Nissan Exalta right on track, slices through Visayas

CARIGARA – The daredevil Nissan Exalta GS Superio team which is going on an island-hopping odyssey for 30 days in the fourth Pan Philippine Marathon is on the right track although crew members have lamented their difficulty in getting in touch with the rally’s secretariat in Quezon City owing to the lack of cell sites.

With a 1,097 kilometer reading in the Goodyear odometer after being flagged off at the Eastwood City in Pasig at high noon on Friday, the powerful but fuel efficient 1.6-liter engine car with an automatic transmission that changes gear without missing a heartbeat is raring to show more.

After surviving the bad roads of Quezon and Bicol, the Exalta made a successful ferry crossing on board the Maharlika 4 en route to the picturesque San Juanico bridge on Saturday night.

At 9 a.m. Sunday, Philtranco-Leyte area manager Arnie Obsanga signed the team’s proof of passage in downtown Tacloban before leaving two hours later for its first major assault of the Visayas via Ormoc, Baybay, Sogod, Liloan and Maasin.

In the Queen City of the South, noted for its gorgeous coastline, mouth-watering cuisine and pretty women, the Exalta was warmly met by officials of Nissan-Cebu and members of the local media for lunch and a short question-and-answer session.

In the third staging of the car rally, the team had to catch 21 ferry crossings. But another one has been added, making it more troublesome for the group made up of Willie Ingles and Andy Dysangco to arrive at ports in time to make an inter-island journey.

But the intrepid batch is supremely confident of remaining on track for the targeted 31,000 kilometer reading what with oil titan Caltex, providing the car’s lifeblood (Vortex Silver and Havoline) and a group of car rally aces in command of the sedan that stands out thanks to its superior set of features.

Aided by the Exalta’s multi-link bean suspension, ABS system, SRS Airbags plus the exquisite styling, the succeeding trips are expected to put the Exalta to the test anew.

However, the seasoned crew is unfazed with the onset of new challenges, optimistic that the car’s is going to hold its ground even in rough road conditions, extreme weather conditions and even mountainous terrain.

The rally is divided into five stages with the first stage beginning April 5 to April 15 making up 11 stages with a total of 10,000 kilometers.

The marathon will come to a screeching halt on May 4 with Greenbelt in Makati as meeting point.

By the time the Exalta reaches the finish line, it would have already logged more than 30,586.

Joey 92.3 on the FM band regularly updates motoring enthusiasts daily of the Exalta’s journey even in far-flung localities.