We escaped, we explored, we went ‘back to the future’

HERITAGE RIDE Face-to-face with the biggest Catholic Church in Asia.

LIFE’S A BEACH SUVs are associated, among other things, with the coastal lifestyle.

“Woah!”

This was all I could utter, surprised and delighted at the responsiveness of the premium compact crossover new Ford Escape. And all I did just then was to step on the gas ever so lightly.

This eager, magnetic metallic Ford Escape Titanium variant, powered by a 2-liter Ecoboost engine was hot off the shipyards (CBUs straight from North America) and had logged just barely 1,550 kilometers.

Before we moved forward with the media drive for the day, I had a taste of its cool feature back at the rear, when I activated its “just-swing-your-foot-below-the-bumper” power lift gate to put my stuff in the spacious rear cargo hold. Yes, I had seen—and pushed—lots of “start/stop” keyless ignition buttons before, but this was the first time an SUV honked at me when I went out and brought the keys with me while the engine was idling. Talk about separation anxiety.

These are a few of the “soon-to-be-favorite things” about the Escape. The little things do matter, because they have a way of etching themselves into your long-term memories, as what this March 26 “Explore Your Limits, Redefine Your Escape” 300-km media drive would show to 18 media practitioners selected from motoring and lifestyle beats.

AUDIO BOOST The Explorer 3.5-liter Sport V6 EcoBoost is equipped with a premium audio system by Sony and 12 speakers.

Initially, I was just glad for an opportunity to escape the pre-Lenten traffic of Manila and explore a part of the “backyard” of Metro Manila few of its harried denizens have seen. That, and to drive two of the more technologically endowed Ford brands—the Escape and the Explorer—were rewards by themselves.

From flag-off at the Ford Showroom in Chino Roces Avenue, Makati, our contingent went all the way to the balisong (pocket knife) and barong tagalog Capital of the Philippines—the heritage town of Poblacion Taal in Batangas—and to a diving site in Anilao, Batangas, all in one day.

And in one day, the participants were also able to get to know the two dynamic Ford SUVs better. After driving the Escape from Makati to Taal, I got to drive its grander, ultraposh sister: The 3.5-liter Ford Explorer Sport V6 EcoBoost—the seven-seater tuxedo-black top-of-the-line variant, complete with not just one, but two moonroofs. Indeed, the stately Explorer’s muscle matched the Taalenos’ pride-of-place pound-for-pound, particularly when the midsize SUV came face-to-face with the imposing, circa 16th century Basilica de San Martin de Tours, the biggest Catholic Church in Asia.

The Explorer’s configuration allows it to offer a heavenly 80.7 cubic feet of interior space. The Basilica, designed by the famed Spanish architect Don Luciano Oliver, stands 95 meters long and 45 meters wide on a plateau in the heart of Taal.

ECOBOOST-AIDED fuel consumption in an Escape

But as far as technology goes, the comparison with this divine structure ends, and we have to go “back to the future”. Like the Escape, the Explorer offers an escape from Calvary for owners who may have their hands full of groceries and need to open the rear hatch. Again, one just has to swing his or her foot just below the bumper to activate the sensors which will automatically open the rear door.

Our group set aside our enjoyment of driving for a while as we soaked in the magnificence of the interior of the Basilica. We walked on the red-carpeted center aisle leading to the main altar—probably among the longest red-carpet walks of any church in the country—and solemnly gazed at the intricately hand-painted domed ceiling.

The itinerary was tight, and in no time we were on our way (a 5-minute drive) to our next stop, to another Taal heritage spot called Villa Tortuga. Built in 1880, this unique bed-and-breakfast (if you can sleep in an old house, go ahead) features a studio in the lower ground level, where tourists can wear period costumes (there are lots to choose from), to become, well, part of Taal history. To see what we would have looked like 200 years ago, check out our fun period pics at the Ford Philippines Facebook page.

Villa Tortuga host Lito Perez served the group a vegan-friendly merienda of non-dairy cocoa drink, which I poured into my suman, vegetable empanada and dalandan juice.

Ford then took some participants deep below sea level in Anilao, Batangas, at La Chevrerie Resort, for a scuba diving session at one of the country’s most popular dive towns. Others opted for a relaxing spa and massage therapy.

IDIOT-PROOF rearview camera

Just before sundown, we were on our way back to Manila via Star Tollway and SLEx. Behind the wheels of the Explorer, I forgot how massive this SUV really was, as it accelerated and maneuvered as easy as a sedan.

And yes, we can’t help but feel the force behind those EcoBoost engines, be they under the Escape or the Explorer hood. It goes beyond words, and prospective buyers need to test drive these units, and maybe then you’ll be signing those checks faster than your bank can print them.

FEEL “moon-ificent” with the Explorer’s dual-panel moonroof. photos by Tessa R. Salazar

I just can’t help but puzzle over this oxymoron of a term called “ecoboost”. A simple google-ing of the word results in plenty of literature about this conflict of terms. The Ford Wiscasset, Maine official blogsite, in particular, interestingly describes it as such: “Ford calls its turbocharged, direct-injected engines that generally offer more horsepower and torque than larger engines without substantially reducing fuel economy. Compared to naturally aspirated engines, EcoBoost engines are about 20 percent more efficient while also putting out 15 percent less greenhouse emissions.”

That’s how EcoBoost works, and Ford has had lots and lots of time in its own history to be able to arrive at this point in automotive history when high technology can seemingly play tricks with your mind and defy logic. But it’s there, and we could actually feel it right under the seat of our pants.

It’s a case of a “back-to-the-future” moment, all right. It was like Henry Ford, born 17 years before Villa Tortuga was built, came back from the future to re-tweak his own creations. And we didn’t even have to exceed the mandatory 88 miles per hour to achieve time travel. Just a swish of a leg under the rear bumper would do.