March 1, 2013
Late Breaking: Motor Image announces all-new Subaru Forester pricing
Bali, Indonesia—Motor Image Pilipinas has just announced the pricing of the all-new Subaru Forester for the Philippine market. It will arrive in two variants: 2.0 i-L and 2.0 XT. The entry-level model will be priced at P 1.398M and the turbo variant will be pegged at P 1.868M. It will be launched at the 2013 Manila International Auto Show running from April 4-7. Meanwhile, the XV will slash its pricing to P 1.298M for the 2.0i. The 2.0 i-Premium will still be at P 1.478M but will have leather seats as standard equipment. More details soon.
Vent It Out Friday: These Bumpers Don't Work
Modern car bumpers are, in the majority of cases, beautiful but utterly useless. They just don’t work. From experience, it often takes huge amounts of money to repair damage from fairly minor accidents—sometimes requiring a replacement—from a relatively minor shunt. And that’s the fundamental problem: modern car bumpers are designed to break.
But before heading there, it’s a good idea to qualify first on how bumpers should work. Basically, a car bumper should be that part of a car that satisfies a simple criterion: it should be able to take some, without you giving any. The ideal car bumper should allow you to crash into another car or object, stationary or moving, at speeds below 8 km/h with zero visible damage. A good bumper design should provide the driver with a sort of buffer zone where small errors in judgment can be absorbed and forgotten. Of course, the modern bumper fails at doing this. However, there was a time when bumpers were able to achieve this ideal, but sacrifices had to be made in one area: aesthetics.
But before heading there, it’s a good idea to qualify first on how bumpers should work. Basically, a car bumper should be that part of a car that satisfies a simple criterion: it should be able to take some, without you giving any. The ideal car bumper should allow you to crash into another car or object, stationary or moving, at speeds below 8 km/h with zero visible damage. A good bumper design should provide the driver with a sort of buffer zone where small errors in judgment can be absorbed and forgotten. Of course, the modern bumper fails at doing this. However, there was a time when bumpers were able to achieve this ideal, but sacrifices had to be made in one area: aesthetics.
February 27, 2013
ACC Seals Partnership to Build BMW Flagship in PHL
Asian Carmakers Corporation (ACC), the official importer and distributor of BMW vehicles in the Philippines, has officially formalized its partnership with the Armed Forces & Police Mutual Benefit Association, Inc. (AFPMBAI) for the long-term lease of an AFPMBAI property located in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. The lot will be the future site of the BMW Flagship Dealership, envisioned to be the largest and most modern BMW showroom in the country. The deal, amounting to over Php 1Billion, was made official through a MOA signing ceremony between Mr. Jose Ch. Alvarez, Chairman of ACC, and Brigadier General Ricardo C. Morales, President & CEO of AFPMBAI.
Volvo Cars Asia-Pacific Heads Visit Volvo PH
Volvo Philippines’ optimism for 2013 is made even brighter as Volvo Cars Asia Pacific (VCAP) top executives visited the country recently. VCAP President, Mr. Carl Goran Larsson, VCAP Chief Finance Officer Miss Roslin Ooi, and VCAP Regional Business Manager Ai Phing Teh expressed their continued support for Volvo Philippines and its programs to push the Scandinavian luxury brand in the local market.
February 26, 2013
Review: 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 V6
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| Photos by Ulysses Ang |
February 25, 2013
All-New Bentley Flying Spur to Debut in Geneva
Bentley establishes a new luxury performance sedan benchmark with the launch of the new Flying Spur. With its unrivaled blend of effortless driveability, exquisite luxury and craftsmanship, sculpted design and state-of-the-art technology, the new Flying Spur takes the worldwide success of its iconic predecessor further. Bentley’s most powerful four-door model ever makes its global debut at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show on 5th March.
UPS Joins as Ferrari F1 Sponsor
UPS recently announced the expansion of its sponsorships in motorsports by entering Formula 1® racing through a multi-year sponsorship of Scuderia Ferrari. The alliance was announced today in Barcelona, Spain and featured Scuderia Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso, shortly before the Spaniard took the track for the first time in the team’s 2013 F138 race car bearing the UPS shield.
