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THERE
were poker, baccarat and lucky nine tables, slot
machines, food, free-flowing drinks and showgirls—all
the trimmings, glitz and glamor of a world-class
casino. No, it wasn’t Las Vegas or Monaco. It was the
One Esplanade in Pasay City, which was converted into a
scene reminiscent of James Bond movies like Diamonds
Are Forever and Casino Royale. The only thing
missing was cash betting, as this was replaced with play
money which was converted into chips, and all the
guests played for were Hyundai premium items and, if one
was lucky enough to draw a Royal Flush, a chance to win
a 2007 Hyundai Sonata, which no one did.
Nonetheless, the effect of a high-stakes atmosphere was
accomplished, and how!
Trust it
to Hyundai Asia Resources Inc. (Hari)—exclusive
distributor of Hyundai vehicles in the Philippines—to
pull off such a glittering event entitled Sonata and
Azera Deuce Royale: Party à la Vegas, which was held on
October 15.
A Game
Lounge was set up inside the facility to allow guests to
destress by way of classic casino games, including the
popular Texas Hold ’em Poker.
Even the
entertainment did not disappoint visitors who came
dressed to the nines, as dancer and TV host Regine
Tolentino, world-class dance group Hotlegs, the sexy
Viva Hotbabes and emcee Asia Agcaoili performed
flawlessly in their suggestive costumes to the delight
of the crowd.
The real
stars of the evening, however, were the Hyundai Azera
and Sonata sedans, which were unveiled at the end of the
show.
The
Azera 3.3L, Hyundai’s current flagship sedan, is the
recipient of various prestigious international
automobile publications, industry- research institutions
and consumer award-giving bodies, such Vehicle
Satisfaction Award for Large Cars from the AutoPacific
2007 Ideal Vehicle Awards; Highest Rated Car from the
AutoPacific 2006 Ideal Vehicle Awards; Most Appealing
Large Car from J.D. Power and Associates 2006
Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (Apeal)
Study; Best New Family Car from the 2006 Automobile
Journalists Association of Canada (Ajac); Second in
Large Car Segment from the J.D. Power and Associates
2006 Initial Quality Study (IQS); Top Crash Test Ratings
from the 2006 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety;
and Best Luxurious Car for a Non-Luxury Price from the
2006 Forbes.com Best Cars for the Bucks Award.
Its
interior offers sophistication and luxury with a leather
package that encompasses the seats, door trims, console
box and steering wheel. The front seats come with
power-assisted adjustments—10-way for the driver and
four-way for the front passenger. An Integrated Memory
System allows drivers to preset favorite seat
adjustments to complement the side-view mirrors and
tilt-telescopic steering column.
The rear
cabin is spacious and the rear seatback comes with a
center arm-rest and drink holder. There are power
outlets for such necessities as laptops and chargers for
electronic gadgets.
The
Azera comes standard with all the convenience features
and amenities found in most top-of-line luxury sedans:
central-door locking, power windows and side-view
mirrors, dual climate control with an Air Quality System
and Filter; 2-DIN AM/FM stereo system with an in-dash
six-CD changer that plays MP3 through an Infinity
eight-speaker system.
The
headlamps turn on automatically in dim or dark
surroundings, while wipers turn on when it senses rain.
The
Azera is also the only passenger car in its class
powered by a 3.3-liter V6 24-valve DOHC with CVVT
gasoline engine that generates 235 ps at 6,000 rpm and
31 kg-m of torque at 3,500 rpm. The engine is mated to
Hyundai’s five-speed H-Matic transmission.
The
Sonata 3.3L, on the other hand, combines sophisticated
styling, quality and performance with a price way below
the range of the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord.
The
Sonata, too, boasts of its own accolades, such as the
2007 Most Ideal Premium Midsize Car and the 2006 Premium
Midsize Car from the AutoPacific 2006 Ideal Vehicle
Awards; Most Dependable Sedan 2006 from Road and Travel
Magazine, USA; Executive Car of the Year 2006 from
Business Standard Motoring, India; Best Family Sedan
from MotorWeek’s 2006 Drivers’ Choice Awards, USA; and
Excellence for Automotive Safety in 2005 from Popular
Mechanics magazine.
Hari
offers two versions of the Sonata: the 3.3 GLS AT and
the 2.4 GLS AT, which share the same sleek, refined body
with sculpted hood, chrome door window and body-colored
side moldings, in-glass antenna, front fog lamps,
projector-type front headlamps with black bezel
surrounding, clear-type side repeaters and rear
horizontal bezel strip lamps.
The
Sonata 3.3 GLS is powered by a 3.3-liter V6 engine with
Continuous Variable Valve Timing that generates 235 ps
at 6,000 rpm and 31 kg-m of torque at 3,500 rpm.
The 2.4
GLS, meanwhile, is powered by a 2.4-liter inline-four
engine with CVVT that packs 161 ps at 5,800 rpm and 22.3
kg-m of torque at 4,250 rpm.
The V6
only comes with a Gate type H-matic five-speed automatic
transmission. The 2.4 GLS comes with a four-speed Gate
type H-matic.
As the
saying goes: “Fortune favors the brave.” Although
fortune did not necessarily favor many, the introduction
of Hyundai’s newest sedans was more than enough reason
to revel that evening. |
