August 2015: Gearing up

MANILA, Philippines – Normally a slow months with regards to new car launches and activities, this year showed a boom in new product offerings especially for those in the market for something stylish and fun-to-drive. This month alone featured new offerings from Peugeot and two from Mazda.

Mazda2 drive around Viaje del Sol

Mazda put their formally-launched Mazda2 sub-compact hatchback and sedan through its first road trip: a grueling 300-plus kilometer journey across three Southern Tagalog provinces. After the long drive, it proved it’s more than just a city or urban car with its sporty and predictable handling. The 1.5-liter Skyactiv 4-cylinder proved to be a great ally along with the 6-speed automatic transmission.

Peugeot Philippines brings in 2008

After launching the 301 compact sedan just a few months back, the reinvigorated Peugeot is entering a new market segment once more, and this time, it looks to be yet another convincingly individual choice: this is the Peugeot 2008. The first Peugeot to be designed with the global market squarely in mind, the 2008 is meant to satisfy the needs and wants of a vast array of customers around the world, some of whom are newcomers to the French brand. Integrating agility and dynamism, the Peugeot 2008 draws from the company’s dual expertise of design and engineering. It’s powered by a 1.6-liter gasoline engine drawing 120 hp and 160 Nm of torque.

Mitsubishi Strada is Manila Water’s choice

Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) turns over 116 units of its Strada GL 2WD M/T to Manila Water Company, Inc. The water concessionaire chose the Strada because of its fuel efficiency, improved features, and competitive pricing.

Subaru goes off-roading

Who says crossovers can’t handle a real-life off-road trail? Subaru just proved naysayers wrong when they brought bone stock Foresters, in both turbo and non-turbo trims, to the first-ever X-Mode drive that brought their compact crossovers from  San Juan to through some rough terrain eventually ending up at the Daraitan River in Tanay, Rizal.

Chrysler 300C wants you to drive bold

Auto Nation Group, Inc., the exclusive distributor of Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep automobiles in the country unveiled Chrysler’s interpretation of quintessential American luxury in the 2015 300C. Set to be the most technologically-advanced sedan of its class, it’s designed with the ideals of balance, elegance, sophistication, performance, and craftsmanship. Big, bold, and proudly American, the 2015 Chrysler 300C delivers a more confident look with expressive materials and excellent execution. Aside from its new sport-tuned suspension, the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 comes uprated to 286 horsepower and 340 Nm of torque mated to a 8-speed TorqueFlite automatic.

Suzuki inaugurates Binondo satellite showroom

The Chinese community in one of Manila’s most populous districts will have easy access to great-value, high-quality and fuel-efficient automobiles as Suzuki Philippines debuts the Suzuki Chinatown Satellite in Binondo, Manila. This is the second outlet of Suzuki Auto UN Avenue-Manila.

CTEK arrives in the Philippines

CTEK, the world leader in smart battery charging is finally in the Philippines. Borne from an engineering-centric mindset, CTEK sees the intricacies of modern automobile batteries. Equipping their compact and powerful battery chargers with a unique intelligent microprocessor unit, CTEK chargers don’t just charge a battery. They condition batteries; enabling them to at least double their lifespan.

Suzuki Philippines launches all-new Celerio

Small car expert Suzuki is getting its A-Game on with the launch of its all-new Celerio. Known for its stylish and chic exterior, the all-new model now adds a dose of practicality with the concept of “small on the outside, big on the inside”. It’s the company’s new answer to the country’s fast-growing Sub-B passenger car segment. The 2015 Celerio is powered by a 1.0-liter KB10B engine with 67 horsepower and 90 Nm of torque. It also comes in both manual and automatic (CVT) flavors.

Travel tails “pawered” by Chevrolet

Chevrolet Philippines partnered with Better Dog Canine Behavior Center with Travel Tails—a pet-friendly event in Chevrolet Makati that focused on proper dog training and care for your fur babies while on the road.

Honda Cars Philippines breaks ground 3 new dealerships

Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) continues to expand its operations across the country. The groundbreaking ceremonies held marked the beginning of the additional dealerships to be built. The soon to be constructed facilities are Honda Cars Angeles-Clark (HCAC), Honda Cars Lipa City (HCLC), and Honda Cars Zamboanga (HCZM).

Nissan donates to Habitat for Humanity

Nissan Philippines Inc. (NPI) President and Managing Director Antonio Zara formally turns over the keys to the all-new NV350 Urvan and the all-new NP300 Navara units to Habitat for Humanity Philippines (HFHP) Managing Director and CEO Charlie Ayco during a simple ceremony held recently at Nissan North EDSA, Balintawak, Quezon City, that marked the partnership of the two companies.

Lotus Cars Manila opens showroom

Lotus formally inaugurated its showroom in San Juan City with a well-attended ceremony marking the arrival of the world-renowned makers of lightweight, no-frills, fun-to-drive cars. The main highlight of the night was the unveiling of four Lotus Cars models: Elise S Club Racer, Elise 220 Cup, Exige S Roadster, and Evora S Sport Racer. The same night, it was revealed that more exciting models that will enter the country very soon. This includes the Evora 400 and the Exige S automatic.

Lexus Manila launches 2016 ES 350

One of the best-selling vehicles in the Lexus Manila line-up, the ES has now seen a refresh for the 2016 model year highlighted by progressive exterior styling, more opulent interior construction, and added safety features. Taking the ES to the next level in elegance and luxury, the 2016 ES now adds more of what Lexus has to offer. In fact, the Japanese luxury marque is confident that it will be the best-in-class. It has a commanding front-end design featuring the trademark spindle grille, new interior materials, and a quieter NVH.

Mazda MX-5 gets track’d

Less than 24 hours after its launch, Mazda Philippines brought out a fleet of its newly minted MX-5 sports car on its first outing at the Batangas Racing Circuit. Showing off what Kan or ‘sensation’ is all about, the lightweight, no-frills sports car proved its mettle around the challenging circuit. It showed linearity and balance in everything from its steering to its brakes to its power delivery.

Ford launches updated Ranger for 2016

Ford Philippines officially debut the new 2016 Ranger with an epic 175-kilometer ride-and-drive activity through various terrain settings in Bicol. It definitely continues its legacy as the segment’s toughest and smartest pickup truck by offering a wide array of new technology, some of which you don’t even get in a comparably priced SUV. Featuring revamped engines featuring more power, the Ranger also features new technologies headlined by SYNC 2—Ford’s new and intuitive voice-activated infotainment system. Furthermore, it has better interior materials and finishing along with a sleeker and tougher exterior styling.

Ford re-opens EDSA dealership

Ford Philippines celebrated the re-opening of Ford EDSA – the first authorized Ford dealership that opened in the country two decades ago. The celebration was attended by Mark Kaufman, president of Ford ASEAN, and Kay Hart, managing director of Ford Philippines.