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February 8, 2017

2018 Ford Expedition Offers Supersized Sophistication (w/ 14 Photos, Video)

The demise of the full-sized SUV is premature as Ford takes the wraps off the all-new, fourth-generation Expedition. The super-sized Expedition, like all other Fords, is touted to be the “smartest, most capable, and most adaptable ever.”

The French Ministry of Ecology, Energy, and the Sea and the Agency for the Environment and Energy Control have awarded Michelin the Circular Economy Grand Prize, “fighting against climate change” special Mention, for the eco-design and retreading process of its Truck tires as well as for its Michelin Solutions offers.

Jump Start 2017 with Deals from Ford Philippines

Search for fortunate deals from Ford Philippines’ financing offers and cash promotions for select Ford vehicles -Everest, Ranger, EcoSport, Fiesta and Focus valid until February 28 at Ford dealerships nationwide.

It looks like the all-new CX-5 is poised to be a big hit for Mazda. In its home country of Japan, reservations have spiked to 9,055 units since order books opened last December. And with customer deliveries starting only five days ago, the Hiroshima-based carmaker is expected to move around 2,400 of them monthly.

They say, you’re not supposed to meet your heroes. There’s a danger that once you see them up close, they won’t seem as perfect eye-to-eye as opposed to being perched on their towering pedestal. That’s the dilemma with the Ford Everest. After a drive in Thailand, I’ve yet to try it on Manila roads. In the two years that passed, fate played itself cruelly as cancellations, re-schedules, and even a minor hiccup meant no seat time. As 2017 rolled in, so did a minor refresh. This is the Everest featured here. While its blemishes don’t make it so god-like anymore, from where I stand, it still remains the mid-sized SUV’s hero car.

Foilacar Industries Offers New Sprayable Vinyl Wrap

Foilacar Industries, the company that innovated “wrapping” or “foiling” as a means of paint protection and preservation is launching a new product line that can be sprayed on just like paint. Called FoilaDip, this latest product line is a sprayable vinyl wrap that leaves a rubberized coating which can be peeled off without damaging the original material underneath.

Subaru’s executive sedan, the Legacy, is getting a nip and tuck just in time for the 2018 model year. Featuring revised styling and improvements to comfort, safety, and infotainment, the Legacy is said to offer an enhanced overall driving experience. Though the Philippines will have to wait until the First Quarter of 2018 to get this new Legacy, it will be arriving in US showrooms by around the middle this year.

Win a Honda BR-V in Jollibee's "Scratch 2 Win a Honda BR-V" Promo

Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI), shares the joy of winning an All-New BR-V 7-seater SUV to Jollibee Drive-Thru customers with “Scratch 2 Win a Honda BR-V” campaign, which will run from February 1, 2017 to April 30, 2017.

After growing by 6.6 percent in 2016, the World Bank projects the Philippine economy to consistently grow at an average of 6 percent over the next few years up to 2019. This makes the Philippines the fastest growing economy in Asia. It is now leaving its neighbors in the dust after languishing at the bottom for decades.

Caltex Opens New Site in Nueva Vizcaya

Chevron Philippines Inc. (CPI), marketer of the Caltex brand of fuels and lubricants, recently inaugurated its newest Caltex service station at the Nueva Vizcaya Agricultural Terminal – Agri-Pinoy Trading Center (NVAT-APTC) located along AH26, Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya.

Asian Honda Motor Co., Ltd., the regional headquarters of Honda in the Asia & Oceania (A&O) region, announced that Honda achieved its highest records for automobile sales in 2016 in the ASEAN region (Southeast Asia). Actual retail sales reached 431,832 units, a 7 percent increase over the 2015 sales volume of 405,158 units.

Whether it is a quick escape to the renowned mountains of Baguio, a surfing adventure in La Union, a long drive to the historic Fort Ilocandia, or a mere stopover in Tagaytay, you will find a great road companion with Suzuki vehicles.

