Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) announced that it will conduct special service assistance for flood-affected customers from the recent rains brought about by typhoon Maring. The company believes that it is their duty to be of service to their valued customers especially in trying times like these. In that spirit, TMP is offering special discounts for repairs of flooded Toyota vehicles.

Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) has announced that in light of the recent monsoon rains that brought about a great deal of inconvenience and vehicle damage, the company is extending assistance to flood-damaged Mitsubishi vehicles through special discounts through their authorized dealerships. These are the following offered discounts:

• 40% on all ECUs (i.e. engine, transmission, SRS airbag, ETACS, audio, and alarm systems).
• 35% on other related parts (i.e. electrical, body and engine parts, maintenance parts not including lubricants).
• 20% on labor.

Honda Group of Companies in the Philippines would like to express its deepest sympathy to the flood victims of southwest monsoon rain caused by Tropical Storm Maring (international name Trami). Through Honda Foundation, Inc., Honda Motor Co., Ltd’s  (Japan) local subsidiaries will provide one (1) million Pesos to help assist in the relief and recovery efforts in partnership with ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc.

The Isuzu D-MAX powered Isuzu Philippines Corporation’s (IPC) results in July as the pickup posted phenomenal gains over its June tally, pushing the company to a double-digit month-to-date growth. IPC’s other light commercial vehicles also contributed to the strong performance.

Based on combined figures released by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Incorporated and the Truck Manufacturers Association, IPC sold 192 D-MAX pickups in July compared to June’s 114-unit total, representing a solid 68.4% increase. Bolstering the D-MAX’s sales are those of the Isuzu Alterra SUV and Crosswind AUV.

CATS Motors, Inc. (CATS), the General Distributor of well-known premium automotive brands, introduces ProvenExclusivity, Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles.

Robert P. Shaw, CATS Motors, Inc. VP for Sales & Marketing - Passenger Cars, says “We aim for ProvenExclusivity to be top of mind and the top choice when it comes to pre-loved automotive products and premium service.” Customers are assured of quality products and fair appraisal as the new pre-owned brand is backed up by a trusted company and a strong team committed to giving customers the best mobility options and excellent service.

UPDATE: Due to the monsoon rains, CATS Motors, Inc. has moved their Pre-Owned Clearance sale to August 30 to September 1, 2013.

Subaru Impreza Challenge Philippine Leg 2013 is wider and more intense for this year as it will be held at 4 different locations:

• August 10 2013 - Ayala Center Cebu, Cebu City
• August 17 2013 - Abreeza Mall, Davao City
• August 24 2013 - Marquee Mall, Pampanga
• September 7 2013 - Bonifacio High Street, Activity Area, Bonifacio Global City
• September 14 2013 - Marquee Mall, Pampanga

Batangas Racing Circuit, Rosario Batangas will be the stage of one of the biggest gathering of motorsports enthusiasts for 2013.  Set on August 24-25, 2013 and now on its 3rd year, the Tuason Racing School Raceday has become bigger and better with the inclusion of the Philippine Touring Car Championship (PTCC) as one of the races to head line the event.  The PTCC, which is organized, by the AAP and the Philippine Race Car Drivers Inc (PRCDI), is expecting more than 20 cars to compete in both 100 and 200 class.

UPDATE: Due to the torrential rains that hit Metro Manila and the surrounding areas the past few days, the TRS Race Day has been postponed to September 28-29.

UPDATE 2: Here is TRS's official response about the delay:

"Due to Typhoon Maring and Monsoon rains, Tuason Racing School will postpone the opening round of Tuason Racing School Raceday slated for August 24 and 25 at the Batangas Racing Circuit to September 28 and 29 at the same venue. Tuason Racing School apologizes to any party that has been inconvenienced by this decision, but they feel that people must focus first in helping fellow Filipinos who have been victimized by this calamity. TRS Raceday activities include the Philippine Touring Car Championship, TRS –Bridgestone Retro Race, TRS-Bridgestone Track Day and Hot Beats Car Show. For more information please like  Tuason Racing School page on facebook for up to the minute updates."

Photos by Ulysses Ang

Known primarily as a maker of small cars such as the Celerio and Swift, as well as motorcycles, Suzuki takes a bold step forward with the introduction of the Kizashi. Unlike the micro city cars the company is known for, the Kizashi is the company’s foray into the highly-competitive executive sedan market. In terms of design and engineering, Suzuki is saying that the Kizashi comes extremely prepared: benchmarked against some of the world’s best cars including those from European makes. And without a doubt, the Kizashi does come away as an interesting choice, hampered only by being too much of an in-betweener.

Subaru Tecnica International Inc. (STI) took the wraps off the Subaru BRZ tS (Tuned by STI), an enhanced version of the BRZ which adds "strength and nimbleness" effectively offering a driver "oneness with vehicle" and "agile handling pleasure".

