Drive Home a 2019 Honda BR-V for As Little as P 33,000

Celebrating the launch of the 2019 BR-V, Honda Cars Philippines is offering its refreshed 7-seater sub-compact SUV with a low all-in down as little as 10 percent and a payment term that stretches up to 60 months.

The special Honda BR-V introductory offer, good only until July 31, 2019 lets you drive home a brand-new BR-V for as little as P 33,000 for the 1.5 S CVT and P 39,000 for the 1.5 V CVT.

The amount represents an all-in low downpayment inclusive of 1-year comprehensive insurance with acts of nature, 3-year LTO registration, and chattel mortgage fee. Furthermore, available payment terms under this promotion are 36, 48, and 60 months subject to bank approval.

Customers are entitled to avail a free insurance package c/o BPI Family Savings Bank, RCBC Savings Bank and Bank of Commerce, and China Bank Savings only. Security Bank Corporation does not offer free insurance. Minimum amount financed required for BPI Family Savings Bank, RCBC Savings Bank, Bank of Commerce, and China Bank Savings is P 500,000. Shipping cost to provincial dealerships is not included.

For more details about this special introductory promo for the Honda BR-V, visit any authorized Honda Cars dealership nationwide.

Honda Finally Wins in Modern Formula 1 Era with Win at Austrian Grand Prix

Honda marks its return to the top step of the Formula 1 podium with a win at the 2019 Austrian Grand Prix. Driving for Aston Martin Red Bull Racing that uses the Honda RA619H power unit, Max Verstappen won the race in spectacular fashion.

The win marks Honda’s 73rd win in Formula 1 and the first since the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix. It’s also the Japanese engine manufacturer’s first win in the current hybrid power unit era.

“Formula One was our founder Soichiro Honda’s dream and it is in our company’s DNA. We went through some tough times over the past five years on the race tracks and in the factory. I am speechless when I think about the enormous effort from all the Honda staff involved in this project, who always believed in themselves and never gave up and finally reached today’s victory. I think this embodies our ‘Power of Dreams’ motto,” said Takahiro Hachigo, Chief Executive Officer, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

The 2019 Toyota Vios Accounts for 25 Percent of All Passenger Cars Sold So Far

Care to guess the Philippines’s best-selling vehicle? It comes as no surprise that the Toyota Vios is the country’s best-selling vehicle, based at least on the May 2019 Automotive Industry Performance Report of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI).

What is surprising though is the insurmountable lead the Vios has over the rest of the field. Out of the 50,097 passenger cars (PC) sold from January to May 2019, the Vios accounts for a quarter of it or 12,295 units. It is the only vehicle—passenger car or commercial vehicle that has sold more than 10,000 units so far this year.

Making the Vios’s run even more impressive is that its May 2019 sales figure is at an all-time high close to breaching the 3,000-unit mark which was its monthly average sales figure prior to the TRAIN Law’s implementation in 2018.

“We think that the passenger car segment is starting to gain momentum, and we’re hoping that it would achieve higher growth levels in the coming months,” said Ms. Cristina Arevalo, First Vice President for Brand & Product Planning of TMP.

“The Toyota Vios remains to be a preferred vehicle among Filipinos because of its great value and easy ownership and maintenance—backed by our commitment to quality, durability and reliability. Flexible and affordable financing schemes have been made available to customers—where car buyers can choose from low down payment or light monthly payments, plus other attractive deals that make owning a Vios easier on the pocket. Special offers to OFWs are also available,” added Arevalo.

Aside from the Vios’s strong year-to-date performance, the Hilux also remained strong for Toyota Motor Philippines, selling 8,723 units while the Fortuner, Innova, Wigo, and Hiace also contributing well to the carmaker’s 58,886 year-to-date tally.

Sonax Philippines Brings Professional Shine into DIY Range

In the world of car care, marketing and branding are king; or so they say. Focusing instead on research and development, Sonax has taken a very different path—one that enabled them to rise as the leading manufacturer of car care products in Germany, Japan, China, and the U.S.A.—the most discerning markets in the world.

Remaining a private, family-owned company with a 70-year history, Sonax has focused on products that provide for the cleaning and maintenance of car surfaces. From their first product, “Sonax”—a synonym for “wax”—their focus hasn’t changed. Today, 20 people or 4 percent of their entire headcount is dedicated to R&D, and manufacturing of 500 different products is centralized only in one location: Neuburg in Germany.

“R&D is the heart of Sonax,” says Werner Hoffman, Sonax Area Sales Manager for Asia-Pacific. “Others may simply rely on subjective opinion, at Sonax this is not enough. Everything we do is backed up by extensive laboratory testing. We even have our own unique testing tools such as a Polishing Tester to check the effectiveness of our polishes and waxes.”

