December 2014

31st Thailand Motor Expo 2014

MANILA, Philippines – Re-invigorating the stagnant Thai automotive industry, Inter-Media Consultant Co., Ltd. formally opened the doors to the 31st Thailand Motor Expo at the Impact Challenger Convention Center in Muang Thong Thani, Bangkok. The show brings the biggest brands and names together to showcase the capability and readiness of Thailand to maintain its status as ASEAN’s main automotive hub.

Hyundai Lateral Drift awards ceremony

Enthusiasts and spectators who graced the competition wouldn’t have missed the Hyundai Genesis Coupe with a sticker that shouts “Anyone can drive in a straight line, but only a few can drift.” This is exactly what drifting has become: a sport in a new level. Defending champ Gio Rodriguez of Team Atoy Customs entered the last round trailing John Boban of Team Drift Mob for first place, while followed closely by Boodie Dabasol. 2011 champion Audel Sison of Team Autocraft, who placed 4th, also had a chance at a podium finish. Rodriguez, who was also a 2013 finalist for TV show “Pilipinas Got Talent” with Ralph Tan, proved his hunger for dominance and outperformed Boban in the final round to become back-to-back Pro Division Champion. Boban finished in 2nd place, while Sison bumped Dabasol to grab 3rd place. The Amateur Division crowned a new champion in Kar Montaner, but not without fierce competition. Drift newbie Peter Schroth, who also won this year’s Rookie of the Year plum, came in 2nd after 5 rounds and had his eyes on the title. But Montaner’s consistent performance throughout the tournament proved to be insurmountable, and eventually made him the champion.

Subaru Legacy and Outback

Subaru held the regional launch of the all-new Legacy and Outback a day before the official opening of the 31st Thailand Motor Expo 2014. The Legacy and Outback debuts Subaru’s new design language with the confidence-inspiring hexagonal front grille that forms a shield-like appearance to the front bumper. It also hides active grille shutters which give them better highway fuel efficiency. The hawk-eye signature park lights and HID projector low beams create a distinctive presence at night. This is echoed at the back with the U-shaped LED taillights. Despite having almost an identical footprint as the previous Legacy and Outback, both models offer the largest cabin space in the executive sedan segment in terms of volume. The new horizontal layout of the interior, soft-touch materials, and thicker cushioning all contribute to a much more premium feel. The front seats offer supportive bolstering and are power adjustable (10-ways for the driver). For the regional drive, both the Legacy and Outback come equipped with the company’s next-generation FB25 engine. Enhanced with a re-designed intake port shape and repositioned tumbler generation valve, the normally-aspirated 2.5-liter engine pushes out 175 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 235 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. For the Philippine market though, the 3.6-liter EZ36D flat-6 may become available as an option. This engine features a re-tweaked ECU enabling it to crank out 260 horsepower and a flatter torque curve for its 350 Nm output from as low as 2,000 rpm to 6,000 rpm. All models now use Subaru’s Lineatronic CVT with a reinforced transfer case and torque converter.

Ford 50 Years Limited Edition All-New Mustang

In celebration of the iconic Mustang’s 50th anniversary as well as to whet the appetite of Filipino car enthusiasts, Ford Philippines showed off the 50 Years Limited Edition All-New Ford Mustang. Based on the all-new 2015 Mustang, the 50 Years Limited Edition model carries unique features and specially-designed elements on both the exterior and interior. Only limited to 64 units in the Philippines, the 50 Years Limited Edition Ford Mustang features a unique trapezoidal grille with bright chrome insert (reminiscent of the 1964 model); unique 19-inch premium luster nickel-painted alloy wheels (reminiscent of the Mach 1 model); and chrome surrounds for the tri-bar rear lighting. Finishing off the exterior changes is a commemorative badge at the back. Inside, the 50 Years Limited Edition Ford Mustang gets an exclusive instrument panel badge and special embossments on the sport seats.

Nissan NP300 Navara

Not to be outdone and outgunned in the pick-up race, Nissan Philippines invited a couple of journalists to preview the all-new 2015 NP300 Navara at the 31st Thailand Motor Expo 2014. Although the X-Trail is the main highlight of Nissan Thailand’s pavilion (it’s the venue for the Thai market’s launch), Filipino eyes looked straight towards the striking NP300 Navara which shared the stage with Nissan’s premium compact crossover. The 2015 Nissan NP300 Navara has a bold and sleek exterior that commands attention with its trademark V-shaped grille taking center stage. New LED headlights with LED daytime running lights create a lasting impression even at night. At the back, the NP300 Navara has a functional built-in tailgate spoiler that improves aerodynamic performance by reducing drag. Higher-end models get beefy 255/60R18 tires. Underneath the 2015 NP300 Navara is a full-length, fully-boxed frame for enhanced performance and torsional stiffness on- and off-road. The steel double wishbone front suspension and overslung rigid leaf-spring suspension also contribute to a smoother ride. Making sure it has ample traction in any terrain, the NP300 Navara gets a shift-on-the-fly 4x4 system, Active Brake Limited Slip (ABLS), hill descent control, and hill start assist. In terms of powertrain, the all-new NP300 Navara gets a 2.5-liter YD25DDTi available in two tunes: 190 horsepower at 3,600 rpm / 450 Nm at 2,000 rpm or 163 horsepower at 3,600 rpm / 403 Nm at 2,000 rpm. All engines promise 19 percent better fuel efficiency thanks to various improvements including a class-leading 7-speed automatic transmission. All engines are now rated to Euro-4 standard.