Petron Launches Lubricant Line for Extreme Conditions

It’s not just drivers that suffer because of Manila’s constant traffic; vehicles go through a lot of stress as well. Stop-and-go traffic coupled with extreme heat can cause premature wear-and-tear on your car’s vital components. The country’s largest oil refining and marketing company, Petron, wants to put a stop of that with the launch of their newest line of fluids and lubricants.

As this most significant motor car prepares to gracefully leave the stage, it is fitting that the final Phantom VII, a beautifully appointed extended wheelbase limousine, has been created to celebrate the golden age of travel that Phantom defined.

Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Registers 10th Consecutive Year of Growth

Capping off 2016 with yet another record-breaking sales of 61,400 units, Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) posted 13.5 percent growth in sales performance compared to its 54,087 units in 2015. This volume is the highest annual volume MMPC has ever attained. With this volume, MMPC was able to achieve its 10th consecutive year of annual sales growth. Meanwhile, the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) & Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) reported to have sold a total volume of 359,572 units in 2016, indicating a 24.6 percent growth from 2015. MMPC captured 17.1 percent market share of CAMPI and TMA’s total volume, securing the brand’s number 2 position in the local automotive industry.

Mazda2 Premium Series ambassador Gino M. Santos made a short film, entitled “Away” putting to screen his emotions about the zoom-zoom brand and how the right frame of mind can whisk us away from all the negativity. The 25-year old television and film director and producer has worked on many projects, but this is his first short film since his college days.

Hyundai Celebrates Valentine's With "MWAH" (Madly Wanting A Hyundai) Promo

Longing for a loyal and reliable companion? For the entire month of love, you can have your Hyundai romance with the MWAH (Madly Wanting a Hyundai) promo which offers low down deals on the hottest Hyundai cars.

Mercedes-Benz is shifting towards a more youthful market through its A180 Urban. The car is bringing a newfound flair of an order that can be rarely seen in a single generational change. At P 1,790,000 (or as low as P 17,900 monthly), it brings a sense of a well-priced premium vehicle given its curb appeal and cozy interior ambiance.

Most Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who have worked abroad for a long stretch want to go straight home from the airport. This was not the case for 40-year-old Renante Bendaña, a Sales Support Engineer with a steel construction company in Jeddah.

Within just three years of operations, Volkswagen Philippines broke through the 1,000-unit sales mark, registering 1,060 units sold from January to December 2016. This is a 76-percent increase over its 2015 sales, and making it the Philippines' number one European car brand in 2016.

Volvo Announces Addition of OTA Map Updates, Android Auto for 90 Series Cars

Volvo Cars, has announced several important updates to its 90 series cars, delivering new safety, powertrain and connectivity updates.

Philippine (Auto) Parts Maker Association, formerly known as the Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturers of the Philippines (MVPMAP), President Ferdinand Raquelsantos has issued statement that the two approved participants of the Philippine government’s CARS (Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy) program, Toyota and Mitsubishi, has ignored Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the awarding of suppliers for the Philippine manufactured Vios and Mirage/Mirage G4. Read the full statement below:

Ford Motor Company today announced overall 2016 retail sales for the ASEAN region rose more than 11 percent from the previous year to a record 115,979 vehicles, marking the fourth consecutive year of record sales in ASEAN.

Ah, the 2017 Civic. Honda is certainly putting a lot of attention back to the compact car segment because it’s a winner in every sense of the word. It’s sleek, well packaged, and ten times more thought of than the model it replaces. And while the vast majority of attention has been taken over by the RS Turbo, the base variant, the 1.8 E, deserves more likes, mentions, and shares. Why? Because it’s actually the better value of the two Civic variants.

Isuzu Philippines Launches 2017 D-Max X-Series (w/ 23 Photos)

Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) is injecting a youthful vibe to its best-selling D-Max pickup truck with the market launch of the 2017 D-Max X-Series. It transforms the tough for anything D-Max into a lifestyle vehicle fit for active and dynamic families.