Known more for their professional range, including the CC36 Ceramic Coating, Sonax is now re-introducing its range of DIY products for the Philippine market including the Gloss Shampoo, Easy Shine, High-Speed Wax, Brilliant Shine Detailer, Xtreme Interior Cleaner, Leather Care Foam, Tire Gloss Gel, and Wheel Cleaner.

“Our DIY formulation stems from our decades of experience manufacturing professional products,” says Jeremy Ong, Regional Support Manager for Sonax. “While our DIY line has the same Sonax Advantage—where you use less of the product to get more results, it’s designed to be safe for everyone, even the casual motorist, to use. You don’t need to be trained to use them effectively. Sonax is tested to be safe on any car surface and it’s tested to work on any car—German, Japanese, Korean, French, Italian, or American.”

One great example is the Sonax Leather Care Foam which works safely on any leather surface—whether it’s stitched, perforated, or even Nappa. Because of its foam-based formulation, it gets into the textured surface of leather, gently lifting trapped dirt without leaving any residue. It even provides UV protection without the stickiness or shine.

Sonax DIY products are now available at all Blade Auto outlets nationwide and can be purchased online through Lazada. In addition, Sonax detailing services are available at selected dealerships and car wash establishments nationwide.

To find the nearest Sonax detailing partner nearest you, check out their official Facebook page.

Entrepreneur Takes Home P 1-Million Cash Prize from Ford Philippines

An entrepreneur took home one million peso cash prize as the grand winner of Ford Philippines’ Big Deal raffle promo.

Marianne Hernandez is a businesswoman from Muntinlupa City who is into dog breeding and rice reselling. She is a wife to an OFW and has recently purchased a 2019 Ford Ranger XLT 4x2 AT from Ford Global City, which earned her a raffle entry to the Big Deal promo.

According to Hernandez, she needed a pickup to cater to the needs and demands of her businesses. “The Ford Ranger is a very capable truck in helping me transport the dogs that I breed and sacks of rice from one place to another. I particularly love the wide truck bed which can carry and move heavy loads of goods without compromising the quality of the driving experience, which is what the Ford Ranger is really known for.”

When asked where she will spend the winnings, the mom of two replies, “I plan to use my cash prize to renovate my house, save up for the school tuition fees of my kids, and visit Hong Kong for a vacation in September when my husband comes home.”

Present during the awarding ceremonies at Ford Global City are Ford Philippines managing director Bert Lessard and Ford Global City general manager Danny Chua.

With the Ford Big Deal promo, customers who reserved or purchased any variant of the EcoSport, Everest, Mustang, Explorer, Fiesta, or Expedition, as well as the Ranger XLS, XLT, and Wildtrak variants during the Manila International Auto Show or within the month of April from any Ford dealership received raffle coupons.

Is the All-New Ford Puma a Preview of the 2020 EcoSport SUV?

For “Kids of the 90’s,” they’ll remember a sporty coupe called the Puma. Sold in Europe by Ford, the Puma was basically the Fiesta in a sexier dress. Introduced in 1997, it was discontinued five years later. Well, 17 years later, the Puma is back, but this time it dismisses its sporty coupe lineage to become Ford’s newest baby crossover.

Before dismissing the move as a sacrilegious one, now would be a good time to remember that Mitsubishi did the same thing with the Eclipse. Moving on, the new Puma rides on the Fiesta’s sub-compact platform, and is designed to be sold alongside its current European SUV range—the Fiesta Active (yup, it’s such a thing), EcoSport, Edge, Kuga (aka Escape), and Explorer.

Ford says the Puma bucks the current trend of wedge-style crossovers. With its “anti-wedge” design, it bears a strong resemblance to more organically-designed crossovers like the Mazda CX-3. The “canoe-shaped” headlights offer the same lighting signature as the Ford GT, while wheel choices start from 17 to 19-inch rims.

Inside, the Puma is said to have Ford’s human-centric design (where have we heard that before) and has features like massaging front seats, a full-length panoramic sunroof, wireless charging for smartphones, and even a 10-speaker B&O sound system. In front of the driver, it has a fully-configurable 12.3-inch instrument cluster, too.

Single-handedly though, the Puma’s claim to fame is its cargo capacity. It claims to have the segment’s largest cargo carrying capacity at 456 liters, enabling it to accommodate a box measuring 1,125 mm long, 970 mm wide, and 430 mm in height with the second-row folded down. And with the so-called Ford Megabox, it can store dirty items separately and can be hosed down and cleaned easily with the synthetic lining and drain plug.

