MANY still consider expensive cars as basically luxury cars. 

Well, to those who think so, can’t blame them.

Price seems to always dictate the classification of any ride.

So, when is a car expensive and, therefore, fall into the luxury category?

I would say, maybe, from P3.0 million up?

That being the case, the Lexus ES will easily make the grade.

The Lexus ES is pegged at P3.6 million.

But that was before, when JPepa wasn’t around yet.

And what is JPepa again?

It’s that Philippine-Japan trade agreement that substantially reduces tariffs and duties when commerce happens between both countries.

Thus, from P3.6 M, the Lexus ES can now be had for only P3.188 M.

What a huge discount—but, alas, to the moneyed, that’d amount to almost nothing.

A car is classified luxury by its price, yes, but you know why?

Every part and parcel of the car, every nut and bolt screwed into it, is all a promise of comfort, an assurance that security and quality of ride comes with the package.

It does not mean, though, that nonluxury cars aren’t good rides, nor are they not quality-packed.

It’s just that luxury cars, like the Lexus ES, make your ride a little nicer, softer and easier than easy.

Thus, when balikbayan Ofel Juvida-Magturo learned that Carlo “The Champ” Chungunco of Lexus Manila Inc. (he was just following orders from Danny “Sir John” Isla, of course) was set to pull out the Lexus ES after a “memorable weekend ride” to Tagaytay, she said, “It’s back to reality.”

She had to pinch herself to make sure she was wide awake.

Isuzu’s love for Mother Nature

IN 2002, Isuzu Philippines Corp. donated a river garbage trap in Santa Rosa City, thus igniting Isuzu’s romance with the environment. Isuzu followed that up with 10,000 tilapia fingerlings tossed into Laguna Lake in 2003.

Isuzu deviated somewhat in 2004 when it donated two classroom buildings in Biñan National High School, also in Laguna, although that was still an extremely commendable effort, given the country’s utter lack of school buildings.

The following year, Isuzu donated 15,000 narra seedlings in Atimonan, Quezon.

Finally, in 2006, I was part of Isuzu’s love-our-nature advocacy when I was invited to participate in the planting of mangroves in a five-hectare area in the Hundred Islands in Alaminos, my old haunt as a kid growing up in Pangasinan.

I was since part, almost, of Isuzu’s yearly trip to the country to conserve and make robust and healthy our environment to make the country surrounded by greenery all over.

Such Isuzu projects included more trips to Laguna (Mount Makiling), Quezon (Caliraya), Cebu, Davao, Leyte and Surigao.  

This year, Joe “Isuzu Joe” Baladad tells me Isuzu is scheduled to go to Isabela and Cagayan to plant 100 mango and satsuma seedlings per hectare through the provisions of organic fertilizers and to train farmers in agro-forestry and seedling production in a 40-hectare farm in Tuguegarao.

“We are going to carry out educational programs for the farmers in the Cagayan Valley so that destruction of forests can be prevented.  This initiative will enable them to generate income and eventually improve their livelihood and lead a happy life. Agro-forestry will teach farmers how to be independent as Isuzu is after sustainability and long-term empowerment,” said IPC president Ryoji Yamazaki.

I can’t wait to join Isuzu yet again in the name of Mother Nature.

Mr. Bean accident

BRITISH comedy actor Rowan Atkinson, best known for the character Mr. Bean, was released from hospital after treatment of a shoulder injury sustained when his McLaren F1 that he was driving had recently crashed into a tree.  His supercar spun off the road near the village of Haddon, Cambridgeshire, in London, the car bursting into flames after hitting the tree.  The 56-year-old car enthusiast walked away from the accident before firefighters arrived and put out the blaze, emergency services said.

The complete news account from Yahoo:

“The actor’s love of fast cars is a stark contrast to his hapless character in the Mr. Bean series, who drives an aging Mini.

“The McLaren F1 is one of the fastest production cars in the world and has a top speed of 230 miles [370 km] per hour. It is worth around £650,000.

“Atkinson recently appeared in popular British TV motoring show Top Gear, taking part in a segment called ‘Star in a Reasonably Priced Car.’

“He notched up the fastest ever time on the show, completing a circuit of a race track in one minute, 42.2 seconds.”

 The movie that he presently stars in, Johnny English, is showing in major theaters as I was writing this.

 Being his fan, I pray that he is OK.

 Obama’s uncle driving drunk

ONYANGO Obama, the uncle of US President Obama, was flagged down by police while allegedly driving drunk in Framingham, Massachusetts, recently. 

Did Onyango scream at the police to let him go because he is Obama’s uncle?

No.  He allowed the police to bring him to the police station, where he reportedly said, “I think I will call the White House.”

From the AP report: “Police said Obama, who’s originally from Kenya and is the half-brother of the President’s late father, pleaded not guilty and was being held without bail. In a court document, Onyango had an earlier deportation or removal order.  His immigration status couldn’t be immediately confirmed, but such orders are generally reserved for people who are in the country illegally.

“Police said Onyango was arrested after he failed to stop completely at a STOP sign and a police officer had to quickly apply his brakes to avoid hitting Obama’s SUV.”

In America, it’s mandatory for you to do a full stop on a STOP sign. 

The policeman was at fault, I guess, because he was speeding, thus the need for him to apply the brakes hard only when he was near Onyango’s SUV despite the presence of that STOP sign.

Ah, police officers.  They always win—seemingly, that is.

Pee stop. Ramon Uy, one of the major exponents of waste management and organic farming from Bacolod, turned in a new leaf on Wednesday. Cheers!... Leo “Cadio” Ferreria, the president and CEO of Toyota Cubao, now shuttles between Gambrinus of Intercon (Thursdays) and The Tap Room of Manila Hotel (Fridays) to soothe us with his Sinatra ditties after a hard day’s grind.  I have yet to hear of another man of stature in the motoring business that can match, if not surpass, Cadio’s passion for music.   Du-bee-du-bee-du....