January 2014: Quick Beginnings

MANILA, Philippines - Building on the success of 2013, 2014 started off with a huge bang for the automotive industry as carmakers scrambled immediately to launch or preview various new vehicles for the year. Typically a slow month in terms of events, the back-to-back events in January paved the way for what’s expected to be one of the busiest—if not the busiest—automotive year ever.

2014 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS)

Motoring Editor Manny de los Reyes flew to Detroit, Michigan to witness the first major global automotive event of the year: the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) or more commonly known as the Detroit Auto Show. Inside the Cobo Hall, he saw the debut of the all-new Chevrolet Corvette Z06 as well as the first aluminum-bodied pickup truck, the Ford F-150. Clearly, the big three are showing renewed design and engineering chops to take on the world’s best. Other notable launches at Detroit included the Kia GT4 Stinger Concept, the Toyota FT-1, and the Subaru WRX STI. He was even fortunate to have dinner with the first female CEO of a major automaker, General Motors’ Mary Barra.

Peugeot gets Novak Djokovic

Peugeot has chosen Novak Djokovic, a worldwide tennis icon, as its international ambassador. With this partnership, Peugeot confirms and strengthens its strategy in the tennis world, in a year that also marks the 30th anniversary of the partnership with Roland Garros, the iconic venue of the French Open. Novak Djokovic’s worldwide fame, in particular his reputation in China, the largest car market, was a decisive factor in establishing the partnership.

Hyundai joins WRC

In just over a year since its establishment, Hyundai Motorsport joins the highly competitive FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) with the Hyundai i20 WRC. Their participation started at Round 1 of 13, the Rallye Monte Carlo. The Hyundai Shell World Rally Team, as the team is formally called, lined up against more experienced competition with just six months of testing and just a total of 8,000 test kilometers over 16 sessions.

Hyundai and PUP students embark on Eco-Teaching

In the Hyundai tradition of giving back to the community, 40 Hyundai scholars from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) expressed full support for HARI Foundation, Inc.’s (HFI) advocacy to promote environmental awareness across the country by becoming part-time “Hyundai Eco-Teachers.” Hyundai’s Eco-Teaching program is inspired by HFI’s long-time partnership with HARIBON Foundation to drive eco-consciousness and biodiversity nationwide via the HARI Eco-Van – the country’s first customized classroom-on-wheels that travels across the country to teach young people how they can become responsible stewards of the environment.

Porsche 911 Turbo S

More than 40 years after the world premiere of the first Turbo prototype, the Porsche 911 Turbo S is redefining the limits of what is feasible in a sports car for everyday use. In fact, it lapped the Nurburgring North Loop in under 7 minutes and 30 seconds with standard production tires—a feat once reserved for uncompromising supercars. Sitting on top of the 911 family, the Turbo S is the pinnacle of technology and dynamic performance. Yet, the unique selling point of the 911 is still there. It’s been known for its extreme spread of capabilities between performance and efficiency, tradition and innovation, exclusivity and practicality.

Toyota Corolla Altis

Toyota debuts what it calls the “best and most capable Corolla Altis yet. Sporting a more aggressive design, the all-new Corolla Altis is larger and sleeker. With the range-topping 2.0 V, it debuts the segment’s first LED headlights along with the standard wraparound body kit and 17-inch alloy wheels. Under the hood, the all-new Corolla Altis is powered by Toyota’s proven 1.6-liter or 2.0-liter Dual VVT-i engines. Though a 6-speed manual is available on the entry-level variant, the bigger news is the shift of all models to a more fuel-efficient CVT. Inside, the range of features include a push-button engine start/stop, leather seats (in black or beige depending on variant), “Cybercarbon” trim, and a power driver’s seat.

Toyota Vios Cup exhibition race

The Clark International Speedway transformed into a festival of speed as Toyota Motor Philippines finally held the Vios Cup Exhibition Race. Originally scheduled last October, the Vios Cup was postponed due to Typhoon Santi hitting the Northern and Central Luzon area. The three-month delay simply whetted the appetite of Filipino motorsport enthusiasts, packing the stands of the Clark International Speedway. The unexpected delay also enabled the 12 Vios Cup racers, composed of seven motoring media and five celebrities, to hone their track skills even further. In the end, AutoIndustriya Editor-in-Chief Vince Pornelos emerged the clear victor after sweeping the two-heat race.

Mitsubishi Mirage G4 nets 33.6 km/L in fuel-efficiency drive to Baguio

Mitsubishi proved the fuel efficiency of its Mirage G4 subcompact sedan by doing a fuel economy run from Manila all the way to the summer capital of the Philippines, Baguio. Thanks to its 1.2-liter MIVEC 3-cylinder engine and a light curb weight (870-905 kilograms), the Mirage G4 travelled from DCT Holdings in EDSA-Balintawak up through NLEX, SCTEX, and TPLEX. During the drive, participants had air conditioning on and tire pressure kept at the recommended maximum pressure. Eventual winners sipped just 4.523 liters of fuel during the entire trip while the most lead-footed team consumed 10.549 liters.

Honda Accord

Honda Cars Philippines officially launched the 2014 Accord, the latest car to wear the storied nameplate known for sophistication, efficiency, and driving joy in the executive sedan segment. Completely new from the ground up, the all-new Accord provides a host of powertrain, engineering, electronic and safety firsts combined with Honda’s trademark smart design and sporty handling. The new Accord features the first application of Honda’s Earth Dreams technology—promising better fuel mileage without sacrificing performance. The Accord comes in two flavors: a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder and a 3.5-liter 6-cylinder engine.

Volkswagen Polo Notch TDI and Jetta TDI

Volkswagen Philippines gave a deeper appreciation of Volkswagen’s trademark TDI technology by taking the Polo Notch TDI and Jetta TDI for a spin around the Nuvali area in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Using a variable-geometry turbo, power and torque are delivered seamlessly and without delay while direct-injection reduced combustion noise while optimizing the distribution of fuel for better emissions. The Polo Notch TDI is marketed as “your first German car,” while the Jetta is an interesting alternative to the usual gasoline-powered cars in the C-segment. Both models prove that Volkswagen’s TDI technology is a no-compromise approach to offering excellent everyday power along with fewer trips to the pump.

Ford EcoSport

Ford unveiled their segment-busting vehicle that’s designed and built to marry the agility, affordability, and fuel efficiency of a compact car with the flexibility and spaciousness of a sport utility vehicle: the Ford EcoSport. Though it rides on top of Ford’s B-segment platform (which also happens to underpin the Fiesta), the EcoSport certainly looks the part: rugged and ready to take on any challenge. It shares 30 percent of its components with the Fiesta including the 1.5-liter Ti-VCT engine good for 110 hp and 142 Nm of torque. Other key features include a water-wading depth of 550mm as well as a 200mm ground clearance.