Changes to the BRZ tS are limited to handling components (sorry, no turbocharger this time). The BRZ tS uses a large-diameter driveshaft and STI's unique flexible parts. Plus, the BRZ tS receives Brembo ventilated brakes as well as larger, 18-inch wheels and a STI designed front under spoiler. There's also a "STI / tS" fender garnish as well as a revised speedometer with the STI logo inside. The BRZ tS model is limited to 500 units including the 250 units of the GT PACKAGE.

Coinciding with the launch of the BRZ tS, a special GT PACKAGE is made available. The BRZ tS GT PACKAGE features a high-type dry carbon rear spoiler (actually nicked from the WRX STI S206), black 18-inch aluminum wheels, and Recaro front seats.

Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. is calling all photographers out there to join the Shine with Hyundai digital photo contest. 15 lucky winners stand the chance to win P 50,000 plus get the chance to be featured in the 2014 Hyundai Calendar. And it's so easy to join:

1. Like the Hyundai PH Facebook page to access the "I Shine" application.
2. Fill out the form with your complete details (name, birthday, address, contact number, and e-mail address).
3. Select a category and upload a photo with a caption showing how you SHINE with Hyundai. You can also apply filters to enhance your photos.

Motor Image Pilipinas Inc. (MIPI), the exclusive distributor of Subaru vehicles in the country, along with its authorized dealers will hold it’s much awaited annual Kansha Festival from August 19-25, 2013. Also known as Subaru customer appreciation week, the Kansha festival is originally a celebration adapted from the Japanese “Kinro Kansha no Hi” or Labor Thanksgiving Day.

Singapore has become a center stage for entertainment, and for those seeking just that, September is sure to bring excitement for everyone. From 13 September to 23 September 2013, Grand Prix Season Singapore (GPSS) will kickstart the Singapore race fever by playing host to yet another exciting selection of lifestyle and entertainment activities for all to enjoy.

With the anticipated launch of the Honda CR-Z as well as The World of Toyota Motor Show, we decided to delay the August 2013 edition of the Philippine Car Price Guide until today. And what do we have in store? To name a few:

• Audi R8
• BMW X1
• Chevrolet Spin
• Ford Fiesta
• Honda CR-Z
• Morgan
• MINI Paceman
• Toyota FJ Cruiser
• Volkswagen (NO PRICE YET)

Ford is accelerating its product and technology led transformation with a completely refreshed line-up and several all-new models in showrooms between now and 2017.

In an unprecedented acceleration of new vehicle launches, Ford will refresh its entire vehicle line-up in Australia by 2017, offering 11 global vehicles to serve Australian customers for years to come with a full family of passenger cars, SUVs and commercial vehicles with exceptional quality, smart design, safety, fuel efficiency and value.

"5 million reasons to celebrate!" – It was this slogan that got sportscar enthusiasts on the Internet involved in designing a unique Porsche 911 Carrera 4S model. The sportscar manufacturer based in Zuffenhausen, Germany, launched the campaign to show its appreciation for the five million "Likes" it has received from fans. Porsche is now running a competition on its Facebook page (facebook.com/porsche) until August 18 for the chance to win a drive in the one-of-a-kind 911 model at the Porsche Experience Center at Silverstone in the United Kingdom. Nine scale models of the vehicle are also available for the runners-up.

Since Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) launched Hyundai Jet Service Premium last April, the global brand’s fastest and cutting-edge Preventive Maintenance Service (PMS) has delivered on its promise of “60 Minutes or it’s Free!.” As of July 2013, over 10,000 vehicles have passed the Jet Service Challenge, to the delight of their proud owners.

The Isuzu Crosswind XT traveled 958 kilometers on a single full tank of fuel, registering an average consumption of 17.42 kilometers per liter (km/l). The figure was set during the 2nd leg of the 2013 Isuzu Challenge held from August 1 to 3 where the bestselling AUV tackled real-world driving conditions over a route marked by numerous uphill portions and roads undergoing repairs.

In the first leg of the 2013 Isuzu Challenge held in April, an Isuzu D-MAX LS 4x2 M/T recorded 1,467 kilometers on a single full tank of 76 liters, or an average of 19.3 km/l.

Can’t wait to get your hands behind the wheel of a new Toyota? Here is your chance to get exclusive discounts on your dream Toyota vehicle only at The World of Toyota Motor Show this August 10 – 18, 2013! Save as much as P 200,000 on selected current Toyota vehicles when you reserve on-site at the World Trade Center, Pasay City.

From August 10 – 18, 2013, witness a showcase of Classic Toyota Cars at The World of Toyota Motor Show! Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) partners with Toyota Fest Philippines (TFP) as car-lovers and gear heads alike come together as one to display their much-loved Toyotas!

Get to experience fun and excitement (“Waku-Doki”) this coming August as Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) is set to hold the biggest Exclusive Motor Show on August 10-18, 2013 at the World Trade Center, Pasay City. Immerse yourself in the world of Toyota as this grand event will highlight vehicles from the past and the future. Designed and built to be at par with global Motor Shows, The World of Toyota is a rare opportunity for you to experience the Toyota Way on a whole new level!

