Photo Courtesy of Ford Press

Ford Motor Company today celebrates the company's 350 millionth vehicle – a Ford Focus, which is the world's best-selling car for the first half of 2012.

Ford is celebrating the production milestone at its newest global manufacturing facility located in Rayong, Thailand, approximately 200 kilometers (120 miles) southeast of Bangkok. Ford Thailand Manufacturing (FTM) plant is a $450 million facility, opened in May to produce the new Focus, which also is built in four other countries. FTM represents the latest in Ford's global manufacturing capabilities, with new stamping presses, flexible body shops and robotic capabilities that enable it to produce up to six different vehicles simultaneously.

Photo courtesy of Toyota Press

The biggest complaint when the revised Toyota Hilux and Fortuner came out was that the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder turbo models (2.5 G) was still rocking the old 102 horsepower engine. This certainly pales in comparison to its chief rivals from Mitsubishi.

Well, all that's about to change.

Photo Courtesy of Mazda Press

After months of teasing, Mazda has finally taken the covers off the all-new Mazda6 executive sedan at its worldwide premiere at the Moscow International Automobile Salon last August 31.

From a glance, it's clear that the all-new Mazda6 isn't your regular mid-size sedan. It's the first passenger car to take on the design cues of the Mazda TAKERI concept car. Upfront, it incorporates the "signature wing" facia along with a strong hood crease and flowing body lines that expresses motion even when standing perfectly still. The Mazda6 is also the first car from the car company to have LED and "halo ring light guides".

Photo Courtesy of Mitsubishi Press

The recent 4th CAMPI Philippine International Motor Show showcased Mitsubishi Motors Philippines’ soon to be launched entry in the very competitive sub-compact passenger car segment, the stylish and eco-friendly all new Mitsubishi Mirage.   The all new Mirage features excellent fuel economy, very environment friendly with very low carbon emission, optimized equipment for exceptional value and most of all its fun and easy to drive. 

Ford Philippines joins the crusade for breast cancer awareness as it recently partnered with Avon for its 2012 Kiss Goodbye to Breast Cancer (KGBC) campaign.

Ford will showcase an exclusive pink-stickered all-new Ford Fiesta Sport Plus hatchback which will be used as the official vehicle for the KGBC campaign themed “Let’s Walk the Talk.”

KGBC’s 2012 series takes Avon’s call to action a step further by inviting Filipinos to come face to face with breast cancer and deepen their involvement in the cause. Actress Sarah Lahbati, Avon KGBC ambassador will use the pink Ford Fiesta in events tied to the campaign and during its culminating activity on October 21.

“We are proud to partner with Avon in this worthy advocacy. The Ford Fiesta is the perfect car to represent our commitment to raising the awareness for breast cancer as it proves to be a popular choice of vehicle among our lady drivers,” said Anika Salceda-Wycoco, AVP for communications, Ford Philippines.

Catch the pink Ford Fiesta at Avon’s various events which will culminate in the annual Walk and Run Event on October 21 at the SM Mall of Asia Open Grounds.

To know more, log on to www.facebook.com/fordfiestaphilippines

Photo Courtesy of Volvo Press

Volvo means, “I roll” in Latin and roll it does as a new trade partner in the Visayas region signed on to deliver the dynamic range of Volvo cars in Bacolod, Iloilo and nearby provinces.

Distributed by its local partner Grandcars, Incorporated, Volvo Iloilo and Bacolod are now open to serve loyal Volvo enthusiasts with its trademark quality and customer care. “It is with much pride and pleasure that we have officially rolled onto Bacolod and Iloilo roads. We promise to continue our dedication to providing world-class Volvo vehicles coupled by quality customer service to the eager Visayan market”, quips Roselyn Dimalanta, 1st Executive Vice President of Volvo Philippines.

