MIAS 2014: 10 years of the country’s best automotive event

By Botchi Santos April 09,2014

Visitors milling around the Volkswagen booth

Russ Swift doing the 2-wheel stunt

The Manila International Auto Show 2014 is the best, most successful and most exciting event its organizer Worldbex Services International (WSI), the biggest trade-show organizer in the country, has ever staged. Starting from a modest, almost side event a decade earlier, MIAS, as it is now popularly and fondly called, has grown mature and has organized itself to provide the best the automotive industry can provide to local consumers.

 

MIAS has the best balance of industry-trade related events, hosting brand and vehicle launches over the years and offering extensive product interaction that allows the buying public to test-drive/try out new cars and products. It also has a soft spot for automotive enthusiasts as it hosts different car clubs, special custom and classic car displays and competition during its four days. It is a properly organized motoring event that has the respect of the industry, and still provides for true motoring enthusiasts who simply want to be surrounded by the best, newest, most modified and tuned rides in the country.

 

Held again at the World Trade Center from April 4 to 6, WSI utilized both the main halls of the World Trade Center and the Philippine Trade Training Center next door, plus additional display tents which were all connected and had four air conditioners that allowed show-goers to roam freely throughout the display halls without venturing outside. In total, MIAS 2014 encompassed an area of over 30,000 square meters, or all of 3 hectares. Roughly 139 different companies from the automotive, aftermarket and supplier-side industries participated. with around 400 display vehicles on hand throughout the four-day event.

 

Guests numbering 102,000 (which surpassed last year’s record of 96,000—Ed.)  marched through the halls of MIAS, many of them families with children who were excited to see the latest, hottest, newest and most technologically advanced cars.

 

MIAS 2014 played host and venue to a number of important brand and vehicle launches, nine in total. Rolls-Royce Manila, led by dealer principal Willy Tee Ten, officially unveiled the Wraith, the ultrapremium luxury brand’s two-door coupé which also happened to be the single most expensive vehicle on the show. Tata Motors Ltd. and its local distributor Taj Pilipinas officially launched their brand and product lineup for the Philippine market, headed by industry pillar Nicky Mariano. Meanwhile, Ford Philippines’ boss, the warm and bubbly Kay Hart, made headlines with the surprise unveiling of the all-new Ford Escape, rather than unveiling either the EcoSport, which everyone had anticipated, and the concept Everest, which was shown a month earlier at the Bangkok Motor Show (See related story on Page B2-4).

 

Not to be outdone, Subaru importer-distributor Motor Image Pilipinas unveiled the all-new Subaru Impreza STI and WRX sports sedans, plus new variants of their best-selling Forester and BR-Z sports coupé led by its head Mike Luyun. Kia, the quirky Korean manufacturer, unveiled its iconic all-new second-generation Soul MPV and CATS Motors/Jeep, with distributor principal Felix Ang unveiling the Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel, the latest entrant to the premium SUV segment. An interesting unveiling was from China carmaker BYD, with its Surui F5, featuring remote-controlled driving technology as an option.

 

Kris Aquino, Shaina Magdayao and Carmina Villaroel conferring with Swift

The European presence was strong. Aside from Rolls-Royce, the affable Felix Mabilog of Peugeot led the launching of the 208 GTi model and a replica of the Pike’s Peak Conquering T16 rally car. Volkswagen took center stage as the best booth/display at the show—with the tagline “VW for everyone”—and presented the iconic Beetle led by Automobile Central Enterprise CEO JP Orbeta. Volvo, Porsche and BMW were also present, opting for tie-up displays with other automotive industry stalwarts. On a side note, it was a stunning, much welcome and very heartwarming comeback for Volkswagen in the Philippine market, being the world’s second biggest manufacturer, and the most popular and iconic European carmaker in the world.

 

Not without eye candy

 

Of course, no MIAS would be complete without the eye candy. And in this respect, Motul provided the most, automotive-wise. Featuring the first Ferrari 458 Speciale in the country alongside the Vios Cup Car owned by Motul distributor principal and hard-core car enthusiast Carlos Gono, as well as the superfuturistic and groundbreaking McLaren MP4-12C, which had its own spot right beside the entrance, it had show-goers ogling for hours. Pirelli Tires had a gorgeous white Ferrari 458 Spyder on display, too. Other notables included Maxxis Tires, which relaunched its brand to the public after being behind the scenes in the past by focusing on dealers and distributors. With a revised marketing campaign, expect to see more from Maxxis, which is proud to be the OEM tire supplier to a number of major car companies globally.

 

Of course, a lot of gorgeous models walked the hallways and byways of the trade show floor. But, thankfully, they were more modestly dressed, taking very little away from the cars and altogether making the event more wholesome and mature, as well as family-oriented.

 

Russ Swift came back for the seventh time and presented his precision stunt driving routine to an ever-excited crowd. This year marked two key differences. Russ used the all-new STI and Impreza models from Subaru, shod with Safiro Tires, an all-new brand imported and distributed by Sam Liuson of Wheel Gallery. The place was packed to the rafters despite the intense heat, haze and smoke. MIAS organizers also decided to make the shows longer by providing more interaction with the participants, and having more show-goers   ride shotgun as  Russ, now an adopted Filipino to car enthusiasts in the country, did his trademark drifts, two-wheel balancing acts, J-turns and superprecision sliding parking maneuvers.

 

Car heaven

 

MIAS again held its Custom Car and Classic Show, a venue displaying the best-tuned, modified, personalized, restored and resto-modded vehicles. With our love for cars and personalization plus the very good care years after their sell-by-date, it was car heaven for many enthusiasts who looked to other builds for inspiration and design for their own builds, as well as to be surrounded by like-minded enthusiasts who wanted to soak in the best the Philippine car culture has to offer.

 

For two-wheeled enthusiasts, a separate display pavilion was set up in partnership with the MDPPA or Motorcycle Development Program Participants Association. Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Kymco and Suzuki displayed their latest two-wheeled offerings.

 

Outside, Subaru had an offroad driving experience which allowed potential buyers and skeptical 4×4 enthusiasts to see for themselves the highly improved offroad abilities of the latest crossover SUV offerings from Subaru, which are the Forester and XV, under the guidance of 4×4 guru and motoring journalist Beeboy Bargas. On the other side of the field, adjacent to the World Trade Center, curious guests got to sample Ford’s segment-busting EcoSport compact utility vehicle, which has vastly improved offroad/all-weather ability and is priced well within the B-segment market.

 

It wasn’t all car launches and product demos, as Berrima Diesel, the premier diesel specialist service shop in the country, had a short lecture on diesel engine maintenance. Meanwhile, Tuason Racing School provided a short course on road safety and high-performance track driving/motorsports; and the Automobile Association of the Philippines held its 19th Motorsports Awards there. Car Awards Group Inc. also displayed the 2013 Car of the Year, the Mazda6, for visitors looking for a new executive sports sedan.

 

As you can see, there were tons and tons of activities to be done, lots of familiar faces to see, old friendships revisited and, of course, the best cars on display. MIAS 2014 was also the most organized, most efficient and most well-run MIAS, as compared to the previous nine,  as people had ample time to attend all the launches and events without the need to rush and with strict rules on music playing, and dress code for the models and exhibitors.

 

If you missed MIAS 2014, you should crawl out of your rock and be ready for the even bigger, better and grander  MIAS next year!

 

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