For three days, PGA Cars, Inc. handed out keys and opened doors for people seeking first-hand answers and experience from two stalwarts in the Audi stable – the compact sedan A1 and compact SUV Q3.

Aside from being afforded a closer look at the vehicles at the Audi Alabang showroom, prospective buyers were, more importantly, given a chance to get behind the wheel of the two Audis for a comprehensive test drive. On Saturday, customers drove to a closed-off “exercise area” behind the Filinvest City where instructors showed them how to put the A1 and Q3 through their paces in a slalom section, plus some gymkhana maneuvers. After the demonstration, the eager participants had their turn at the exercise – where the vehicles adeptly proved their mettle worth of the Audi brand. Indeed, one doesn’t have to be an expert driver to drive expertly in an Audi.

“Cars are not a mere means of mobility. They respond to the driver’s will.” – Akio Toyoda.

Fitting words from Toyota Motor Corporation’s CEO as his company aims to continually develop cars that are representative of the buying public’s needs and wants. This quote, though in reference to the Toyota 86 sports car, seems to encapsulate Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation (TMP)’s success as they celebrated their 25th anniversary last week at a gathering of family, friends, and business partners.

Big prizes are up for grabs for customers who will join the Caltex-Visa E-raffle promo from Aug. 1 to Sept. 30, 2013. Customers have the chance to win P100,000 worth of free fuel daily or a brand new Toyota RAV4 during the grand raffle draw. Customers fueling up at participating Caltex stations nationwide using their locally issued Visa credit, debit or prepaid cards are qualified for the promo.
To join, a minimum fuel and/or lubricant purchase of P1,000, single receipt, within the promo period is required. Once the purchase is made, customers will need to register their transaction details through SMS sent to 3456 or online at www.caltex.com/ph/fun-stuff/visa-promo and www.facebook.com/CaltexPhilippines. A customer can make multiple entries based on different transactions. For each successful entry, a confirmation message will be sent promptly.

The thirty winners of P100,000 Caltex fuel cards will be drawn starting August 19 to September 27, Mondays to Fridays. The grand draw on October 1, 2013 will announce the lucky winner of the brand new Toyota RAV4 that comes with P 100,000 Caltex Cash cards.

Caltex will call the winners for confirmation and instruction on how to claim their prizes. Per DTI-NCR Permit No 7250, Series of 2013. See flyers for more information or, for updates on other Caltex promos and activities, visit www.facebook.com/CaltexPhilippines.

Ford Philippines officially kicked off the sixth year of the company’s global Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) program this week, continuing its ongoing commitment to promote safe and smart driving practices in the Philippines.

In conjunction with a number of its dealers, Ford is conducting a series of DSFL seminars this year with the aim of more than 500 licensed drivers participating in the program, free-of-charge, through the end of the year. The training focuses on safe, smart and fuel- efficient driving skills, as well as providing handy tips on vehicle maintenance.

Ford Philippines today reported its strongest sales month of the year and best-ever July performance with overall retail sales last month jumping 71 percent to 1,273 units.

The exceptional July was led by significant sales gains across Ford’s entire vehicle lineup, most notably the all-new Ford Ranger, all-new Ford Explorer, all-new Ford Focus and refreshed Ford Everest.

For the ninth time in a row American customers have awarded sports car manufacturer Porsche first place: so for drivers in the USA, Porsche continues to remain the most popular brand of car. This was the result of the latest survey "Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout Study (APEAL)" by California market research institute J.D. Power and Associates. Just last month, Porsche drivers in the US voted the Porsche brand the winner in the "Initial Quality Study".

And in the APEAL evaluation the Cayenne takes first place in the "Midsize Premium CUV" segment for the third time. At the same time, the sporty off-road vehicle was voted the third-best in the entire study. The Boxster also gained the most points in its class, winning the "Highest Ranked Apeal" award in the "Compact Premium Sporty" category. The Porsche 911, which celebrates its 50th birthday this year, takes second place in the "Midsize Premium Sporty Car" segment.

The overall ranking is the result of scores in ten different categories including driving dynamics, design, suitability for daily use and vehicle comfort. The current basis for the annual survey is information from more than 83,000 new-car buyers of a total of 230 different models which were registered from November 2012 to February 2013.

Get to experience fun and excitement (“Waku-Doki”) this coming August as Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) is set to hold the biggest Exclusive Motor Show on August 10-18, 2013 at the World Trade Center, Pasay City. Immerse yourself in the world of Toyota as this grand event will highlight vehicles from the past and the future. Designed and built to be at par with global Motor Shows, The World of Toyota is a rare opportunity for you to experience the Toyota Way on a whole new level!

Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI), Honda’s automobile business unit in the Philippines officially lets driving excitement soar high as it welcomes the All New CR-Z, Sport Hybrid Coupe at the NBC Tent in Taguig City; taking cue from the Filipino market’s enthusiastic reaction when the CR-Z MUGEN concept was first shown.