The Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors, Inc. (AVID) announced its January to September sales record of 21,762 units, up by 20% from 18,086 units in the same period last year. Both the Passenger Car (PC) and Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) categories saw positive growth. In the same period, PC sales maintained a robust pace with 38% growth to 12,931 units sold as opposed to 9,343 units sold. Leading the pack of gainers for this period were British United Automobiles, Inc. (MINI), The Covenant Car Company, Inc. (Chevrolet) and Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc., posting 35%, 26%, and 15% growth respectively. Likewise, the LCV category saw a 1% rise to 8,831 units sold versus 8,743 units sold in the first nine months of 2011.
For the month of September, while total sales fell by 9% year-on-year on the back of supply setbacks in the PC category, LCV sales rose by 31% to 1,005 units sold from 770 units sold on strong consumer demand.

Korean culture is taking the entire world by storm. Everything from food to pop music to soap operas is enjoying tremendous success, catapulting them to mainstream culture. The latest one to cross the oceans from Seoul to the rest of the world is PSY and his addictive song, “Gangnam Style”.

Gangnam refers to a district in Seoul where people are generally considered trendy, hip, and classy. You can liken it to their version of Beverly Hills in the US or Bonifacio Global City here. Cool and chic as the people are from Gangnam though, they never proclaim that they are, hence the comedic value of the song. In that sense, the all-new 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe is a true citizen of Gangnam. It’s not a luxury pretender. It’s cool and classy, down to its diesel-fed soul.

So what's it like to drive an endurance race car on the streets? Let the guys at MotorHEAD and the legally-registered Porsche 962C in Japan show you how it's like. See the iconic Group C race car do the most mundane things like getting gas, buying something from the convenience store, and even a bit about its history. This is a perfect way to start the week!

BMW Philippines has announced the 2012 edition of its BMW Xpo event at the Bonifacio Global City from Friday, October 19 to Sunday, October 21. The 4-day event which culminates another successful year for the German luxury automaker (posting a 29 percent market share) will be held at 30th Street corner 9th Avenue.

The BMW Xpo this year will feature BMW Premium Selection Vehicles and Executive Vehicles (certified pre-owned and used cars) as well as special pricing packages for brand-new vehicles. Aside from BMW automobiles, BMW Motorrad motorcycles will also be on display and will also feature special prices during the weekend.

The BMW Xpo will also feature the BMW xDrive Ramp which is specifically designed to display the abilities of the brand's X Series and its xDrive all-wheel drive technology. Clients and guests will be able to experience it with the help of professional BMW drivers.

Sealing the deal with this new partnership is Viking Cars Incorporated First Executive Vice President, Miss Roselyn M. Dimalanta and Megaworld Corporation Division Head Mr. Kevin Tan. A chance to win a brand new Volvo S80 Executive Sedan or a Volvo C30 Sports Coupe awaits valued patrons of Megaworld Lifestyle Malls. From October 2012 to January 2013, customers automatically earn entries to the promo with a minimum spend of P2,000 in single or accumulated receipts in any Megaworld Lifestyle Mall establishment.

Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI), in partnership with Unionbank, launches the Honda Financing Option for its entire model line-up. With the Honda Financing Option, buying your Honda just became easier.

Unlike the financing schemes of other brands that offer huge discounts but eventually recover this through astronomical interest rate, the Honda Financing Option provides customers with true savings through low down payment and low interest rates.

In addition, City buyers who purchase through the Honda Financing Option get a free 1-year comprehensive Honda Insurance through Malayan or BPI/MS Insurance.

The Honda Financing Option is offered until October 31, 2012 only. For more information, customers can visit any of the 28 Honda authorized dealerships or UnionBank branches nationwide or log on to www.hondaphil.com

Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) wrapped up the third quarter with overall sales rising to 15%. The company registered a total of 17,156 units sold from January to September this year as opposed to the 14,883 units sold in the same period last year. The positive performance is due to Hyundai’s impressive sales of Passenger Car (PC) models which grew by 48% to 10,652 units sold for the first three quarters of this year versus the 7,217 units sold in the same period last year. Sales gains of the PC segment were attributed to the Accent, Elantra, i10 and the newly launched Eon respectively.

Meanwhile, September this year saw the Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) segment bounce back with an 11% rise to 709 units sold, compared to the 636 units sold in the same month last year. This improvement is due to initial sales of the all-new Santa Fe. However, global supply limitations affected Passenger Car (PC) sales, resulting in an overall 12% year-on-year drop in September sales.

Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation has announced that it will voluntarily recall 22,000 units of vehicles sold between 2006-2010 over fire risk coming from faulty power windows.

In a report from InterAksyon says Rommel Gutierrez, TMPC vice-president said that the recall covers the Camry, Corolla Altis, RAV4, Vios, and Yaris models manufactured in Japan and Thailand.

Gutierrez will start identifying the affected vehicles and will notify owners through mail.

This recall is part of the larger 7.43-million vehicle recall that Toyota is doing worldwide. It's the largest recall of vehicles since Ford in 1996.

Source: InterAkyson

UPDATE: Here's the official statement from Toyota Motor Philippines

“In line with our commitment to produce safety and quality, Toyota has initiated a Special Service Campaign (SSC) for Camry (except Camry 3.5Q), Corolla, RAV4, Vios and Yaris models produced from 2006 to 2010. For the affected vehicles, the sliding electrical contact point in the driver’s side Power Window Master Switch may experience a “notchy” or sticking feeling during operation which causes the button to get stuck. If vehicles are serviced in non-Toyota dealer and commercially available lubricant is used, melting of the switch assembly may occur. As a preventive measure, we will inspect the Power Window Master Switch and apply specialized grease or replace specific component if deemed necessary, at no cost to the customer. This program will be offered at all Toyota dealers only.” – Atty. Rommel Gutierrez, VP Corporate Affairs, Toyota Motor Philippines.

If you have been experiencing any of these inconveniences with the Power Window Master Switch, please contact your nearest Toyota dealer to schedule your appointment.

For more information, please contact the TOYOTA CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER (CAC) at (02) 819-2912 or email: customerassistance@toyota.com.ph. 

HARI Foundation, Inc., (HFI) the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of Hyundai Asia Resources, Incorporated (HARI), official distributor of Hyundai in the Philippines, and Gawad Kalinga (GK) held a ground breaking ceremony of the Hyundai Center for Green Innovation (HCGI) at the Enchanted Farm of the GK Center for Social Innovation (GK-CSI) in Barangay Encanto, Angat, Bulacan. 

Ford Philippines today reported its best monthly performance of the year, with September retail sales jumped 68 percent from the previous month to 964 units – representing one of the company’s all-time highest sales months in the Philippines.

September sales were given an extra boost with the first full month of availability for all four newly launched Ford vehicles in the Philippines, including the all-new Ranger, the all-new Explorer with EcoBoost, all-new Focus and the iconic Mustang sports car.

Photos by Ulysses Ang

Pick-up trucks, by nature, serve a single purpose: they’re workhorses. They’re the modern day equivalent of “beasts of burden”—rarely beautiful, but highly prized for their durability and dependability. But as consumers are introduced to much more sophisticated fare, how can this lowly beast of burden remain true to its humble origin, and yet, serve its new, pickier generation of masters?

This is the world's lowest car (or Lowest Roadworthy Car in the World to be specific) according to the 2013 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records. Constructed by students and teachers at the Okayama Sanyo High School in Asakuchi, Japan this single-seater car stands at just 452 mm. The Mirai, as this car is called is powered by a battery.

Don't be deceived by the looks though, this car can actually navigate through parking ramps and even has a complete set of headlights, tail lamps, and signal lights!

Foton, exclusively distributed by United Asia Automotive Group, Incorporated is holding its annual sales event—Foton’s The Big Show 2012, at Main Hall A, The World Trade Center, Pasay City on Friday, October 19 to Sunday, October 21. Not only will Foton showcase its entire line-up of commercial vehicles from pick-ups to light-duty trucks to heavy equipment, but it’s also the best time for entrepreneurs, business-minded individuals, and companies to own a brand-new Foton through a variety of promotions exclusively available at Foton’s The Big Show.

Here's the October 2012 Philippine Car Price Guide. The year's winding down, but new model launches and price adjustments are still picking up. If you're thinking of getting a car before the year ends, this is your best guide!

