The most significant launches of the first six months of 2014

With 2014 half-done, there have been many significant car and brand launches, and there’s still five months left in the year for other events, particularly the Philippine International Motor Show, in the next few months. Let’s take a quick look to review some of the more important and impressive launches.

Audi

Audi recently launched the all-new Audi A3 Limousine, which select members of the media sampled last week through a mix of open highways, winding roads and a good amount of time through traffic (inevitable in Manila). The A3 Limousine is PGA Car’s first subcompact sedan in the luxury-car market, with three variants powered by the latest direct injection gasoline and diesel engines driving the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (1.8 TFSI gasoline) or a six-speed dual-clutch transmission (2.0 TDI diesel). It’s an impressive showing for the Ingolstadt-based firm thanks to its spec, pricing, size and overall driving dynamics. Audi S3 Quattro please!

BMW

ASIAN Carmakers Corp. bigwigs Gov. Pepito Alvarez, Maricar Parco and Glen Dasig at the BMW X5’s Manila Polo Club launch

BMW’s luxury sport-activity vehicle that created an entire segment and points to the future for all luxury-vehicle makers, the X5 recently launched its all-new third iteration. It has grown extensively, sports a smoother, easier, less aggressive, more comfort-oriented driving feel and gains the all-important localized SatNav/GPS system, making Metro  driving even more convenient. An impressive, turbine smooth inline-six diesel engine comes standard, powering the xDrive all-wheel-drive system through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Like any BMW, it feels lithe and quick on its feet with sure-footed stability in even the worst weather. But will we see Asian Carmakers Corp. bring the i8 on local shores?

Ford

Ford Philippines unveiled the Ford EcoSport, a compact B-segment SUV that’s priced well within the B segment. Being the only CUV in its class, it’s impressive in that it brings all-road, all-weather ability to the regular  Filipino without resorting to a bigger, larger, more expensive SUV. Power comes from a 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine driving Ford’s six-speed dual clutch transmission through the front wheels. Later at the Manila International Motor Show, Ford made a surprise unveiling of its all-new  Escape. Sales haven’t officially started but orders are now being accepted. Little is known about the Escape, but expect it to be an exciting contender in the growing compact SUV segment.

Honda

Honda has been on a roll, launching three all-new cars for 2014—the flagship sedan Honda Accord and the B-segment twins Honda City and Honda Jazz. It  even found time to release a new variant of the Civic, sporting either Modulo or Mugen body kits and alloy wheels. The Accord aims to take back market share for Honda as it makes for an excellent limousine or sports sedan with its massive power, impressive refinement and luxurious in-car electronic options. The City has become better, sportier, sharper to drive and, crucially, more efficient, while the Jazz has built on more of what made it an icon and  poster boy of the segment: space, refinement, utility, and a very sharp, sporty and impressive driving experience. All three cars benefit from Honda’s Earth Dreams Technology (more fuel-efficient engines and transmissions). Expect one more crucial vehicle launch from Honda, at least before the year is out. Here’s hoping we see the all-new NSX soon!

Maserati

Finally, Italian flair in a real, practical package. Maserati’s new Ghibli executive sedan has the style, speed, rarity and, for the first time, practicality and efficiency of a diesel engine. Numbers are limited, but the Ghibli looks very unique, very different from traditional German luxury sedans. Inside, the Ghibli takes cues from its even more exotic cousin Ferrari, sporting rich leather-wrapped interiors in interesting colors, looking more like an expensive, chic fashion boutique than car interior. Power comes from two V6 gasoline engines with turbo power and a V6 diesel, the first Maserati ever to use this type of fuel, all driving the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Will this finally push Maserati to the mainstream luxury-car segment? That trident badge has never looked so enticing for cost-conscious buyers in the Audi A6/BMW 5-Series/Mercedes-Benz E-Class segment. Here’s hoping Autostrada Motore brings in more exciting and efficient variants to help push its Italian stable onto more people.

Mazda

BERJAYA Philippines brings the Mazda 3 to Baler, Quezon.

