Words by Christopher Kho
In a sport dominated by 900 horsepower purpose-built monsters, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) is taking on the 2012 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb challenge in an all-electric production - a first in the brand’s history. Based on their road-going hatchback, the i-MiEV prototype is heading to the slopes of Colorado in the U.S. on the 8th of July to race against the clock to the heavens, driven by no less than legendary two-time Dakar Rally winner Hiroshi Masuoka.
Describing the Pikes Peak-bound i-MiEV prototype as “based on the production model” is actually a bit of a misnomer. You see, judging from the sketches from Mitsubishi, this prototype looks absolutely nothing like its road-going counterpart. The main cabin has been narrowed to fit just one occupant, while its wheelbase and track width extended so much so that it should more or less look like an odd Le Mans prototype Frankenstein.
Published in
Motorsports
05 March 2012
Bellissimo! Ferrari and Maserati set up shop at The Fort
Words by Christopher Kho
Before the raging bull gets a chance to make its grand arrival in the country, Autostrada Motore Inc. went ahead and officially opened its doors last March 1, 2012 as the first importer-distributor of two great Italian supercar marques in the Philippines. Also owned by the Soong's, Ferrari and Maserati now take up residence at the 32nd St. & 4th Ave., Crescent Park West, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig and share stables with Jagauar, Land Rover, and Range Rover. And to mark the special occasion, they officially unveiled the Ferrari 458 Italia and new Maserati Grandturismo MC Stradale.
The showroom reverberates with pure Italian heritage and allows each upcoming Ferrari or Maserati owner to tailor-fit their supercar to their own preference - including body color, interior trim, and wheel designs. The world-class facility also includes a factory-certified service center to keep each Italian exotic in tip top shape.
Published in
Industry Update
05 March 2012
Volvo Philippines backs DOTC's road safety campaign
In support of the Philippine Road Safety Action Plan 2011 - 2020 (PRSAP) and the UN's Decade of Action for Road Safety, Volvo Philippines conducted a Pedestrian Detection Crash Simulation during the Department of Transportation and Communication's (DOTC) Road Safety Forum held last February 22, 2012 at Camp Crame, Quezon City.
For the demonstration, the all-new S60 T6 equipped with Volvo's City Safety system was driven straight into an inflatable pedestrian dummy, where it automatically braked to a full stop and avoided a collision. The test successfully proved that Volvo's latest preventive safety technology can actually save lives on the road.
Published in
Road Safety
Words by Niky Tamayo | Photos courtesy of Ferrari S.p.A.
Scheduled to be launched at the Geneva Motor Show next week, the new F12 Berlinetta is Ferrari's most eco-friendly supercar yet. By using a number of clever technologies and a variety of alloys in chassis construction, they've managed to drop the weight down to 1,525 kg, saving nearly a hundred kilos of precious metal resources over the F599. Superb aerodynamics, a revised engine, and dual clutch gearbox also drop fuel consumption by 30%.
Carbon emissions have also been lowered to... wait a minute... who cares about fuel economy and global warming? Let's get to the good part: The F12 has 740 hp, hits 100 km/h in 3.1 seconds and 200 km/h in just 8.5 seconds, and eats nails and live hand grenades for breakfast. It laps the famed Fiorano test track in 1:23, two seconds faster than the Enzo. They should have named this car Blitzkrieg.
Published in
Newly Launched
Goodyear's Retread Multi-Piece Cushion technology has just been awarded the “Tire Manufacturing Innovation of the Year” by Tire Technology International, an independent international jury made up of tire professionals, engineers, and academic scholars. The innovation is designed to extend the life of a truck tire's retead cushions, while improving quality, and performance.
Cushion, or known as cushion gum, is a tacky rubber compound used to bond a belted tire core and to a premoulded tread during tire retreading. What sets Goodyear's Mulit-Piece Cushion is that, unlike traditional cushion gum that is flat with edges that can stick to other layers of cushion gum, it comes in a round shape, making it more user-friendly for tire retreaders. Plus it's heat-resistant, which eliminates the need for refrigeration.
Published in
Industry Update
Words by Niky Tamayo | Photos courtesy of Lexus Inc.
The Lexus GS has always been a humble alternative to iconic sports sedans such as the BMW 5-Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The conservative, "we're a reliable luxury car", Lexus. But that was the old Lexus. Of late, they've been doing things a little differently. The LF-A supercar was the first sign of Lexus' new direction - a taste of being avante-garde, exciting, and radical, even. And inheriting some of the LF-A's attributes, the radical all-new 2012 GS 350 and its athletic brother, the GS 350 F Sport, are here and ready to take on the competition.
The new GS from Lexus strikes with an imposing countenance that projects both futurism and luxury at the same time. The head honchos at Lexus Manila Inc. sure looked happy when they launched the new car last Tuesday, as well they should.
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Newly Launched
Ever wished for a brand new Apple iPad2? How 'bout a Macbook Air, or even a Canon EOS DSLR? Well, with Pilipinas Shell's Visa Swipe and Save promo, you can now get the chance to win one of these amazing gadgets whenever you gas up at Shell.
Receive one (1) electronic raffle entry for a minimum purchase of P2,000 at participating Shell station using your Visa Consumer Debit, Credit, Prepaid, or Electron cards issued in the Philippines. Up for grabs are: Ten (10) units of Apple iPad2, Ten (10) units of Apple Macbook Air, Ten (10) units of Canon DSLR EOS 1100D kits, and Ten (10) P25,000 worth of Cash Rebates.
Published in
Contest and Promos
Words by Christopher Kho
Now on its third consecutive year, Sunshine STV is once again all geared-up to go for the 2012 edition of the Auto Rally Corporate Challenge (ARCC) this Saturday, March 3. This year's competition has left the beautiful roads of Subic and moved to a fresh new venue in Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga. But as always, “on time, all the time” still remains to be the name of the game.
Hyundai Asia Resources Inc. (HARI) takes the 2012 ARCC head-on with a fleet of four all-new Hyundai Elantra's. Heading the pack are Roadwise Motoring's Art Guevarra and Mike Reyes with Gef Buraga from the Elantra Club Philippines. The boys from Top Gear Philippines consisting of Dinzo Tabamo, Raynard Olarte, and Aeus Reyes occupy car number 2, while the jocks of Jam 88.3's Gearbox, Eric Tipan and Andre Palma, will be joined by HARI's own Adrian Santos from Brand Management in car no. 3. Of course, rounding up the pack is the all-star team of Ferman Lao representing Top Gear Philippines, 99.5RT, and Kotse.com; Wave 89.1 Racing Beat's Charlie Cruz; and yours truly.
Published in
Motorsports
