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| Photos by Ulysses Ang |
November 20, 2012
Review: 2012 Toyota Camry 2.5 V
Manila Auto Salon 2012: Racing with Legends
Manila’s premiere styling and tuning show, the 6th MANILA AUTO SALON opens its gates again on November 29 to December 2, 2012 at the SMX Convention Center , Mall of Asia in Pasay City with a legendary twist.
“Racing With Legends” is a documentary, which for the first time ever, shows the great racing events that transpired during the Golden Age of Philippine motor sports and tells about the pioneering spirits of the race car drivers and organizers of that special era.
November 19, 2012
Hyundai Enters Q4 with 13% Growth Fueled by Passenger Car Sales
Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI), the official distributor of Hyundai vehicles in the Philippines, opens Q4 with overall sales up by 13% to 18,818 units sold from January to October, as opposed to 16,705 units in the same period last year. While total sales of the Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) segment declined by 12%, vehicles under the Passenger Car (PC) segment hoisted sales with 11,593 units sold, 37% better than the 8,474 units sold from January to October in 2011. This positive performance was due to the impressive sales of the Accent and EON.
Meanwhile, October alone saw a drop in sales by 9% with 1,662 units sold, due to the delayed unit arrivals of some models, as compared to the 1,822 units sold in the same month last year. Although PC sales in this month experienced a slowdown in sales, LCV sales grew by 28% due to the timely arrival of units of the all-new Santa Fe.
Mitsubishi Motor Philippines Launches Mirage
Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation is adding more fun and excitement to its vehicle lineup as it introduces the all-new Mirage. The all-new Mirage is a global car developed on the concepts of high fuel efficiency, affordability and compactness. Produced in Mitsubishi Motors Thailand, this global car features excellent fuel economy, very environment friendly with very low carbon emission, optimized equipment for exceptional value and most of all it is fun and easy to drive. The all-new Mirage is available in GLX and GLS variants with both 5-speed manual transmission and Continuously Variable transmissions to choose from.
Toyota Motor Philippines Sets New Sales Record in October
Mitsubishi Mirage Philippine Launch: The Video
This is perhaps one of the most innovative launches in recent memory for a car in the Philippines. Using the Microtel Hotel near Mall of Asia as a screen, Mitsubishi playfully projected moving images of its Mirage going through its paces. Here's wishing we'll get more launches like these!
Mercedes-Benz Ener-G-Force a Look at G-Class of the Future
At the Los Angeles Design Challenge 2012, Mercedes-Benz is presenting its Ener-G-Force Concept, a cool design study that shows off what a G-Class will look like in 2025. And according to Gorden Wagener, Director of Design at Mercedes-Benz Cars, it proves a clue about a "new beginning for the off-road design idiom of Mercedes-Benz".
How Porsche Re-Manufactures Classic Emblems: Video
Porsche Classic is now willing to sell reproduced emblems for early 911 or 356 models. Of course, what makes it even more spectacular is the level of detail they go through just for one of these crests.
November 18, 2012
Petron Officially Launches "Passion for Porsche" Promo
The big boys of the Petron basketball team have caught the “Passion for Porsche” fever! In photo are (L-R): Chris Lutz with the red Porsche Cayman and the silver Porsche Cayenne; Danny Ildefonso holding the white Porsche GT3 RSR available starting December 1; and JunMar Fajardo with the blue Porsche Panamera and the black Porsche Carrera.
These Porsche collectible toy cars are offered in the “Petron Passion for Porsche” promo, which runs from November 1, 2012 to January 31, 2o13. For every P1,000-worth of Petron Blaze, XCS, Xtra Unleaded, Turbo Diesel or Diesel Max purchase, a Petron customer can avail of a Porsche collectible toy car for only P180.
Manila Auto Salon 2012: Big Guns Collide Again
Manila’s premiere styling and tuning show, the 6th MANILA AUTO SALON starts the big guns firing on November 29 to December 2, 2012 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia in Pasay City. Again the Big Guns are expected to collide as the show begins in the garages of the top tuning shops in the country.
“Every year the collisions are more intense and the crowd sees more and more talent, in terms of designs, configurations, and out-of-the box thinking” explains organizer Tradeshow International President, Sophie de los Santos. “The drama for the show begins at the tuning shops as they strategize for the win.”
Petron Announces Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Promo Winners
Two very lucky ladies spent the recent holidays watching the spectacular Formula One Grand Prix live at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi from November 2-4, 2012.
Cheryl Lancero of Dasmariñas, Cavite, and Catherine Liwag of Sampaloc, Manila, both businesswomen, were two of the thousands who joined the Petron “Blaze Your Way to the Grand Prix” promo. Running from July 15 to September 15, 2012, the promo was open to all Petron customers who used their MasterCards to purchase P2,000 worth of Petron fuels, Petron lubricants, or Petron Gasul from participating Petron stations, and registering a unique code in the official Petron Facebook page (www.facebook.com/PetronCorporation).
