The all-new Subaru Forester is here
“The all-new Forester builds on the many features that made Foresters such a worldwide hit. With greater luxurious comfort and practical convenience, without compromising on safety and quality, it boats an irresistible charm. Its streamlined design makes it a stylish companion that takes you easily from board meetings to golf games to family picnics”, was how aptly Mr. Glenn Tan, the youthful Group Chief Executive of Singapore-based Motor Image Enterprises described in a nutshell the attributes and features of the all-new Subaru Forester.
Motor Image Pilipinas, sole distributors of Subaru in the Philippines presented to the media recently the third-generation of its award-winning cross-over sports utility vehicle, which now boasts of increased space and comfort while retaining and enhancing all the features that won for its predecessors international acclaim.
According to Nicky Mariano, country manager of Motor Image, some of the all-new Subaru Forester’s enhancements include a fresh exterior design that replaced its predecessor’s boxy look. It also features an all-new platform that incorporates a longer wheelbase and an enhanced double-wishbone rear suspension. With its advanced “Ring-Shaped Reinforcement Frames”, a high level of safety has been achieved for the all-new Forester in terms of shock absorption and crash impact dispersion.
Motor Image Pilipinas marketing manger Ariel de Jesus invites all automobile enthusiasts and those in the market for a brand new ride that would surely make heads turn to come to their showroom located along EDSA to take a look at the two variants of the all-new Subaru Forester range available in the
The “Batman and Robin” tandem of Nicky and Ariel rides high again with this new offering from Subaru that’s expected to create quite a stir in the local auto market.
Cats Motors “explodes” with the Dodge Nitro
The Dodge Nitro is the brand’s first mid-size SUV, their first offering in a sector that they consider dominated by bland, mainstream designs. The American automaker believes that the Dodge Nitro “breaks the rules” with a strong and imposing, yet urbane style, uniquely asserting confident masculinity to which men aspire and women appreciate.
Recently launched to the media at the Chrysler Showroom of Cats Motors in Makati, the Dodge Nitro SXT comes with a 3.7-liter SOHC V-6 engine that produces 205 hp (157 kW) @ 5,200 rpm and 235 lb.ft (319 Nm) of torque @ 4,000 rpm.
The Dodge Nitro SXT boasts of a two-suspension system – Performance suspension and Sport suspension in one package with a coil-spring independent front suspension and a five-link, coil rear suspension.
This space-management-friendly SUV that’s fit standard with the famed Load ‘N Go cargo floor has as standard huge 20” Platinum-Clad Aluminum wheels. It also features a part-time four-wheel drive system that can be electronically switched.
For exceptional braking capability it has standard four-wheel-disc brakes, Anti-lock Breaking System and Break Assist System, while all-speed traction control is also standard.
While Greg Yu, chairman and Felix Ang, president of Cats Motors were graciously on hand to welcome the media, there was Peter MacKenzie, managing director of Chrysler South East Asia, to provide all the necessary technical inputs during the launch.
Reaction from the “diesel authority”
Reacting to the current two-fold, vehicle-related crisis that the country finds itself in its midst – air pollution and rising fuel prices, Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) recently rose to the occasion and helped provide a possible solution – the 100-percent Japan-made 4JB1 turbodiesel engine ideally designed for jeepneys.
This is an in-line-four-cylinder direct injection engine that has a displacement of 2.8 liters and uses the less expensive diesel for fuel. Aside for the engine’s famed fuel performance using lower-cost fuel, it is also Euro 2-compliant, easily meeting the standard of the Philippine Clean Air Act, therefore “hitting two birds with one stone” – to cope with the rising fuel prices and the problem of air pollution.
IPC’s Powertrain business, which supplies brand-new engines for jeepneys, buses and other commercial vehicles, was started in 2005. It recorded a 267-percent growth last year compared to 2006 sales. And IPC president Keiji Takeda, in a statement made during a recently held powertrain conference attended by 50 transport cooperatives in Metro Manila, attributes this to the Philippines being an obviously a predominant diesel country, that uses diesel fuel not only for public utility vehicles but for private transport as well.
Takeda-san also adds that Isuzu powertrains not only indeed guarantee returns, they also ensure a cleaner environment as well.
The end of a long illustrious career?
The first time I came across the name of this guy I’m writing about was when the TV show Motoring Today was still very new in the country’s television airwaves more than two decades ago. That was the time when we were the first and only TV show in the
We had access to all these materials mainly because my co-host on the show, the country’s racing living legend Pocholo Ramirez had Kookie, his eldest son residing in the States and being a racing buff as well, would tape all these TV coverages and send the tapes to us on a regular basis.
At that time it was the McLaren Team that was lording it over Formula 1 and I would always refer to the winning team as the “Marlboro-McLaren Formula One Team”. It was also a very effective “subliminal” branding effort for our pioneer major sponsor then, which was Marlboro.
But then there was this guy, who I knew from nowhere from Honda Philippines (there was still no Honda Cars Philippines then) who would always send me clippings from US and European magazines on Formula One with highlighter markings or underlines whenever there are mentions of the McLaren team. It was because of these clippings that I noticed that indeed the team was really known as the “Marlboro-Honda-McLaren” team – with Marlboro as the team’s sponsor, Honda as the engine supplier and with McLaren the chassis. And I had been inadvertently omitting “Honda” in the complete equation. And that guy’s name who made me subtly realize my mistake or omission – Arnel Doria.
When Honda Cars Philippines was put up in the country, guess who was the first to offer Pocholo and myself a test drive (when test drives were not the norm then) on their Honda Civic Hatchback – Arnel Doria.
That’s how dedicated and effective a marketing man this guy Arnel is. He was able to subtly make me mention his brand without telling me and we were able to experience “hands on” his product without us asking for it.
And Honda Cars Philippines’ local track record in sales can also be greatly attributed to Arnel’s natural feel and knowledge of the local market due to his long experience and exposure to Philippine marketing conditions.
But then this guy Mr. Doria has decided to change tracks. He has decided to leave Honda Cars Philippines as its very effective vice-president for marketing to take on full time, the job of running the Honda Safety Driving Center.
The end of an illustrious marketing career? Knowing Arnel, I doubt.
The best of luck to you my friend as you face new challenges on the new track you have decide to race on.
Hard to miss TV shows
To better serve the motoring public, Motoring Today, the motoring authority on Philippine television now has a multi-network broadcast. The weekly motoring guide is being aired every Saturday, at
Now for automobile enthusiasts, Auto Focus, the premier auto TV magazine that’s exclusively dedicated to the automobile and the auto industry airs Thursday at
Happy Motoring!!!
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