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philstar.com - Motoring

Back from the future: The futuristic Honda Click 125i

Economy

Feb 242015

Back from the future: The futuristic Honda Click 125i

MANILA, Philippines – The future is here! And it has two wheels, a smart engine, loads of fuel-efficient features, and a futuristic swagger. If it had more bells and whistles, you might mistake it for the light bikes from Tron. This is the new Honda Click 125i. I’m no motorcycle expert, but the Honda Click does have me interested with its futuristic offerings. Its safety and security features make it safe enough for a two-wheel beginner, but I would expect the adept to try it out more without a moment’s notice because of the higher specs. The Honda Click 125i is so named for its liquid-cooled 4-stroke, SOHC 2-valve 125cc PGM-Fi engine. This system is Honda’s new Enhanced Smart Power (or eSP) system. The Click is the first bike to use this engine and system. It results in lower friction, lower vibration, improved durability, reduced noise, and higher fuel efficiency. The quieter drive is complemented by an ACG starter system which consumes less power for a smoother engine start. The fuel efficiency is from the Idling Stop feature that partially shuts the engine down while stationary. It uses a swing-back motor which keeps the engine rotating, instead of shutting it off, during idle stops so you get a running start when you run the engine again. As for power, the Click runs with 11.4 ps @ 8,500 rpm with a torque of 11.16 Nm @ 6,500 rpm. The scooter’s suspension is a telescopic front and a unit swing rear. Its Read More …

Taking Clark by Porsche

Economy

Feb 242015

MANILA, Philippines – While it is a legitimate, indulging occupation in itself, gawking at Porsches can get frustrating very quick—for the simple reason that the temptation proves overwhelming. At some point, you will want to get your hands on the Stuttgart supercar maker’s beautiful vehicles. You need a tactile experience—hands on the wheel, foot on the gas pedal, and butt on the driver’s seat. This makes the recent Porsche World Roadshow (PWRS) at the Clark International Speedway a most rewarding fix – and eye opener for people who hadn’t driven (or driven lately) any of the growing number of stallions in the Porsche stable. Conceived as a marketing strategy to present its lineup to “prospects and existing customers,” the PWRS invitation is extended to members of the motoring media wherever it is held. Facilitated by Porsche-certified instructors specifically flown in for the event, PWRS allowed drivers to not only get up close and personal to the range of Porsche vehicles, but to experience what makes them stand out as among the most coveted cars in the world. Before getting into the cars, participants were walked through a sundry of Porsche features, as well as the kind of workmanship and technology that goes into each vehicle. Distinct, too, is the vastly increased option of customization that allows owners to realize a new breadth of options for their own vehicle. First and foremost, however, Porsche is a vehicle built to go fast. “Porsche is synonymous to racing,” said instructor Dario Garcia. “Everything Read More …

Raffle winner brings home a new Honda Brio

General

Feb 172015

Raffle winner brings home a new Honda Brio

Anthony Cheng, HCCL president; Toshio Kuwahara, HCPI president and General Manager; parents and son of the winner, Leigh Anne Nagata, winner of the Honda Brio and Dr. Michael Tan, HCCL Executive Vice President MANILA, Philippines – Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) turned over a new Honda Brio to Leigh Anne Nagata whose name was picked out from a thousand entries to Honda’s Drive the Holiday Spirit raffle promo last December 2014, held at Honda Cars Calamba (HCCL). Nagata, a mother of two and a business owner in Laguna, decided to purchase a Jazz 1.5 VX CVT at Honda Cars Calamba last year. Few weeks after her newly bought Jazz was delivered to her, she picked up a call from her Sales Consultant who gave her the news about her winning a brand new car. “My husband and I were at a business retreat when she called me and told me that I won a brand new Brio! I thought she called up the wrong person so I asked my husband to call her again to verify. And yes, it was true!” said Nagata. The All New Brio will be used as Nagata’s daily car for errands and bringing her son to school. “The Brio seems like a perfect car for my activities. It looks very easy to drive too, like the Jazz, which will now be my husband’s car”, she added. HCPI’s president and General Manager, Toshio Kuwahara, who personally gave the keys to Nagata shares, “It is a wonderful Read More …

What do you play for?

