PRACTICALLY a hermit I was from March 2020 until recently—blame it on the pandemic—when I cut loose from prison-like life. What triggered the escape was my coverage of the Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Vios Cup November 18 to 19 at the Clark International Speedway in Pampanga.
Finally, I was back in the groove, breathing air in open space anew, free as a bird soaring up high. It’s business as usual—again. What a relief.
“It took a motoring giant like Toyota to pluck you out of slumber land,” said Vernon B. Sarne, the irrepressible Visor Chief. Top-notch fotog Manny Nascimento smiled.
To say I was glad to see Vernon again, the Beatle bug like me and Danny “Sir John” Isla, plus many of my fellow motoring journalists, would be the understatement of the year.
I was overwhelmed seeing my pals again, to say the least, them warmly welcoming me back, especially when AutoIndustriya’s Brent Co, the minute he saw me, blurted out: “The legend is back!”
Me a legend? Sunshine Cabrera unbelieving.
Toyota president Hiro Okamoto reacted, like, he’d seen a ghost, his eyes almost jumping out of their sockets.
Toyota top gun Vince Socco gestured to me lovingly, arms spread-eagled, as though he hadn’t see me for ages.
Toyota executive Jing Atienza ushered me in warmly to our dinner table and, after a feast of Pampanga’s exquisite cuisine, we started killing Macallan, that ubiquitous single malt fare and fave of Clark Freeport top honcho Ed Pamintuan.
Sherwin Chualim, another Toyota big shot, did his usual chore of spirits-pouring, generously anew. Ah, Shawin. Here is his opening remarks on the eve of the Vios Cup Finals at the Hilton Clark, thanks to Shaina Semana.
“Thank you all for being with us here today as we wrap up this season’s TGR Vios Cup. 2022 has been an eventful year for us as we continue our efforts that capture our vision of Mobility for All.
“Over the years, consumer preferences and interests have been shaped by the changes in our society. Now, they don’t just buy cars as a vehicle but, more importantly, for the experience that it brings. For example, we quickly shift to digitalization which brought convenience in our daily life amid the challenges of the pandemic.
“This shift led TMP’s transformation to become a mobility company. With this, we launched the myTOYOTA App—which we developed with the intention of providing customer convenience and upgraded consumers’ overall vehicle experience.
“As the next phase of further improving customer ownership experience, we believe that connectivity is important to this improvement. We see and acknowledge the customers’ need for an even better quality of service that will allow them to move connected.
“With this, we are pleased to let you in on our newest suite of connected services—myTOYOTA Connect, which is a product of our aspiration to let our customers experience enhanced mobility that only Toyota’s universe of products and services can offer. This suite will have several features that will let you move with comfort, accessibility and peace of mind. All of which will bring the vehicle experience to the next level that will produce happiness for all.
“Thank you and have a nice evening.”
PEE STOP Spencer Yu, president of SMC Asia Cars, says: “The BMW iX is the first battery-electric vehicle (BEV) that BMW introduced in the Philippines. Public reception was overwhelming, a good step towards sustainable motoring that is one of our big values as a member-company of San Miguel Corp. We can expect more BEVs from BMW, and the iV is just the first.”