MVP deep into the nation's expressway development

Top executives of the Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC) and the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), both of which are part of the vast conglomerate of the high-profile Filipino mega business tycoon Mr. Manny V. Pangilinan or MVP, have announced present and upcoming active investments in the country’s much-needed road and expressways development.

According to Mr. Rodrigo Franco, president of the MNTC, during a thanksgiving event for the friends and supporters of MNTC and MPTC held last week, some of the huge investments involve 300 million pesos for the expansion, repair and maintenance of both the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), and this does not even include the acquisition cost of the latter, which was recently finalized after capably operating the world class tollway for three years. A seamless travel between the NLEX and SCTEX forms part of their expansion. There’s also the opening of new interchanges, which include among others, that in Balagtas, Bulacan that leads to the Plaridel by-pass.

MPTC president Ramoncito Fernandez, on the other hand, made mention of another significant milestone – the “connector road”, a 20 billion peso legacy project that extends for 13 kilometers. The projected elevated road will connect NLEX to SLEX and is aimed to spur development in both central and south Luzon where travel from Manila to Balintawak may take only 15 to 20 minutes.

A staggering 10 billion pesos has been earmarked for the ambitious project that would connect the NLEX to the North Harbour, which will be constructed in part via an elevated road on top of the PNR tracks. The Harbour Link will start in C3 and will go to the old Manila area and will cross the Pasig river from Sta. Mesa to the Paco area, San Andres, Quirino Avenue, then right to South Super Highway and will connect to the Skyway in Buendia.

These investments form part of MVP’s covenant to improve motoring in the country by way of a vast and expansive expressway network.

Toyota’s all-new Avanza

Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) took out the covers out of their all-new MPV or multi-purpose vehicle, the Avanza at the NBC Tent at the Bonifacio Global City last Thursday, January 12, first to the local motoring media in the morning and then to the vast TMP network of dealership in an evening gala event also at the same venue.

The all-new Avanza was unveiled with a redesigned style and a slew of improved features that are expected to further boost its market popularity as proven by a record sale of more than 29,000 units nationwide since its maiden appearance in 2006.

The Avanza comfortably seats seven passengers with ample leg room as TMP first vice president Raymond Rodriguez graphically demonstrated to me by seating right behind the driver’s seat where I was seated, with a wide gap yet between his knees and the back of the driver’s seat – and we’re both six footers.

In his welcome speech, the rock-singing, gregarious and friendly TMP president, Mr. Michinobu Sugata, who was more comfortable reading his speech straight from his notes rather than use the teleprompter, made mention that buyers of the all-new Avanza can be assured of increased fuel efficiency of up to 12 kilometers per liter, a top-of-the-class fuel economy due to its reduction of overall weight.

Mr. Kaoru Hosokawa, one of Toyota’s top auto engineers also planed-in for the launch to bear witness to the technical and aesthetic improvements of the all-new Avanza.

The all-new Toyota MPV comes in 6 colors with 5 variants that are priced from P620,000.00 to P868,000.00.

Honda continues to fight

Despite all of Honda Motor Company’s economic reversals that started with Japan’s disastrous natural calamities that saw the start of 2011, that caused extensive supply-chain interruptions and further exacerbated by the recent debilitating flooding in Thailand, which literally obliterated the use of its manufacturing plant located in the Royal Kingdom, Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) came out swinging last week with the launch of the redesigned Honda City at the Ayala Triangle last Tuesday, January 10.

Mr. Tatsuya Natsume, president and general manager of HCPI gave a litany of the different aesthetic-upgrades of the subcompact, which is considered the best-selling model in the Honda line-up.

Also placed into fore are the safety features of the 2012 Honda City that include Dual (driver and passenger) SRS Airbags as well as Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD).

The introductory prices of the 3 variants of new Honda City range from P746,000.00 to P836,000.00 and come in 5 attractive colors.

More elbow room at Wheel Gallery

It has been quite a while, until the last December when I attended its Christmas party, since I got to visit Wheel Gallery and some big changes were indeed very visible. The most of which is its bigger and well-ventilated service area, good news for those who decide to watch over their automobiles for their tire maintenance or wheel change.

Located along Santolan Road corner M. Paterno street in San Juan City, automobile enthusiasts refer to the Wheel Gallery as Ground Zero or the Mecca for those who are in search for aggressive and high performance wheels, with Sammy Luison, otherwise referred to as the “godfather” of the country’s aftermarket sector lending his wheel expertise for all those in need of advice.

Some of you, who are like me who have not visited this prime wheel shop in the metro lately, may not know that Wheel Gallery is now the exclusive distributor of BBS wheels, pointed out by Sammy as the original equipment of racing teams competing in the WTCC, WRC, F1 and Indy 500.

Aside from BBS wheels, Wheel Gallery also distributes exclusively Carlsson Wheels, which is the choice of auto enthusiasts for enhanced wheel aesthetics for their Mercedes Benzes. 

If there’s wheel it must be at Wheel Gallery.

ARCC is indeed ready to get on the road

There are now 16 automobile manufacturers and importers that have confirmed the participation of their Corporate Teams for the 2012 STV Auto Rally Corporate Challenge and one more that have requested us to kindly wait for their principal’s approval.

Those who are raring to go are Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Ford, Hyundai, Isuzu, Kia, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, MINI, Mitsubishi, Nissan (NMPI and UMC), Porsche, Subaru, Toyota and Volvo.

With 15 participating teams for a total of 60 automobiles on the starting grid, management of the event is already difficult. With an addition of 4 more cars and a possible total of 68 all together, this year’s staging is no joke, to say the least.

There are plus factors, though. The past 2 hugely successful auto rallies have given us a wealth of experience, enough for us to anticipate and have ready solutions to past problems and difficulties.

The biggest plus is the full support that the Clark Development Corporation under the very dynamic leadership of its aggressive and gung-ho president and CEO, Atty. Felipe Antonio “Ping” B. Remollo is throwing into the event.

More developments the next time.

Happy Motoring!!!

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