Economy

Feb 102015

The author (center, back row) with STAR Motoring editor Manny N. de los Reyes (center) and Chevrolet Philippine distributor The Covenent Car Company Inc.’s Senior Vice President for Marketing and Customer Services Lyn Buena. For many football fans, winning or losing a game is a matter of life and death. But if you ask the folks around Old Trafford, they’Il tell you that that’s ridiculous. It is far more important than that. Welcome to Manchester, England. Home to the legendary Manchester United football team. In automotive terms, this would be what Scuderia Ferrari is to Formula One, or because love ‘em or hate ‘em, the sport wouldn’t be the same without them. It’s my first time to watch a match live. Well, one of this league at least. But this is not just any match; this is the most epic rivalry in football history: Manchester United versus Liverpool, which loosely translated is Ali vs Fraser, Prost vs Senna, Ateneo vs La Salle, and Roadrunner vs Coyote all rolled into one. Yes, I know. It is strange for a motoring journalist to be covering a football match, but I have been invited by Chevrolet Philippines through their global sponsorship program to understand precisely that. Because even though Chevrolet is pulling out of Europe, they are finding new roads in Asia and other emerging markets where football is the fastest growing sport, and using the power of play to make dreams become possibilities. “Followed passionately by billions of people around the world, Read More …

The new Volvo S60 and XC60 R-Design Dynamic design and sporty drive

Economy

Feb 032015

The new Volvo S60 and XC60 R-Design Dynamic design and sporty drive

MANILA, Philippines – For 2015, Volvo Philippines proudly offers the new R-Design versions of the Volvo S60 and XC60. Models that feature an outstanding blend of a renewed sports appearance, a dynamic driving-focused chassis and a powerful engine output. These variants of the already robust S60 and XC60 models give the market more freedom in choosing a Volvo that suits their sophisticated tastes. “The new R-Design models are a perfect match for performance-minded individuals with a passion for exquisite details. In the new S60 and XC60 R-Design, we have turned up the visual volume of these popular models with meticulous attention to detail,” says Doug Speck, Senior Vice President Marketing, Sales and Customer Service at Volvo Car Group. Unique new front Both R-Design cars now feature a unique face with a redesigned, dynamic, expressive nose. The frameless Tech Matte Black grille has high-gloss black stripes, a silk metal diagonal and a refined R-Designed emblem. The DRL lights in the outer corners reinforce the low, road-hugging impression. “The front wheel arches are small design gems that enhance the car’s sporty aura. The rounded end of the front bumper ‘wraps’ around the dynamic Ixion wheel, which is now available in a redesigned 18-inch version for the S60 and a 20-inch for the XC60,” says Fedde Talsma, Design Director, Exterior. At the rear, the unique diffuser with aero fins is flanked by the round, high-tech R-Design tailpipes. New generation R-Design interior The new sport seat come as standard in the R-Design cars. It Read More …

Peugeot 508 1.6 eHDi: The best of both worlds

Economy

Jan 272015

Peugeot 508 1.6 eHDi: The best of both worlds

MANILA, Philippines – The Peugeot 508 executive sedan is a modern vehicle perfectly attuned to the aspirations of customers who have moved with the times: being dynamic, responsible, and increasingly demanding. Quality, purity and efficiency are the watchwords that guided its creation and have filtered through the entire project, offering a multi-faceted appeal to its owners. Through its exterior design, elegant, balanced and timeless, revealing the evolution of the marque’s stylistic codes first unveiled on the SR1 Concept Car, through its streamlined hi-tech interior and its high quality finish. Rewarding for both its driver and its passengers, the 508 has exceptional interior space, a very generous boot, and a level of specification offering the promise of interior comfort and convenience of a very high level and last but not least, it is environmentally efficient, based on the optimization of its weight, its aerodynamics, and of course its engines. Under the bonnet, the 508 benefits from engines that are particularly well positioned in their categories in terms of performance and responsiveness, but also for fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The range, equipped with all the latest technologies, includes the new e-HDi system (new-generation Stop & Start with improved drivability and economy). During last year’s Peugeot Eco Fun Run series, a Peugeot 508 1.6 eHDi matched the much lighter Peugeot 3008’s fuel economy record by averaging an astounding 28.5 km/l of diesel fuel through mixed city and highway driving – proof that Peugeot’s Micro-hybrid technology works well throughout the Peugeot range. With Read More …

Isuzu Crosswind hits 100,000-unit milestone (and still going strong)

General

Jan 272015

Isuzu Crosswind hits 100,000-unit milestone (and still going strong)

MANILA, Philippines – The ever-popular Isuzu Hilander and Crosswind, which have been Isuzu Philippines Corporation’s (IPC) bestselling nameplates for nearly two decades, have now reached their 100,000th-unit production mark. To celebrate the milestone, IPC on January 21, held a program highlighting the 100,000th Crosswind to roll off its manufacturing plant at the Laguna Technopark in Binan. Leading the ceremony was IPC president Nobuo Izumina, who was joined by other company officials and team members from the production line. “Today, the 100,000th Isuzu Crosswind comes out of the assembly line. This is a vehicle that holds a special place in Isuzu Philippines Corporation’s history as it proves that vehicle manufacturing in the Philippines is a viable endeavor, and one that meaningfully contributes to national progress by generating employment and government revenue,” Izumina said. The Hilander was first launched in 1997, around two years after IPC was established. The model was one of the first vehicles assembled by the company at its then-new world-class manufacturing facilities. Shortly after its introduction, the Hilander quickly established itself as a leader in the highly competitive local AUV segment, having 6,145 units assembled in its first year. However, the Asian financial crisis during the time impacted the domestic automotive industry, and so manufacturing and sales of the Hilander dipped in the following two years. Sales of the model picked up again in 2000, especially after the introduction of new variants like the XTRM. By mid-2001, IPC already created 17,391 Hilanders. During the same year, IPC followed Read More …

H2O floats amphibious Salamander Concept: The answer to our flood-prone streets?

