Tricycles can be a bane to progress

MANILA, Philippines - Please don’t take our headline as a general sweeping statement. Nor form an impression that I am anti-poor. I realize the importance of these three-wheeled transporters as God-sent in areas where there are no regular transport services, like in villages, subdivisions and far-flung barrios.

I cannot over-emphasize their importance where they are useful. But I cannot justify their existence where they are hazardous and a deterrent to the free movement of people, goods and services – in the main roads and in the highways.

Considering that that they are motorized, their legal existence is dependent on the LTFRB or the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and their movement is regulated by the LTO or Land Transportation Office and the local police.

We know of the countless avoidable accidents that the mere presence of tricycles have caused not only in metro roads but more so in provincial highways making them indeed hazardous transporters in main thoroughfares.

We have seen and continuously see how their presence in the high-speed highways considerably reduce the pace of the movement of people, goods and services negatively affecting trade and commerce and inevitably the country’s economy as a whole.

We know that there are already laws prohibiting their mere presence in the main streets and roads and highways. The question is, “Why can’t we implement the law?”

There have been some finger-pointing in this issue with the local government most especially accused of coddling the vote-rich tricycle drivers’ and operators’ ranks.

With the change in leadership we hope to have a change in overall priorities and in all aspects, including the country’s transport concerns.

Let’s get these tricycles and pedicabs out of our main roads and highways.

A Taste of the Remarkable Mitsubishi ASX

The motoring media has just been given a taste of Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation’s (MMPC) completely new vehicle – the ASX or Active Sport Crossover also considered as a “little brother” to the Mitsubishi Outlander.

In a grueling whole-day test drive, the motoring journalists subjected the ASX to varied driving conditions within the Clark area and on the Clark International Speedway. There was the end-to-end drive expanding almost the length of the former US airbase to give the media a taste of the Mitsubishi ASX’s comfort and performance while driving in normal conditions and there was also the gymkana exercise for hands-on experience on the vehicle’s maneuverability and driving versatility using the model with automatic transmission and the bold lap after lap “race against time” driving exercise around the circuit track using both the manual and automatic variants.

During the media launch that was held a day before the actual test drive, one of the many unique features of the 5-seater ASX that MMPC’s evp Taizo Furuhashi pointed out was the ASX’s deliberately designed ground clearance of 195 mm, which is higher than those of common sedans. This feature could help address the metro’s common flood problems.

With the Mitsubishi ASX’s other features driving would indeed be a “will see and be seen” experience. What with Multiple LED brake lights at the rear to provide superior visibility for other vehicles following and the 160-degree super wide range H.I.D. headlamps that the GLS SE 4x4 variant is equipped with, which sends out a broader beam of light illuminating a much wider section of the road ahead.

Providing mobile entertainment to the occupants is a 6.2 inch touch screen LCD monitor that has a built-in DVD/CD/MP3/WMA player with FM/AM tuner. The same headunit also provides GPS Navigation for the GLS and GLS SE models, hands-free Bluetooth pairing, plus iPod and USB connectivity. Keeping things cool for the three models is the automatic climate control.

The all-new ASX is powered by the same 4B11 2.0-liter engine found on the Lancer EX but retuned to match the ASX’s weight and specific drivetrain. Power output is now at 150 Ps at 6,000 rpm and torque at 197 N-m at 4,200 rpm thanks to the MIVEC or Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control technology. Transmission options are the 5-speed manual transmission and the Continuously Variable Transmission or CVT with 6-speed Sportronic mode that could either be operated by the gearshift lever or the steering column mounted magnesium alloy paddle shifters (not plastic like what a recently-launched super high-end sedan has).

Other unique features of the Mitsubishi ASX that caught my interest include the Push Start/Stop Engine button and the steering wheel tilt and telescopic adjustments in the GLS SE variant and its safety package for all variants.  

The all-new ASX is available in 3 variants: ASX GLX 4x2 MT, ASX GLS 4x2 CVT, and ASX GLS SE 4x4 CVT and comes in six colors: Quartz Brown Metallic, Virgil Gray, Carbon Black, Kingfisher Blue, Amazon Red and Biscuit White. Suggested introductory prices are P1,145,000.00 for the GLX 4x2 MT, P1,225,000.00 for the GLS 4x2 CVT, and P1,498,000.00 for the GLS SE 4x4 model.

True to form the motoring journalists really punished the Mitsubishi ASX at the race track to extremes and the Outlander “littler brother” rose to the occasion and passed the test with flying colors.

Petron’s back on the scene?

I was surprised to hear from our good friend, Charmaine Canillas once again after Petron’s long absence from the scene for quite a while.

Well, as always Charmaine, being head of advertising and promotions and now corporate communications, has been known as the bearer of good news, whether it is to mitigate real or imagined aggravations or to announce the launch of new products that are beneficial to motorists.

This time it is to announce another first by Petron Corporation. The launch of what’s vaunted to be “a technologically advanced automotive diesel fuel that has unique and robust multi-functional additives resulting in improved engine performance for superior acceleration, better fuel economy and reduced harmful exhaust emissions – the Petron Turbo Diesel.”

This new diesel fuel is claimed to have non-stop engine cleaning action, an octane booster and a fuel optimizer to additional performance benefits that include: promotion of complete combustion for maximum power, cleaning of fuel injectors, reduction of ignition delay, improvement of cold start performance, protection against engine corrosion and reduction of engine noise.

“Petron has always been at the forefront of product innovations aimed at giving the motoring public environment-friendly fuels that provide more value for their money,” Petron Chairman and CEO Ramon S. Ang said. “Using Petron Turbo Diesel is very beneficial since its special formulation cleans and enhances engine combustion. This translates to better fuel economy, thus lower cost to the motoring public.”

The company’s new premium diesel is also said to be formulated for high-end vehicles such as those with Common Rail Direct Injection (CRDI) diesel engines as well as older diesel engines types for optimum engine performance.

If you want to check this new product out you can drop by selected Petron Service stations namely Dasmariñas, Macapagal, Bel-Air, McKinley and UN Avenue.

CAMPI Motor Show starts tomorrow

For avid automobile enthusiasts all roads lead to the World Trade Center in Roxas Boulevard starting tomorrow, August 19 until Sunday, August 22 for the CAMPI 3rd Philippine International Motor Show.

The international exhibition promises to have more than 100 new vehicles plus fuel efficient cars, concept cars and hybrid automobiles.

There’s also special financing offered to car buyers during the duration of the motor show and other attractions like test drives, car club meets, carbon calculation kiosks and toy car donation for Caritas Manila.

It’s a must for any auto enthusiast and the 4-day affair starts tomorrow.

Motoring Today TV show now a lunchtime treat

For those who may not still know, the 23-year old institution on Philippine television now airs from 12 noon to 1 pm and still every Sunday on the Solar Sports Channel (Channel 70 on Sky and Channel 34 on Global Destiny).

Motoring Today, the “motoring authority” is the most comprehensive motoring TV news magazine that dwells on all aspects of motoring from transportation and traffic management issues to motor sports, the automobile and motorcycle industries and everything that pertains to motoring.

It’s a show not only for automobile and motoring enthusiasts but for entire general motoring public.

Happy Motoring!!!

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