Motor Image Pilipinas anticipated endurance competition, the Subaru Impreza Challenge on September 8, 2012 at the Bonifacio High Street, Activity Area, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. The Subaru Impreza Challenge is an endurance competition requiring participants to place their palm on a specific area on the car. The last person standing wins the competition and gets a chance to compete for the ultimate prize of a brand-new Subaru Impreza worth P1.158 million.

Photo by Lazlo Trinidad

Round 2, “Drift for a Cause” was a successful event helping our brothers and sister who were victimized by the recent Habagat storm. A lot of the drifters showed up not just to put on a good show but also to help out in raising funds and donations. Each driver who donated Php 500 was entitled for a match by Lateral Drift Productions, plus the other donations made by others. Drift for a cause will continue to accept donations until Round 3 on September 8 at Quirino Grandstand and Round 4 at September 28 at Marikina City Hall.

Photo Courtesy of Hyundai Press

Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) and Genesis Coupe Club Philippines (GCCP) celebrated the club’s third year anniversary with a Fun Run, the second one to be jointly organized by HARI and GCCP. Last August 26, thirty club members, headed by GCCP President Henrich Angderson and Vice President Tony Lombardo, took their Hyundai Genesis Coupes for a joyride to Subic. The group stopped over at Home Depot in San Fernando, Pampanga for a photo shoot plus a surprise demo drift by custom car wiz, Atoy Llave on his own custom-built Genesis Coupe.

Mitsubishi Motors Phils. Corp. (MMPC) started the second half of the year with an impressive double-digit growth of 15.7%. MMPC was able to sell a total of 3,275 units for the month of July as compared to 2,830 units sold in June.  MMPC also posted significant increases in several industry categories.  With the launch of the Lancer EX 1.6 MIVEC in July, sales in the compact car segment dramatically increased by 397.4%.  Sales for the compact car category reached 189 units which is so far the highest monthly sales since January of this year. The Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV) also recorded an increase of 10.2% equating to a total of 3,021 units. Pajero sales also increased by 56.5%.  Sales for Strada which is one of MMPC’s best-selling models also improved by 26.8%. 

Accordingly the sales of the locally produced Adventure and L300 models are very well sustained.  Adventure sales increased by 23.3% with sales of 576 units.

Photo Courtesy of Porsche Press

Porsche Center Philippines held it’s commencement exercises last August 18, 2012 for  the 7th batch of Scholars who graduated from the Porsche Training and Recruitment Center Asia (PTRCA).    

A group of 16 scholars from the Don Bosco Technical Institute  completed the training program which now certifies these graduates to be Porsche Mechatronics. These young underprivileged Filipino youths now faces a bright future of being employed at several Porsche dealerships abroad.  Thus fulfilling the mission of this unique program of helping these youths and their families look forward to a better life.

Photo courtesy of Volvo Press

Fredrik Ekblom and Thed Björk secured a double victory for Volvo Polestar Racing in the fifth TTA – Racing Elite League race of 2012 at Karlskoga, a race which proved to be extremely eventful.

Last Saturday, the Touring Car Team Association Elite Racing Series visited Karlskoga for the fifth race of the season and it turned in to a great day for all Volvo Polestar fans. If the first half of the season mostly displayed clean and tactical driving, this was nowhere to be found where the second half of the season kicked off. On top of that, shifting weather conditions made both the qualifying and the race even more eventful.

Photo by Ulysses Ang

After an 8-day break, we're back from the USA! Of course, there's a ton of news we have to sort out for you, but in the mean time, sit back and admire what we've done there. That's right...we took a Ford Focus Titanium (our Sport+) and took it on an amazing 1,680 kilometer drive around California. Here, we're taking a break midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

As always, our Photo Break photos are all high-resolution and applicable for wallpaper use. This one has a size of 1280 x 853 pixels. Our more in-depth drive of the Focus will be available in the coming weeks so stay tuned.

Photos by Ulysses Ang

Ford Philippines continues its successful partnership with leading radio network, 99.5RT as the all-new Ford Focus is set to hit the streets of Manila with the coolest team of radio jocks.