Powering the Puma is the 1.0-liter EcoBoost making 125 horsepower. The bigger news though is the availability of a mild-hybrid system adding 30 more horsepower, pushing the total output to 155 horsepower and 240 Nm. A diesel variant will soon follow. Currently, the Puma is only available with a 6-speed manual, but a 7-speed dual clutch automatic will also be made available.

Ford has also optimized the Fiesta platform but gifting the Puma with a stiffer twist-beam rear suspension, larger shock absorbers, stiffer suspension, and optimized suspension top mounts.

Now, the most important bit: will the Puma replace the EcoSport?

At this point, it’s a tossup. On one hand, Ford may continue to leverage its global supply change and choose to manufacture the Puma at its joint-venture facility with Changan in China (where the current EcoSport is being made). However, they can also opt to develop a small SUV specifically for development markets, like the one reportedly being made with the help of Mahindra. Regardless, the most likely replacement date for the EcoSport is 2020 at the earliest.

Toyota Motor Philippines is Launching the Supra on July 9 and Prices Start at P 4.990M

The Toyota Supra is finally arriving this Tuesday, July 9. After being previewed in a rather unceremonious manner at the Vios Racing Festival, likely done so just to beat BMW Philippines’s launch of the Z4 that happened a few days after, the flagship sportscar will be getting the full-blown launch it deserves.

But before the embargoes are lifted (at least with our publications) and the canapes served, you just have to leave it to dealers to start leaking out information 9 days before they’re supposed to. Chief among them? The 2019 Supra’s price. Based on what looks like a dealer presentation from Toyota Makati (see below), the 335-horsepower Supra will be made available in 8 colors and the sticker price will be dependent on what shade you choose.

The most expensive color option is the Matte Storm Gray that’ll be priced at P 5,090,000; White Metallic, Black Metallic, Lightning Yellow, Silver Metallic, Ice Gray Metallic, and Deep Blue Metallic will be priced at P 5,050,000; and Prominence Red is available for cheapskates at P 4,990,000.

If this leak is proven true in a few days’ time, and Toyota Motor Philippines won’t be making any more adjustments, it seems the Supra will be priced more inline with our earlier prediction of 4 million pesos as opposed to the often-floated 5.5 million pesos. This will enable them to play in a vacuum in the sportscar/performance car segment (4-5 million peso mark).

As a reference, BMW priced their Z4 between P 3,990,000 to P 5,790,000 though it comes with a 5-year warranty.

While the world waits, you can check how the Supra stacks up against the Z4, here.

Volvo is Now Offering an Armored Version of Its XC90 SUV

With a growing global market for armored vehicles, Volvo Cars has dipped their fingers into the game with the release of the Volvo XC90 Armored. Developed by Volvo Cars Special Vehicles, the XC90 Armored offers high levels of security and protection.

Based on the XC90 T6 AWD Inscription, the XC90 Armored offers VR8 (Level 2) protection It offers VR8 p enabling it to stop shots from an AK-47 or a hand grenade. From Volvo Car’s production in Torslanda, these XC90 Armored is sent to TRASCO Bremen GmbH in Germany to receive 360-degree ballistic and explosive resistance.

The high-strength steel armor is 10 mm thick, while the thickness of the glass can be up to 50 mm. The armor adds approximately 1,400 kilograms to the XC90, which brings the total weight of the car up to 4,490 kilograms (including five occupants). To cope with the increased weight, the car is fitted with uprated suspension and new brakes.

From the outside though, the XC90 Armored is discrete despite the extensive armoring.

The French Just Transformed the Ranger and Everest to Military Vehicles

You want to know how tough the Ford Ranger and Everest are? Apparently, they’re so capable they can be converted for military use. French defense company Arquus, which specializes in armored vehicles transformed Ford’s venerable pickup and SUV into the Trigger and Trapper, respectively.

The Ranger-based Trigger is a “light tactical vehicle” that’s used for troop transport and logistics. It can be used as a land patroller and to fulfill security missions. Arquus points out that its 1.3-metric ton payload capacity and 4.6 square-meters of cargo room make it the biggest in its class.

It keeps the Ranger’s 800-mm water wading depth while also being capable of climbing 60 percent grades, 40 percent slope, and go over vertical obstacles of 230 mm. With a 2.2-liter 4-cylinder engine, it tops out at 170 km/h, and a cruising range of 1,000 kilometers.

Meanwhile, the Everest-based Trapper is a 5-seater personnel carrier that’s actually been chosen as the French Army’s liaison vehicle. It’s outfitted with extended ground clearance, reinforced bumpers, and special off-road grip tires. It even has all the equipment and radio equipment needed to fulfill “all its missions.”