Congress is About to Make Cars More Expensive For You

EDITOR’S NOTE (4): We simulate the prices of 42 vehicles under the final bicameral version of the TRAIN bill. Read it here. (12/14/2017).

EDITOR’S NOTE (3): The House of Representatives and Senate have agreed on a compromised version of the new vehicle excise tax which excludes pick-up trucks and EVs. See the story here (12/12/2017).

EDITOR’S NOTE (2): The senate just approved a new version of TRAIN that is friendlier to luxury vehicles. See the full story here. (11/28/2017).

EDITOR’S NOTE (1): A version of the bill has just passed the House Ways and Means Committee. You can check how it will affect vehicle prices here (5/8/2017).

Late last year, the Department of Finance looked at revising the excise tax on new vehicles initially as a means to curb Manila’s worsening problem. Then, they clarified it’s to increase tax collection. With the government bent on reducing personal income tax, they had to find alternative ways to fund government operations. This is especially true as the current administration is looking at spending big on infrastructure development, something that quite frankly, the previous administration didn’t do.

Chevrolet Philippines Launching 2017 Spark in March

With the market introduction of the value-oriented Sail sub-compact sedan last year, Chevrolet Philippines is bringing back the Spark as a lifestyle-oriented offering that will be packed with features inside and out. Expected to make its Philippine debut in March (perhaps by the Manila International Auto Show or MIAS), the Spark aims to bring fun and sophistication in a class otherwise known for barebones offerings.

Adventure Cycle Philippines, Inc. (ACPI) is ready to paint the Philippines orange with the kick off their KTM Orange Day Tour event.

Autostrada Motore, official importer of Ferrari and Maserati in the Philippines, delivers full service to its clients with the newly renovated service center located at 3904A Quingua Street, Makati City, just few minutes away from the BGC.

Ford Philippines Hits All-Time Sales Record in 2016

Ford Philippines announced its fourth consecutive year of record sales with 2016 retail sales rising 33 percent from the prior year to 33,688 vehicles, driven by continued strong demand for EcoSport, Everest, and Ranger.

Audi is celebrating a special milestone with the production of its 8 millionth vehicle equipped with quattro drive. Fittingly, the milestone car is a garnet red Audi Q5 2.0 TFSI quattro that rolled off the production line at the company’s new plant in San José Chiapa.

Porsche is expanding the 911 family with the introduction of the new GTS range. In fact, Porsche Philippines wasted no time and is already taking orders for the 911 GTS. As a refresher, the GTS sits atop the Carrera S and features more power and higher equipment levels than the Carrera S.

Experience Built Ford Tough at the Island Conquest Arena

Ford Philippines today announced its ‘Ford Island Conquest’ event at the Festival Supermall parking lot from January 27-29, with an all-in-one custom arena where customers can test drive Ford’s best-selling vehicles in one venue.

Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) is opening 2017 with the introduction of a 15-seater variant of its best-selling Grand Starex MPV. As a response to the fast-growing commuting needs of mobile Filipinos, the Grand Starex Super Express combines comfort and practicality in one easy-to-own package.

With the prevalence of aggressive motorists and erring traffic enforcers, it’s now essential to have a “third eye” constantly on the lookout for you. Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) or more commonly known as dash cams have now become a must-have car accessory. Considering this, opting for a dependable, full high-definition dash cam is the only way to go.

Give Free Uber Rides this Chinese New Year

This Chinese New Year, Uber is making ride sharing much easier. Starting today in the Philippines and across eight other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, Uber riders and driver-partners will be able to send free trips to family and friends wrapped inside a virtual Red Packet or ampao emblazoned with a customized greeting.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is issuing a statement in order to clarify confusion and misreporting that has arisen in certain media around the world, following recent statements issued by Rolls‑Royce plc.

After the countless teases, Ford has finally released solid performance numbers for its all-new Ford GT supercar. And yes, it’s faster than a McLaren 675LT and a Ferrari 458 Speciale.