The partnership with Ford Philippines and 99.5RT showcases a stickered all-new Focus 5-door hatchback to be used by the Awesome crew of 99.5RT as their official vehicle for Ford Philippines’ Start it. Share it. Win it. campaign – an interactive and unprecedented launch campaign for the all-new Ford Focus designed to engage Filipino consumers with real-life ‘smart-demos’ from weekend events spanning August 3 to September 16. Participants will be asked to ‘Start it. Share it. Win it’ – meaning to start the all-new Focus and experience the smart technologies, share it with their friends via Twitter and Facebook, and become eligible to win the all-new Ford Focus Titanium+.

Hyundai Sand.Sea.Sky. is calling all young, outspoken, and aspiring non-professional filmmakers to join the Hyundai Short F.I.L.M. (Film, Innovation, Life and Motion) filmmaking competition by submitting their 15-second video entries with the theme: “What Makes You Brilliant?”. Participants can get a chance to interact with internationally renowned and multi-awarded filmmaker Brilliante Mendoza, produce their own short film to be shown on the big screen, and win cash prizes. 

Mazda recently introduced the all-new Mazda BT-50 compact pick-up truck in the Philippines, providing customers total truck utility combined with the style and comfort of a premium passenger car. 

The all-new Mazda BT-50 is available in three variants: the 2.2L Mazda BT-50 4x2 with manual transmission priced at PhP 1,300,000 while the automatic transmission is at PhP 1,350,000; the 3.2L Mazda BT-50 4x4 with automatic transmission is priced at PhP 1,490,000.

Volvo Philippines makes it easier to own a brand new Volvo through its Buckle Up Ownership Packages. Running until September 30, 2012, Volvo enthusiasts can drive home a new car for as low as 20 down payment at 0% interest and payable up to 60 months.

This exciting ownership offer is made available for the Volvo XC60 and XC90 AWD SUV. With high ground clearance, amazing crossover capability, clever design and world-class safety, these SUVs offer the best mix of comfortable city driving and rugged outdoor escapades. A selection of ownership packages is also available for other models. Whether it is the nimble C30 Sports Coupe, the range of fuel-efficient S60 Sports Sedans or the versatile V60 Sportswagon, each Volvo is assured to deliver dynamic performance because each car is designed around you.

The all-new Ford Ranger has proven itself a leader in fuel economy in the Philippines after traveling 1,623 kilometers on a single tank of fuel – averaging an incredible 19.44 Km/L over the entire journey between Manila, Subic, Clark and Tarlac City.

The all-new Ford Ranger was recently put to the test to demonstrate Ford’s commitment to delivering class-leading fuel economy in every vehicle segment in which the company competes – and once again, the company delivered.

The 2012 Volvo S60 earned a top rating of "good" in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) new small overlap frontal crash test, making it the highest-rated European luxury vehicle among those tested. The Volvo S60 was rated higher than the Infiniti G, BMW 3 Series, Acura TSX, Audi A4, Mercedes C-Class and the Lexus IS 250 / 350. The Acura TL was the only other vehicle to earn a "good" rating. 

"When we decided to build a world-class sports sedan we made sure it was a great Volvo first and foremost," said John Maloney, president and CEO of Volvo Cars of North America. "We set the benchmark on safety, and we continue to lead the crowd."

The Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors (AVID) kicks off the third quarter with a 27% rise to 18,017 units from 14,195 units sold in the same period last year. This compares with the overall industry growth of 11%.  In the same period, the Passenger Car (PC) segment boosted overall sales which grew by 52% to 10,906 units from 7,180 units sold last year.

Strong sales of British United Automobiles, Inc., The Covenant Car Company, Inc. (TCCCI), and Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) increased total sales of AVID for the said period.

July alone registered a growth of 19% in aggregate sales of PCs and LCVs to 2,218 units from 1,871 units sold in the same month last year.

Photos by Ulysses Ang

Photo by Ulysses Ang

Universal Motors Corporation (UMC) is finally showing some new stuff at the 4th Philippine International Motor Show.

