VOLVO S60 (above) is the Car of the Year-Philippines’ best premium midsized car.
SPACIOUS Mirage is no illusion.
Talk about ending the year on a full gallop.
If the recent activities of premium auto brands are the basis, then the “Ber” months are for the multimillionaires.
Jaguar Cars Inc. (JCI), dead set on attracting a younger Filipino market, introduced Oct. 3 the F-Type at the Jaguar Lifestyle Centre at Bonifacio Global City. The two-seater convertible sports car is, according to JCI, the continuation of a sporting bloodline that dates back over 75 years.
On the same day, on the German front, Asian Carmakers Corp. (ACC), BMW’s official importer and distributor in the Philippines, has also introduced a concept sedan combining the advantages of a sports activity vehicle, a touring vehicle and a coupe with the all-new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo.
With that, would another German powerhouse be far behind? CATS Motors—the general distributor of Mercedes-Benz brands in the Philippines—has announced that the all-new S Class is also set to invade S60these shores come November. No less than the president and CEO of Daimler AG Central/Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia, Peter Alexander Trettin, in a daylong visit to Manila on Oct. 11, brought along this piece of news to the local motoring press.
Swedish carmaker Volvo also dangles a sweet offer for buyers of the Volvo S60 (the 2012-2013 Car of the Year-Philippines’ best premium midsized Car) starting at P2.295 millionand the XC60 (The world’s first self-stopping car) starting at P2.995 million.
Not to be outdone, the Japanese have also unleashed their own last-quarter blitz when Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. unveiled the all-new Mirage G4.
Lighter, nimbler Jaguar
THE VOLVO XC60 is the world’s first self-stopping car.
Wellington Soong, JCI chair and president, describes the F-Type V8 S Petrol as combining low vehicle weight (starting at 3,521 pounds), high-powered engine (at 495 HP) and “superb aerodynamics” to achieve a pure sports car experience, yet still retaining Jaguar’s renowned elegance and luxury.
Mark Soong, JCI executive director, said he was confident about Jaguar entering a competitive segment. “The F-Type’s international reviews have been very good.”
Mark added, “We’re trying to attract the mid-30s market: wealthy, who work hard and want to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Other brands may be following the trend, Jaguar doesn’t.”
Described as a true two-seat sports car, the Jaguar F-Type is equipped with a lightweight soft top that, when lowered, serves as its own tonneau cover. This not only provides weight efficiency but also improves packaging and contributes to the car’s low center of gravity for greater sporting agility. Just like the other members of the Jaguar family, the F-Type has capitalized on its sinuous, muscular elegance.
BMW’s 3-in-1
ACC president Maricar Parco described the new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo as having “aesthetic appeal, space and functionality.”
“You get the heightened seating position of a SAV, you get the space of a wagon for a touring vehicle and a roof line of a coupe. And BMW engineers have managed to do that in one vehicle,” quipped Glen Dasig, ACC executive director of sales and marketing.
Typical BMW proportions, four doors with frameless windows, a coupe-style, gently downward-sloping roofline, and a large, automatically opening and closing tailgate define the distinctive exterior character of the new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo. An active rear spoiler—the first of its type on a BMW—provides visual lightness and reduces lift at touring speeds.
It is 200 millimeters longer than the BMW 3 Series sedan, and comes with a longer wheelbase (110 mm) and stands 81 mm taller. However, the clever use of proportions, surfaces and lines ensures that the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo is immediately recognizable as a member of the new BMW 3 Series range.
MERCEDES-BENZ’S banner month is September.
The front and rear passengers all benefit from a seating position raised by 59 mm, which provides an outstanding view and makes entry and exit significantly more comfortable.
The increase is particularly noticeable in the rear compartment, where a full 70 mm of additional legroom over the Sedan and Touring is to be enjoyed.
The load area also reflects the car’s increased dimensions, its 520 liters of boot capacity even outstripping that of the BMW 3 Series Touring by 25 liters. The large load aperture and high-opening tailgate make access easier. Practical standard features—such as the 40:20:40 split/folding rear seat bench with folding head restraints and tilt-adjustable backrests (cargo function), and the two-piece parcel shelf—underscore the impressive functionality of the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo. The large load area can be utilized in many different ways, allowing intelligent space management.
S Class bumps off Maybach
Trettin described the S Class as an ideal car for the Philippines and exclaimed that the car “is so good that we had to drop the Maybach (from our roster) because we couldn’t position ourselves between the S Class and the Maybach, especially considering that we will offer the extended version of the S Class as well. And the S Class is even more affordable than a Maybach.”
Mercedes-Benz sold more vehicles in September than in any other previous months. It saw a growth of 15.9 percent year-to-date from the previous year. The third quarter was particularly successful for the company in the United States and China.
Locally, Mercedes-Benz posted a growth of 29.4 percent in September compared with the previous month.
THE JAGUAR F-Type capitalizes on sinuous elegance.
Much of this growth can be attributed to its new-generation compact cars and new E Class.
More spacious, no illusion
The all-new Mirage G4 (which means Mirage Global four-door) sedan offers spacious cabin and trunk, and is available in GLS and GLX variants and in both continuous variable transmission (CVT) and five-speed manual transmission (MT) models. This compact sedan is a completely built unit from Mitsubishi Motors Thailand.
At the heart of the car is a lightweight and compact 1.2-liter 3 In-Line DOHC MIVEC (Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control) gasoline engine which is able to produce a maximum output of 76.93 horsepower at 6,000 revolutions per minute and 100 Newton-meters at 4,000 rpm of torque. It is built with the Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution (RISE) body and is claimed to achieve up to 21 kilometer-per-liter fuel efficiency (based on Mitsubishi Motors Corp. test results using EU combined cycle).
BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo seats you like an SAV, gives you space like a touring wagon, and makes you look hip as if you were in a coupe.
The all-new Mirage G4 flaunts a modern-styling radiator front grille. The GLS variant gets a “Diamond-Cut” chrome grille while the GLX is treated with a “diamond-cut” black grille. In addition, aerodynamics is reflected with its distinct dynamic character line which kicks up towards the rear. The GLS variant is complemented by 15-inch x 5.0J alloy wheels with 185/55 R15 tires, while the GLX variant flaunts a 14-inch x 4.5J steel with 175/65 R14 tires. The top-of-the-line GLS variant is equipped with power side mirror with Integrated LED-type lamps.
Mazda sales zoom up
Meanwhile, Mazda’s year-to-date September sales result has been 41 percent better than last year, with improvement coming from across the vehicle portfolio, particularly with the Mazda2, Mazda3, Mazda6, CX5 and BT50.
Mazda Philippines’ third-quarter sales performance has zoomed ahead under the stewardship of Berjaya Auto Philippines Inc. since January this year.
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