It just piques your interest when you receive an invitation from Ford labeled ‘Top Secret’; after all, it always implies something exciting. So with the giddiness of a 10-year old kid, I clicked ‘open’ and lo and behold: it’s an invitation to race—to race for 12 non-stop hours behind the wheel of a Ford Focus TDCi. With thoughts of the glitz and glamour of the 24 Heures du Mans (‘24 Hours of Le Mans’ for the non-French speakers out there), I immediately did my best impression of Steve McQueen, replied yes and encircled my June 4-5 with a big, bright red circle.

The tides certainly have turned—it’s this singular thought that raced in my mind after turning on the TV.  A few seconds of a generic daytime soap turned into a bombardment of ads; after all, what would you expect from the land of consumerism?  The ads for Cialis and Robitussin were easy to ignore, but the ones from Ford weren’t.  It’s the sort of car ad I wasn’t accustomed to: quoting gasoline mileage and maintenance cost over horsepower and torque.  The US financial meltdown was certainly a factor, but moreover, it’s the overall change in corporate social responsibility that’s fueling this newfound green initiative.  And car companies like Ford are taking the lead.

Christmas is the season for giving and receiving gifts. And as much as we love receiving gifts we’ve dreamed about all year, harsh reality sets in and there’s bound to be some duds along the way; especially when the giver buys the intended gift at the last minute. So, to all gift givers out there, before you head over to the automotive section of your neighborhood department store, read this carefully. Here are just some stocking stuffers you should probably avoid giving to your special someone as he or she probably won’t appreciate the five minutes of effort you put into it.

Remember that memorable diner scene in When Harry Met Sally--the one where Meg Ryan had a fully-clothed orgasm? I had the very same experience with the all-new Ford Ranger as we traversed through the roads of Northern Thailand; and while Ryan's character faked her's, mine was all real. The moment I stepped into the Ranger's cabin, I just couldn't stop grinning ear-to-ear and that smile stuck on like the Joker's all the way throughout the drive. Mind you, I'm not the sort of guy that likes pick-ups, but this one truly blows me away. It's that good.

The Chevrolet Optra is the automotive equivalent of cheap chocolate—it’s sweet at the beginning but leaves a bitter, cough syrup-like aftertaste. In an odd marketing twist, Filipinos bought the Optra in droves, perhaps driven by curiosity over the Chevrolet brand and the affordable price tag. Well, in the end you only get what you paid for and soon there were countless people who complained about the Optra’s propensity to be lackluster. You name it, it didn’t do it well. Soon, interest waned and the Optra was lost in the bowels of automotive dullness. Thank god.

Large diameter wheels and low profile tires are everywhere now from car show rooms, motor shows and even the race track. So whether the vehicle came from the assembly line or was upgraded after it was delivered, Plus Sizing probably played a role in its tire size choice. Plus Sizing allows tires and wheels to make a statement while providing functional improvement.

We car journalists are a spoiled bunch. We’ve been through countless track exercises both in the Philippines and abroad which are supposedly meant to test the car’s abilities. The problem is, most of the time, they’re meh. They’re designed to keep the cars safe more than anything else. So after a while, these things get boring. And tedious. And repetitious. So it’s not hard to imagine what happens when you receive yet another driving experience event invitation. Granted it’s from Mercedes-Benz, the idea of babying multi-million peso cars through a snoozer of a course isn’t exactly something to look forward to. Plus, the drive to Subic and the cost of toll and fuel means it won’t come cheap. But here we are at the sprawling Subic International Airport, having dragged ourselves from bed just three hours ago. Are we ready to sleep again, but this time behind the wheel?

Whether you plan on visiting your mother-in-law in Bicol or simply want to have some R&R in Baguio, your car needs to be up to the task. Imagine what would happen if it wasn’t. Likely, you’ll find yourself stuck by the side of a deserted road; or worse, be towed away by the highway patrol. Imagine the stress, helplessness and agony.

You have to take matters into your own hands. If you’re planning on taking a road trip this Christmas season, make sure you provide your car with some basic maintenance.

The year-end typically means slower days (or even weeks) as businesses wind down and prepare to close their books on yet another year. Well, that’s not the case with CATS Motors, Inc., the official distributor of Mercedes-Benz vehicles in the Philippines, as they launched a brand-new portfolio in their business: premium-class trucks.

Close your eyes for a minute and imagine these in an automobile: a longitudinally-mounted four-cylinder engine, rear wheel drive, 17-inch alloys and vented disc brakes all around. These ingredients can certainly pass as the prerequisites for a sports car, but believe it or not, this is the same stuff found in the Suzuki Grand Vitara. But before you start thinking of doing drift moves with the Grand Vitara, it’s not meant to be pummeled on the race track. It’s designed and engineered to be comfortable and competent for the everyday drive; traits which are much more important than lap times.

The Suzuki Grand Vitara has gone through numerous nips and tucks since its 2005 introduction. When compact SUVs with six-cylinder engines were the ‘in-thing’, Suzuki plopped in a 2.7-liter V6 and then a 3.2-liter unit under the hood. Cool as these engines maybe, with the gasoline prices at astronomical levels, Suzuki dropped these gasoline hungry engines for something that can deliver more km/Ls: a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. What’s more, they shunned the all-wheel drive configuration and went for the really basic stuff: two-wheel drive. In short, the Grand Vitara has successfully transformed itself from something quirky to something much more mainstream.

I’ve always wanted to try the 6-cylinder Grand Vitara, so forgive me for my lack of enthusiasm with the 4-cylinder model. I understand that the move was needed in these fuel conscious times, but 166 horsepower certainly pales in comparison to 230 horsepower. Still, I have to admit, I was quite satisfied at how the 2.4-liter unit performed. It does a good job of hauling the Grand Vitara’s 1,620-kilogram frame. It’s responsive from the get-go, plus it’s quick witted enough for those overtaking maneuvers. That said, the engine is somewhat vocal and throaty as the revs build up and the automatic gearbox can get confused if you’re switching from ‘docile’ to ‘aggressive’ driving. And the lack of a fifth gear (the Grand Vitara’s gearbox is only a 4-speed unit) means it starts to lose steam once it reaches triple digit speeds. Fortunately, the Grand Vitara comes with a ‘Power’ mode which keeps the revs higher and dents its fuel economy figures. During my drive in the city, the Grand Vitara averaged about 6.7 km/L with the ‘Power’ mode on, 7.3 km/L with it off. Those figures are comparable to the likes of the Ford Escape (6.9 km/L), Toyota RAV4 (7.2 km/L), but are paltry compared to the Honda CR-V (12.07 km/L) and Hyundai Tucson (8.3 km/L).

The merely competent drivetrain is mated perhaps to one of the Grand Vitara’s bright spots: the chassis.  Despite the chiseled appearance, the Grand Vitara actually uses technology similar to those found in Land Rovers.  The old ladder-on-frame layout is gone, and in its place is a unique uni-body with a built-in frame chassis.  Theoretically, this set-up reduces weight while maintaining the toughness of a ladder-on-frame set-up.  Though I had no way to test chassis flex, it had the excellent ability to absorb the sharpest of road ruts. It can ride through the deepest of Manila’s potholes with the poise and comfort for a mid-sized or full-sized SUV. Almost nothing can unsettle this car and its occupants. The overall ride’s on the stiff side and passengers may complain of some jitteriness at low speeds, but it’s not discontenting.