incentives gone, car manufacturers have opted to go Multi-Purpose Vehicle or MPV instead. Meanwhile, the AUVs have become mini-MPVs of sorts; slotting below entry-level MPVs in both size and price. But don’t let that repositioning fool you: the AUV is still a sought after segment; focusing on Filipino families, who want a 7-seater, but can’t or don’t want to spend anything above one million pesos. Besides price, AUVs are also known for their small displacement engines and cheap ownership cost. Given this formula, Chevrolet has upped the AUV game and has gone a step further by giving style and sophistication through the Spin.

BMW Goes Front-Wheel Drive with 2 Series Active Sport Tourer...Wait, What?!

Call it blasphemy, but BMW has finally thrown in the towel and is introducing the brand’s first front-wheel drive vehicle. There’s good reason to BMW’s madness though: the 2 Series Active Sport Tourer wants to achieve “particularly high levels of versatility and functionality in the premium compact class”. In other words, BMW is doing that Mercedes-Benz did with the B-Class. Done and dusted.

The Philippine Automotive Competitiveness Council, Inc. (PACCI) held its 2014 Organizational Meeting on February 7, 2014, determining its new Board of Trustees, electing its Key Officers, and previewing the goals it has set for the year.

Roughly three months after Super Typhoon Yolanda, known internationally as Haiyan, devastated most of the Visayas region, victims are still in the long and arduous process of rehabilitation. No one was spared from nature’s wrath, including one of Kia’s regional dealerships, Kia Ormoc.

Ford has used, of all things, the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain to debut a refreshed Focus that’s expected to debut in markets including the Philippines as a 2015 model. Headlining the changes of course, is the debut of Ford’s new design language—something already seen in the refreshed Fiesta and EcoSport models.

It is all systems go for the Electric Vehicle Summit 2013 at the Multipurpose Hall of Meralco, Pasig City on February 27-28, 2014. The summit was originally scheduled on November 28-29, 2013 but was reset due to the devastation then brought by Typhoon Yolanda in the Visayas that necessitated the urgent attention of government agencies on relief operations.

For being the lucky 1-millionth PETRON Value Card member, Ms. Puso Gabiola (third from left) was rewarded with bonus treats. With her are PETRON representatives (L-R): Cards Head Billy Centeno, VP-National Sales Division Archie B. Gupalor, and AVP-Marketing Ana Neri.

Petron Value Card, the privilege and rewards card designed for motorists, has been seen widespread acceptance phenomenal growth in its membership base nationwide, numbering 1.4-million members as of January 2014. Starting with the 1M member, Petron Value Card has celebrated its milestone members with each succeeding 100,000th cardholder, with bonus points on their Petron Value Card and various premium items.

Philippine Car Price Guide: February 2014

Yes we know we're a bit late this month. We wanted to include several new models into the Philippine Car Price Guide before the monthly update (at least you don't have to wait until March). Anyway, here are the new additions for this month's update:

BMW 4 Series
Chevrolet Sonic 1.4 LT
Ford EcoSport
Honda Accord
Honda City (Price Update)
Hyundai Accent CRDi Sedan
Hyundai Grand i10
Hyundai Grand Santa Fe
Jaguar XJL 2.0 T
Lexus CT200h
Mitsubishi Lancer EX (Price Update)
Mitsubishi Mirage G4 GX
Mitsubishi Strada 2.5 (Price Update)
Peugeot 208 GTi
Suzuki Jimny (Price Update)
Suzuki Swift DZire AT
Toyota Innova
Toyota Wigo
Volkswagen Jetta 1.2 TSI
Volvo V40 Cross Country

First-Time Car Buyer? The Toyota Wigo is the Perfect Choice (w/ Complete Specs)

Photos by Ulysses Ang

UPDATE (1): We have our full review of the Toyota Wigo 1.0G M/T. Read our review here.

You are looking at the most important vehicle for Toyota Motor Philippines. Officially launched just a few days ago in the Queen City of the South, Cebu, the Toyota Wigo is the Japanese automaker’s first foray into the sub B-segment category and the one that’s expected to lift Toyota’s Philippine sales past 90,000 vehicles annually (they’re currently doing 70,000-plus). With the come-on of being “Easy to Own, Easy to Drive, Easy to Enjoy”, the Wigo is aimed at first-time car buyers who want a no-nonsense vehicle that can fit their increasingly mobile and sophisticated lifestyle. And the Wigo delivers.