Subaru Launches Forester in Japan: Video
Watch how Subaru launched their Forester in a very unique fashion in Japan using the cars as screens. The effect is you see the car being "assembled" on stage. It makes for a great start to the week :-)
November 13, 2012
UPDATED: Official: Subaru Releases 2014 Forester Details
After countless spy photos, speculations, and even clandestine photos taken from Subaru's stockyard, Subaru has finally released details on their all-new 2014 Forester which is slated to debut in Japan on November 13 and for the North American market at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
Review: 2012 Ford Mustang GT Premium 5.0 V8
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| Photos by Ulysses Ang |
This is, by far, one of the most powerful cars I’ve ever come across with. The Ford Mustang is not only a frighteningly potent car (the mere mention of its 420 horsepower V8 was enough to whiten my knuckles), it’s a clear sign that the folks working at Ford Philippines are true car enthusiasts who wanted to bring the iconic muscle car back to the country.
Honda Sneak Peeks Civic Redesign for 2013
After disappointing reviews and feed back from both critics and buyers alike, Honda has re-designed its ninth-generation Civic for 2013 (at least for the North American market). Full details and more photos will be available at its reveal at the Los Angeles Auto Show, but here's what we already know:
November 12, 2012
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series: Video
Mercedes-Benz has launched the first video of its new SLS AMG Black Series and its 622 horsepower V8 engine. Enjoy this minute-long video of the new 315 km/h super car. It's a great way to start the week!
Ford Ranger Wins International Pick-Up Award 2013
The new Ford Ranger has won the "International Pick-Up Award 2013" making it the third international award Ford has won this year.
Every member of the judging panel ranked the new Ranger as their number one choice; praising its performance on- and off-road, strong engine line-up, payload and towing capability, and safety.
November 9, 2012
Mazda to Produce Toyota Vehicles at Mexico Plant
Mazda Motor Corporation has just announced that it will be building Toyota vehicles at the Mazda plant in Mexico. The manufacturing facility, which is currently under construction, will produce a Toyota-brand vehicle for sale mainly in North America. The sub-compact Toyota will be based off the Mazda2 and will start production around the summer of 2015 at a pace of 50,000 units per year.
Mazda's plant in Mexico is scheduled to start production by March 2014 with Toyota investing an "appropriate" portion of production equipment costs and development costs related to the Toyota vehicle and also an appropriate portion of costs related to the plant's production capacity increase.
Currently, the Mazda Mexico plant is scheduled to produce the Mazda2 and Mazda3 vehicles with an annual capacity of 140,000 units.
This could mean we'll see all-new Mazda2 before the summer of 2015 (perhaps as early as late 2013 or 2014), and that the all-new Toyota Yaris will be relegated to service in Europe and Asia while Toyota will be getting their own sub-compact car.
Petron Offers "Passion for Porsche" Promotion
Petron, the country’s leading oil company, is offering sports car lovers the opportunity to have their very own collection of Porsche toy cars through the “Petron Passion for Porsche” promo, beginning November 1, 2012.
For only P1,000-worth of fuel purchase, using a single or accumulated receipts, a Petron customer can avail of a Porsche collectible toy car for only P180. Four models will be offered initially—a black Porsche Carrera, a red Porsche Cayman, a blue Porsche Panamera, and a silver Porsche Cayenne. To complete your set of 5, the white Porsche GT3 RSR will be available starting December 1, 2012.
Philippine Car Price Guide: November 2012
We're nearing the end of the year and you know what that means: not much new cars. Nonetheless, there are some new additions to the November 2012 edition of the Philippine Car Price Guide as well as several price adjustments. Here are some to name a few:
- Chevrolet Traiblazer
- Great Wall Haval H5
- Great Wall Voleex C30
- Great Wall Wingle
- Hyundai Genesis Coupe (FL)
- Isuzu D-MAX LS 4WD
- Kia Sportage 2.0 EX CRDi 2WD
- Peugeot 508
- Peugeot 3008
- Peugeot 5008
- Peugeot RCZ
- Subaru WRX STI 4DR A-Line
November 8, 2012
Ford Posts Best-Ever Monthly Sales in Philippines
Ford Philippines today reported that October represented its all-time best monthly performance, with strong demand across all nameplates driving overall retail sales up by 50 percent year-over-year to 1,248 units.
The record month was given a significant boost by the best-ever month for the Ford Ranger pickup, as the class-defining all-new Ranger delivered sales that jumped 213 percent from the previous generation truck last year to 282 units.
American Suzuki Goes Bankrupt Pulls Out of US Car Market; Mitsubishi Next?