MIT Technology Review Names Audi as 50 Most Innovative Companies in the World
Every year the editors of the “MIT Technology Review” look for companies all over the world that have announced groundbreaking technologies. This year the jury put Audi on the list of “50 Disruptive Companies” in recognition of the piloted driving project it presented at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Detroit.
February 22, 2013
Berjaya Auto Philippines Introduces Mazda YOJIN3
Berjaya Auto Philippines, the exclusive distributor of Mazda in the country, today announced the introduction of a new vehicle ownership program — the YOJIN3 Mazda Total Care. Through the program, Berjaya Auto Philippines will be offering a) 3-year free periodic maintenance service, b) 3-year roadside assistance with exclusive Mazda concierge service, and c) 3-year bumper-to-bumper manufacturer warranty. YOJIN3 Total Care will be bundled to all brand-new Mazda vehicles sold starting January 1, 2013 at no additional cost to the customers.
Vent It Out Friday: Turning Marikina for the Worse
Editor’s Note: Welcome to our newest section, “Vent It
Out Friday” where we just have a commentary on just about everything.
This highly opinionated, highly emotional section will appear (as much
as possible) every Friday. Soon, we’ll also be opening “Vent It Out
Friday” to our readers, but for now, you can respond to the topic at
hand via the comments section below.
I’ve been a resident of Marikina City for all my life. I’ve seen it grow. I’ve seen it change. I’ve seen it turn for the worse. What was once considered as a “model city” in the Philippines is now, unfortunately, heading to the dumps. For non-Marikenos reading this story, this may sound like a harsh criticism, but let me explain.
I’ve been a resident of Marikina City for all my life. I’ve seen it grow. I’ve seen it change. I’ve seen it turn for the worse. What was once considered as a “model city” in the Philippines is now, unfortunately, heading to the dumps. For non-Marikenos reading this story, this may sound like a harsh criticism, but let me explain.
February 19, 2013
Review: 2012 Toyota Prius and 2012 Toyota Prius C
If a car were a just a bunch of numbers, the Toyota Prius family won’t make much economic sense: priced at P 2,250,000 for the Prius (the White Pearl in these photographs adds another P 15,000) and P 1,475,000 for the Prius c (the Full Option model lent is at P 1,525,000) these cars aren’t cheap. In fact, on price alone, you can get any one of these other Toyota cars: the luxurious Camry, the practical Fortuner, and even the sexy 86, and still have enough money left over for some accessories. However, after spending a week back-to-back with the Prius and Prius c, it shows that these cars are more than just the sum of their parts. They start to offer more than just their price tag: they imbue a sense of environmental responsibility that you can’t get anywhere else. And that may be its greatest achievement.
CAGI Elects New Board, Executive Committee
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| From L-R: Mikko David, Christopher Kho, Bess Zamora, Bam Olivares, and Ferman Lao |
Showing confidence in the leadership of CAGI, members re-elected Ferman Lao (Kotse.com, Top Gear Philippines), Bam Olivares (Daily Tribune), Bess Zamora (AQ Magazine), and Christopher Kho (Kotse.com) as board members. Mikko David (TopGear Philippines) is the sole newcomer to the group.
February 18, 2013
AVID Remains Upbeat in 2013
Compared with the prior month, sales in January rose by 23.4% to 2,625 units sold from 2,128 units, driven by the expansion in the Passenger Car segment (43%) and sales growth of Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. at 32.4%.
February 15, 2013
Vent It Out Friday: Be Smart and Test Drive
Editor’s Note: Welcome to our newest section, “Vent It
Out Friday” where we just have a commentary on just about everything.
This highly opinionated, highly emotional section will appear (as much
as possible) every Friday. Soon, we’ll also be opening “Vent It Out
Friday” to our readers, but for now, you can respond to the topic at
hand via the comments section below.
With all the car choices in the market today, it’s so easy to get carried away. You’ll see a special offer here or a low downpayment scheme there and before you know it, bam, you’re driving out with a brand-new car. But how many times do we actually know what we’re getting ourselves into? How many times can we say, we’re getting X instead of Y because X fits my needs better? How many times were we swayed more by free chattel mortgage and LTO registration rather than getting a car on its own merit? For car enthusiasts who frequently read newspapers, magazines and websites before going from dealership to dealership, it may rarely be the case; but what about for the rest of the car buying public? It certainly sounds like a tagline, but Honda Cars Philippines said it best: “be smart and test drive.”
