Tag: Kap Maceda Aguila

WHAT DO Lexus and Grand Seiko (GS) have in common?

TO PARAPHRASE that almost ubiquitous tee with the swoosh, Toyota knows hybrids -- even if many of us probably do not.

SINGAPORE -- Larger yet lighter, sporty yet luxurious, powerful yet fuel-efficient. The dichotomies come, well, fast and furious in the third generation of Bentley Flying Spur. First launched globally in June this year, the four-door Bentley is now poised to gradually roll out to the Asia-Pacific market as the UK car maker formalized its entry into the region with a launch in this city.

MUCH IS SAID about car companies drawing insight and learning from stints on the racetrack -- primarily through motorsports -- and cascading these onto production vehicles made for you and me. After all, it’s sexy, exciting, and always poster-ready.

FORD PHILIPPINES is bringing in the marque’s large people mover, the Transit, amid what the company Managing Director PK Umashankar described as “the continued growth of the light commercial bus and van segment… a (sector) that contributes about eight percent of the industry in the Philippine auto market.” The US-headquartered auto firm is seeking to elbow into the niche in the waning days of 2019, which as a whole is projected to move 33,000 units, according to Mr. Umashankar in a speech at the vehicle’s recent launch.

AS THE WHOLE country braces for the official start of the 30^th edition of the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) and the 10^th ASEAN Para Games, Morris Garages (or MG) inked an agreement with the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) and Mediapro Asia to become the official mobility partner of the biennial regional sports spectacle.

AUDI PHILIPPINES last week locally debuted the all-new iteration of the Q3, the Ingolstadt, Germany-based automaker’s compact luxury crossover. First released in 2011, the Q3 is considered an “all-around SUV that (now) marks a step forward with its spaciousness, versatility, and technology.”

FOLLOWING its world premiere in July, Korean global car maker Kia lost no time in making the subcompact crossover Seltos available to customers in the Philippines -- who also have the honor of getting it first in the ASEAN region. And the vehicle comes in with rightfully much optimism from executives.

DESPITE getting a slew of upgrades, the 2020 version of the Peugeot 5008 seven-seater SUV will still be priced at P2.19 million.

AMERICAN WRITER and novelist Pearl Buck once wrote: “Our society must make it right and possible for old people not to fear the young or be deserted by them, for the test of a civilization is the way that it cares for its helpless members.”

MANY FILIPINOS know, or at least have heard about, Oktoberfest.

BMW’s entry point into its so-called sports activity vehicle (the Munich-based car maker’s appellation for SUV) line is getting a significant refresh at the perceived mid-point of its generational life cycle.

THE PERFORMANCE brand founded by the late great American automotive designer, racer, and entrepreneur Carroll Shelby; and the iconic British motorcycle maker Triumph -- are seemingly disparate entities that now have something in common. They both have found a Philippine partner in the Autohub Group.

ALREADY AMONG the leaders in the mass-market tire segment for eight consecutive years, French tiremaker Michelin goes after a bigger portion of the tire-replacement business with an affordable yet high-performing line designed for small to medium-sized vehicles.

INGRESS and egress of the elderly and persons with disabilities (PWD) in the Maxus G10 multipurpose vehicle is now made easy with the G10 Assist package.

HERE COMES a rare chance to acquire a creation by one of the country’s 19^th-century masters.

THE DECISION to pull the trigger on releasing the all-new GR Supra locally surely makes a lot of sense for Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) from both emotional and business standpoints.

MERCEDES-BENZ Philippines fancies the GLE a “trendsetter” in its portfolio of SUVs, and the latest iteration surely adds to this lore as it is packed with “a suite of intuitive safety systems (and) the most advanced technology.”

ITS PULSE-QUICKENING price tag of P9.29 million helps assure exclusivity, and that’s justifiable for a vehicle that’s nicknamed “The President.”

BY ITS MONIKER alone, the multi-purpose vehicle or MPV segment lends itself more to practicality rather than luxury.

IT’S CLEARLY boiling down to a question of when, not if.

THE FIRST-EVER SUPRA to be retailed in the Philippines is here -- taking its place as the flagship sports car of Toyota.

NUMEROUS CHANGES mark the mid-cycle refresh of Honda’s compact crossover, the BR-V. Formally launched last week, the updated vehicle was conceptualized by its designers with an “enhanced SUV image” touting a “masculine and premium look with its sleeker design and advanced features.”

ON THE SIDELINES of the recent launch of the all-new versions of BMW’s Z4 and 3 Series, this writer had an exclusive interview with BMW Group Asia Managing Director Christopher Wehner. The executive had mentioned in a speech that the Munich-headquartered car maker was poised to systematically launch a total of 25 electrified vehicles by Year 2025.

THE COUNTRY’S leading auto marque recently made a clarion call for the environment by pushing for greater adoption of, and enhanced government support for, its hybrid electric vehicle nameplate.

HYUNDAI Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI), the official distributor of Hyundai passenger cars and commercial vehicles (CVs) in the Philippines, reported a 12.5% sales uptick in the first quarter of 2019 compared to the same period last year. HARI moved 9,949 units in the period compared to 8,847 in the first quarter of 2018.