American Suzuki Motor Corporation, the sole distributor of Suzuki automobiles in the US has announced that it's pulling out of the US car market and has filled for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Citing low sales volumes, limited number of models in its line-up, unfavorable foreign exchange rates, among others, Suzuki will cease to sell cars and trucks in the US market after stocks are depleted and instead will re-align their business solely on motorcycles, ATVs, and watercraft.
Hyundai/Kia Admit to Exaggerated Mileage Claims in US
A probe done by the US-based Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has concluded that Hyundai and Kia have both been found guilty of exaggerating a majority of their vehicle's fuel economy claims for the 2012 and 2013 model years. Apparently, the EPA estimates that this practice has been done since late 2010. As such, both of these Korean automakers will compensate the owners of some 900,000 vehicles sold under the now false claims.
Volvo Philippines Takes Customer Service to New Level with Volvo Service 2.0
Volvo Philippines continues to go full throttle as it takes the concept of customer service to a new level. In addition to the obvious offerings from the Volvo workshop – such as Volvo Genuine Parts, Volvo methods and internationally trained Volvo technicians – the Volvo dealer has a complete service offering where the customer is always in focus. A fully integrated offer, Volvo Service 2.0 offers the Volvo owner something new, and something more than what others are offering.
November 6, 2012
Subaru to Hold Kansha Festival on November 14-18
Motor Image Pilipinas (MIP), the exclusive distributor of Subaru vehicles in the country, along with its authorized dealers will hold it’s much awaited annual Kansha Festival from November 14 -18, 2012 at all of its showrooms. 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.
In observance of this holiday in Japan, Motor Image will be using the same theme by giving away exclusive offers on selected Subaru vehicles, accessories, parts, aftersales service and even Subaru Lifestyle merchandise items which will only be offered only during the campaign week.
Mitsubishi to Celebrate Mirage Launch with 'Mirage Music Festival and Expo' on November 16
Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) is pleased to announce the much awaited launch of the all-new Mitsubishi Mirage on November 16. With this, MMPC will be treating its valued customers and the general public to a night filled with fun and awesome music as it holds the Mirage Music Festival at the SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds. Simply as exciting as driving home the all-new Mirage, MMPC promises you to experience an overwhelming night of surprises and an array good music from some of the country’s top OPM bands such as Pupil, General Luna, Up Dharma Down, Urbandub and a lot more.
Aside from the superb band lineup for the Mirage Music Festival, MMPC will also giveaway exciting raffle prizes such as iPads, Toshiba Netbook, Toshiba LCD TVs, and cool Mirage exclusives such as T-shirts, Mirage USB drives and wireless PC mouse.
Philippine Hyundai Technicians Win in First Hyundai Global Service Competition
Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI), the official distributor of Hyundai vehicles in the Philippines, proudly announces that two Filipino Service Advisors (SA) from the HARI dealership network won top honors at the 1st Hyundai Service Advisor Championship. Mr. Eduard de Guzman, who landed among the top 10 finalists, and Mr. Rommel Agpoon, stood out from among 62 participants from 44 countries to bag the Outstanding Skills and Recognized Skills Awards respectively, exhibiting Hyundai's continued commitment to service excellence.
Review: 2012 Chevrolet Colorado LTZ 4x4 M/T
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| Photos by Ulysses Ang |
Boy, how times have changed. Fast-forward to today and pick-ups have become more of everyday vehicles: it transports the kids to school and the wife to work while still being able to do a bit of hauling every now and then. For all intents and purposes, buyers are now looking at pick-ups as alternatives to compact crossovers especially given the higher cost of unleaded gasoline as well as the poor condition of Philippine roads and their propensity to flash flood. In this regard, Chevrolet was caught napping.
October 30, 2012
Mediacorp Subaru Challenge 2012 Crowns Winner After 78 Hours
The MediaCorp Subaru Challenge 2012 – The Asian Face-Off came to a sensational close today, with 42-year-old Singaporean Gan Yu Shen Tholmas taking top honors in a grueling 78 hours 30 minutes face-off, clocking the second longest winning time in the 11 years of the Challenge.
The three-time participant, Mr. Gan, was a direct entry contestant who was selected from an online competition organized by Motor Image on the “I Love Subaru’ Facebook fan page.
Pouring Rain Reduces Subaru Challenge Participants to 36 After 54 Hours
A late afternoon heavy downpour today brought welcome relief to contestants who braved the unusually hot weather conditions for more than 50 hours in the MediaCorp Subaru Challenge 2012 – The Asian Face-Off.
The rain renewed optimism among the remaining 36 contestants in the 11th annual event - 25 from Singapore and 11 from nine regional teams, facing off at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza for the top prize of a Subaru car.
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