06 December 2012
Honda serves 4 new Thai-made 2012 CR-V variants
Words and photos by Christopher Kho
Now that production has normalized in the once flood-hit Thailand, Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) has added four new Thai-built variants to the all-new 2012 CR-V line-up, adding to the two Japan-made versions launched back in April. Welcome the latest members of the crew: the CR-V 2.0V MT and AT, 2.0S AT, and 2.4SX AT.
While there should technically be no difference in build quality with these new batch of Thai-sourced CR-Vs, there are however some changes in the aesthetics department. The most obvious of which is the revised lower chin that has grown some very pronounced corners. Then there's the new piano-black front grill which replaces the previous matte-black piece. It might be hard to notice, but the fresh batch no longer comes with daytime running lights (DRL). And finally, the door handles of the S and ST variants are now covered in chrome.
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05 December 2012
Toyota's all-new 2013 RAV4 is an Evolution after the Revolution
Words by Carl Trocio | Photos courtesy of Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc.
Some 18 years ago, Toyota spawned from its loins what they called a “compact crossover SUV.” What they came out had the creature comforts of an SUV, ample ride height, and probably four wheel drive BUT in a small enough package to maneuver through traffic while scrimping on some fuel. Little did they know, their little Recreational Active Vehicle with Four Wheel Drive (yes, that’s what RAV4 meant) would ignite a revolution. And four generations later, we now have the all-new 2013 RAV4.
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04 December 2012
Autostrada Motore Inc. straddles the Ferrari California 30 for those who want to go 30% faster
Words and photos by Christopher Kho
There's a new stallion in Ferrari's stable. Brought in by the Italian marque's official Philippine importer and distributor Autostrada Motore Inc., this is the new Ferrari California 30. Though the model was first launched back in 2009, they added “30” to its name as a grim reminder to any daring challenger that it is now 30 kg lighter and has 30 more horsepower than before.
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Words by Leo Lim | Photos courtesy of Volvo Car Corporation
The chaps at Volvo have finally stopped fumbling about their stand on making a true sports car and got their act together. Introducing their first serious shot at making a supercar, this is the 508 horsepower S60 Polestar Edition that made its public debut at the 2012 LA Auto Show.
Volvo debuted the S60 concept back in June; and while this may have wowed some, it left a lot more skeptical as to how serious the Scandinavians truly are with the said project. A good example is when they pushed the C30 Polestar Edition into production, but it turned out to be a dud compared to the concept car they showed a few years back. Learning from that experience, Polestar has stayed more faithful to its concept version in terms of looks and performance.
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Words and photos by Christopher Kho
Just five months ago, we finally got acquainted with what was the greatest sportscar the world has ever seen when Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) unveiled the much-awaited 86... or so we thought. Motor Image Pilipinas (MIP), Subaru's exclusive distributor in the country, officially marked the arrival of their own interpretation of the ultimate driving machine earlier this week - a car that's simply known by three letters: BRZ.
BRZ stands for Boxer engine, Rear-wheel drive, Zenith - three traits that embodies “Subaru's passion to design and develop an ultimate sports car that features their core technology.” (ze·nith: the highest point reached by a celestial or other object)
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28 November 2012
Chevrolet's refreshed 2013 Cruze comes out in the limelight
Words by Jose Carlo R. Sapera | Photos courtesy of GM Korea Company
It was three years ago when Chevrolet first debuted what was then the all-new Cruze. Since then, it has sold more than a million copies worldwide and earned itself several awards, including the prestigious title of 2010 - 2011 Car of the Year Philippines (COTY-P). But now, this compact has reached the right time for a mid-life refresh and we've already seen the new 2013 Cruze crop up in Malaysia and South Korea.
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26 November 2012
Nissan begins pre-selling the all-new 2013 Almera; Prices start at P710,000 (w/ video)
Words by Christopher Kho
We saw the very first locally-assembled all-new Almera at the 2012 Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS) in August. Back then, Nissan Motor Philippines Inc. (NMPI) told us that they're just waiting Japan's approval before they can begin mass-producing and selling their newest subcompact, hopefully by early 2013. Well, I guess they finally got the thumbs up from their headquarters because they've already begun pre-selling the Almera as early as November 16.
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Word by Jose Carlo R. Sapera | Photos courtesy of General Motors do Brasil
We've observed that the Brazilians have a very unique taste in cars. Their demand for small, stylish, and fuel efficient cars has prompted some interesting Brazil-specific models such as the Hyundai HB20 and Volkswagen Gol. And joining in the fray is Chevrolet, who recently pulled the cover off the new Onix hatchback that's specifically tailored for the colorful Samba land.
This subcompact sits on Chevy's Gamma II Global Small Vehicle (GSV) platform which it shares with the all-new Sonic. In terms of styling, it takes some cues from current roster of Chevrolets, including the brand's signature grill, but with a lot less sharp corners. Instead, they've sculpted it to be sexy and curvy just like their women.
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