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Eric Ayrton S. Soriano
Zooming in and out
IN this day and age of multi-tasking, motoring journalists not only need to be adept with words, they also must be able to take stunning photos that complement their manuscripts. Berjaya Auto Philippines (BAP), the exclusive distributor of Mazda vehicles in the country, recently conducted an event entitled “Mazda Kodo Drive: An Interactive Automotive Photography Workshop” for motoring and lifestyle writers and bloggers. The workshop was held at Green Canyon Leisure Resort in Clark, Pampanga, and had as its speaker ace photographer and motoring journalist Mikko David of TopGear Philippines.
Before Sunset
THIS was a regional ride-and-drive event unlike any other I’ve previously attended, as Porsche Asia Pacific wanted to experiment with a new format. To introduce the all-new 991 series Porsche 911 Targa 4 to select members of the Philippine motoring media, sole Philippine Porsche distributor PGA Cars Inc. flew two pairs of motoring scribes to Singapore in two batches for a very exclusive ride-and-drive event a few weeks ago. I was partnered with Angelo Puyat, who writes for a lifestyle magazine.
Lessons from another high-profile car crash
ON the first Sunday of 2015, the parents of media personality RJ Ledesma together with his brother’s family were traveling back to Manila after spending the holidays in Baguio City. When they got to Apalit, Pampanga, on North Luzon Expressway (Nlex), they encountered some traffic and the bus in front of the Ledesmas’ Hyundai Starex van stopped.
Don’t welcome 2015 with this kind of ‘bang’!
MANY drivers do not realize that their tires are among their vehicles’ most important pieces of safety equipment.
A Volks in hip clothing
NO set of wheels announces one’s parenthood more emphatically than a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV). After all, many MPVs’ higher seating capacities, flexible cargo-carrying configurations and generous ground clearances make them the ride of choice for many families who travel with a nanny, grandparents and the assorted paraphernalia young kids require. One downside to family-oriented MPVs is they are generally boring to drive and have little sex appeal.
Michelin shares tire care tips for a safe yuletide road trip
THE Christmas holidays will surely see many motorists going on long road trips. To help ensure a fun, memorable and safe journey, French tire maker Michelin recently launched a safety campaign seeking to educate drivers about the importance of proper tire care.
Ferocious Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4 is here
FILLING the shoes (or tires?) of the Lamborghini Gallardo won’t be easy. After all, it is the biggest selling Lambo to date, with over 14,000 units sold during its decadelong production run that ended in 2013.
Honda wishes you a merry CR-V
HONDA Cars Phils. Inc. (HCPI) recently launched the updated version of the fourth-generation Honda CR-V now endowed with bolder styling, great-to-have convenience features and advanced safety equipment.
A different zero to 100 kph test
THERE I was, sitting in Edsa traffic. I knew it would be another typical Friday afternoon during which the 22-km trip from Parañaque City to Quezon City would take about two-and-a-half hours—if I was lucky. What to do in times like this besides buy kakanin from a traffic enforcer driving his scooter against the flow of traffic?
Fixing what isn’t broken
CONSERVATIVE styling, decent fuel consumption, low running cost and rock-solid reliability have made the Toyota Corolla the world’s best-selling car. During the Corolla’s 48-year production run, well over 40 million units have been sold worldwide. Logically, the folks at Toyota headquarters wouldn’t mess with this winning formula, right? Umm…wrong.
Six reasons the City 1.5 E CVT makes an excellent daily driver
IF you were to drive just one car for the next 365 days with all ownership and operating costs to be shouldered out of your own pocket, what car would you pick? If I was asked this question before I got to test-drive the Honda City 1.5 E CVT, this car probably wouldn’t even be among my top 3 choices. But after I logged several hundred kilometers in this City, the car suddenly zoomed to the top of my list for the following reasons:
Wish you were here
IF you are crazy about cars but were not one of the thousands who trooped to the Fifth Philippine International Motor Show held last week, you may take comfort in the thought that, well, you missed a lot.
This ‘C’ is rated an ‘A-plus’
THE fourth-generation Mercedes-Benz C-Class made its Philippine debut recently, sporting a brawnier physique achieved despite shedding off some excess poundage. The increase in size comes with the car’s move up-market. Now that the C-Class is no longer the “entry-level” sedan in the German luxury carmaker’s line-up—that role now belongs to the CLA-Class—the model has been endowed with features one would expect only in the more upscale Mercedes-Benz models.
Honda Brio heats up small car wars
THE A-segment car wars will soon be intensifying after Honda’s smallest cars, the Brio hatchback and Brio Amaze sedan join the fray, um, shortly. Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI) recently held a pre-launch test drive of the pair for motoring journalists ahead of its official launch next month.