Berjaya Automotive Philippines has truly reinvigorated the Hiroshima-based brand in the country. The all-new third-generation Mazda 3 is arguably the very best in its class. Thanks to SkyActiv technology, the 3 is efficient, decently fast and has one of the best steering and suspension feel, with progressive brakes and a very linear throttle. The multimedia system, particularly the SatNav, also works very well; the Kodo design language carries well into the hatchback which, when viewed from certain angles, looks almost coupé-like, just like its big brother Mazda 6. You run out of superlatives when thinking of and describing Mazda 3. Yup, it’s that good indeed! The next question is, when will we see the all-new Mazda 2? And will we ever get the Mazda 6 station wagon? How about a proper Mazda MPV?

Mercedes-Benz

Three letters captivate Mercedes-Benz aficionados: AMG. With the launch of the A45 and CLA45 AMG models, Mercedes-Benz’s importer CAS Motors also launched the AMG Driving School, wherein clients can enroll in AMG driving clinics to improve their skills and familiarity with their AMG-tuned vehicles. The A45 AMG is a hatchback that is powered by a 2-liter turbocharged engine, which produces  355.07 horsepower and drives all-four wheels through a seven-speed dual clutch transmission. Its swoopy nature is also reflected on its sedan counterpart, the CLA45 AMG. Both cars also have the distinction of running the most powerful 2-liter engine from the factory (excluding special limited volume cars), and bring performance and stability well ahead of traditional Mercedez-Benz values of comfort and refinement. Finally, a real duo of Mercedes-Benz AMG models for the young and young at heart!

MINI

A ROUSING welcome for the MINI Cooper F56s

MINI has just launched its third BMW-era Mini, now sporting a slightly bigger chassis (98 millimeters longer, 44 mm wider and 7 mm taller) with a new range of three- and four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines. The new Mini looks the same as ever, sporting an all-new UKL chassis built from the ground up, losing some weight (depending on variants) and having far-improved comfort, refinement, space and interior build quality, as well as improved interior ergonomics. It looks more mature, less funky and more mainstream (if a MINI can ever be considered mainstream!) yet still has that left-field, exciting and endearing overall presence. The inside is where MINI is really making claims that it has made leaps and bounds, but the drive and overall refinement are  also vastly improved and the three-cylinder engines, despite being a bit gruff on a cold start, are real performers, willing to rev to redline all day every day. Few cars excite as much as a Mini.

Nissan

TOP BRASS of the Nissan main headquarters gracing the launch of the Nissan Altima and Sylphy models

Nissan was practically a dead fish in the water but 2014 was the year of the comeback for the brand,  finally finding its feet and moving forward with a revitalized lineup. The twin launch of the Sylphy compact sedan and the Altima executive sedan have brought fresh interest into the brand for consumers. The Sylphy, like its smaller Almera twin, is an A-segment buster: It’s slightly larger than traditional C-segment cars (think Honda Civic, Toyota Altis, Mitsubishi Lancer) so it offers more space and refinement but is priced at this level, offering more for less money. On the other hand, the Altima  is an American Nissan product but with a nameplate familiar to a generation of local Nissan aficionados, being a sedan favorite in the ’90s for enthusiasts. Here’s hoping that Nissan introduces more interesting and endearing cars that are worthy of carrying the hallowed Nissan badge. R35 GTR anyone?

Peugeot

THE 208 GT unveiled at the Manila International Auto Show

The French carmaker has been quiet of late but turned up the excitement when it introduced the 208 GTi during the Manila International Auto Show. The 208 GTi showcases everything that’s good about French cars: small, quirky but very practical and massively fast, capable of embarrassing supercars on the right road, in the right conditions.  With 200 horsepower and 275 Newton-meters of torque driving the front wheels through a slick-shifting six-speed manual transmission. Ride is supple yet offers more than enough grip and stability for bumpy winding roads. It is also slightly smaller and lighter than its predecessor, the 207 GTi. Slowly but surely, Eurobrands Distributor Inc. is pushing the Peugeot lineup to the  Filipino car-buying public as well.

