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May 20, 2014

Review: 2014 Toyota Wigo 1.0G M/T

Photos by Ulysses Ang
Owning a brand-new car should be stress-free. No anxiety attacks when thinking about payments. No worries about reliability. No agonizing over fuel and maintenance costs. Toyota’s latest addition to their line-up, the Wigo, is promising just that: it’s all about easy-to-own, easy-to-drive, and easy-to-enjoy. But can it live up to the promise? I spent an entire week with the Wigo 1.0G M/T—the full-loaded model that doesn’t break the psychological P 500,000-mark (P 499,000 to be exact). Just how well does it perform? Read on.

May 19, 2014

5th Philippine International Motor Show is Slated September 18-21 at World Trade Center


The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) announces the much-awaited 5th Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS), a four-day event from September 18-21 at the World Trade Center, Pasay City.

Ford Welcomes New Ranger Models by Adding 3 New Wildtrak Models


The Philippines’s best-selling pick-up, the Ford Ranger, gets new additions to its growing family to bring the total to 13 variants. The new additions expand the range-topping Wildtrak trim by adding two 2.2-liter 4x2 models and the 3.2-liter 4x4 equipped with a manual transmission. The prices for the new Wildtrak models are as follows:

Mazda Expands to Davao City


Mazda in the Philippines extends its reach to the south with the opening of AUTOHUB Group’s all-new Mazda Davao, their latest full-service Mazda dealership facility in the country.

Experience the Rush at the Toyota Vios Cup


It’s the thrill, the rush of adrenaline, and the heart-pounding sensation that make motorsports one of the most exciting ventures to date. Let the number one automotive company in the country take you on this exhilarating ride of authentic motorsports through the Toyota Vios Cup. Experience a full-on waku-doki festival with activities not just for racing fans but for guests who look for real fun and excitement! Just a short ride from Manila, come to the Clark International Speedway on May 24, 2014 (Saturday) and witness what Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) means by WAKU-DOKI.

AVID Rallies in April with 16 Percent Growth


With the reignited consumer appetite for cars, the Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors (AVID) saw its sales climbed to 16% for the month of April to a total of 2,657 units from year-ago levels of 2,293 units. Year-to-date, the group sales racked up to a total of 11,712 units, reflecting a robust 14% growth in sales from comparable period last year.

Kia Posts 4.9 Percent Global Sales Growth in April


Kia Motors Corporation announced last week its global sales figures (export sales, domestic sales and sales from overseas plants) for passenger cars, recreational vehicles (RVs) and commercial vehicles for April 2014, recording a total of 251,120 units sold.  This figure represents a 4.9% year-on-year increase.

Mazda MX-5 Celebrates 25 Years by Racing in the 24 Hours of Nurburgring


So how do you celebrate the 25th birthday of the world’s best-selling sports car? Well, you send it racing, of course. Mazda has just announced that it will partner with the UK’s JOTA Sport to enter a Mazda MX-5 in the 24 Hours Nurburgring Endurance Race in Germany this year (June 21-22).

Honda Recognizes Newly Established Dealers as "Good Green Dealers"


Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) recently recognized  Honda Cars Greenhills (HCGH) and Honda Cars Marcos (HCMH) as “Certified Good Green Dealer” in a ceremony held on May 6, 2014 at their respective dealerships.

Fuel an Exciting Drive with Shell V-Power Nitro+


Be it with family or friends, summer is the perfect time to take a break from the daily grind and hit the road for an exciting getaway. Driving through scenic routes to the beach or up for some fresh mountain air is now made more exciting as Pilipinas Shell brings road trips to life with Shell V-Power Nitro+ fuels, designed to improve performance and act instantly in engines.

May 18, 2014

Subaru Kansha Festival 2014 Slated May 19-25 at All Dealerships


Motor Image Pilipinas Inc. (MIPI), the exclusive distributor of Subaru vehicles in the country, along with its authorized dealers will hold it’s much awaited annual Kansha Festival from May 19-25, 2014. Also known as Subaru customer appreciation week, the Kansha festival is originally a celebration adapted from the Japanese “Kinro Kansha no Hi” or Labor Thanksgiving Day.

