LAST SEPT. 15, Mindanao Integrated Commercial Enterprises, Inc. (MICEI), Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp.’s (MMPC) authorized dealership in General Santos City, South Cotobato, turned 50. In a release, MMPC said that the dealership’s “longevity in the highly competitive automotive industry reflects the resiliency of the organization and its progressive business approach that allows them to quickly adapt to the ever-evolving demand of the market.”

THE NEWLY LAUNCHED Delo 400 SLK SAE 15W-40 is said to boost the performance of various engine designs, allowing one oil for vehicles from different OEMs with or without DPF after-treatment devices, thus reducing inventory costs for vehicle operators.

SUVS HAVE always been extremely popular in the Philippine automotive market and, as of late, we’ve been observing a tremendous upsurge of buyer interest in the subcompact crossover category. These “cuter” segment in-betweeners are cheaper to acquire, easier to park, and still manage to offer a lot of the conveniences that many motorists seek in SUVs. This customer interest is likewise reflected in the luxury segment, and Mercedes-Benz Philippines has promptly responded to this interest by completing its lineup of new SUVs with the recent launch of its second-generation GLA.

STILL WITH six races to go in the series, Audi has already secured the manufacturers’ championship title in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) with a podium lockout of the recent leg at the Nürburgring in Germany.

HONDA CARS Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) is offering generous cash discounts, great deals and other offerings in October as part of the “Honda@30: The Dream Lives On” promo to celebrate its 30th anniversary. Until Oct. 31, 2020, buyers of the Honda City, BR-V, Brio, Civic, CR-V, and Mobilio can get the following cash discounts, special all-in down payment schemes, and other exciting deals:

IT MAY HAVE opened shop in the Philippines much later than the other car brands, but do not let that fool you: Peugeot is one of the three oldest car brands in the world. This year, it’s celebrating its 210th anniversary!

I’VE ALWAYS looked forward to my yearly visit to the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) compound in Pasig City for the Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit (PEVS). This is staged by the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP), which “envisions a nation wherein the use of electric vehicles is highly promoted, encouraged and supported by its government and the society in order to develop a transportation landscape that is one with the environment ecologically and economically.”

FORD PHILIPPINES continues to add to its industry-leading number of pickup variants with the addition of two 4x4 variants, a manual and an automatic, of the Ford Ranger FX4.

FOR SURE, there was quite a bit of rejoicing (as well as a sigh of relief) over the three consecutive months of growth registered by the auto industry following that infamous April when member companies of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) and Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) sold a combined 133 units — an all-time low.

THEY MAY be a (relatively) small and boutique-like car company when compared to the other Japanese car giants, but Mazda knows how to give big to its customers. The Hiroshima-born brand, which also happens to celebrate its 100th anniversary this 2020, has again brought joy to its clientele after recently announcing that it shall be upgrading its traditional “Yojin” three-year free preventive maintenance service to a longer five-year free service plan. Like the original Yojin, the new plan will still cover all the expenses of each periodic maintenance appointment that is usually held every six months, or at 10,000-km intervals — and yes, that already includes free oil replacement with a Shell-branded fully synthetic lubricant.

German automaker Daimler AG and its American subsidiary Mercedes-Benz USA LLC agreed Monday to settle allegations they violated US and California emission rules in an agreement topping $1.5 billion in penalties and other costs.

HONESTLY, when we were tightly in the clutches of the enhanced community quarantine during the first quarter’s waning days, did we ever think the auto industry would ever (or at least soon) see a surfeit of new vehicle models being rolled out — albeit digitally? Yet here we are. Even casual browsers of social media surely would have seen the steady march of new models across many brands.