February 2014: Shifting to high gear

MANILA, Philippines - The shortest month in the calendar, February is often seen as the first truly busy month for the automotive industry. However, thanks to a sizzling January, February is building on that momentum with various brands expanding their reach through showroom openings. At the same time, well-known brands begin exploring untapped markets. It’s also the month that signaled a renewed interest in Philippine motorsport.

Volvo S60 and XC60

Volvo made available the 2014 Volvo S60 luxury sedan and XC60 luxury crossover which have both been updated with a slew of aesthetic changes inside and out. The S60 gets a tweaked front-end design with new headlights, a wider grille, and horizontal daytime running lights. Meanwhile, the XC60 gets a fully color-coordinated exterior with larger headlamps and a new grille with horizontal chrome bars. The S60 and XC60 are powered by a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder turbo gasoline or a 2.0-liter turbo diesel.

Volkswagen BGC dealership

Iconic Dealership, Inc., formally opened its flagship showroom—Volkswagen BGC with no less than Ayala Corporation President and COO, Fernando Zobel de Ayala and Volkswagen official distributor, Automobile Central Enterprise, Inc. (ACEI) President and CEO, John Philip Orbeta leading the ceremonial inauguration. Also in attendance was Ayala Corporation and CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala and Taguig City Major Lani Cayetano. The 6,000sqm showroom features five floors and enough space to accommodate 18 vehicles in the showroom. It also has 10 service bays for quick service such as periodic maintenance service.

Shell Eco-Marathon Asia 2014

Students from all across Asia and the Middle East arrived in Manila to tackle a street circuit in the heart of the Philippine capital, with the fuel-efficient vehicles they designed and built. The 109 student teams were in town to compete in the fifth edition of Shell’s annual Shell Eco-marathon Asia. This was the first year that the Shell Eco-Marathon Asia 2014 took place in Manila, having previously been held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The new urban setting is designed to test the boundaries of fuel efficiency in a real world environment. Success is not measured by speed but by who can drive farthest on a liter of fuel.

Lexus CT 200h

Lexus finally updates its CT 200h entry-level hybrid to accommodate the brand’s trademark spindle grille. Though it already had a pseudo-spindle grille when it first launched to the market, the 2014 model gets the full-blown treatment. Aside from that, the CT 200h receives a wealth of new design and technological changes to keep it fresh. In order to integrate the new spindle grille, the 2014 CT 200h gets a new front end. At the back, a new rear spoiler adds high-speed stability. The CT 200h also gets a new multimedia interface with a rear parking camera.

Lexus Gallery Robinsons Magnolia opens

Lexus Manila expanded its presence by opening a small boutique at the upscale Robinsons Magnolia mall in New Manila, Quezon City. Called the Lexus Gallery, it has been opened to serve potential clients since December, but was only officially inaugurated in February. Lexus Gallery has one full-time staff to answer questions about Lexus as well as one bar attendant to serve coffee.

Toyota Innova

There’s more to love as Toyota refreshed the bestselling Innova with the sculpted front grille, new bumpers, and a sophisticated back door garnish. Inside, top-end models get a standard GPS navigation system. The Innova remains powered by the proven 2.0-liter VVT-i gasoline and 2.5-liter D-4D diesel engine. Available in no less than four grades and 12 variants, the Innova is living proof of Toyota’s Sure Advantage putting together QDR or Quality, Durability, and Reliability. The Innova is still assembled at Toyota’s Sta. Rosa, Laguna plant.

Hyundai Parañaque West

Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI), official distributor of Hyundai cars in the Philippines opened up its newest dealership in Parañaque City. This new Hyundai dealership packs star power as the first automotive business venture of actor Dingdong Dantes. He serves as Vice President of Hyundai Parañaque West.

Hyundai Grand Santa Fe

Hyundai unveiled the latest addition to its line-up: the Grand Santa Fe. The long wheelbase Santa Fe has a body lengthened by 225mm and is essentially the replacement to the Veracruz. The Grand Santa Fe offers the same “Storm Edge” design but with unique LED rear combination lamps, 19-inch alloy wheels, and dual exhausts. The Grand Santa Fe doesn’t take a backseat in luxury with an all-leather interior, second row Captain’s Chairs, a power tailgate, and a 4.3-inch TFT LCD screen that doubles as the rear parking camera. The Grand Santa Fe is powered by a 2.2-liter common rail direct-injection diesel engine with 197 hp and 436 Nm of torque.