Volkswagen is the Official VIP Vehicle Partner of the Philippine Government for 23rd World Economic Forum


On May 21-23, 2014, finance ministers and delegates from international and local organizations will converge for the 23rd World Economic Forum on East Asia (WEF-EA) at the Shangri-La Hotel, Makati.

Chosen as the official VIP transport vehicle for the ministers are forty (40) units of brand new Volkswagen Touareg V6 from the Philippine distributor, Automobile Central Enterprise, Inc. (ACEI).

16 Percent Growth in Passenger Cars Kept Hyundai Sales Steady in April


Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI), the official distributor of Hyundai vehicles in the Philippines, saw its Passenger Car (PC) segment rallied for the first four months of the year with 16% growth in sales. The PC segment’s solid performance has helped Hyundai to keep sales steady in April despite the brand’s delicate LCV sales performance. Sales reached 1,646 units in April alone, reflecting 2% growth versus comparable period last year. Year-to-date, Hyundai’s sales reached 7,629 units, up by 1% from same period last year.

Volvo XC60 Passes 500,000 Unit Sold Milestone


The Volvo XC60, Volvo Car Group’s (Volvo Cars) best-selling model since 2009, passed the 500,000 units sold mark in April. It has taken the model only little over half a decade to reach this milestone.

Ford Awards Specially-Designed Mustang Golf Carts to Three Lucky Mustang Owners


Ford Philippines’ “Conquer the Highways, Rule the Fairways” Mustang promotion came to a conclusion as these three lucky Mustang owners (L to R) Arturo Manansala, Doug Kramer and Mark Arthur Pasco were recently awarded each with a specially-designed Ford Shelby GT500 golf cart. Present at the awarding is Kay Hart, managing director, Ford Philippines and Prudz Castillo, assistant vice president for Marketing - Cars, Ford Philippines.

May 13, 2014

Isuzu D-Max Amazes Cebuanos in 4x4 Drive Series


After successfully kicking off the 2014 Isuzu D-Max 4x4 Drive Series in San Fernando, Pampanga, the off-road driving event next went on to impress Cebuanos with its staging in Mandaue, Cebu on May 9 to 11.

Manila to Host Philippines's Biggest International Auto Aftermarket Tradeshow

The SMX Convention Center, Manila is all set to welcome its biggest international business-to-business exhibition for the automotive parts, accessories and service & repair industry – PHILAUTO’14 from 29 – 31 May 2014. Over 150 companies including Pavilions from China, Korea, India, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand and Singapore will join major local industry players including Welcome Exports, Bosch, Coatings, Power Chek, AutoPhil Zone, Thermo King, to showcase a comprehensive range of exhibits for the auto aftermarket industry.

Ford Philippines Donates Ambulance and Fire Truck to Support Philippine Red Cross


Chairman and CEO Richard J. Gordon of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), assisted by Dr. Gwendolyn T. Pang, secretary general of PRC receives a Ford Ambulance and Fire Truck from Ford Philippines managing director, Kay Hart (third from left) and AVP for government and corporate affairs, Josie Gonzalez (far right) to support ongoing emergency response efforts of the PRC across the Philippines.

Kickstart Your Summer with Volvo's Advantage Offer


Drive home more adventures this summer with Volvo’s Advantage Offer. Enjoy generous acquisition package for select brand new Volvos. Current Volvo owners will also get a free 21-point service check on their vehicles and enjoy preferential rates on select parts and services.

May 12, 2014

BMW Provides Fleet of 7 Series to 23rd World Economic Forum in East Asia


Philippine government appoints Asian Carmakers Corporation (ACC), the official importer and distributor of BMW cars in the Philippines, to serve as the official premium vehicle partner for the 23rd World Economic Forum on East Asia (WEF-EA) to be held on May 21 to 23, 2014 at The Makati Shangri-La Hotel, Metro Manila. A fleet of the most innovative sedan in the luxury segment, the BMW 7 Series, will be used for servicing visiting Heads of the States and Government leaders from across Asia during the said global forum.

