Just got back from "Gay Paris"

By the time The STAR hits the stands today we would be at the Grand Plaza Park Hotel in Singapore for an overnight layover still fast asleep after a long flight from Europe.

The trip, hosted by Michelin, is for the 2006 Challenge Bibendum held in Paris, France.

Challenge Bibendum is a regular meeting of all those in the automobile stakeholder community, from carmakers, energy suppliers and their technology partners to non-governmental organizations and politicians with the aim of enhancing and clarifying the current debate concerning sustainable mobility.

It has been an exciting, informative and inspiring trip for a motoring journalist and I shall be dwelling extensively on it in my future columns.

Courtesy call on a long-time friend

With me in the Philippine motoring media group invited to the Challenge Bibendum conference are fellow SPMJ, Society of Philippine Motoring Journalists members Popong Andolong and Ron delos Reyes and we are scheduled today to meet for lunch one-time top marketing honcho of Toyota Motor Philippines and now Toyota Motor Company’s top man for marketing services here in Singapore, Vince Socco. I just hope we won’t be late for our 5pm flight back to Manila as we guys have a lot of catching up to do with "Kuya Vince".

Are airbags the be-all and end-all?

After doing a little research on the topic of airbags due to the increasing incidence of airbag non-deployment as referred to our column by some affected vehicle owners, there were some very important facts that I came across, which I feel I should pass on to the public.

To begin with, the airbags, although considered as one of the best modern-day life-saving inventions, can actually work in reverse, meaning, can be dangerous and life-threatening when it deploys or opens when the driver or passengers are not wearing seatbelts.

Now, the airbag’s deployment or opening should not be considered as a "given’ in all situations of collision. It doesn’t mean that when a vehicle that’s equipped with an airbag collides with anything at any speed and at any degree of impact or at any angle of collision, the said airbag would definitely deploy or open.

The facts and figures on this subject matter of airbags can be too voluminous to accommodate in this column. However, I would imagine that all vehicles equipped with airbags would also have all these info contained in its manual. If not, I strongly believe that it’s the duty of the manufacturer to supply this to you and as a buyer of the vehicle you have all the right to demand such from them.

In the light of all these discussions we should remember that the airbag is part of an automobile’s SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) in conjunction with the safety seatbelt and not the end-all and be-all of vehicle safety.

Clean engine means better fuel performance

I went to the launch of the Petron Carbon Flush last week and no less than Petron’s amiable president and CEO, Khalid D. Al-Faddagh was there during the demonstration of this new product to proudly point out to the members of the media and other guests present how the black smoke that used to come out of the exhaust of the demo vehicle, which was given the Petron Carbon Flush treatment, had changed to white and later on to almost indiscernible smoke.

The demonstration hoped to prove, and visibly it did, that with the use of the Petron Carbon Flush, carbon deposits that normally build throughout an engine, especially a lot more with the old ones, can be flushed out.

The cleaning process included the injecting of the Petron Carbon Flush into a running engine as a fine spray. Microscopic particles are then carried throughout the inner workings of the fuel injection system, breaking down carbon deposits throughout each stage of the four-stroke combustion cycle. During each intake, compression, combustion and exhaust cycle, the Petron Carbon Flush actively breaks down carbon deposits. The loosed carbon particles are then ejected in the fourth cycle and carried outside of the engine along with the exhaust gasses.

Now, what’s all the fuss about having a clean engine?

During these times when fuel prices have gone ballistic, having a fuel efficient vehicle is the order of the day. One of the best ways to be assured of having a fuel-efficient vehicle is to have a vehicle with a clean engine. A clean engine can burn fuel thoroughly thereby maximizing the power derived from its combustion. An engine with excessive amounts of carbon lodged in its intake cannot breathe freely with the combustion process hampered. Therefore a clean engine makes for better fuel efficiency — more kilometers run for every liter consumed.

The launch of this non-toxic and bio-degradable product had almost all the bigwigs of Petron Corporation in full force. There was Nicasio "Nicky" I. Alcantara, board chairman who I had a very short chat with and there was also Petron’s marketing man Joey Campos. Of course, together with her boss, badminton enthusiast Lito de Jesus, the always hands-on Charmaine Canillas and her dynamic staff were also present to make sure everything came out alright.

Nicky had this to say regarding the successful launch, "A clean engine is an efficient engine. The launch of our Petron Carbon Flush is part of a larger effort to promote energy conservation by providing our customers the latest technologies to enhance engine performance, and Petron will continue to implement programs to ease the burden of rising fuel prices."

For his part Khalid stated, "As industry leader, Petron will continue to drive its fuel research and technology efforts to give consumers more value for money. At the same time, we continue to set the standards in terms of locally produced Clean Air fuels, Petron Carbon Flush is another example of how we harness new technology to respond to the needs of the customers."

Now, here’s the clincher. Petron Carbon Flush is initially available in 21 Petron service stations and will be offered to motorists free for the entire two months starting last week.

Motoring Today this Sunday airs much later

If you don’t see your "Sunday viewing habit" on your TV screens on Sports Plus this week or even next Sunday, June 25, don’t call 911. It’s just temporary as the heat of the battle goes fever pitch in the French Open.

But just be a little patient, wait out a little while because Motoring Today, "the longest running motoring program on Philippine television" goes on the air at 7 o’clock in the evening, but only for the next two Sundays.

Now, if you missed last Sunday’s coverage of the Formula 1 races at Silverstone, the more reason that you should wait for a while to watch the show because we shall be giving the highlights of the exciting British Grand Prix on our segment Race Weekend. Aside from the motoring news updates that cover motor sports, transportation & traffic management, the motoring industry and our Motoring Today’s weekly Public Service portion, our Showcase shall put on spotlight the new Mitsubishi Lancer in all its racing and sporty glory. So, you better not fail to watch.

Happy Motoring!!!

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