07 February 2013
Aston Martin's 2014 Rapide S is a wide-mouth, four-door monster
Words by Carl Trocio | Photos courtesy of Aston Martin
The year just started and our friends at Aston Martin are starting strong with the 2014 version of the Rapide S. One of the best silhouettes for a super four door (in this writer’s humble opinion), this fine specimen of what 'evolution' should be features more power, luxury, and did I say more power?
Aston Martin came out with their redesigned, bigger balled, extra-lettered Rapide S which is the company’s only four-door offering that doesn't mess with their perfected, easy to distinguish design cues. Let’s start with the obvious, the new grill. What used to be split is now in unison. According to Aston, the new design works in conjunction with the redesigned hood and front bumper to improve pedestrian protection as part of Europe’s pedestrian-impact regulations. Stepping back, it looks like the mug of a whale shark with its mouth open. Moses has to get to this one and part the upper and lower sections once again. But that’s just me.
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Words by Christopher Kho | Photos courtesy of CATS Motors Inc.
Call it whatever you like, but I always thought that the old B-Class was a classy five-door mommy MPV. It was short, stout, and stylish - fit only for women toting designer monogram handbags with a Chihuahua to match. (No offense, my machismo pride is telling me to drive a C-Class instead.) But then came the all-new B-Class, which was recently launched by the Philippine general distributor of the Mercedes-Benz, CATS Motors Inc. Slimmer, sharper, and sexier, it's now worthy of being called, if I dare, a luxury compact sports tourer. And the biggest catch of all, even guys now look good driving one.
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Words and photos by Christopher Kho
Audi's baby SUV paid a quick visit to the country back in December of 2011 for a sneak preview. They allowed us to sit in it, press all the buttons, and examine it up close from all angles. Too bad it left as quickly as it arrived. No specs were given; no price range disclosed; and the only detail published was that it will be on sale in a year's time.
As the saying goes, “good things come to those who wait,” and what a long 13 month wait it had been! But at last, the all-new Audi Q3 2.0 TDI S-Tronic quattro finally made its public debut last week at Audi Philippines' showroom in Global City. And accompanying their latest compact SUV is a slew of fresh-faced Audis that are just as excited to hit our streets.
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30 January 2013
Subaru builds BRZ RA Racing just for track day buffs
Words by Christopher Kho | Photos courtesy of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd.
With all the hype surrounding it, the whole world now has probably heard just how good the Subaru BRZ drives on track. But from the looks of it, some track day buffs want more. So what Subaru did was get the stripped-down BRZ RA version and kitted it to go racing. And to make this special edition sound less pretentious, they named it simply as the BRZ RA Racing.
In case you didn't know, the RA is the bare-bones version of the BRZ we have here. It doesn't come with foglamps, fancy upholstery, or even alloy rims. Subaru figured out that would-be tuners would strip the heck out of it anyway, so they took out the extras you didn't need to save you time and money.
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Words by Carl Trocio | Photos courtesy of Aston Martin
Long ago, in a land far, far away, Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford formed Bamford & Martin to sell cars made by Singer in London. A year later, the pair decided to build their own vehicles and the company was renamed Aston Martin. Through the years, the brand has solidified its foundations in its industry by setting the bar in luxury sports cars around the world, and had James Bond as a regular customer. The British can do class, as bad teeth have nothing to do with good taste.
Fast forward to 2013, Aston Martin marks their 100th anniversary. Surviving a hundred years is a huge thing. Milestones like this call for super special offerings from the company that is the sum all those years of craftsmanship, technology, and whatever else they put in the mix to get them to where they are now. Aston Martin decided to give their fans to be part of this momentous event by giving them the same thing and adding some shiny stuff, fancy words, and a number(s) for some exclusivity.
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28 January 2013
Piaggo props the 3-wheeled Apé to get your business going
Words by Christopher Kho
Fuel-efficient, easy to maintain, and affordable, Piaggio invented the Apé (pronounced ah-peh) back in 1948 as a cheap means of transport to help rebuild a war-torn Europe. Although it's been over six decades years since we've last seen war here in the Philippines, Autoitalia Philippines Enterprises Inc. (APE Inc.) - the official importer and distributor of Piaggio Ape Commercial vehicles in the country - clearly sees this three-wheeler's potential to get today's new businesses going.
The Apé is available in four variants - a basic Drive-Away Chassis, Pickup Truck, Delivery Van, and Passenger car - to cater to all types of businesses, be it for transport, delivery, mobile selling, or special customizations. Think about it. The Apé can be configured as a mini-Jeep, mobile food kiosk, bake shop, delivery service, or even as mobile advertising. The sky's the limit when it comes to transforming this cute little trike into a cash cow.
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25 January 2013
Jeep gets the Grand Cherokee meatier and brawnier for 2014
Words by Jose Carlo R. Sapera | Photos courtesy of Chrysler Group LLC
Around two years ago, we witnessed the arrival of the latest generation Jeep Grand Cherokee. Its bold muscles and commanding stance stood out over all the previous models, making us go gaga over this hunky SUV. I even had a chance to drive the diesel version off-road last June on the slopes of Tanay, Rizal to prove just how capable it truly is. But fashion trends come and go, so Jeep put the Grand Cherokee through a fresh makeover for 2014.
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18 January 2013
Toyota gives us something to rave about: The all-new 2014 RAV4
Words by Jade Lu | Photos by Christopher Kho
Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) is starting the year right by giving us something to rave about as they unveiled the long due all-new 2014 RAV4. It looks nothing like its predecessors; that’s for sure.
Presented in Red Mica Metallic, the all-new RAV4 was definitely dressed to impress. Its now well defined features are a very welcome change from the bulbous details it once had. It was almost like the final episode of 'The Biggest Loser.' The once rotund figure had evolved into what looks like a hunkier version of himself. It looks like Toyota really stepped up to make a worthy competitor of the RAV4 against the likes of the Honda CR-V and Hyundai Tucson.
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