With all the car choices in the market today, it’s so easy to get carried away. You’ll see a special offer here or a low downpayment scheme there and before you know it, bam, you’re driving out with a brand-new car. But how many times do we actually know what we’re getting ourselves into? How many times can we say, we’re getting X instead of Y because X fits my needs better? How many times were we swayed more by free chattel mortgage and LTO registration rather than getting a car on its own merit? For car enthusiasts who frequently read newspapers, magazines and websites before going from dealership to dealership, it may rarely be the case; but what about for the rest of the car buying public? It certainly sounds like a tagline, but Honda Cars Philippines said it best: “be smart and test drive.”
February 14, 2013
BMW to Hold First Road Show at Malarayat Golf & Country Club in Lipa
Asian Carmakers Corporation (ACC), the official importer and distributor of BMW vehicles in the Philippines, will be holding the first leg of the BMW Roadshow on February 22 to 24 at the Mount Malarayat Golf & Country Club in Lipa City, Batangas.
2012 was a milestone for the BMW brand in the Philippines. BMW solidified its positioning as the number one vehicle brand in the luxury segment for 10 straight years, finishing the year with a total of 33% market share in the premium luxury segment.
February 13, 2013
Nissan Almera at Trinoma Mall Until Today
In celebration of the Chinese New Year, Nissan Motor Philippines, Inc. (NMPI) is holding a grand display featuring the all-new Nissan Almera at the TriNoma Mall in Quezon City. The display, located at the mall’s ground floor at the MRT-link, will be held until today, February 13.
To highlight the upcoming Valentine’s Day as well, a fully-accessorized Nissan Almera sporting a Victoria red hue is also included in the display.
Following TriNoma, the all-new Nissan Almera will also be featured at other popular malls in the metro. What’s more, a test drive activity will be held by all Nissan dealerships nationwide from February 15.
February 12, 2013
Review: 2013 Nissan Teana 350XV V6
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| Photos by Ulysses Ang |
February 11, 2013
Honda's Amazing Financing Options Extended
Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI), in partnership with BPI Family Savings Bank, RCBC Savings Bank, BDO, PS Bank, Eastwest Bank and Unionbank has extended the Honda Financing Option Program until February 28, 2013, extending customers’ ease of buying a Honda vehicle.
The Honda Financing Option provides customers with true savings through interest rate as low as 5.43% on low monthly scheme; as low as 10% down payment, or an all in package scheme inclusive of chattel mortgage, LTO registration and a one year comprehensive insurance; plus an inclusion of 3 years preventive maintenance if customers avail through Eastwest Bank. Unlike the financing schemes of other brands that offer huge discounts but eventually recover this through astronomical interest rate.
An Experience Like No Other: The Audi Driving Experience
There are track days, and there’s the Audi Driving Experience—a track day unlike any other, allowing mere mortals to flog cars with more than 500 horsepower on a race track. The Audi Driving Experience is a carefully crafted immersion experience into the world of Audi and everything the company stands for, namely: performance engineering.
Volvo North EDSA Centris is Now Open
Volvo opens its doors to all Volvo enthusiasts at the northern metro through Volvo North EDSA Centris. (From L-R) Volvo North EDSA Chief Financial Officer and Vice Chairman, Mr. William Tan with Mr. Vincent Licup, Chairman and CEO of Vovo North EDSA receives the Official Volvo Dealer Plaque presented by Volvo Cars Asia Pacific President, Mr. Carl Goran Larsson. The Volvo North EDSA Centris is located at Two Cyberpod ETON Centris, EDSA corner Quezon Avenue, Quezon City. Call (+632) 376 4943, 376 4947, 376 4965 for a test drive.
February 8, 2013
Accent CRDi Now Available at All Hyundai Dealerships
All the smoke and mirrors are finally gone as Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) has finally made available the much-awaited Accent CRDi. In fact, there's better news: it's now available at all Hyundai dealerships nationwide.
Ford Philippines Posts Best-Ever January Performance; Sales More Than Double
The record month was given a significant boost by the robust performance of the all-new Ford Focus, with January sales of 95 units – the strongest single month for the Focus nameplatein almost three years.