The Trapper has a 160-horsepower engine with a 142 km/h top speed, a maximum payload of one ton, and a cruising range of 900 kilometers. It can climb a 50 percent gradient, traverse slopes of 30 percent, vertical obstacles of 250 mm, and water wading of 500 mm.

The 2019 Nissan Patrol Royale is an Apartment-Sized SUV That's Rewarding to Drive

Priced at P 3,888,000, the Nissan Patrol is an SUV in a price bracket where it’s bought by people who won’t likely value the opinion of a motoring journalist. It caters to a segment of buyers who think: “I’ve got the money to buy you, your friends, and this club; and I know what I want.” But to the curious who would like to know how it drives and rides, it’s a beautiful, capable SUV the size of a SMDC apartment, but with the reflexes of an athlete.

The Patrol’s styling is regal and luxurious, emphasizing size rather than belittling it. The massive V-motion grille and trapezoidal headlights give it presence, while its slab-sided body dwarf what are already 20-inch wheels. The rear does the same as well, squaring things off to visually widen it even more.

And large it is. Measuring in at 5.165 meters in length and 2.235 meters in width including the mirrors, the Patrol barely fits into the standard Philippine parking space—taking up 11.54 square-meters of floor area compared to the standard’s 12.5 square-meters.

Climbing aboard confirms this with the Patrol’s wide seats (at least for the first two rows since the third was folded down during the entire journey), and general feeling of expansiveness. Talking to anyone else (including the front passenger) is like placing a long-distance phone call; there’s just so much space. The driver enjoys the usual cornucopia of adjustment afforded by a seat that move 8 ways electronically (with a memory function and ventilation to boot) and a tiller that does the same for both reach and height.

The interior design itself says it’s made for Sheiks since there’s enough plastic woodgrain to match the Business Class of an Emirates A380. Another nifty touch that suggests it’s made for the Middle East’s extremely hot weather is the placement of the second- and third row vents. Instead of placing them at the center of the ceiling, they’re all positioned by the generous glass area. This creates a curtain of cool air preventing the sun’s heat from barreling through the glass. The standard color scheme is black, but opting for the tan makes it look even better.

Despite the solid build, it’s starting to look dated with the massive number of buttons and controls dotting the interior. Thankfully, it’s easy enough to navigate once mastered since everything is clustered together by function. The gauges too, are absent of any fancy colored display, but remain easy to read and understand.

Now, the biggest question hovering over the Patrol is its performance, and not because of the usual reason. Its one and only rival, the Toyota Land Cruiser draws buyers with its “frugal” diesel-fed V8. And true enough, it can likely achieve double the Patrol’s fuel economy. However, with a P 600,000 price spread in favor of the Patrol, and taking into account the price of service, it’s the Nissan than wins out with a lower ownership cost up to 100,000 kilometers (check this story for the details).

With that out of the way, it’s time to tackle how the Patrol drives. With a direct-injected 5.6-liter V8 engine connected to a 7-speed automatic, it pushes out 400 horsepower and 560 Nm of torque—figures that make it the second most powerful vehicle next to the GT-R. Now, to better appreciate its performance consider this: its 0-100 km/h time is 6.6 seconds—just a second slower than the Civic Type R, and that’s for something that weighs 2,750 kilograms. Aurally, the entire drivetrain goes for quietness than outright bark, yet the characteristic V8 rumble fills the cabin even at half throttle and this can get quite addicting.

The biggest surprise of the Patrol though is now it conducts itself on the road. At lower speeds, the large glass area and light steering make it easy enough to drive around once adjusted for its gargantuan size (thank goodness for the 360-degree camera). In city confines, it feels pretty much like any standard large luxury SUV that ploughs through potholes using nothing more than its sheer weight and excellent NVH isolation. However, start pushing it around, and it actually pushes back. During spirited driving, it remains extremely stable and flat with none of the body lean you’ll expect from a rolling apartment.

Aside from its sophisticated Double Wishbone suspension at both ends, Nissan’s employed a magical system they call Hydraulic Body Motion Control or HBMC. It’s a simple yet clever system that doesn’t run on any computer. Instead, it uses hydraulic cylinders located at the shock absorbers to adjust roll stiffness by transferring fluid between left- and right sides. The system also activates during off-road driving. Whenever it senses that a wheel has dropped, it actually is able to add a greater amount of wheel travel.

When Nissan launched the first-generation Patrol in 1951, it was nothing more than a utilitarian off-roader. 68 years later, it continues the very same tradition, but now marries it with high levels of luxury and comfort. While the current generation, codenamed Y62 has been around for quite some time, now may be its time to shakeup the market. The Nissan Patrol (or Patrol Royale, if you want the official model designation) was happy simply to be at the fringes of success, now it’s ready to fight and pummel the competition into submission.