CarGuide.PH | Philippine Car News, Car Reviews, Car Prices

June 24, 2013

It's Official: Ayala and Volkswagen Sign Importeur Agreement

German auto giant Volkswagen formally signed the appointment of Automobile Central Enterprise, Inc. (ACEI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ayala Corporation, as its Philippine distributor.

In a simple ceremony held at Ritz Carlton Hotel, Hongkong on 27 May 2013, Weiming Soh, President for Commercial Operations in Greater China/ASEAN affixed his signature on the Importeur Agreement with Fernando Zobel de Ayala, President and Chief Operating Officer of Ayala Corporation, and John Philip S. Orbeta, Chairman and President of Ayala Automotive Holdings Corporation (Ayala Auto) and Managing Director of Ayala Corporation.

Can Hyundai’s fuel-efficient vehicles get any better? They surely can.

Experience the new Accent 1.4L M/T with an engine and transmission upgrade that promises smoother acceleration and enhanced fuel frugality.

Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) showcased their truck superiority by holding their annual Truck Fest at the Le Pavillion in Pasay City last June 20 to 22.

Cementing their reputation as the country’s best-selling truck brand, Isuzu showed off various body applications that can be used in numerous business and service applications. Displayed were an aluminum van, boom crane, cargo dropside, articulated crane with dropside, fuel tanker, mobile testing van, aerial platform, cargo crane, rivet-less aluminum van with power tail lift, and wing van. Also available for viewing were trucks in their cab-and-chassis form, as well as a bus chassis and a tractor head.

After showing good speed and finishing in 4th place in Friday's 2nd practice, Marlon Stockinger qualified in 6th place this morning for Saturday's sprint race in the World Series by Renault 3.5L category at the Moscow Raceway.

Stockinger finished the race in 8th place overall and 3rd in the rookie class, scoring 4 points for his team, with team mate Marco Sorensen finishing in 10th place.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Arrives in the Philippines

Rolls-Royce is the ultimate statement that’s part car, part masterpiece. Known for its unparalleled attention to detail, each Rolls-Royce automobile is individualized to an owner’s discerning taste, taking at least 450 man-hours to handcraft at the company’s Goodwood manufacturing plant in the United Kingdom. It’s this quest for perfection that has prevented the British luxury carmaker to appoint an importer-dealer in the Philippines before. Now, all of that’s changed with the official appointment of British Bespoke Automobiles as the official importer-dealer of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in the Philippines.

The normal or typical test drive for me involves getting a car from a manufacturer and putting it through its paces for a couple of days. Last week though, Petron Corporation offered a unique test drive—one that involved my own car, but with one slight change: a full tank of Petron Blaze 100 Euro 4.

Kia Molino Officially Opens

Columbian Autocar Corporation (CAC), exclusive distributor of Kia vehicles in the Philippines, surprised the province of Cavite as they proudly launched Kia 3S dealership (Sales, Service, Spare Parts) in Molino last May 30, 2013.

On hand to officially open the dealership and conduct the ribbon cutting ceremony were CAC’s President Ms. Ginia R. Domingo; VP for Marketing Mr. Hernando D. Gañac, Jr.; Kia Molino’s Treasurer Hon. Antonio C. Alvarez, and Hon. Franz Josef George E. Alvarez, Chairman and President.

Driven by the desire to strengthen customer satisfaction, Kia now offers the people of Molino and its neighboring areas superior facilities and topnotch service. CAC and Kia Molino, together with their loyal customers, can expect great things from this new dealership.

Visit Kia Molino, located at 6475 Daang Hari road Molino III, Bacoor Cavite and be pleasantly surprised by the only car brand with the Power to Surprise.

Suzuki Makes Rainy Day Driving Safer

Photo above shows Suzuki Philippines, the only integrated motorcycle and automobile company in the country, treating its Makati customers to a free 23-point check up last June 14 and 15 to help them prepare their cars for the rainy season. Suzuki technicians check the engine condition, under the hood, under chassis, suspensions, and general condition of any Suzuki car brought in by owners during the free service camp.

Michelin Philippines Chief Representative Michael Nunag announced today that Michelin is the new FIA Formula E Championship’s official tire partner from 2013 to 2015.

