I RECEIVED quite a lot of reactions after I made mention here last week of the Nlex-Slex Connector Road to be built, hopefully, next year.  Once completed—target of opening is 2015—travel from Balintawak to Baclaran would take only approximately 20 minutes.

What a relief, indeed.

Mon Fernandez, the Big Boss of Tollways Management Corp. (a Metro Pacific company), revealed the plans for the ground-breaking ceremonies of the plan initially budgeted at a whopping P20 billion.

“Plans for its construction are going on smoothly,” Mon said. “Its approval last year was a welcome development in the company’s dedicated vision to provide world-class highways in the metropolis as well as from across the entire length of the archipelago in the years to come.”

The project is an elevated expressway linking the North Luzon Expressway (Nlex) to the the South Luzon Expressway (Slex), making it a natural extension of the Nlex.

The immediate socioeconomic benefits of the project are:

1) It will decongest vehicular traffic within Metro Manila, because it will provide a fast alternate road to existing roadways like Edsa, C-5 and other major thoroughfares.

2) It will result in very significant savings in travel time. With the Connector Road, motorists from the last toll plaza southbound in Nlex will reach the the first toll plaza of Slex in only 15 to 20 minutes—or vice-versa.  Today, motorists take one hour-and-a-half on existing roads to reach Nlex or Slex as the case may be.

3) It will provide unhampered traffic flow from the ports to South Luzon, thus addressing concerns about the ban of trucks at the daytime within the metropolis.

In a study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), the Nlex-Slex Connector Road, an elevated stretch of 13.24 km, is a superior alignment. The alignment is made up of 10.54 km over the PNR rail tracks, plus 2.7 km over the Osmeña Highway. 

Only 6.6 km are needed for right-of-way purposes, meaning not very much displacement of residents along the path of the connector road.

Expectedly, the new road will represent an integrated expressway system that will result in a fast and efficient movement of people and goods between North and South Luzon. This efficient movement is crucial to the accelerated development of all sectors within Luzon.

“Our commitment for the welfare of our people through the development of world-class infrastructure will always be our mission,” said Mon Fernandez.  “It is our way of helping make this country attuned to global thrusts.”

 Isuzu is tops again

QUICK:  Who reigns as king of diesel engine for the umpteenth time in the Philippines?

Isuzu Philippines Corp. (IPC), who else?

In the year just ended, IPC has posted steady sales in its lineup, with the Isuzu N-Series light-duty truck topping its segment.

In records from the Truck Manufacturers Association and the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, the N-Series took a commanding 69.4-percent share of Category III. 

The light-duty commercial truck segment recorded 1,196 units sold from January to December 2011.

It was a robust follow-up to its equally dominating 67.1-percent share in 2010 with 1,030 units sold.

If Toyota won its 10th straight Triple Crown Affair, an unprecedented feat in the industry, Isuzu’s N-Series captured the overall leadership in the Category III for 13 straight years since 1999.  Wow!

“The N-Series trucks’ achievement of being the bestseller in a competitive class for 13 straight years is concrete proof of its superiority over its rivals,” said IPC President Ryoji “George” Yamazaki. “It means the market has full confidence in the model, which can only be the result of a very satisfying ownership experience.”

Credit to the N-Series’s popularity goes in part to its versatility as the vehicle can be configured as a passenger van, aluminum cargo van, refrigerated van, fire truck, drop-side truck, aerial platform truck, refuse collector, dump truck, cargo truck or tanker. The N-Series’s durability and dependability have also made them the light commercial truck of choice among entrepreneurs and business partners.

To complete its domination, Isuzu’s medium- and heavy-duty trucks were also tops in their Category IV and V segments.

In 2011 IPC sold 240 units of these trucks, including the popular Forward model, with the vehicles accounting for 24.8-percent share of the segments. This is a marked growth from IPC’s 2010 figures, which showed that 165 medium- and heavy-duty trucks were sold, resulting in a 14.3-percent share.

More of Isuzu’s astonishing sales feats next week.

Evoque now driving in the Philippines

I MISSED the launch of Evoque, the latest babe from Willy Soong’s Land Rover Philippines (LRPhils) Motors Inc.

But I was told it was a smashing success.  And I’m just too happy to hear about it.

“You missed it,” said Jingjing Romero, Willy’s hard-working drumbeater. 

Anyway, here’s the official pitch for multi-awarded Range Rover Evoque.

It is the smallest, lightest, most fuel-efficient Range Rover ever produced. It retains its premium levels of craftsmanship, luxury, performance and Land Rover multi-terrain capabilities.

Equipped with an all-new 240-hp Si4 turbocharged, direct injected 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and a six-speed automatic transmission, “the Evoque delivers excellent performance and fuel economy,” Jingjing said.

Its suspension is configured for dynamic and agile handling across varied terrain featuring with its MagneRide magnetorheological damper technology.  

 “The Evoque is a new generation of SUV that attracts customers who have not previously considered getting an SUV.  However, it stands out from the crowd with its performance and design features that can only be experienced from a premium Land Rover vehicle,” said Soong, the president and chairman of LRPhils Motors Inc.

Motul’s commitment to quality

MY friend Dino Directo wrote to say Motul is the lubricant “for all seasons.”  Who am I to argue with him—this dude with years of experience in the business?  Listen to him:

“The core commitment of Autoplus when it brought in Motul seven years ago was to give Filipinos a lubricant of high quality, high performance and the highest value for their hard-earned money. As the French company celebrates its 160th anniversary in 2013, Autoplus is set to give something back to its loyal patrons. Carlos Gono, the man behind the performance house Autoplus and Motul, will cut the prices of Motul’s top three selling oil products starting this January.”

Motul’s track record is beyond question.  It invented the first multigrade in 1953, the first semisynthetic in 1966 and the first 100-percent synthetic oil in 1971.

“Starting with Motul’s Multipower, a semi-synthetic oil for gasoline and diesel cars, will now be priced at P400 per liter from P500 per liter; followed by Motul’s H-tech 100, a 100-percent synthetic oil for gasoline engine cars at P500 per liter from P640 per liter and Motul’s Specific CRDi oil, a 100-percent synthetic base oil for CRDi diesel cars at P600 per liter from P800 per liter.”

“You call those bargain prices?”

“Of course,” Dino said.  “Where else can you find such low prices these days, when fuel and other oil products keep on rising?  Please tell your millions of readers to call me at 726-0399 for further inquiries.”

So there.  I just can’t refuse friends who deal with quality.  They become quality themselves.

Pee stop.  Rene So, the amiable dude from Dagupan City, will inaugurate his San Fernando City (La Union) Toyota dealership on January 30. All the best, Rene, and cheers!...To Art Macapagal, my warmest, too, to your Toyota Global City, which opened its doors on January 19 at The Fort.  More about this next week.