Toyota Camry Named Korean Car of the Year
News Flash: the Toyota Camry has been voted by the Korea Automobile Journalist Association as the Car of the Year 2013. The medium-sized sedan earned the highest score of 78.75 points for its value on price, performance, safety and fuel efficiency. On top of that, Toyota's Lexus GS and Prius Hybrid were no. 1 in performance and green-car categories, respectively. This is the first time a foreign model has earned this title since the award was presented three years ago.
Moreover, the Camry is one of the best-selling import cars in Korea. During the same period of winning this title, Toyota’s sales in Korea soared over 200% in 2012 compared to the previous year. In the Philippines, the Camry has been the best-selling model in its segment since 2001.
You can read our review of the Philippine model Toyota Camry 2.5 V here.
Vent It Out Friday: Paying Your (Association) Dues
Editor’s Note: Welcome to our newest section, “Vent It
Out Friday” where we just have a commentary on just about everything.
This highly opinionated, highly emotional section will appear (as much
as possible) every Friday. Soon, we’ll also be opening “Vent It Out
Friday” to our readers, but for now, you can respond to the topic at
hand via the comments section below.
Upon opening my mailbox, I received a formally written letter which will undoubted become ubiquitous to anyone living in a private subdivision or condominium: VAT on association dues. We have Ms. Kim Henares to thank for the additional financial burden that we’ll have to shoulder each and every month, but I have no qualms about that. If it’s going to help the country, why not? Although the additional P 720.00 per month is somewhat hard to swallow, my real beef is with the P 6,000 in association dues per se, especially if the building association is happily swimming in my money and not doing anything.
Upon opening my mailbox, I received a formally written letter which will undoubted become ubiquitous to anyone living in a private subdivision or condominium: VAT on association dues. We have Ms. Kim Henares to thank for the additional financial burden that we’ll have to shoulder each and every month, but I have no qualms about that. If it’s going to help the country, why not? Although the additional P 720.00 per month is somewhat hard to swallow, my real beef is with the P 6,000 in association dues per se, especially if the building association is happily swimming in my money and not doing anything.
Philippine Car Price Guide: February 2013
Here's your monthly does of the Philippine Car Price Guide. In this installment we see some changes from some luxury brands as well as updates from some mainstream brands as well. New and updated entries include:
- Audi A4
- Audi Q3
- Bentley
- Haima Hunda
- Haima Tenda
- Kia Sorento 2.2 EX 4WD 7-Seater (FL)
- Lifan Foison
- Mercedes-Benz B-Class
- MINI Price Updates
- Mitsubishi Strada GLX 4WD
- Nissan Murano Z51 (price update)
- Nissan Patrol Royale (price update)
- Rolls-Royce
- Toyota Vios (price update)
Subaru to Show New VIZIV Concept, Boxer Diesel with CVT in Geneva
With the 2013 Geneva Motor Show looming large over the horizon, more and more car makers are revealing their display plans. For Subaru, it has revealed two tidbits for their stands.
First, the company will unveil the VIZIV Concept, "representing a direction of new designs and technologies enhancing the Subaru brand into the future". Based on the sole photograph released, it's the first glimpse of the all-new Outback or perhaps even the Tribeca.
Second, Subaru will premiere its Boxer Diesel engine technology mated to a Lineartronic CVT (hooray!) Debuting on the Outback, this is the first time the Boxer Diesel will be mated to an automatic transmission.
UPDATED: EDSA Rehab Project Gets Green Light; MMDA Proposes "Mock Rehab"
The Metro Manila Council (MMC), the policy-making body of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) composed of 17 mayors in Metro Manila, has approved the proposal of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to rehabilitate the entire 24 kilometer stretch of EDSA.
Costing an estimated P 3.4 Billion, the EDSA rehabilitation project is said to transform the often neglected road into a world-class highway with a pavement rivaling the "North Luzon Expressway and South Luzon Expressway". The project is said to start in May 2013 and will run for 24/7 to be completed in time for the East Asia World Economic Forum in June 2014. Once done, EDSA's world-class pavement will last between 5 to 10 years.
February 5, 2013
2013 Toyota Vios Set for Bangkok Motor Show Reveal?
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| Spy Shots courtesy of Sohu Auto |
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