Iconic Dealership, Inc. (IDI) formally held a ground breaking ceremony for its first dealership in the Queen City of the South – Volkswagen Cebu. The simple ceremony was led by Volkswagen official distributor Automobile Central Enterprise, Inc. (ACEI) President & CEO, Mr. John Philip S. Orbeta. Present in the event to support the Volkswagen project was Arch. Edwin Gumila from Group 3, Mr. Joey Gaisano of White Gold, Inc., Mr. Erwin Locsin (Branch Manager of Volkswagen BGC), Hon. Mayor Mike Rama, Mr. Rene Mariano (President, Triplewell), Ms. Christine Donato (Sales and Network Development Director), and Mr. Boyet Libiran, Project Manager (Libiran Architect Associates).

Volkswagen Cebu will be located at A. Soriano Avenue, North Reclamation Area, Cebu City. The soon to rise state of the art facility is expected to be fully operational towards the end of 2014.

Get Free Gas When You Buy Michelin Tires

Need a new set of tires? Consider getting a spiffy set of new Michelins. For every purchase of Michelin tires (at participating dealers, of course), gets you a Petron e-Card loaded with P 500 if you buy 2 (two) tires with the same pattern and tire size and P 1,000 if you buy 4 (four) tires.

The Michelin Free Gas Promo runs until March 31. For a complete list of participating tire dealers, check out Michelin's official website at www.michelin.com.ph.

Suzuki Kicks Off Service Camp Series in Naga

Suzuki customers in Naga can enjoy a free 23-point car check-up as Suzuki Philippines rolls out the first leg of its 2014 Free Check-up Service Campaign (FCSC) in Suzuki Auto Naga on February 21-22, 2014.

Review: 2014 Chevrolet Trailblazer 2.8 4x2 A/T

Photos by Ulysses Ang

When Chevrolet first released their Fortuner/Montero Sport killer, the Trailblazer, there was one glaring gap in the line-up: a 4x2 with an automatic transmission. Sure, off-road purists balked at the notion of getting a highly-capable ladder-on-frame SUV and removing its transfer case, but 99 percent of people just want a 7-seater with generous ground clearance and impervious levels of water wading capability. And though Chevrolet offered the Trailblazer 4x2 with a manual transmission, only a handful of people would opt a three-pedaled set-up because of traffic. Well, Chevrolet took a year to engineer and bring one over, but now that it’s here, the Trailblazer 2.8 4x2 A/T has become the 7-seater SUV to have.

AVID Sales Up 22 Percent in January 2014

The Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors (AVID) welcomed the New Year with a remarkable 22% increase during the first month of 2014 compared to the inaugural month a year ago.

January’s performance was buoyed by equally impressive showings from Passenger Car (PC) and Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) segments, with both managing to notch up healthy 22% increases.

Moving the world together. During a two-week immersion in the Philippines, 87 Korean youth volunteers participating in Happy Move Camp were guided by this adage of moving the world together to become a better and happier place for people in need. Culminating last February 13, 2014, powerful and moving acts of sharing happiness, cultures, and goodwill ensued.

Fueling up at Caltex not only gives motorists the five benefits of Caltex the 5-Star Fuel, customers can also get cool freebies such as gift certificates, food items, gadgets, Caltex toy stations and other items for every P1,000 single-purchase receipt in the Cool Caltex Catch promo.

BMW Philippines is solidifying its leadership in the premium car segment by launching the all-new 4 Series Coupe—a car that they call “a new era for the sports coupe”. Replacing the 3 Series Coupe, the 4 Series (BMW now affixes even number model designations for their two-door models) has an athletically designed body, enhanced performance, and of course, improved efficiency.

Suzuki Philippines, Inc. (SPH), the only integrated automobile and motorcycle company in the country, expands its network in the Philippines by opening two more dealerships at the start of 2014. Suzuki’s newest outlets, Suzuki Auto Bohol and Suzuki Auto Nueva Ecija, are all set to deliver automobile sales and other services to customers in the Visayas region and Central Luzon, respectively.