General

Jan 272015

H2O floats amphibious Salamander Concept: The answer to our flood-prone streets?

MANILA, Philippines – Floods have become an all-too-common occurrence in the Philippines. In the past year alone, weeks of productivity have been literally washed away due to the cancellation of work and school. In fact, 42,000 barangays nationwide have been identified as flood-prone and both the private and public sector are pumping out money and resources just to ensure the safety not just of their property, but more importantly, of lives as well. Although flooding cannot be solved in the short- and even medium-term, H2O Technologies, Inc., a privately owned and run Filipino company, may have a solution on their hands with the Salamander. A product of five years of work, the Salamander is the country’s first amphibious tricycle. It’s available with two powerplants: a gasoline-powered 250cc engine and a 5-kW pure-electric motor. Both versions can go into institutional service as early as this year with private sales starting as early as 2016. Chief Engineer Lamberto Armada explained that the decision to make the Salamander available in two versions is deliberate because of the limitation of electric vehicle technology. With no expansive charging station network, the Salamander must be usable in any situation, especially in far-flung areas with no access to electricity. Still, the company is ready to shift to more sustainable and eco-friendly vehicles in the near future. “The Salamander fits well into the Philippine landscape requirements,” said David Ong, Chairman of the Board for H2O Technologies. “When you look at what the country needs in order to begin Read More …

Ferrari debuts turbo V8-powered California T

General

Jan 272015

Ferrari debuts turbo V8-powered California T

MANILA, Philippines – Ferrari’s sublime California T officially made its debut in Manila over the weekend, with an exclusive test drive offered to select motoring journalists. This car epitomizes the elegance, sportiness, versatility, and exclusivity that have distinguished every California model since the 1950s. The Ferrari California T is a car for owners whom fun behind the wheel is a priority, but who also demand a sumptuously comfortable Grand Tourer they can use every day. The California T is a brilliant expression of Ferrari’s sporty DNA, while its retractable hard top and 2+2 seating configuration make it uniquely versatile in the world of supercars. Like all Ferraris, the California T boasts cutting-edge technologies that make it absolutely unique—most notably the new turbocharged V8 engine. Turbo technology has an honorable place in the Prancing Horse’s engineering tradition, thanks to iconic models of the likes of the GTO of 1984 and the F40 of 1987. It is now also, of course, back at the heart of the Scuderia’s latest F1 car. Maranello’s engineers have managed to design a remarkable power unit that combines classic Ferrari engine qualities, such as razor-sharp responsiveness, blistering performance, superbly powerful acceleration at all speeds and an exhilarating soundtrack, with the advantages turbo technology, such as drastically reduced emissions and fuel consumption, a high specific power output and compact dimensions—a genuinely unprecedented achievement that sets a new benchmark for the industry. A seamless blend of sportiness and elegance, the California T is powered by a direct-injection 3.8-liter V8 Read More …

The 10 coolest cars at the Detroit Auto Show

Economy

Jan 202015

The 10 coolest cars at the Detroit Auto Show

MANILA, Philippines – Temperatures outside the COBO Center in downtown Detroit, Michigan plummeted to figures well below zero Celsius, yet that didn’t hamper the enthusiasm of carmakers from coming up with sizzling hot concepts and production cars at the annual North American International Auto Show. The first major motor show of the year, NAIAS or more popularly known as the Detroit Auto Show, serves as the auto industry’s global barometer in terms of tastes and trends. This year, performance is the main driving force once again. With oil prices reverting back to decade-lows and automakers seeing a continued revival of sales globally, a great majority of them used NAIAS to showcase truly lusty rides that are guaranteed to set a car enthusiast’s heart pumping. Consider these figures: the average horsepower of cars that debuted in Detroit? 331 horsepower. Average torque? 473 Nm. Average zero to 100 km/h? 5.6 seconds. Which way you look at it, it seems power is in once more. And though countless cars were unwrapped during the show, these ten are simply the coolest (or hottest) of them all. 1 Acura / Honda NSX After countless teases, Honda, through its US-based luxury division, Acura, finally showed off the production NSX. Designed and developed in the US, the all-new NSX is powered by a turbocharged V6 engine producing in excess of 550 hp assisted by three electric motors. Power is delivered to all four wheels via Honda’s SH-AWD or Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system. The production version arrives Read More …

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