Headlining everything is the preview of the new Juke compact crossover. Although UMC has yet to decide whether or not the Juke will indeed be sold locally, UMC did release this statement:

"Rest assured that UMC will do its best to give the Philippine market the vehicles they want and aspire for."

So while things are sounding vague at the moment, the Juke is indeed at the Nissan UMC booth at PIMS. Aside from the Juke, UMC is also showcasing Navara pick-ups and Patrol Super Safaris decked in special wraps and large alloy wheels.

Mitsubishi Motors Philippines is showcasing a total of 8 cars at the 4th Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS), with two of them upcoming models intended for sale soon. At their stand, Mitsubishi is showing off:

1. Mirage
2. Outlander
3. 1987-1989 Galant VR4 Rally Car
4. Lancer EX 1.6
5. ASX
6. Pajero
7. Montero Sport
8. Strada

Of course, the biggest news is the sneak peek of the Mirage and the Outlander. It's understood that the former is expected to be released this November, while the latter will be "really soon".

Photo by Ulysses Ang

Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation (TMP) joins the 4th Philippine International Motorshow (PIMS) organized by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) with a “Fun to Drive” theme.  The 380-square meter TMP booth will feature the new 86 TRD, all-new Camry, Innova and Fortuner TRD.  TMP has also launched the 86 Aero variant and the limited edition Vios TRD at the said event.  The 4th PIMS will be held from August 16 to 19, 2012 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.

Now on its fourth year, the PIMS, shall showcase a host of new products under the theme “Drive the Fun.”  As the country’s biggest automotive company, Toyota, for its part, will make its booth spectacular by showcasing exciting sportier products.

According to TMP President Mr. Michinobu Sugata, “Today we have shown you a glimpse of Toyota’s new direction. Ladies and gentlemen, this is only the beginning. We at Toyota are proud to bring you even more exciting vehicles in the future.”

The 4th Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS) is proving to be an excellent venue to showcase the strength and the optimism presently experienced by the country’s automotive industry. Organized by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers in the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI), the biannual PIMS runs from August 16 to 19, 2012, at the World Trade Exhibition Center, Pasay City, Metro Manila.

PIMS is also serving as a spectacular way for Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) to display its product range as the company’s vehicles take to the show’s spotlight. Lined up at Isuzu’s booth are six models: the 2013 Sportivo X, the  Crosswind XS, the 2012 D-MAX Boondock 4x4 Special Edition, the 2012 D-MAX LS 4x2 Special Edition, the NHR cab with Flexi Truck body option, and the 2013 Alterra Urban Cruiser X.

Photo by Ulysses Ang

Suzuki Philippines, Inc. previewed the Swift Sport through the concept that inspired it: the Swift S-Concept.

Launched at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, the Swift S-Concept is powered by a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission.

Visually, the Swift S-Concept features a Kizashi-inspired plunging black grille, brushed metallic bumper inserts and "claws" around the fog lamps, red Brembo brakes peeing behind the 18-inch alloy wheels. The look is completed with the large roof-mounted rear wing, rear diffuser with twin exhaust pipes, and smoke tints on the headlights and tailights.

Inside, the Swift S-Concept sports black-and-yellow Recaro sport seats, a leather steering wheel, metallic pedals, and piano black accents on the dashboard.

Photo by Ulysses Ang

CATS Motors, Inc., the distributor of Mercedes-Benz passenger cars and trucks in the Philippines showcased the third-generation Mercedes-Benz M-Class at the Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS). The all-new M-Class features an AMG Sport kit equipped. Under the hood is a 3.0-liter V6 diesel engine (ML 350 BlueTEC) good for 260 horsepower and 620 Nm of torque. This is then equipped to a 7-speed automatic.

The new Mercedes-Benz M-Class is showcased with the rest of the Mercedes-Benz SUV line-up including the iconic G-Class at the Mercedes-Benz booth at PIMS.