Up to freezing Baguio on a hot Mirage G4

Aside from the lure of being able to experience the much-publicized freezing temperatures of the country’s summer capital, members of the motoring media who joined last week’s Fuel Eco Run of Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) were also curious to find out the fuel performance of their latest market offering—the Mirage G4. That includes me.

A total of 34 motoring journalists representing 16 media outfits joined the Mirage G4 Fuel Eco Run, which was made up of 10 Mirage G4s, divided into 5 with Manual Transmission and the rest with CVTs or Continuously Variable Transmission. The equal representation of the variants was obviously designed to demonstrate each model’s fuel efficiency.

The meeting place for breakfast and distribution of uniforms, route notes, junk food snacks etc., was at the Mitsubishi Balintawak dealership in EDSA. The route to Baguio made us traversed through the NLEX, SCTEX and into the newly opened but partially finished TPLEX, which when finally fully-completed would run through Tarlac, Pangasinan all the way to La Union.

To ensure that the test run to determine fuel performance would closely approximate normal driving conditions, all the Mirage G4s, after being filled by gasoline fuel “up to brim,” all aircon switches were sealed to make sure air-conditioning was on all throughout the trip, a major factor in fuel consumption.   

The journalists were divided into 10 teams with a Mirage G4 to drive for each team. Aside from determining the normally differing fuel performance of those with manual transmission from those with automatic (CVT), there was also a competition to determine the team that registers the highest fuel efficiency in each variant.   

It definitely took us a shorter time to travel to our destination. Despite all the time each team took to get their tanks filled with all the rocking and shaking that usually come with it to make sure they are rid of bubbles, which could affect the final results of fuel consumption, the long sumptuous lunch at the iconic Matutina’s and of course the much-guarded fuel-efficient running speed, we reach the City of Pines at around 4 in the afternoon—and it was already cold.

We checked in at the Baguio Country Club and after a brief rest from all the driving and riding we had dinner at Mario’s and back to the Country Club for an evening of fellowship marked by a bowling competition that offered desirable prizes. There was also a lot more of drinks and food and the awaited final results of the eco run competition.

MMPC’s EVP Mr. Junya Masuda joined in for the fellowship and the awarding of prizes with the other MMPC executives, Akihiro Yamada, VP Executive Office, Froy Dytianquin, VP for Marketing Services, Dante Calma, AVP for Marketing, Arlan Reyes, Jr., Ad & Promo top honcho and Marketing Services Assistant Rosemary Cruz who were with us all throughout the trip to make sure we were safe and comfortable every step of the way.  

When the final results of the eco run were finally announced the team that won in the manual transmission category was led by perennial eco run winner, Auto Review producer/host, Ron de los Reyes. He has been a consistent winner that some have been asking in jest if he doesn’t really mind driving while sweating. His team includes son Ronald and cameraman Dave Madrid. They registered an outstanding fuel performance of 33.6 km/li.

In the CVT (automatic) category the team of Ira Panganiban, Miguel Alegre, and George Apacible of Autocar and Dino Directo of Manila Standard Today were declared winners with a remarkable fuel performance of 26 km/li.

Our team made up of Manila Times motoring editor Brian Afuang, Sunshine TV production manager Jenny Bleza and STV ace cameraman Matt Mallari came 2nd best in the CVT category and that’s without really trying. The Bulletin team of motoring editor Inigo Roces, sports editor Ding Marcelo and executive editor Pinky “sweetheart” Colmenares ranked decently at 5th in our CVT category that had 5 teams. Well, with my dear, dear friend Pinky with them, I’m sure they shared a lot of interesting stories between the start and finish lines, which I indeed missed not sharing the same car with her.  

The next morning we all woke up with a 9.8-degree Celsius temperature. I was right in bringing my thermal “long john” for sleepwear.  Indeed Baguio can sometimes be uncomfortably cold. But then, the Mitsubishi Mirage G4 is a hot babe to go there with.

Happy Motoring!!!

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