Say it ain’t true, but if they are, you’re just staring at the all-new Mitsubishi Eclipse. Wait—isn’t the Eclipse supposed to be a sporty two-door coupe with a turbocharged 4G63 engine? Well, in 1990s yes. But this is 2017 and Mitsubishi’s about to slap on that nameplate on a…crossover.

Mazda’s global head of PR, Mr. Hidetoshi Kudo was recently in Manila to offer his support to Mazda Philippines (Bermaz Auto Philippines)’s efforts to grow the brand in both sales and recognition locally. Despite his busy schedule, including a fun-run with the Miata Club, he sat down with us to answer our questions. And true to his promise, nothing was off limits and nothing was answered with “no comment.”

Mitsubishi Philippines Introduces MIVEC Diesel-Equipped Strada GLS 2WD (w/ Brochure)

Already in our Monthly Car Price Guide earlier this month (in automatic guise at least), Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) is spearheading the shift to clean diesel technology with the launch of a new Strada pickup truck variant that comes equipped with the 4N15 MIVEC engine. Once exclusive to the top-of-the-line Strada GT and automatic equipped 2WD A/T variant, this engine is finally paired to a 2WD drivetrain and a manual gearbox.

In time for The Lego Batman Movie which shows on February 10 in the US (February 9 in the Philippines), Chevrolet along with students from Detroit’s Cody Rouge community, A World in Motion, and First Lego League unveiled a live-size Lego Batmobile made of more than 340,000 Lego bricks.

Mio, a subsidiary of MiTAC International Corp., officially introduces their latest MiVue series of dashboard cameras in the Philippines, featuring Super High Definition video recording quality and F1.8 (F2.0 in some models) aperture to provide clearer and wider-angle video while on the road. The latest Mio MiVue series consists of 3 premium dash cam models: Mio MiVue C320, 698, and 658 WiFi.

Go ahead and stare as hard as you can. No matter how good you are in playing “Spot the Difference”, you will never be able to tell the 2017 Vios and Yaris apart from their refreshed versions. Save for the now standard side skirt and rear lip spoiler on the Vios 1.5G (and some new colors), these two sub-compact cars look unchanged from the models Toyota Motor Philippines launched four years ago. Or are they? Pop the hood and you’ll see the words, “Dual VVT-i” embossed on the now silver-colored engine cover. This is where all that change is concentrated in and it makes a world of difference.

Get the Volvo XC60 and XC90 At Up to P 500,000 Off!

In celebration of the Chinese New Year, Volvo Philippines is giving up to P 500,000.00 discount on select XC60 and XC90 units on stock this month. This rare half-a-million offer is definitely a treat to Volvo aficionados who are interested in buying a Volvo XC60 or Volvo XC90 luxury SUV.

Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. welcomes the new year with Everybody Wins this 2017 Campaign for customers who will inquire, test drive, reserve and purchase a brand new Honda vehicle from now to January 31, 2017.

As the entire nation is reacting to the recklessness that caused grave injury (and according to some sources, fatalities) at the 12th BOSS Ironman Challenge this year, one question remains: just how fast is fast? This year, the organizers used a tracking chip/device to follow the progress of the participants. Though the live tracker is now offline (for obvious reasons), a source did reveal that the fastest two-wheeled finisher, a Ducati MultiStrada 1200 Enduro clocked an average speed of 115 km/h. Meanwhile, the fastest four-wheeled finisher is a Peugeot 208 GTi doing 89 km/h.

7 Reasons Why the Honda BR-V is Perfect for Road Trips

With over 2,100 reservations and 700 units already in the hands of owners, the BR-V is fast becoming one of Honda Cars Philippines’s best-selling models. Already making a name for itself by being the country’s most affordable 7-seater SUV (or crossover if you prefer), the BR-V has touted its young and sporty design, family-oriented features, and unparalleled utility.

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