From where I stand, having this weekly column and a TV show that deal on all facets of motoring, I get to be a receptacle of motorists’ woes of either being overburdened by back-breaking taxes by way of unending increase of government fees and the near anarchy on the streets caused by undisciplined drivers or many traffic enforcers that care more about being able to bring food to the family table from "kotong" rather than putting order in the streets.
This time many drivers are fighting tooth and nail for their daily bread that’s again being threatened to be further reduced not only by the rising cost of fuel but by additional government fees for additional services, that should be normally delivered by the government in the first place.
The issue is the added pesos that they would have to cough up when renewing their driver’s license or registering their vehicles to cover for better IT-oriented services.
I’m not knocking down the unending efforts of the LTO to further improve the services that they are mandated to deliver to the motoring public. Many are just wondering what ever happened to the much-bruited about "Road Users’ Tax" that would help underwrite these costs including totally finance that of "Emission Testing" of all vehicles?
Where’s the money, guys? The government is answerable to the people. What happened to the money?
PGA Cars president Miguel "Mike" Coyiuto was visibly happy with the turnout — indeed the local motoring media’s explicit show of support for the country’s exclusive importer and distributor of Audi vehicles.
"What makes the Audi A3’s arrival in the Philippines even more special is that it coincides with the 10th anniversary of the Audi A3’s global presence. In September 1996, Audi launched the A3 in the market. With its sporty character, excellent build quality and sophisticated technology it created a new vehicle class – the premium compact segment," the very young-looking PGA Cars president said in his welcome speech during the launch.
The Audi A3, a compact car in the premium segment comes with a range of six sporty engines. The 3.2 liter V6 engine with DSG propels the Audi from 0 to 100 km/hr in 6.4 seconds and achieves a governed top speed of 250 km/hr.
The A3 has had its share of some of the most prestigious awards counting the ‘Federal German Prize for Product Design’ from Germany’s Federal Ministry of Trade and Industry in 1998 with the current 2nd generation A3 voted "Best Car in its Class" in 2006 and "the most sporty car in the compact class" by Sport Auto. It dominated the Austrian ‘Autorevue Award’ as early as 2003 and in 2005 clinched the title of "Best Sport Compact" in the British "Car & Driver" magazine.
Congrats to PGA Cars for the successful launch of the Audi A3.
Among the many inputs we gathered was that motorcycles (at least those that Honda manufactures) can take on ethanol-blended fuel at the same levels that automobiles can. This means that using motorcycles as means of transport can spell further savings other than the innate advantage of the two-wheeled machine consuming far less fuel than automobiles, by the use of ethanol-blended fuel. This is a double-whammy in reverse — a tandem of blessings for the motorcycle user.
We also gathered from Ikezoe-san that the market profile of motorcycles in the country have dramatically changed aside from its phenomenal increase in the past few years. The sale of motorcycles, which used to be dominated by those for tricycle use, has shifted to "solo" users. "The country’s total motorcycle market now has 80% going to solo users with Honda motorcycles having a ratio of nine motorcycles for solo riders out of 10 units sold", added Honda’s be-mustached and macho-looking but very gentle top management man for motorcycles in the Philippines.
"And right now, the big bulk of motorcycles sales is in the provinces", pitched-in Tix, who’s been going around the country spreading the word of safety for present and would-be users of motorbikes.
And Honda’s concern for safety was the core of the highly stimulating discussions during that very gracious meal. The possibility of making the TV show Motoring Today as the venue, not only for spreading the word about safety in riding motorcycles but to inspire the right frame of mind about safe riding as well was also discussed thoroughly. It has been agreed that doing so would definitely reach substantial TV viewership considering that the TV show already has a segment for motor bikers — Bike World, which is already in place for more than a year.
Simultaneous to this TV campaign on the show Motoring Today to promote safe motor biking, Mr. Ikezoe revealed that the riding academy for motorcyclists that Honda has in its old plant site in Bicutan would be revived and expanded to include teaching driving safety for automobiles.
Honda’s present newly-opened motorcycle plant in Batangas can be geared up to produce one million units a year and the well-mannered Honda executive wants to make sure that their future buyers would be as safety-conscious as they want them to be.
The Murano should be judged by what it has to offer, like in its technical department having an engine with maximum power of 234 ps @ 6000 rpm and maximum torque of 32.4 kg-m @ 3600 rpm. The smooth ride is on account of an Independent strut suspension up front and a Multi-link independent suspension at the rear.
Now, the Murano also has an interior to reckon with — from the elegant ambiance to the high-tech amenities that come standard.
It’s a model worth your while to test drive and consider before making a decision on your next SUV. It’s not cheap — but good things normally aren’t.
Our driver’s license expires after three years from approval or renewal and on the date of our birthday. Check it out, you may be driving an expired driver’s license and that’s against the law.
Happy Motoring!!!
For comments: (e-mail) motoringtoday-star@stv.com.ph.