06 October 2012
COTY 2012 - 2013 Test Fest Day 1: A good rainy start
Words and photos by Christopher Kho
At last, the search for the 2012 - 2013 Car of the Year Philippines (COTY-P) has begun. Attended by almost 30 eager motoring journalists, the first day of the Qualitative Test Fest was held last September 29, 2012 at the new official test venue in Eton Centris, Quezon City. And despite the heavy downpour, we forged on to put all these new cars to the test. Although thankfully, the generous people from Eton Centris were kind enough to provide us with tents to shelter us from the weather.
The first seven vehicles were a mix of mini cars, compacts, and a mid-size sedan. Lifan returns this year with a revised LF320 EX - a mini which we also drove last year - and the new seven-seater LF6201 Foison van. Meanwhile, Suzuki's entries include the more powerful Alto K10 and the all-new Kizashi. Lastly, Mitsubishi looks strong in their attempt at the strongly-contested compact car battle, bringing three variants of the 1.6L MIVEC-equipped Lancer EX: the GLX MT, GLX AT, and the top-of-the-line MX AT.
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Car of the Year
After a successful launch last September 21, 2012 at the Eton Centris in Quezon City, the Car Awards Group Inc. (CAGI) is all-set to search for the 2012 - 2013 Car of the Year Philippines (COTY-P). Now on its 9th edition, this year's awards has more than 70 new cars vying for the prestigious title, which is one of the biggest turnout in its history.
The award is open to all new passenger and commercial vehicles launched in the Philippine market between November 1, 2011 and October 31, 2012. Vehicles that have received a minor model change within the period (also known as a “facelift”), on the other hand, must have a revision in either the drivetrain, suspension, or engine to be eligible. They are then grouped into categories by size, class, and price.
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Car of the Year
Eton Centris recently turned-over the symbolic key to the Car Awards Group Inc. (CAGI) as the new official launch and test venue for the 2012 - 2013 Car of the Year Philippines (COTY-P). The launch party will be held on the 21st of September, 2012, while the Qualitative Testing for this year's search will commence on the 29th of the same month and continue for six to nine consecutive weekends.
Located on the corner of EDSA and Quezon Avenue, the 12-hectare luxury lifestyle destination is comprised of commercial establishments, restaurants, office buildings, residential condominiums that is slated to be new central business hub of Quezon City. And more importantly, it'll become the home to one of the largest BMW showrooms in the region in the near future, as well as a planned upcoming Volvo dealership. All of these factors makes Eton Centris the perfect venue for the 9th edition of COTY-P.
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Car of the Year
14 August 2012
Survival Guide: Driving Through Floods 101
Words and graphics by Niky Tamayo
On the second week of August 2012, three days of continuous rain plagued Metro Manila and submerged most of its roads and homes under several feet of floodwaters. It was like Ondoy all over again. Apart from people losing their homes and, worse, their lives, these events also reminded us once again how ill-informed and unprepared motorists are for driving in flooded conditions. To do our part, Kotse.com has prepared an easy survival guide to ensure you and your most expensive appliance survive even under the worst weather conditions.
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Features
Words by Jose Carlo R. Sapera | Photos by Leslie Sy
I've been driving for more than 10 years now, and my friends and loved ones always remind me to drive safely at all times. Though it might be more fun in the Philippines, it doesn't take an expert to know that the accident rate in our country is pretty high. According to the Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG), there were a total of 1,833 people killed and 29,000 people injured in more than 85,000 road accidents last year. The numbers speak for themselves. Road accidents is a big problem in the Philippines, and it needs to be addressed quickly.
That's why last July, Total Philippines Corporation gathered people together from the different sectors of society to help raise awareness in road safety. Called Total Drive City, we were asked to drive around the streets of the Metro and prove just how safe of a driver we really were. Participants for the day-long event included the Philippine National Police (PNP), members from the motoring media, driving schools, car manufacturers, car dealers, and private car owners.
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Features
Words and photos by Elmer Maniebo
Without any annual International Auto Show to boast about, the Brits are left wondering how to satisfy their petrol head fix. I was at the 2008 British International Auto Show held at Excel, London, and, judging by the attendance of car manufacturers and new launches, it was nowhere near the pomp and drama of the likes of Geneva, Frankfurt, or Paris.
But every year, over 200,000 certified petrol, gear, or piston heads from all over the world gather around 12,000 acres of glorious woodlands, empty fields, and a racetrack nestled along a woody estate and perched above Chichester in West Sussex. Showcasing the world’s best race car drivers behind the wheels of the most exotic, fastest, and rarest cars the planet has ever seen, this is the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
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Features
Words, photos, and video by Ronnie Trinidad
Last June, Hyundai Asia Resources Inc. (HARI) invited a select group of drivers to test just how efficient the all-new EON really is. In a 20-car convoy, we all headed up to the summer capital of the Philippines, Baguio City. The 246 km trek shouldn't be a problem for me, as I've done quite a few eco runs in the past myself. But despite knowing all the tricks in the book, I've never quite experienced the sweet taste of victory. And teamed up with host of Wave 89.1's Racing Beat and founder of the Lateral Drift Championship, Charlie Cruz - who has never done an eco run in his entire life - I didn't have my hopes up.
As a professional race car driver, Charlie never lost the competitive spirit in him, so I had at least a little glimmer of hope. According to Hyundai, the EON could easily do 26.3 km/L in long drives, so we aimed to beat that number. I shared to him every little bit of knowledge I had with the hopes of taming his track-proven lead foot. Our main objective was to keep the car rolling, use the brakes as sparingly as possible, and avoid stops at all cost. It's also a game of focus, determination, and patience - attributes we hardly posses. But there's one more important thing that keeps us going: desperation.
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Road Trip
Words by Niky Tamayo | Photos by Ken Tamayo
It was a special Sunday last June 10, 2012 for the winners of Kotse.com and Shell FuelSave's “Save on Your Summer Road Trip” contest. So maybe summer’s over, but that didn’t stop us from treating them and a bunch of their friends to a road trip and having fun. Ford Philippines was also kind enough to lend us three brand-spanking-new Fiesta Sport Plus' for the drive so we can find out for ourselves just how frugal their hot hatch really is.
Over the summer, Kotse.com and Shell FuelSave held a contest asking people to send in a photo showing their best fuel saving habits. The winners received free fuel and other goodies from Shell FuelSave, as well as an invitation to Kotse.com's FuelSave Workshop on a summer road trip. During the out of town workshop, we got to see some sights, eat some good food, and learn a bit about fuel economy. We also got to watch Pacquiao beat Bradley to within an inch of his life, only to lose on the judges’ scorecards. At least we were well-fed.
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Road Trip