Hyundai Grand i10

The diminutive Hyundai i10 drinks a healthy dose of Cherifer and transforms into the Grand i10. The larger (longer by 80mm and 65mm wider) Grand i10 features a new hexagonal grille flanked by larger headlights. The Grand i10 also gets a huge bump in equipment levels and now comes with a Smart Key push button start/stop, a multi-function trip computer, GPS navigation, and even a rear parking camera. Propulsion is provided by a 1.0-liter and 1.2-liter engines both having four cylinders. It’s also available in both manual and automatic versions.

Honda Cars Marcos Highway

Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. opened its 30th full-service dealership in Marcos Highway. As a standard Honda car dealership, Honda Cars Marcos Highway houses state-of-the-art facilities, prides itself with friendly and competent service advisors and technicians, well-trained sales consultants, and accommodating customer relations officers. HCMH not only sells the latest models, parts, and accessories but does a full range of aftersales service including body and paint services.

Asian V8 Championship

Although open-wheeled racing gets the lion’s share of attention locally, Filipino motorsport fans finally got a taste of a different sort of racing action with the Asian V8 Championship. The brainchild of The Philippine Formula Autosport Foundation (PFAFI), headed by founder Tom Pastor, the Asian V8 Championship used late-model NASCAR racing cars complete with their 450 horsepower 5.7-liter V8 engines on local track venues.

Philippine Flag flies high at Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli 2014

The Philippines’ lone representative, Vincent Floirendo flew the Philippine flag at the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli 2014. Floirendo took the wheel of a 458 Challenge race car beginning at the first Asia-Pacific round at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. Floirendo joined the ranks in one of the most successful one-make racing series in the world. Since 1993, the Ferrari Challenge has seen 2,400 drivers of 48 nationalities take the wheel of 1,600 Ferrari Challenge cars. This year, the Ferrari Trofeo Pirelli will run across three series in Europe, North America, and the Asia-Pacific.

Subaru WRX Concept comes to Manila

For customers and fans to get reacquainted with the WRX nameplate (a model not sold in the Philippines since 2010), Motor Image Pilipinas, the official distributor of Subaru in the Philippines brought in the Subaru WRX Concept. It went on display at the Subaru Greenhills showroom and went on tour to places including the Powerplant Mall and Greenbelt 5.

Suzuki opens in Bohol and Nueva Ecija

Suzuki expands its network by opening two more dealership. Suzuki’s newest outlets, Suzuki Auto Bohol and Suzuki Auto Nueva Ecija, are all set to deliver automobile sales and other services to customers in the Visayas region and Central Luzon, respectively. The two new dealerships will carry the complete line-up of Suzuki vehicles as well as offering spare parts and repair services to its customers.

BMW 4 Series

BMW Philippines solidified its leadership in the premium car segment by launching the 4 Series Coupe. Replacing the 3 Series Coupe, the 4 Series has an athletically designed body, enhanced performance, and improved efficiency. It is wider, longer, and lower than the previous 3 Series and rides on a wider front and rear track. Fitted with standard 19-inch alloy wheels with staggered fitment, the 4 Series is hunkered down and dynamic. The 4 Series is powered by a 2.0-liter TwinPower Turbo diesel engine packing 184 hp and 380 Nm of torque. Other technologies include BMW ConnectedDrive and standard ECO PRO mode that can cut fuel consumption by as much as 20 percent.

Toyota Wigo

Toyota officially entered the sub-B-segment category with the launch of its all-new Wigo. Expected to bring Toyota Motor Philippines’s above the 90,000-mark, the Wigo is marketed as “Easy to Own, Easy to Drive, Easy to Enjoy.” Indeed, the Wigo is aimed squarely at first-time car buyers who want a no-nonsense car that can fit their increasingly mobile lifestyle. The Wigo is powered by a 1.0-liter 3-cylinder engine mated to either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic. It also comes loaded with dual SRS airbags and anti-lock brakes along with a GPS navigation system. The launch of the Toyota Wigo is a clear sign of Toyota Motor Philippines’s continued strength as it jumps from market segment to market segment with guns blazing.