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July 7, 2013

Volvo Joins Australian V8 Supercars Championship

Volvo Car Group (Volvo Cars) announces it will have an official Volvo Polestar Racing team on the grid in the V8 Supercars Championship in 2014 and race the Volvo S60.

"I'm delighted to announce Volvos return to motorsport in Australia. Volvo has a rich motorsport heritage in this country, including winning Australia's most famous race, the Bathurst 1000, 15 years ago this coming October. As the first luxury car brand to enter an official factory team in the V8 Supercars Championship, we're determined to add to this heritage, while strengthening the presence of the S60 model line and the Volvo brand here in Australia," said Matt Braid, Volvo Car Australia Managing Director.

Ford Invites Consumers to Find Their 24-Hour Fiesta Profile; Set to Promote New Fiesta

Ford Philippines today announced an innovative and interactive pre-launch campaign -- ‘24 Hour Fiesta Project’ -- designed to engage young and connected Filipinos by matching their personalities, lifestyles and tastes with the new Ford Fiesta.

Over a six-week period – until Monday, August 5 – participants will be asked to pick a Fiesta Profile that both matches their personality and time-of-day that best reflects their lifestyle, share their profile with friends on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and become eligible to win a unique 24-hour Fiesta experience.

Review: 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T Brembo M/T

Photos by Ulysses Ang

We’re no stranger to the Hyundai Genesis Coupe. We’ve driven a modified “drift car” version before as well as the latest 3.8 V6 8AT. Now, we move on to the Car of the Year – Philippines’s sports car of the year, the Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T Brembo.

Normally, a driver’s best ally in a car is the transmission. More than just the brute horsepower of the engine, it’s the transmission that determines how that power is transferred onto the wheels. It can amplify and/or reduce acceleration, top speed, and even fuel economy depending on the specific tuning involved. Given the importance of the gearbox, a sports car should only warrant the best. That’s why you often hear things like ‘positive action’, easily modulated clutch’, and ‘short throw shifting’ alongside ‘powerful acceleration’ and ‘exhilarating handling’. Unfortunately, it seems Hyundai engineers didn’t get the memo with the Genesis Coupe 2.0T.

CATS Motors Launches New Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Before Mercedes-Benz diversified their product portfolio to include everything from hot hatches to SUVs to supercars, they were highly renowned for the E-Class and S-Class. Though its designations may have changed (to reflect its positioning in the broadened Mercedes-Benz product range), both of these sedans continue the tradition of being the best in their respective classes. And now, CATS Motors, the country’s general distributor of Mercedes-Benz took the wraps off the new E-Class which the company touts as “one of its biggest mid-cycle enhancements in Mercedes-Benz history”.

On the court, Blue Eagle Kiefer Ravena nimbly maneuvers towards the basket to score victory for his team. This hardcourt hero known as “The Phenom” performs with grace under pressure and uses his smarts and a sense of sportsmanship as an ambassador of basketball.

Peugeot 3008 1.6 e-HDi Achieves 25.7 km/L in Eco Fun Run

The Peugeot 3008’s fuel-efficiency was put to the test by the media last Thursday, June 27 as EDI staged the Peugeot Eco Fun Run. EDI invited 20 media participants to drive the 1.6L e-HDi Peugeot 3008 variants 158 kilometers from Alabang to Batangas and back in normal driving conditions – meaning the vehicles’ airconditioners were turned on and the drivers maintained speeds well above the speed limit. Given Peugeot’s leadership in diesel technology, the media easily came up with significantly good fuel economy numbers.

The all-new 2014 Mazda3 compact five-door was revealed to the world during an event in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood. After weeks of media speculation and numerous "leaked" images of enthusiast renderings, Mazda pulled the sheet off the highly-anticipated redesign. The all-new Mazda3 is engineered with the full complement of SKYACTIV technologies – a proprietary suite of fuel-efficient, performance-driven components and manufacturing philosophies – as well as the handsome styling of the KODO design language.

Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. staged its fifth dealership groundbreaking at the future site of Honda Cars Marcos Highway last Sunday. Present at the ceremony were Mr. Tatsuya Natsume, President and General Manager of HCPI together with Ms. Helen Y. Dee, Chairman of the House of Investments and Mr. Medel Nera, President and CEO of the House of Investments. Honda Cars Marcos Highway is the seventh branch owned by the Yuchengco Group of Companies. Other dealerships are Honda Cars Quezon City, Marikina, Fairview, Manila, Kalookan and Greenhills that is anticipated to open at the end of the year.

