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February 14, 2014

First Filipino Competes in Ferrari Challenge

The Philippine flag will be flying high at the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli 2014 when the country’s first representative, Vincent Floirendo takes the wheel of a 458 Challenge race car. Floirendo will race in the first Asia-Pacific round from February 21-23 at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. Succeeding races in the calendar include rounds at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi and the Fuji International Speedway in Japan.

Although open-wheeled racing gets the lion’s share of attention locally, Filipino motorsport fans will finally get to taste a different sort of racing action through the Asian V8 Championship. The brainchild of The Philippine Formula Autosport Foundation (PFAFI), headed by founder Tom Pastor, the Asian V8 Championship will use late-model NASCAR racing cars complete with their 450 horsepower 5.7-liter V8 engines on local track venues.

Hyundai Asia Resources, official distributor of Hyundai vehicles in the Philippines, started the year on high gear with an impressive 13% growth year-on-year. Sales last month hit a total of 2,243 units, up from the 1,992 units sold in the same period last year.

Petronas Energy Philippines, Inc. (PEPI), the distributor of Petronas lubricants in the country, today renewed their title sponsorship for the 2014 season of the Petronas Philippine Motorsport Championship.

The 2014 Petronas Philippine Motorsport calendar includes races on both two and four wheels. For motorcycles, this covers the Philippine Superbikes Series, FDR Philippine Scooter Racing Championships, and the Philippine Underbone King Championships. Meanwhile, auto racing involves the Philippine GT Championship and Philippine Drag Racing Championship, as well as the KF Series, National Karting Series, and Asian Karting Open Championship for go karting.

Continuing the two-week immersion of Korean university students for Kia’s Happy Move Camp, Columbian Autocar Corporation (CAC), exclusive distributor of Kia Motors in the Philippines, planned a special Kia Dealer Tour and Cultural Afternoon for the volunteers.

Hyundai Arms i10 for Brewing Mini Car Battle, Calls It Grand (Again) (w/ Complete Specs)

Hyundai has this thing recently of calling all their cars, “grand” lately. After calling their larger Starex, the “Grand Starex” and their extended wheelbase Santa Fe, the “Grand Santa Fe”, they’re applying the very same formula to their veteran mini car offering, the i10. Of course, now it’s called the Grand i10. And yes, like Grand Santa Fe and the Grand Starex, the Grand i10 has grown. It’s like Hyundai decided to feed it Cherifer: it’s longer by 80 mm and 65 mm wider than the pre-Grand i10. That’s just for starters.

Ford Philippines recently celebrated its 2014 Annual Ford Dealer Convention at the Filinvest Tent, which recognized top achievers among their Metro Manila and provincial dealerships.

Ford Balintawak, under the leadership of its Dealer Principal Anthony N. Cheng, was named Ford’s ‘2013 Dealer of the Year’ in Metro Manila. Ford Iloilo, led by Dealer Principal Andre R. Borromeo, was named the ‘2013 Dealer of the Year’ among provincial dealerships for the second year in a row.

Mr. Antonio Jose Y. Jamias, General Manager, Honda Cars Quezon City, Mr. Robert Ong, Honda Cars Marcos Highway Land Owner, Mr. Tatsuya Natsume, President and General Manager of Honda Cars Philippines, Inc., Ms. Helen Y. Dee, Chairperson, House of Investments, Mr. Bobby Eusebio, Former Mayor of Pasig City, Mr. Medel Nera, President and CEO, House of Investments, Mr. Gene de Jesus, Former General Manager and COO of Honda Cars Quezon City Group and Mr. Roel Morales, Branch Manager, Honda Cars Marcos Highway.

Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. recently celebrated the opening of its 30th full-service dealership in the country, Honda Cars Marcos Highway (HCMH).

Get a Brand New Volvo at Up to P 1.3-Million (Yes, P 1,300,000) Off!

Volvo Philippines is cleaning out its inventory this February and if you’ve been on the fence whether or not you should get a Volvo, now’s your chance. With Volvo’s Model Turnover Season Offer, selected brand-new Volvo cars from the 2011, 2012, and 2013 model years are up for grabs at a generous acquisition package. How generous? Up to P 1.3-million, yes P 1,300,000 in savings. Visit Volvo Makati, Volvo Alabang, Volvo North EDSA, or Volvo Cebu to find out more about this rare and exclusive offer.

BMW Cements Position as Top-Selling Luxury Car Maker in the Philippines, Lays Plans for 2014

At its Media Appreciation Night held atop the newest BMW dealership, Auto Allee in Eton Centris, Quezon City, Asian Carmakers Corporation (ACC), the official importer and distributor of BMW cars in the Philippines revealed that it closed 2013 with 653 units sold, solidifying its position as the country’s number one luxury carmaker with a 34-percent market share. This is BMW’s 11th year of leadership in the luxury segment.

In the pursuit of bringing the healing “power of play” to disadvantaged children and youth, Chevrolet has made a special delivery of more than 17,000 nearly indestructible One World Futbols to schools and communities in the Philippines.

Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. unveils the latest addition to its line-up. With the current Starex large van already garnering the prefix “Grand” due to its impressive size, Hyundai is doing the same with its popular and highly sought-after Santa Fe. For 2014, Hyundai is now officially offering the long wheelbase Santa Fe as the Grand Santa Fe.

Review: 2014 Subaru BRZ M/T

Photos by Ulysses Ang

I always respect car manufacturers that come up with products that do exactly what they are engineered to do. With a name that means “Boxer Rear-wheel drive Zenith”, the Subaru BRZ may not have the catchiest nameplate out there, but as the pinnacle (or zenith) of sports cars is concerned, it delivers, and delivers beautifully. Above everything else in the market now, no other car delivers the same thrill, the same sense of connectedness, the same unadulterated driving experience as this sports car.

In the final move towards sustainability, the multi-awarded Caltex tuberculosis (TB) awareness campaign, “Labanan ang TB para Tsuper Healthy” turned over the wheel to public transport drivers to continue to spread the word and not the disease.

Ford Keeps Strong Momentum as it Posts Best January Ever

Ford Philippines kicked-off the year the same way it ended 2013 - with record sales - as the company today announced its best-ever January performance with overall retail sales climbing 31 percent year-over-year to 1,076 units.

Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI), official distributor of Hyundai cars in the Philippines, powers up its presence south of Metro Manila in booming business hub Parañaque City.

Poised to treat customers to a brilliant experience like no other, this new Hyundai Center of Excellence packs a punch of star power as the first auto business venture of actor/businessman Dingdong Dantes, Vice President of Hyundai Parañaque West.

Photos by Ulysses Ang

UPDATE: We have more pictures as well as the complete specs below.

Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) unveils this February 2014 the latest edition of the country’s well-loved Multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), the New Innova. The said MPV has been highly regarded as one of the most sought after commercial vehicles in the market and it has now been given a refreshed look. Since it was first introduced to Philippine shores, it has then been warmly welcomed and adored for its convenient utility, comfortable ride and reassuring quality. Guaranteeing the Toyota Sure Advantage of QDR(quality, durability and reliability – it is clear why Filipino families have made this MPV part of their daily lives. Now, the new Innova is here and there is even more to love!

Kia Hosts 80 Korean Students on Charitable Immersion for Happy Move Camp

The world will most definitely be a happier place if people shared more. This is the same philosophy behind Happy Move Camp– the belief that sharing love and hope to people in need is a move en route to happiness.

The Car Awards Group Inc. (CAGI) recently awarded the Honda CR-Z Modulo M/T as winner for the Sports Car category during the 2013-2014 Car of the Year Awards Night held at the Filinvest Tent, Alabang. CAGI is composed of motoring journalists from the broadcast, print and online media who annually conduct qualitative and quantitative tests on participating vehicles.

The recent 11th staging of the prestigious Enrique Zobel Memorial Polo Cup at the Manila Polo Club in Makati City also became a showcase of premium Porsche, Audi, and Bentley vehicles – particularly the new Bentley Flying Spur.

The number one automotive company in the country, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP), starts 2014 strongly selling 7,062 units in January. The said manufacturing-automotive company experienced a 50% increase versus its sales last January 2013 of only 4,716 units sold. This strong sales performance can be attributed to continuous high demand for its Completely Knocked-Down (CKD) models the Innova and Vios as well as ample supply of its other models. Furthermore, based on the most recent CAMPI report, TMP garnered 45% share of the automotive market.

UPDATED: 2014 Chicago Auto Show: All-New 2015 Subaru Legacy Debuts. Where's the Turbo? (w/ Video)

UPDATE: We included 3 new videos including one that celebrates the 25 years of the Legacy.

Fuji Heavy Industries, the parent company of Subaru has used the 2014 Chicago Auto Show to unveil the latest Legacy mid-sized sedan, the sixth-generation model that bares that name. And 25 years since the “Legacy” nameplate’s debut, Subaru is ready to steer its flagship sedan into a new direction—a direction without a single mention of “turbocharger”.

One of Philippine motoring’s most sought-after performance results were recently revealed and Kia took home two notable awards for Kia Sorento and Kia Carens.

Recently held last January 22, 2014, the 2013-2014 Car of the Year- Philippines (COTY-P) Awards Night gathered the country’s top motoring editors and journalists at the Filinvest Tent in Alabang to bestow top marks for vehicle categories. Kia Sorento LX FWD 5-seater came out on top of one of the major categories– the Midsize Crossover and Wagon of the Year while Kia Carens LX CRDi bagged one of the Special Awards– the Caltex with Techron Green Award.

L-R: Daniel Isla, President, Lexus Manila, Inc., Frederick Go, President, Robinsons Land Corporation; Alfred Ty, Chairman, Lexus Manila, Inc.; Lance Gokongwei, President, JG Summit Holdings, Inc.; Michinobu Sugata, President, Toyota Motor Philippines; Lisa Gokongwei-Cheng, President, Summit Media

Lexus Manila has expanded its presence by opening a small boutique at the upscale Robinsons Magnolia mall in New Manila, Quezon City.

