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December 9, 2015

Honda Cars Philippines Ends 2015 on High with Preview of 2016 CR-Z Sports Hybrid

On a high after celebrating record-breaking sales for 2015 as well as their 25th anniversary in the country, Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) held a surprise preview of the 2016 CR-Z sports hybrid, further providing the brand’s solid direction next year.

BYD Company Ltd., is now ranked the number brand in terms of electric vehicle (EV) accumulated sales with a total of 43,069 EVs sold for 2015 thus far. This represents a 222 percent surge compared to the same period last year. And with a total of 6,099 EV units sold globally in October alone, BYD once again topped the sales charts for the sixth consecutive month since May.

Christmas is just around the corner and while there are some of us who’re lucky enough to have completed their gift shopping early on, there are some who’re still clueless on what to give. And while it’s easy to shop for friends who’re epicureans or fashionistas, what do you give the self-confessed car guy? Well, this year, I suggest you give air fresheners a break and go for one of these wonderful gift ideas, all of which I don’t mind seeing under the Christmas tree for myself.

Volkswagen Philippines CSI Partners with MMDA's ITM

Volkswagen Philippines has recently partnered with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to further enhance the German automaker’s Child Safety Initiative (CSI) in the Philippines.

Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) sales rose by 44 percent to 16,046 units from January to October compared to the same period in 2014. This is a significant growth compared to the overall 22 percent sales increase of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) industry for the same period. For October alone, HCPI sold 1,786 vehicles, up by 16 percent compared to the same month last year.

Photos by Ulysses Ang

If Peugeot had its way in the country, more people should be driving them. They’re unmistakably different and offer good value for money, especially if you’re in the market for something European. Of course, competing in market segments priced above the P 1.3-million mark, they’ve got their work cut out for them. This is especially true since majority of the growth is coming from automobiles pegged at just about a million pesos. So what’s Peugeot going to do? Inevitably, if they want a French invasion to happen here, they have to enter this market segment. At the same time, they’ve got to be careful as not to dilute their just-starting-to-develop brand equity.

Tata Philippines Introduces Super Ace (w/ Brochure)

Tata Motors Philippines is expanding its commercial vehicle offering with the introduction of the Tata Super Ace light commercial vehicle.

Philippine Car Price Guide November-December 2015

The final Philippine Car Price Guide for 2015 is now out. We apologize for the delays for this edition, but we’re packing it all here—in the last update of the year. Here’s the list of updated or new entries that spans from October to December of this year.

Audi TT
Chevrolet Trax
Ford Explorer Sport
Ford Focus 1.5 EcoBoost
Honda Legend
Hyundai Accent 1.6 DCT
Hyundai Azera (price update)
Isuzu D-MAX 3.0 VGS
Isuzu mu-X 3.0 VGS
Lexus LX 570
Lexus RX 350
Lexus RX 450h
Mercedes-AMG GT
Mercedes-AMG GLA 45
Nissan Almera
Peugeot 308
Subaru Outback 2.5i-S
Tata Super Ace
Volkswagen Passat

Hyundai Philippines Previews All-New 2016 Elantra

After its global unveil at the brand’s Namyang R&D Center in September, Hyundai has previewed the all-new sixth-generation Elantra at the annual Christmas party for dealers, suppliers, and the media. Aiming to recapture market share and regain momentum for the Korean brand, the 2016 Elantra offers a sleeker, more dynamic appearance together with a slew of distinguished performance features.

Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) is expanding its low-cost product line of spare parts: Isuzu Best Value Parts. Affordably priced yet having the same quality as genuine parts, Isuzu’s BVP are perfect for the budget conscious Filipino vehicle owners.

Photos by Ulysses Ang

Commemorating its success on the racetrack over the course of the past year, NISMO, Nissan’s specialized motoring division, holds the NISMO Festival as their way of expressing gratitude to all their fans. One day in autumn since 1997, the Fuji International Speedway comes alive and transforms into a living exhibit dedicated to anything and everything Nissan.

BPI/MS's My Safe Drive App Aims to Reduce Traffic Accidents

The statistics sound grim: every year, there’s an average of 10,000 road accidents in the country. And that figure is expected to rise given the high growth experienced by the automotive industry as a whole. Dig deeper though and most of these accidents are attributable to driver error or distraction.

“Imagine if we can cut that amount by just two percent. That may not sound much, but considering the numbers, that’s around 200 accidents,” said Mr. Kenichi Tanabe, BPI/MS’s President and CEO. “A car is one of the most significant investments a family can make. We’re help to help protect that investment.”

UPDATED: There is No Sudden Unintended Acceleration Issue on the Mitsubishi Montero Sport

UPDATE 1: MMPC welcomes the DTI recommendations. Read it here (12/19).

There is no sudden unintended acceleration issue on the second-generation Mitsubishi Montero Sport—that’s the unequivocal statement given at the press conference called by Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC). The company had a panel of experts including their own internal product planning and engineering personnel to explain that the Montero Sport has undergone extensive testing, and time and time again, they have reached the same conclusion: there is no design, mechanical, or electronic defect that exists.