PUERTO PRINCESA, PALAWAN -- Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) unveiled last Thursday the refreshed version of its popular multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), the Avanza. The new iteration banners a sportier look, reworked dashboard with a new infotainment system, and more safety features.

IN APRIL, Bohol fuel distributor Universal Fuel Solutions (UFS) took delivery of two Isuzu EXZ and three Isuzu FVM trucks, and three Isuzu mu-X SUVs from the Isuzu Bohol dealership, which is part of the Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) network of authorized distributors.

SEPANG, MALAYSIA -- It was a gallant stand, but the 11-member contingent from the Philippines ultimately fell short of their goal to gain podium places at the 10^th Shell Eco-marathon (SEM) Asia.

THE BIENNIAL 18^th Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition (or simply, Auto Shanghai 2019) was a huge showcase and opportunity for automotive and related businesses to flex their muscles and trot out their best. Themed “Create a Better Life,” the spectacle was once again held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center which holds the distinction of being the world’s largest facility of its kind -- touting a floor area of almost 1.5 square million meters.

BY VIRTUE of Department Order No. 2017-11, the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) was construed in June 2017 by the Department of Transportation (DoTr) as it envisioned a “restructured, modern, well-managed and environmentally sustainable transport sector where drivers and operators have stable, sufficient and dignified livelihoods while commuters get to their destinations quickly, safely, and comfortably.”

AS WE get deeper into 2019, more distance is being put between last year and its woeful effects on the local automotive industry -- largely because of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, which came in effect in the beginning of 2018. To be fair, the measure, which effectively levied additional excise taxes on new vehicles while providing fiscal relief for hybrids and exceptions for electric vehicles and pickups, had been well-communicated before the axe fell in the beginning of 2018. Car buyers largely hung on to their checkbooks last year, even as the market saw a surge of late-2017 purchases.

MITSUBISHI MOTORS Philippines Corporation (MMPC) officials are keen to point out that they have been in operation in the country for an unmatched 55 straight years, which speaks volumes of the faith they have in our economy.

THE annual summer spectacle that is the Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) once again happened at its usual haunt, the World Trade Center Metro Manila in Pasay City. MIAS is known as the country’s longest-running and largest car show.

THE MANILA International Auto Show (MIAS) is a well-known summer draw and, rightfully so, becomes an effective soapbox from which car brands announce and tout their accomplishments. It is also a favorite platform for unveiling vehicles. This year’s MIAS featured a handful of attention-grabbing rides worth saving up for (or at least salivating over). We compile here a handful (in no particular order) which we thought you probably noticed as well. Do you agree?

CAN an SUV be both large and fun? This seems to be the question that German carmaker Audi sought out to answer when its designers worked on the Q8. The first-ever in its lineage, the full-size luxury crossover SUV debuted in the market last year — with a regional unveiling in October by way of the Audi Brand Experience (ABE) Singapore.

GENERALLY, vehicles built for off-road driving are hardly known for subtlety, or even creature comforts. The ability to take on the most difficult of terrains often overrides the interest in providing finesse and refinement because, well, it just doesn’t look the part.

PURISTS may have screamed “Sacrilege!” at the mere idea of uber-luxury brand Rolls-Royce deigning to put out an SUV, but the fuss all surely looks like much ado about nothing now. It was a logical next step, anyway.

HOW appropriate it was for SMC Asia Car Distributors Corporation (SMCACDC), official importer and distributor of BMW in the Philippines, to mark the March 11 arrival of the popular Sports Activity Vehicle -- that’s BMW parlance for SUV -- BMW X5 with San Miguel Corporation president and chief operating officer Ramon S. Ang in attendance.

THERE were a few bright spots in last year’s automotive scene, what with the onset of the TRAIN (Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion) Law, which effectively stymied a multi-year run of growth for the domestic industry owing to higher vehicle price tags, with a few exceptions.

MG PHILIPPINES on March 9 kicked off the first in a series of live, free musical concerts dubbed “MG Live!” at the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.

LET’S face it: The automobile sector is among the world’s cutthroat industries where competition at whatever price point is equally intense. The passion to succeed is expressed in the commensurate urgency to generate sales numbers.

SEVENTY-five-year-old scooter brand Vespa has long reached iconic status around the world for its distinctive design and performance. One of seven mobility companies owned by Piaggio & Co. SpA, the brand has never shied away from evolving.

MUCH fanfare has surrounded the enthroning of the Q8 as Audi’s preeminent SUV. Supplanting the Q7, the mid-size Q8 is imagined by the Ingolstadt-based premium car maker as “[uniting] the elegance of a four-door luxury coupe with the practical versatility of a large SUV than can be used for both business and leisure.”

CONFIRMING the veracity of the buzz leading to the much-awaited launch of its new vehicle, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) presented the all-new iteration of its popular van nameplate. Unveiled on Feb. 18 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Taguig City was the sixth-generation Toyota Hiace.