Called the Lexus Gallery, it has been opened to serve potential clients since December, but was only officially inaugurated yesterday. Lexus Gallery has one full-time staff to answer questions about Lexus as well as one bar attendant to serve coffee. However, the one-car showcase which includes a merchandise area is intended for display only. Customers who wish to purchase a Lexus automobile or schedule a test drive will still need to go to Lexus Manila in Fort Bonifacio.

According to Lexus Manila, they have chosen Robinsons Magnolia due to its proximity to its client base in the New Manila, San Juan, and Quezon City areas.

Volkswagen Beetle Goes Rallying in the Global Rallycross Series

Volkswagen is giving its rather feminine Beetle a serious shot of testosterone as it’s poised to enter the Global Rallycross (GRC) series. The “love bug” has worked out for its competitive debut and as a result, develops some 560+ horsepower through its turbocharged, direct-injection TSI engine. Tractive effort is sent to all four wheels.

Fancy watching an adrenaline-packed event with cars, extreme stunts, rock stars, and babes? This sounds like stuff of dreams, but Monster Energy can make it a reality with its Ken Block’s Japan Experience promo. Why settle for a flat screen TV or even a PlayStation when you can kick out the boredom of your 9 to 5 with VIP access to an all-out energy-filled weekend in the Land of the Rising Sun—Japan!

Volvo Cars and Ericsson Cloud Solution Offers Total Connectivity

Leveraging extensive consumer research and industry-leading innovation, the all-Swedish partnership has focused on developing a solution that supports current and future connected car needs by combining Volvo Cars’ driver behavior expertise and Ericsson’s consulting and systems integration know-how.

The solution is implemented and operated as a managed service of a global cloud-based solution with regional and central nodes. These nodes enable efficient provision and communication of services and information to the cars. All in all the “cloud” offers great flexibility to adjust capacity and local presence of content based end-user demands. Ericsson’s systems integration capabilities have been critical in solution design and integration into Volvo Car’s IS/IT environment and to the head-end unit in the car. The solution covers all Volvo Cars markets around the globe.

It’s just a matter of time until Lexus puts on its trademark spindle grille on all its cars. Though their entry-level hybrid, the CT200h received a pseudo-spindle grille when it first launched into the market, it gets the full blown treatment for 2014. Aside from that, the CT200h receives a wealth of new design and technological changes to keep things fresh.

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February 14, 2014

First Filipino Competes in Ferrari Challenge

NASCAR Comes to the Philippines Via Asian V8 Championship

Hyundai Philippines Opens Year with 13 Percent Growth

Petronas Philippines Renews Title Sponsorship for the 2014 Philippine Motorsport Championship

Korean Students Experience Kia in the Philippines During Happy Move Camp

February 13, 2014

Hyundai Arms i10 for Brewing Mini Car Battle, Calls It Grand (Again) (w/ Complete Specs)

Ford Honors Top Dealers at 2014 Annual Dealer Convention

Honda Cars Marcos Highway Opens

February 12, 2014

Get a Brand New Volvo at Up to P 1.3-Million (Yes, P 1,300,000) Off!

BMW Cements Position as Top-Selling Luxury Car Maker in the Philippines, Lays Plans for 2014

Chevrolet Aims to Enrich Lives of Young Filipinos with Donation of More Than 17,000 Nearly Indestructible Futbols

Hyundai Launches Long Wheelbase Santa Fe, Calls it Grand (w/ Complete Specs)

February 11, 2014

Review: 2014 Subaru BRZ M/T

'Tsuper' Certified Trainers: 32 Manila Jeepney Drivers as TB Treatment Partner-Teachers in Caltex's Anti-TB Drive

February 10, 2014

Ford Keeps Strong Momentum as it Posts Best January Ever

Hyundai Opens Paranaque West Dealership

UPDATED: 2014 Toyota Innova Gets New Look, Improved In-Car Entertainment System (w/ Complete Specs)

February 9, 2014

Kia Hosts 80 Korean Students on Charitable Immersion for Happy Move Camp

Honda CR-Z is Judged Best Sports Car of the Year by Car Awards Group for 2013-2014

Polo Action Heats Up in 11th Zobel Memorial Polo Cup

Toyota Motor Philippines Starts 2014 with Strong Sales

February 7, 2014

UPDATED: 2014 Chicago Auto Show: All-New 2015 Subaru Legacy Debuts. Where's the Turbo? (w/ Video)

Kia Sorento, Carens Win at Annual Car of the Year - Philippines

Lexus Manila Opens Lexus Gallery in Robinsons Magnolia

Volkswagen Beetle Goes Rallying in the Global Rallycross Series

Monster Excitement: Get the Chance to Win a Trip to Japan to Watch Ken Block Live!

February 6, 2014

Volvo Cars and Ericsson Cloud Solution Offers Total Connectivity

Lexus Manila Refreshes CT200h for 2014