IT seems that there’s no other way to deal with the ever-increasing cost of gasoline but to look for alternative means of powering our cars and vehicles.

Aside from gasoline and diesel, more and more vehicle owners are now using biofuels, liquefied petroleum gas or hybrid technology in order to save money. Many are also starting to use mass transportation systems such as the MRT and LRT since they are a cheap means of travel and are also a great way to beat the disgusting traffic conditions in the metropolis, especially during rush hour.

In order to help cut down on our nation’s oil importation, the government should be strict in limiting the number of buses, jeepneys and even tricycles on our streets. It should also improve the MRT and LRT to make them more viable and attractive to our commuters.

I don’t know why the government seems to be doing nothing about this. Those buses, especially those that are dilapidated or the so-called flying coffins, are a perennial problem for traffic personnel of not only the MMDA but also of the other agencies of the government.  

Petron sent us a brief announcing that it now has the most number of service stations offering LPG under the brand “Petron Xtend Autogas.” 

Petron, which has extensive experience in the safe handling, transportation and dispensing of LPG, now has 13 strategically located service stations in Metro Manila. It has invested P50 million in its Autogas-LPG program in support of the government’s drive for cleaner fuels and to help meet the expanding demand for LPG among motorists.

Motorists using LPG-powered vehicles are advised to look for Petron stations with prominently displayed Petron Xtend Autogas signs. 

THE call for more elegant commuter-cum-passenger cars to replace those tricycles and jeepneys is gaining ground, especially in traffic-prone cities and municipalities all over the country.

This is the reason why the Norkis Group of Companies has come out with the new MTT Spider that is not only economical but spacious enough to carry seven passengers at any given time.

The MTT Spider is a spinoff of the Legacy that Norkis had transformed into a multitransport hybrid of the multicab. It is packed with a 660cc three-cylinder Suzuki gasoline engine that can travel 18 to 21 km on a liter of gasoline. “It is the perfect vehicle for resorts, hotels, tourist spots, industrial parks, warehouses, golf courses, private communities, or even for barangay or police forces.

“We have already tested the MTT Spider and subjected it to all kinds of conditions and it passed with flying colors. We traveled the harshest roads of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, and the MTT Spider really performed like a workhorse and an economical transport as well,” said Ding Alano, the managing head of PCIC-Legacy.

Alano added that the MTT Spider is also a perfect replacement for the aging jeepneys and tricycles that operate on the streets of Metro Manila.

The MTT Spider comes in both a manual version, which costs P182,000, and an automatic that sells for P172,000. It is available for lease or on installment. “Aside from being comfortable, fuel efficient and affordable, the MTT Spider is also perfect for the OFWs and can serve as a second car for families in the A and B brackets,” according to Alano, who added that it is sold in all Norkis shops nationwide and whose main office is on Libertad Street in Mandaluyong City.

BY the time you read this, car buyers will be milling around inside various Ford dealerships and looking at the new Ford Focus 2.0-liter Duratorq TDCi Sport that debuted in the Philippine market at the Subic Bay International Raceway last weekend.

IT’S not an easy thing to get people interested in practicality, but the Kia Carens does its best. The Carens has all the right stuff that add up to practical goodness:  five-door hatchback, five- to six-passenger capacity, CRDi, forced induction, great cargo loading ability and a price that won’t wipe out your wallet (P1.05 million).

Nissan Teana: Cool executive

EXECUTIVE cars are for executives. There is no doubt about this for mainstream models. From their look to their feel, they are purely for executives.

GETTING much closer to my dream!

That’s how Michele Bumgarner actually describes her blooming career in car racing when she recently announced the start of her training for next year’s Champ Car Atlantic Series in the United States following her impressive performance in the 2007 Accelerate Shoot Out Program, a three-day competition held in different types of cars and on various racetracks such as Las Vegas, Nevada and Laguna Seca, California.

IT seems that there’s no other way to deal with the ever-increasing cost of gasoline but to look for alternative means of powering our cars and vehicles.