Racewell Marketing Signs Partnership as Marketing Arm for Batangas Racing Circuit, Inc.

L-R: Robert Ortiz, Racewell Marketing CEO; Joel Francisco, Petronas Energy Philippines, Inc. Marketing Manager; and Nelson Gayola, Batangas Racing Circuit, Inc. Managing Head for Corporate Communications.

Racewell Marketing, a full service motorsports agency, today signed a partnership with the Batangas Racing Circuit, Inc. (BRCI) as the marketing arm of its locally-owned circuits. The official contract signing between Robert Ortiz, Racewell Marketing CEO and Nelson Gayola, BRCI Managing Head for Corporate Communications Department was held on February 12, 2014 at the Boom na Boom Complex, in Pasay City.

Lexus Named J.D. Power's Most Dependable Brand for Third Consecutive Year

Lexus scored a hat trick by ranking highest in vehicle dependability among all nameplates for a third consecutive year in the 2014 J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS). The study tracks the number and type of problems owners have with their three-year-old vehicles (a lower score reflects higher dependability).

For customers and fans to get re-acquainted with the WRX nameplate (a model not sold in the Philippines since 2010), Motor Image Pilipinas has brought in the lusty Subaru WRX Concept for your viewing pleasure. Starting today until March 20, the Subaru WRX Concept is on display front and center at the Subaru Greenhills showroom along EDSA.

Fall in love with chocolate and candy Mustangs this Valentine’s Day. To celebrate, Ford Motor Company today revealed all-new miniature chocolate and peppermint candy Mustangs made with a 3D printer.

This is the first time Ford has 3D-printed a miniature vehicle model that you can snack on.

The Philippine flag will be flying high at the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli 2014 when the country’s first representative, Vincent Floirendo takes the wheel of a 458 Challenge race car. Floirendo will race in the first Asia-Pacific round from February 21-23 at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. Succeeding races in the calendar include rounds at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi and the Fuji International Speedway in Japan.

Although open-wheeled racing gets the lion’s share of attention locally, Filipino motorsport fans will finally get to taste a different sort of racing action through the Asian V8 Championship. The brainchild of The Philippine Formula Autosport Foundation (PFAFI), headed by founder Tom Pastor, the Asian V8 Championship will use late-model NASCAR racing cars complete with their 450 horsepower 5.7-liter V8 engines on local track venues.

Hyundai Asia Resources, official distributor of Hyundai vehicles in the Philippines, started the year on high gear with an impressive 13% growth year-on-year. Sales last month hit a total of 2,243 units, up from the 1,992 units sold in the same period last year.

Petronas Energy Philippines, Inc. (PEPI), the distributor of Petronas lubricants in the country, today renewed their title sponsorship for the 2014 season of the Petronas Philippine Motorsport Championship.

The 2014 Petronas Philippine Motorsport calendar includes races on both two and four wheels. For motorcycles, this covers the Philippine Superbikes Series, FDR Philippine Scooter Racing Championships, and the Philippine Underbone King Championships. Meanwhile, auto racing involves the Philippine GT Championship and Philippine Drag Racing Championship, as well as the KF Series, National Karting Series, and Asian Karting Open Championship for go karting.

Continuing the two-week immersion of Korean university students for Kia’s Happy Move Camp, Columbian Autocar Corporation (CAC), exclusive distributor of Kia Motors in the Philippines, planned a special Kia Dealer Tour and Cultural Afternoon for the volunteers.

Hyundai Arms i10 for Brewing Mini Car Battle, Calls It Grand (Again) (w/ Complete Specs)

Hyundai has this thing recently of calling all their cars, “grand” lately. After calling their larger Starex, the “Grand Starex” and their extended wheelbase Santa Fe, the “Grand Santa Fe”, they’re applying the very same formula to their veteran mini car offering, the i10. Of course, now it’s called the Grand i10. And yes, like Grand Santa Fe and the Grand Starex, the Grand i10 has grown. It’s like Hyundai decided to feed it Cherifer: it’s longer by 80 mm and 65 mm wider than the pre-Grand i10. That’s just for starters.

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