MANILA, Philippines – In the world of Philippine show business, there are three things you need to succeed: You need the looks. You need to sing. And you need to dance. You don’t even have to sing and dance well to cut it. Acting chops? If you have those three, you don’t even have to act well.
United Asia Automotive Group, Inc. (UAAGI), the official Philippine distributor of Foton, seems to know the world of local showbiz by heart. Their products look good—and they certainly know how to dance. Sing? Maybe next year?
“Wait a minute, Foton is a line of commercial vehicles and heavy equipment, right?” you’re probably asking. Yes, and their heavy equipment really does dance. If you don’t believe that, then you should’ve been at the recent Foton Big Show held at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.
China’s Foton, now the world’s number one manufacturer of commercial vehicles, held the annual Foton Big Show with the 2014 theme of “Empower Your Business” last October 17 in a show that ran until October 19.
Coinciding with Foton’s first-ever Dealer Conference and Gala Night held outside China at the nearby Sofitel Hotel, Foton’s Big Show guests were not limited to local VIPs, but also officers of Foton distributors from other countries. In terms of foreign representation, this was Foton Philippines’ biggest and most important “Big Show” to date.
Guest of Honor Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero cut the ribbon along with Wang Xiang Yin, Foton International president and Foton Motor Group Executive Vice President. Hosts Cito Beltran and Shanda Lim Uy welcomed the guests and introduced UAAGI president Rommel Sytin, who delivered the opening remarks.
Shortly after Sytin’s speech, Pilipinas Got Talent winners El Gamma Penumbra performed their silhouette-dance routine now used in the country’s official tourism video, which had the captive audience applauding and gasping in amazement; their ability to turn human shadows into shapes of natural national wonders; vehicles, and even Jose Rizal was mesmerizing. But they were merely a front act for an even bigger surprise behind the covered stage flanks.
Sytin then proceeded to unveil not one, not two, but six new Foton vehicles to the VIPs, dealers and members of the motoring press; these were the Foton Midi compact pickup truck, View TransVan, Tornado C (for Cummins) 3.5 and 4.5 variants, the ETX-GTL 6x4 Tractorhead and Tornado K dropside truck.
Of these vehicles, the ones expected to cause a stir in the business community are the Tornado C 3.5 and 4.5 variants, as they are now equipped the proven ISF 3.8 liter CRDI turbodiesel engine from Cummins, the world number one manufacturer of diesel engines. Further strengthening the Foton-Cummins partnership is the integration of an 11.8 liter ISG Cummins CRDi engine on the all-new Foton ETX GTL 6x4 truck, making this reliable heavy-duty truck from Foton even more economical, dependable and reliable.
Following the vehicles’ launch was a quick speech by Wang, acknowledging the growth and role Foton Philippines has contributed in their worldwide sales. Longtime Foton friend Sen. Chiz Escudero then gave his keynote address, saying that when he was a guest at the inauguration of the first Foton showroom seven years ago, he already knew that Foton would achieve the success it now enjoys throughout the Philippines.
After the morning formalities, guests were free to roam the hall, which had been laid out as a four-lane highway with a center island and pocket “garden,” where another exciting variant of the View Traveller – the View Traveller Luxe – was on display. Customized locally to suit Philippine climate and client preferences and boasting sofa-like seats and a huge flat-screen TV and multimedia player, the Foton View Traveller Luxe is a plush, extremely comfortable and yet discreetly practical alternative to high-priced luxury van offerings from America, Japan and Korea.
Shortly before 1:00PM, the public address system announced that the heavy equipment show would start, and guests headed over to the front driveway to witness the amazing Dancing Wheel-Loader and Excavator Show. With a specially-trained operator flown from China just for this demonstration, this earth-moving machine tipped itself on its front wheels and started to hop forward and backward like an enormous robotic rabbit, while the operator ‘wagged’ the loader’s rear section left and right like a tail; shrugging its rear tires like marching legs. Onlookers were in disbelief at the sight, which could have been taken straight out of a Transformers movie, except no special effects were used—just pure talent and skill.
Right after, two excavators executed perfectly synchronized movements, mimicking an industrial ballet. One of them even pressed its bucket into the soil and, by alternating the movement of its two steel tracks, “drifted” around the stationary bucket the way a compass traces a circle around a fixed point. If children enjoy playing with toy tractors, those heavy equipment operators were certainly enjoying playing with their real tractors.
Back inside, the hall filled up with visitors from all demographics and industries. Entire families came to avail of test drives for the View Traveller. Representatives of different commercial and industrial companies showed up, too, each with their respective agenda. Major banks and financial Institutions set up booths inside the hall to accommodate onsite vehicle loan applications.
Foton’s Big Show 2014 was a truly big show – offering big deals to anyone interested in acquiring a Foton vehicle, and even bigger smiles faces of everyone who walked out, whether with a new vehicle, or simply with an amazing overall experience.
To know more about Foton vehicles, visit any of its 22 dealerships around the Philippines or call 0999-9999998. You may also visit their website at www.foton.com.ph.