Following the selection process by the FIA (Federation International de l’Automobile), the French brand’s bid was chosen by the motorsport’s governing body for its savoir-faire in three different areas: its technical expertise, marketing plan and involvement in mobility promotion programs.

Black is the New Green: Bridgestone Launches New Generation Ecopia Tires

Photos by Ulysses Ang

BANGKOK, THAILAND—Today, every carmaker has weighed in on technology which aims to make their automobiles greener. Almost every aspect of a vehicle—from its aerodynamics to its engine, transmission, and even suspension have all been meticulously engineered to extract a couple more extra kilometers out of every drop of fuel. Now, one of the most important, yet neglected parts in a vehicle, the tires, is getting a “green” makeover courtesy of the new-generation Ecopia tires from Bridgestone.

First Drive: 2013 Lexus IS 350 and IS 350 F Sport

Photos by Ulysses Ang and Lexus Press

It takes balls to launch an all-new car on the race track, much less drive it before it’s unveiled to the public. Why? Well, for one, it’s easier for enthusiasts to pass judgment on the car based solely on their experience flogging it on the track. And second, track driving typically magnifies a car’s weakness and can even reduce a perceived strength. In short, it’s a tight rope walk—toeing the fine line between expectation and reality. And where 99 percent of cars fail, the all-new Lexus IS 350 succeeds, managing to exceed expectations by a whole quarter mile.

CATS Motors Launches All-New 2013 Mercedes-Benz A-Class

It’s not everyday designers and engineers get the chance to start with a clean sheet of paper, but that’s exactly what happened with the all-new A-Class: a car that’s completely new, down to the last detail. Clearly, from the inside out, Mercedes-Benz has made the very most of that opportunity.

The 2013 Isuzu Truck Fest is set to provide the public unique transportation solutions during its staging from June 20 to 22 at Le Pavillon, Metrobank Avenue, Pasay City. To be featured in the show are Isuzu Philippines Corporation’s (IPC) lineup of trucks that have been fitted with various body configurations, highlighting their potential in numerous business and service applications.

Scheduled to take the spotlight at the show is the launch of the new Isuzu Forward FRR and FVM medium-duty trucks, which are expected to bolster IPC’s leadership in this segment.

The Hyundai Amazing Show throws the spotlight on all car-loving dads and dads-to-be this June.
From June 16-30, drive over to your nearest Hyundai dealership for exciting Father’s Day treats and surprise gifts.

Want more? Hyundai takes the Amazing Show promo to the major Metro Manila and provincial malls this June!

The BMW Driving Experience 2013: The Video

Just a couple of weeks back, Asian Carmakers Corporation, the Philippines's exclusive distributor of BMW automobiles and motorcycles in the country took a select number of journalists on a high horsepower ride in the BMW Driving Experience at the Clark International Speedway. Though words and photos are okay, only a video will do the event justice.

So without further adieu, here's what happened during this exhilarating ride. Until next year!

Suzuki Boosts Visayas Presence with New Tacloban Dealership

Suzuki Philippines, Inc. (SPI), the only integrated automobile and motorcycle company in the country, expands its network in the Visayas region as it opens its first stand-alone dealership in Tacloban City. The newly-opened Tacloban dealership will offer sales services, spare parts, and service facilities to fully serve Suzuki’s customers in Eastern Visayas.

“The opening of our first stand-alone dealership here in Tacloban underscores Suzuki’s commitment to bringing great value cars closer to our key target markets across the country. Building on our long-established legacy in this industry, we are continuously innovating and expanding our network to deliver only the best driving experiences to our Filipino customers,” General Manager for Automobile Shuzo Hoshikura shares.

For more information about Suzuki Philippines and their automobiles, please visit www.suzuki.com.ph.

Ford Mustang Stars in "Need for Speed" Movie

From appearances in James Bond’s “Goldfinger” to Steve McQueen’s “Bullitt” and now “Need for Speed,” the Ford Mustang has had one of the most prolific entertainment careers, with appearances in nearly 3,000 feature films and TV shows and a global fan following.

With a résumé like that, Mustang may someday get its own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Mustang has been so popular that one avid fan used crowd-sourcing to create a database on the Web dedicated to cataloging the pony car’s appearances.