In this update, we've included several new cars as well as updated some models including:

• BMW 640i Gran Coupe
• Chevrolet Sonic 5DR
• Chevrolet Trailblazer
• Ford Fiesta (price increase)
• Foton MP-X 12-seater
• Foton Thunder (new variant + price increase)
• Hyundai Santa Fe
• Isuzu D-MAX (price increase)
• Kia Sportage CRDi
• Subaru BRZ
• Subaru WRX STI 4DR A/T
• Suzuki Celerio (price increase)
• Toyota Alphard (price increase)
• Toyota Corolla Altis (price increase)
• Toyota Vios 1.3 J (price increase)

Chinese girl stuck in the middle of Kansas? Why hitch with some biker guys when you can always take the Foton Tunland (Thunder in the Philippines) all the way to Beijing...the Pacific Ocean be damned! This ad should make the start of your week a little bit funnier.

Recently, POPULAR MECHANICS named The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company as a 2012 Breakthrough Award winner for their Air Maintenance Technology (AMT). The POPULAR MECHANICS Breakthrough Awards, now in their eighth year, recognize the innovators and products that have dramatically advanced the fields of technology, medicine, space exploration, automotive design, environmental engineering and more.

Goodyear and other winners were honored at an invitation-only conference and gala awards ceremony in New York City on October 4, and in the November issue of POPULAR MECHANICS, available on newsstands October 16. 

Here's exciting news for motorists! SEAOIL customers can avail of a PHP 2.00 discount per liter on Extreme 97, through the SEAOIL "Team Extreme" promo.

To join, a customer first needs to get a "Team Extreme Card" at any SEAOIL station in Metro Manila, fill out the card, and instantly avail of a PHP 2.00 discount per liter on Extreme 97. He/She can then choose to enter the card in the single entry raffle for a chance to win PHP 5,000.00 worth of SEAOIL gift certificates and a SEAOIL Extreme 97 jacket. Or he/she may pass the card on to two friends who can each avail of the PHP 2.00 discount per liter on Extreme 97, before entering the card in the triple entry raffle, where each team member can win PHP 10,000.00 worth of SEAOIL gift certificates and a SEAOIL Extreme 97 jacket. The promo will be available only in Metro Manila and will run until October 15, 2012.

Inspite of the morning downpour on September 30, hundreds of motorcycle riders belonging to several Caloocan clubs trooped down to Barangay Bagumbong to join Safe T Ryders’ 5th Club Meet Up.

The 5th edition was hosted and organized by BRAD Riders Club led by Jonell Miguel (nickname Migs) and Barangay Kagawad Atty. Joel Clamor.   “With the growing number of motorcycles riders in our area, we are honoured to welcome the road safety team of Safe T Ryders for an afternoon of learning safety tips,” said Atty. Clamor.

The Toyota Caravan is back and it’s the best time to buy a Toyota! The Toyota Caravan will be held from Oct.5-12, 2012 at the 34th St. Cor. 9th Ave (Beside Mercato, near the Lexus Manila showroom) Bonifacio Global City Taguig. Get a chance to avail discounts as much as P280,000 that can be added over and above our on going monthly sales promotions!

With car enthusiasts and media in attendance, Jaguar Cars Philippines launched the new XKR-S at the Opus Restaurant in Resorts World Manila, Pasay City last week. The XKR-S is the fastest production sports car the British brand has ever made, and makes it part of the exclusive 300 km/h club.

Jaguar Cars Philippines recently launches the XKR-S. Find out more about the all-new Jaguar sports car by watching the video.

Backed by ton bands and athletes such as Formula One driver Michael Schumacher, Moto GP World Champion Valentino Rossi, Drifting Professional Vaughn Gittin Jr., and Gymkhana legend Ken Block, Monster Energy is finally in the Philippines.

Launched in stunning Rebel Blue, the new Volvo V40 R-Design is a perfect match for those who want a head-turner that radiates a truly stylish and dynamic look. The visual promise of a life in the fast lane is confirmed by the driver-centric interior and an intense, agile driving experience with performance up to 254 horsepower.

"The V40 R-Design is designed around the performance-minded individual with a passion for those things that add extra spice to life. The meticulous attention to detail covers the expressive design as well as the agile, precise performance," says Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President Product Strategy & Vehicle Line Management at Volvo Car Corporation.

Jakarta, Indonesia—Motor Image Pilipinas has taken the local market by storm since it opened its first showroom in 2006. Through their efforts, they have single-handedly raised Subaru as one of the most sought after and prestigious car brands in the country. Six years on, there are no signs of slowing down as Motor Image Pilipinas announced future plans at the recently concluded Indonesia International Motor Show (IIMS) in Jakarta.