Kia's on a roll

After the successful launch of the Kia Soul a few months back, our good friend Felix Mabilog, president of Columbian Autocar, the exclusive country distributors of the remarkable Kia vehicles has his winning smile once again with the launch of the all-new Kia Sorento. After all, judging from the reaction of the market when he first displayed this second Kia model in the country to feature the “tiger-nose radiator grille” during the 2009 Auto Focus Motor Show & Auto Expo, he’s confident that he’s got another winner in his hands.

“The all-new Sorento pushes the standards of SUV in the market. Just by looking at it, you know that it has the best features and that it is a quality vehicle,” stated Felix with beaming confidence. “The sharp styling, new engine, the modern and high-tech features—these all make the Sorento stand out in the very competitive mid-sized SUV segment,” added the indefatigable industry veteran now considered as indeed one of the “movers and shakers” of the auto industry.

The amiable but no nonsense COO of Columbian Autocar is ready to put his money where his mouth is by confirming that the all-new Sorento is covered by Kia’s comprehensive warranty program of five years or 160,000 kilometers, “We are truly confident with our vehicles, not just because of the design and features, but because we know that our vehicles can provide better performance to satisfy all our customers,” Felix further explained.

Columbian Autocar presents the 2010 Kia Sorento as a 7-seater “Highline Cruiser” with a more spacious and luxurious cabin (longer and roomier than its predecessor). The performance features of the all-new model include 2.4 liter, DOHC, 16-valve engine that can deliver 174ps @ 6,000 rpm and torque of 23kg-m @ 3,750 rpm. This is coupled with a new 6-speed non-maintenance sealed type automatic transmission system with shiftronic feature that requires no servicing during the entire life of the vehicle. To improve fuel economy the Sorento is equipped with the innovative ‘Neutral Control’, which automatically shifts the transmission from ‘D’ (Drive) to ‘N’(Neutral) whenever it stopped for than a few seconds thereby reducing engine load.

Seeing and feeling any automobile is a lot better than just reading about it. You can see it and test drive it at any of their dealerships nationwide and decide for yourself.

Helpfully going on for 3 years

It has been quite a while since I last attended an event of Universal Motors Corp. (UMC) and I felt like I had been hiding under a big rock these past 3 years when I found out that this very laudable project conceived by UMC evp Beth Lee, the “Ur Van, Ur Business” (UVUB) program has been successfully promoting entrepreneurship among our countrymen.

In UVUB’s 3rd anniversary held last December 3 at the Makati Shangrila, UMC offered its heartfelt gratitude to its partners and supporters – the Nissan Urvan buyers, the nationwide Nissan dealer network and the media (I refused to be thanked, I ignorantly didn’t know about this worthy project) and fellow believers who have been unwavering in their faith and support to the program over the years.

After a hearty lunch, Beth explained that the UVUB is a pioneering business program in the automotive industry that primarily promotes entrepreneurship as a tool for improving the quality of lives of Filipinos. The program has since evolved from its inception in 2006 and has effectively adapted to the changing market needs and trends.

To help OFWs families here in the Philippines make the most of their remittances, UVUB came out with the “Ipadala Mo Negosyo” concept.

In another phase of the program, the “Asenso Negosyo Academy” (ANA) was established where periodic seminars were conducted among “Urvanites” – a term coined to refer to owners of the Nissan Urvan, to impart necessary knowledge and skills to ensure the continuance and success of the Nissan Urvan business.

The UVUB program also provides entrepreneurial management training to micro entrepreneurs through its partnership wit the non-profit organization Center for Community Transformation. It also gives to the organization the amount of One Thousand pesos (P1,000.00) for every Nissan Urvan sold as seed money for businesses that are being helped. To date, over 3,000 families have been helped and more than 4,400 individual jobs have been created from the initiatives of the UVUB.

Way to go, Beth.

Speaking of commendable CSR projects

It was also in 2006, three years ago when business tycoon Robert Coyiuto, Jr. chairman of PGA Cars initiated a program to help poor and deserving young Pinoys to become highly qualified Porsche automotive mechanics and technicians and set up the Porsche Training and Recruitment Center Asia (PTRCA), the first training facility of its kind outside of Germany.

The program offers assistance to motivate young people, enabling them to gain further qualifications within 6 months at the PTRCA. Yearly, the collaboration of PGA Cars, Porsche AG, Porsche Asia Pacific and Don Bosco Technical Institute allows 30 young people to receive specialized Porsche training and graduate to be Porsche Mechatronics with elevated opportunity to be employed in Porsche Centers in emerging markets worldwide.

This year, 16 graduates from Don Bosco were selected to be part of the third class of scholars for complete training (theory and practical work) from Porsche Asia Pacific Technical Training Manager, Thorsten Hagel.

“We have faith in the quality of mechanics we produce. The Filipino brand of service and work ethic instilled by the program makes them highly qualified automotive mechanics and technicians that are prepared to meet the increasing demand for specialized mechanics at Porsche Centers all over the world,” Robert, Jr. confidently shares.

The students also receive English and communication lessons to further prepare them for their future roles as Porsche technicians and deployment overseas.

This kind of faith, trust and confidence in our countrymen shall indeed hasten our country’s journey to greatness. Keep it up, Robert.

Audiophiles listen up!

Genesis ICE Ltd. a UK-based car audio manufacturer whose hand built automotive auto amplifiers have been adjudged as one of the best in the United Kingdom is now in the Philippines.

Each Genesis amplifier is said to be conceived and crafted with passion by it founding Director Gordon Taylor, a New Zealand-born audio engineer who started the company in 1991.

The company shall introduce in the country the Profile and Profile Ultra Series Amplifiers, low-mounting models that allow installation where other amplifiers would not fit.

It is also claimed that due to the Genesis Profile Series slim design, the slim fan-cooled and highly efficient amplifier fit in the tightest spaces and guaranteed to deliver great sound quality.

Genesis has dealers nationwide and offers a 5-year warranty on any dealer-installed amplifier.

Motoring tip of the Week

There are so many parties, get-togethers, reunions and a lot of merry-making up ahead with the Christmas season. Don’t spoil them and miss them by being in the hospital, in jail or in the morgue.

Keep your cool as traffic grid locks and impatient fellow motorists challenge your patience. Easy Bro, let’s all stay cool.

Road rage kills! Whichever way – you lose.

Happy Motoring!!!

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