BPI Family Auto Loan Offers Free Insurance Until June 21!

Experience has taught us how rain can be life endangering, catastrophic and damaging to our properties. Since your car is one of the most valuable investments you own that is very vulnerable to the profound weather, protecting it is very essential. But never let these calamities threaten your hard earned investment and let BPI Family Auto Loan help in protecting your brand new car.

The rainy season is here and so are thunderstorms. Though motorists have little to fear from lighting strikes, Chevron Philippines Inc. (CPI), marketer of the Caltex brand of fuels and lubricants, reminds drivers that there is a different kind of electricity that all motorists should be aware of. Static electricity has been known to cause fires in in gasoline stations.

This rainy season, it’s high time to clear up some space in the house to welcome better things. De-clutter your closet by selling tight-fitting clothes, unused uniforms, formalwear and rarely used accessories online. You can also organize the kitchen, garage, attic and your cosy little siesta corner by letting go of items you don’t need, and posting them for sale on AyosDito.ph!

Ford Manila Bay Opens

Ford Philippines today celebrated the continued expansion of its nationwide dealer network with the official opening of Ford Manila Bay in Parañaque City.

Ford Manila Bay is the ninth new full sales and service outlet the Company has opened over the last nine months, bringing the total number of Ford dealers to 32. Ford remains on track to expand its nationwide network to 35 by year-end.

Buying a brand new car is now made easy and affordable by Honda with its amazing offers and perks for various models.

Land Rover Launches All-New Range Rover in the Philippines

Land Rover Philippines (LRPhils) Motors Inc. recently launched the All-New Range Rover, considered the world’s most refined and capable sport utility vehicle (SUV). The fourth-generation model of the iconic Range Rover line was unveiled at the Land Rover Activity Center in Bonifacio Global City.

Lexus debuts the third-generation 2014 IS sport sedan, with a bold design highlighted by the new dynamic signature spindle grille and for the first time separated LED Daytime Running Lights. A combination of “aggressive elegance,” a more powerful road presence and a stronger brand identity help make the new IS models more alluring than ever.

They say it’s all about the journey rather than the destination; especially when you’re heading to a more familiar place like Baguio. A trip to the Philippines’s Summer Capital is dime-a-dozen these days and often times, it can be taken on a whim with family and friends. Thus, the only differentiating factor is the drive, and by golly, you need a damn good car to stand out. And on this occasion, prayers to the automotive gods were answered in the form of the new Mazda CX-5 AWD Sport and the Mazda6 sports sedan.

Isuzu-TESDA Auto Mechanic Training Center Continues to Provide Access to a Brighter Future

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)-run Auto Mechanic Training Center in Tacloban, Leyte that is funded by Isuzu Motors Limited (IML) of Japan is continuing its mission to improve the lives of underprivileged but deserving out-of-school youths by providing them with education needed to gain employment.

Inaugurated in 2008, the training center is a project that forms part of IML’s “Heart and Smile” corporate social responsibility campaign. Apart from providing financial support, IML also supplies technical requirements essential to an automotive education course such as training materials, program modules, practical applications and other skills enhancement tools.

Photos by Ulysses Ang

Summer, with its highly predictable weather, is always the best time for a road trip with friends. And all it takes for the perfect getaway is two key ingredients: a great destination and an equally great car to match. Once these ingredients blend together, you’ve got a recipe for fun, “Summer Fun” to be exact. Just a couple of days ago, Ford flew a bunch of summer-wary motoring journalists down to Bohol to get their final dose of the summer sun.

Euro Toyota Corolla Could be Closer to What We're Eventually Getting

With the launch of the all-new Toyota Corolla for the North American market, speculation is high on what will eventually reach ASEAN shores, particularly, the Philippines. Though the North American Corolla is the strongest indicator yet, I would like to personally throw my bet behind the European Corolla, the photos of which were released at almost the same time as the North American version.

Quick Links

June 24, 2013

June 21, 2013

June 20, 2013

June 19, 2013

June 18, 2013

June 17, 2013

June 16, 2013

June 12, 2013

June 11, 2013

June 10, 2013

June 9, 2013