Nothing says that you care about your car than by keeping it in tip-top shape. And the most visible sign is to keep it clean. Now, most people take good care of their skin by applying sunblock or moisturizer, but just how does one care of a car’s exterior? Seeking help on this matter, we consulted with the local distributors of Sonax, the premium German car care specialist to find out more about car pampering.

Photos by Ulysses Ang

There’s a saying that within every adult, there’s a kid lurking somewhere. Of course, this saying is open to interpretation from anyone (e.g. second childhood), but I personally believe that this saying is specifically made for people who drive Porsches. Why Porsche? Compared to the rest of the sports car world out there, Porsches are the most refined, sophisticated, subtle, and no doubt most drivable in everyday life. On the other hand, the brand has also produced barely road-legal machines.

Auto Focus Pre-Christmas Test Drive is a Success

The country’s biggest and grandest consolidated test drive activity held last November 12-15, 2015 at the SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds attracted an impressive turn-out of visitors and logged a huge number of test drives. During the Auto Focus Pre-Christmas Test Drive (AFPCTD), the latest models available to the local market were featured and free test drives by the Philippines’ leading manufacturers and distributors were offered, all in a single venue. This unique pre-Christmas test drive program gave prospective car buyers and enthusiasts the opportunity to see or test drive the widest range of competing makes and models without having to go through the ordeal of having to run from one dealer to another in search of the model of their choice.

Representatives of Ayala-owned Honda Cars Makati, Inc. (HCMI) have once again proven the team’s expertise in the Body Repair and Paint arena after bagging major awards in the recently concluded 7th Body and Paint National Customer Service Skills Competition at Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. in Santa Rosa, Laguna.

Photos by Ulysses Ang

With a history spanning over 80 years, Nissan is currently the sixth largest automaker in the world and is home to some of the most iconic models ever made such as the Skyline GT-R, Fairlady Z, and Sylvia. With a name originating from “Nihon Sangyo” meaning Japan Industries, Nissan has a distinction of being one of the few automakers not named after its founder, a nod to its social responsibility.

Nissan Confirms Arrival of GT-R, NISMO to Philippines

By Ulysses Ang and Nissan Press

Aiming to bring some spice and excitement to its line-up, Nissan Philippines, Inc. (NPI) has confirmed the impending arrival of the high-performance GT-R sports car into the country by the second half of 2016. The revelation was made by NPI President Antonio ‘Toti’ Zara at the NISMO Festival held at the Fuji International Speedway.

Nissan Expanding Philippine Dealer Base

Nissan car owners will now have more reason to rediscover the excitement of Nissan, as Nissan Philippines has been steadily expanding its network reach via an aggressive expansion drive for its dealership network nationwide.

Since Peugeot’s re-launch in the Philippines in 2012, it’s been steadily adding new vehicles to its line-up. Now, it’s finally going back to the segment which started it all: the C-segment (compact car). Eurobrands Distributor, Inc. (EDI) is introducing the 2016 Peugeot 308 available in two body styles: hatchback and touring. Either way, they fuse function and efficiency with technological features and design.

Subaru Offers Irresistible Deals for Year-End

Motor Image Pilipinas, Inc. (MIPI), the exclusive distributor of Subaru vehicles in the country is treating you to exciting various payment schemes with low down payment, low monthly amortization up to 60 months, zero percent interest packages, and cash discounts deals until December 31, 2015.

Ford Motor Company today announced the appointment of Lance Mosley as managing director of Ford Philippines effective December 1, 2015.

The leadership of the Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) expressed elation upon announcing that their latest flagship model—the Isuzu mu-X—has recently breached the 10,000 mark, one year after being introduced locally.

Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) is set to prove its mettle in the eyes of the public as they conduct this year’s Isuzu Off-Road Fest.

Review: 2016 Ford Focus 1.5 EcoBoost Titanium+

Photos by Ulysses Ang

Blame APEC. The week with the Ford Focus was supposed to be one of fun and frugality; instead, it ended up as one filled with frustration. And it’s not because of the car. More than anything, it did make the horrendous Manila traffic crawl actually comfortable, but it didn’t validate the one thing that should’ve marked the Focus’s biggest improvement: fuel economy. Yes, with an average speed of 11 km/h (actually dipping to single digits by Friday), the Focus 1.5 EcoBoost eked out just 5.28 km/L.

2016 Nissan Almera Boasts of Tweaked Design, Specs, and Lower Maintenance Cost (w/ Brochure)

Nissan is bringing to market the 2016 version of its sub-compact Almera—a car that’s been substantially refreshed in hopes of becoming the Filipino family’s first new car of choice. Lost in ubiquity before, the refreshed Almera offers new exterior and interior changes as well as the availability of a new drivetrain that reduces running costs.

Mitsubishi Motors has promised an update for its surprisingly brisk-selling Mirage (at least for the North American market). Making its debut at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show, the 2017 Mirage takes on the Attrage / G4’s front face along with a menu of detail improvements.

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