Volvo Philippines Expands to Iloilo with New Trade Partner


Miss Vanessa Aganan, Dealer Development Manager of Volvo Philippines presents the Official Volvo Trade Partner Plaque Mr. Paul Yap, President of Volvo Iloilo (Iloilo Great Cars). The new trade partner will be offering its products and services to the Visayas and Mindanao areas. Volvo PH continues to expand its reach with Volvo Alabang, Volvo Cebu, Volvo Makati and Volvo North EDSA. Experience the new breed of Volvos by visiting or calling the nearest Volvo Dealer or Trade Partner.

Hyundai Turns Over Grand Starex, Grand Santa Fe as Official Mobility Partner for 23rd World Economic Forum East Asia & the ASEAN Finance Ministers' Investor Seminar


Last May 9, 2014 at the Esplanade in the Mall of Asia, Korean auto giant Hyundai formally turned over the Grand Santa Fe and Grand Starex units to be used as official transport for the ASEAN Finance Ministers’ Investor Seminar (AFMIS) that will be held on May 20, 2014, and the 23rd World Economic Forum on East Asia (WEF-EA) on May 21-23. It is the first time that the Philippines plays host to the WEF-EA.

May 11, 2014

First Drive: 2014 Nissan Sylphy and Nissan Altima


Nissan is back in the Philippines and back big time. This seems to be the unequivocal message as the revitalized Nissan Philippines brought its two newest offerings, the Sylphy and Altima to the Clark International Speedway for the company’s first major event: the Nissan Spin.

Kia Issues Official Statement on Manny Pacquiao's Involvement with PBA Team


Columbian Autocar Corporation (CAC) President and CEO Ms. Ginia R. Domingo confirmed earlier reports of a meeting today with Congressman Manny Pacquiao of Sarangani.

"The head office of CAC in Makati was especially graced today by our country's boxing hero and legend Cong. Manny Pacquiao," Domingo said in a statement.

Cong. Pacquaio met with CAC executives and expressed his desire to help in organizing the KIA PBA basketball team after the PBA board granted CAC its approval to form a team in time for the 40th season of the league.

"We are both elated and excited at the possibility of our nation's most popular and revered sports icon, Cong. Manny Pacquaio, becoming a part of Team Kia," Domingo added.

"We will continue our discussions in the next few weeks and will announce our plans as soon as they are firmed up," Domingo ended.

UPDATED: Mazda MX-5 Celebrates 25th Anniversary with Special Edition


UPDATE (1): Mazda Philippines has confirmed that it will be releasing a total of 25 of the 1,000 units of the 25th Anniversary Edition for P 1,800,000. (5/11)

Along with the introduction of the next-generation MX-5’s Skyactiv-Chassis, the Mazda MX-5 Miata 25th Anniversary Edition revealed in New York is a special edition model that brings together 25 years’ worth of fun shared with fans.

Based on the power retractable hard top model, and available with either 6-speed manual or automatic transmissions, it is available exclusively in Soul Red Metallic.

Meticulous attention to detail has been paid in every area of the vehicle such as the black-painted roof, A-pillars, and door mirrors; off-white leather upholstery and door trim, hand-finished decorative panel, and the adoption of Bilstein dampers.

No other mechanical changes have been made to the MX-5.

May 9, 2014

The 3rd Bangkok International Auto Salon All Set for June 19-29 at Muangthong Thani


The Bangkok International Auto Salon 2014, the largest custom car and accessories show in ASEAN, enters its third successful year with the “Passion for Performance” theme.

Apart from the latest custom cars and tuning technology sent directly from Japan, visitors also get to check out customized models from major automobile producers. Also on display are customized cars from Thai mechanics while roadshows in MICE Cities are also planned in order to help raise awareness and develop Thailand’s potential as the center of automobile production in ASEAN.

Ford Philippines Delivers All-Time Best Monthly Sales in April


For the second consecutive month, Ford Philippines today announced its all-time best monthly performance, with April retail sales soaring 60 percent year-over-year to 1,764 units.

Toyota Continues Record Monthly Sales in April, Breaks 8,000 Units Sold Anew


Coming from a sales milestone just last March, the number one automotive company in the country continues to break the 8,000 unit mark for the second consecutive month. According to the most recent CAMPI report, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) posted a share of 45% with total sales of 8,102 units in April.