Porsche

THE UNVEILING of the Porsche Macan

Few sports car specialists and luxury manufacturers can offer the same level of reliability, useability, speed, performance and overall balance as Porsche. So when the Zuffenhausen-based brand introduced the all-new Porsche Macan, everyone took notice. Boasting the performance of a sports car packaged in an SUV body, the Macan brings the balance between performance and practicality to a whole new level. Power comes from a range of V6 gasoline and diesel engines, all sporting turbo power and all driving through a seven-speed dual-clutch PDK transmission and Porsche’s PATM Active Traction Management All-Wheel Drive System that ensure sure-footed grip, stability and agility both on and off the road. Despite sharing the same basic architecture as the Audi Q3, Q5 and Volkswagen Tiguan, the Macan could not be further removed from its siblings. It’s a real Porsche and improves on the German brand’s ethos of everyday usable performance and practicality. A Macan Turbo S variant in the near future perhaps?

Subaru

MOTOR Image Pilipinas chief Mike Luyun with the all-new WRX

Subaru’s Asean distributor Motor Image Enterprises, part of the Tan Chong Group, made waves by holding the regional launch of the Subaru WRX and STI in the Philippines, bringing in hundreds of journalists and Motor Image employees from Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia and Taiwan as well as the Philippines to witness the dynamic launch of Subaru’s latest rally replica held at the Clark International Speedway in Clarkfield, Pampanga. The STI and WRX finally share the same chassis and suspension but tuned differently. The WRX gets a heavy-duty Lineartronic CVT mated to the new-generation FA20 Turbo direct injection engine while the STI makes do with the older EJ257 and six-speed manual. Both have grown in length and refinement, and feature better comfort as well as advanced electronics such as torque vectoring which aids cornering performance and stability. SI-Drive and Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive are still standard on both cars. With the loss of Mitsubishi’s Evo X, the STI and WRX reign supreme worldwide in this segment of real-world affordable practical performance cars. Expect to see the all-new Subaru Legacy in the second half of 2014, plus a Forester tuned by STI at the same time.

Tata

Tata is the first of the Indian brands to come to our shores. While their vehicles are simple, and lack the design and panache of their Japanese, Korean and American rivals, the Tata lineup presents great value for money, particularly their commercial vehicles, targeted at provincial buyers who need a simple, robust vehicle that is easy to maintain and fix. Their first vehicles, aimed at buyers among city dwellers, are the Manza sedan and Ini hatchback B-segment cars, and the Xenon 4×4 and 4×2 pickups.

Tata is still at its infancy in producing world-class passenger cars, but being one of the biggest Indian conglomerates (Tata owns Jaguar and Land Rover), expect greater things to come from them in the near future!

Toyota

THE WIGO joins the subcompact sedan fray.

Toyota unveiled three cars that brought back much excitement in their respective segments: the all-new Altis and the all-new Yaris, as well as the surprise A-segment contender, the Wigo. The Altis is Toyota’s and the world’s best-ever selling vehicle, having sold 40 million units in 11 generations since its introduction in 1966 when it was still part of the Corolla (small crown) lineup. The all-new 11th-generation Corolla Altis has improved interior space and ergonomics and, finally, has a much more involving, exciting drive—sorely missing from the first FWD Corollas of the AE92 generation during the late ’90s. Yet it carries impressive specifications: multimedia system, leather-covered interior with supportive seats, a powerful 2-liter gasoline engine driving through a CVT transmission with seven simulated gears selected through paddle shifters behind the steering wheel, and a very futuristic, robot-like angular design. On the other hand, the all-new Yaris  has grown as well, almost a foot longer, offering more space and crucially, cargo area that is usable. Powertrain remains the same, but the drive is smoother, more relaxed and more refined. Meanwhile, the Wigo is an impressive showing for Toyota. Essentially a rebadged Daihatsu made in Indonesia, the Wigo has brought the Toyota effect on the A segment, promising a solid build quality, an impressive drive and surprisingly roomy interior despite its diminutive size. Is there anything left for Toyota to conquer? Expect them to increase overall market share to a solid 50 percent by yearend 2014 as sales have exploded  for April, May and June of 2014.

The overall car market is expecting another record-breaking year in 2014. Estimates range from 230,000 to as high as 260,000 cars sold this year. With all these cars, plus more new ones in the pipeline, the Philippines is truly spoilt for choice. Bring on the second half of 2014!