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At the flag-off of the Isuzu Challenge are (from left) Isuzu Philippines Corp. (IPC) President Noboru Murakami; professional drivers Johnsy Reyes, Mon Dimapilis, Alvin Mañalac, and Alex Lao; and IPC Vice-President for Sales Yasuhiko Oyama. — PHOTO FROM ISUZU PHILIPPINES

AMID FLUCTUATING fuel prices, Isuzu Philippines Corp. (IPC) sent out two of its best-selling model variants — the D-Max 3.0L 4×2 LS-A AT and the mu-X 3.0L 4×2 LS-A AT — on a five-day journey to “push the limits of… fuel-efficiency” through the so-called Isuzu Challenge.

Boasting a five-star ASEAN NCAP rating and luxurious styling, the D-Max and mu-X units were driven by two teams from the Isuzu Subic dealership up north going to Isabela then Cagayan, accompanied by official verifiers from the Automobile Association Philippines (AAP). Faced with torrential rain brought by Typhoon Florita, the drive was made even more challenging as strong winds brought created more drag on the vehicles. Still, both made the trip uneventfully and smoothly even amid road blocks and debris.

Driving down south, the vehicles made their way through the twisty roads of Nueva Vizcaya before heading to Alabang. Through their final stretch down to Bicol, the Isuzu D-Max mustered 20.58kpl on one full tank — a total of 1,564 kilometers. Having a bigger fuel tank capacity of 80 liters, the mu-X went even farther — 1,675 km or 20.94kpl.

Stated IPC Vice-President for Sales Yasuhiko Oyama in a release, “(These vehicles’) highly advanced 4JJ3-TCX engine optimizes engine performance with fuel-efficiency.” An intelligent six-speed automatic transmission with sequential shift is said to provide the driver more control over gear changes.

The executive added, “More than highlighting Isuzu’s superiority when it comes to diesel engine technology, we would like to provide solution to our customers especially in the face of increasing fuel prices. Excellent fuel economy is just one of the many Isuzu advantages they can enjoy while driving these models.”

For more information, visit www.isuzuphil.com.