Honda Cars Marcos Highway boasts of 2,500 sqm land area, located in the automotive hub of the vicinity. Customers coming from nearby cities will soon be able to check Honda’s latest vehicle line-up while being assisted by the friendly and well trained Sales Consultants. Customers will also have an easy access to the complete service facilities with preventive maintenance, general repair, and body and paint work. This dealership will truly be a one-stop-shop dealership for all Honda customers.

BMW Continues Winning Streak at International Engine of the Year Awards 2013

BMW once again proved its superiority in engine technology with the victory of its TwinPower Turbo Technology at the International Engine of the Year Awards 2013.

The 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology, fitted in the BMW 1 Series, BMW 3 Series and BMW 5 Series, finished at the top of its displacement category, a repeat of BMW’s victory last year. The Engine of the Year Awards was presented at the Engine Expo fair in Stuttgart earlier this month.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2013 Initial Quality Study (IQS) has ranked the Kia Soul and Kia Sportage as leaders in the Compact Multi-Purpose Vehicle and Sub-Compact CUV segments, respectively, in the U.S. And, for the first time, Kia ranks among the automotive industry’s top 10 nameplates for initial quality. The 2013 Soul ranked first in the Compact MPV segment for the second consecutive year, and the Sportage tied for the highest ranking in the Sub-Compact CUV category.

Ford Motor Company has announced the appointment of Jesus Metelo ‘Met’ Arias as managing director, Ford Vietnam, effective July 1. He will continue to report directly to Matt Bradley, president, Ford ASEAN.

Arias, who is currently serving as director, Customer Service Division, Ford ASEAN, based in Bangkok, Thailand, will replace Laurent Charpentier, who has been appointed operations director, Ford of France.

The Winning Drive: Subaru XV SubURBAN DRIVE in Cebu

Photos by Ulysses Ang

After conquering the mountainous roads surrounding Sagada earlier this year with the all-new Forester, Subaru’s Philippine importer and distributor, Motor Image Pilipinas, decided to take on a very different challenge: the Subaru XV Suburban Drive. Ultimately, it has one goal: to prove that the XV is the perfect urban crossover. Cebu, the Philippines’s oldest city and a favorite vacation destination, played host to the first leg of the three-leg drive that saw a handful of Manila-based motoring journalists join several Cebu-based ones in driving the popular XV through the city’s various tourists spots.

Get Double Rebates with Petron-BPI Mastercard Until September 6, 2013.

Now gassing up at a Petron service station is going to be even more rewarding for Petron-BPI Mastercard cardholders with the “Double the Rebate” promo, running from now until September 6, 2013.

Every minimum single receipt fuel purchase of P1,500 charged to your Petron-BPI Mastercard at any BPI-affiliated Petron station qualifies you for a 6% rebate, effectively double the regular 3% rebate. Transactions of less than P1,500 will only earn the regular 3% rebate.

Photos by Ulysses Ang

Peter Schreyer, you are an absolute genius. Normally, it’s hard to fall in love with the design of a sub-million peso car, and a sub-compact car no less. But take a look at the Kia Rio. We happened to drive the budget-friendly 1.2 SLX and now we have the 1.4 hatchback. A single glance is enough to tell you that this is one special car. From tip to stern, the Rio’s an absolute beauty. It’s avant-garde, sporty, sophisticated—there’s absolutely no weak point in the Rio’s design.

The Peugeot 3008 is a compact, spacious and responsible crossover. It represents a new and innovative offer, not only in the Peugeot range but also in today’s car market as a whole. Manufactured in Eastern France at Peugeot’s Sochaux manufacturing plant, its concept and specification has draw on all of Peugeot’s expertise and values.

Audi Reigns Supreme at 24 Hours of Le Mans with 12th Championship

As expected, the twelfth triumph for the four rings at Le Mans was one of the most difficult and hardest-fought ones. Following a change in the regulations for refueling that was made at short notice, the three Audi R18 e-tron quattro cars on average needed to do faster laps on the track to compensate for the additional pit stops – and did so in weather conditions that at times were extremely difficult.

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.

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