Tet Andolong

IT’S always a special treat when you drive a Jaguar. Recently, I had a double treat when I took the all-new Jaguar F-Pace R-Sport 2.0 Diesel for a weekend drive.

At the recent 46th Tokyo Motor Show, which was held at the Tokyo Big Sight, Toyota showed a preview of advanced mobility planned for the Tokyo 2020 Games—Vision of future electrified, autonomous mobility that links people to the connected city around them. 

Story & photos By Tet Andolong

Story & photos by Tet Andolong

AFTER visiting Geely’s high-tech plant and headquarters in China, we had a better understanding of their company and its vision. Geely is by far a leader in technology and innovation. Zhejiang Geely Holding Group was founded in 1986. Eleven years later, ZGH entered the automotive industry and has since been focused on technological innovation and sustainable development.

THE 10th Shell Eco-Marathon Asia “Make the Future Live” came to a close in Sepang, Malaysia, on May 2, 2019, after three successive days of competition among teams from the Philippines, Thailand, China and Singapore, who set out to prove who could produce the best energy efficiency within their respective prototype categories or, put simply, to determine whose car can go the farthest using the least amount of energy.

SEPANG, MALAYSIA—The Shell Eco-Marathon Asia 2019, which is now on its 10^th year, was opened today at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia with its event titled “Make the Future Live”. The Shell Eco-marathon Asia is one of the world’s longest running student mileage competitions that challenge teams to design, build and test ultra-energy efficient vehicles.

IN a recent briefing with the Used Trucks Rebuilders and Importers Association of the Philippines (UTRIP), the organization fears that the operations of their members in rebuilding used trucks may have only up to June 30, 2019 to conduct their business given new imposition by the government that are in virtually impossible to be compliant with.

VOLKSWAGEN has been in the Chinese market for more than 30 years. In fact, the German carmaker has established such a stable foothold in China that it now has the largest share of passenger cars sold, as confirmed by the latest car delivery figures. In the first quarter of the year alone, the Volkswagen brand delivered 722,800 cars to customers there, for an increase of 6.5 percent over last year.  Indeed, Volkswagen now rules the Middle Kingdom insofar as cars are concerned.

WOMEN’S Network took centerstage recently during a luncheon titled “Women Who Drive the Future” hosted by Pilipinas Shell for its women employees.

Story by Tet Andolong / Photos by Randy S. Peregrino

IT was Valentine’s week, and that meant a trip out of town. This time, my husband and I went to Baguio for our anniversary where the weather was 9 degrees Celsius. The mountain roads were challenging because of the blind curves, steep hills, zigzags, unpredictable weather conditions and possibility of falling rocks. We passed through Kennon Road, which was undergoing repairs due to recent landslides. It only took us three and a half hours to get to Baguio via the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEx).

BEFORE we test-drove and visited the Shanghai Motor Passenger Vehicle Co.’s (SMPV) factory, Design Center, Crash Test and Climatic Wind Tunnel in Lingang, Shanghai, recently, top executives of SAIC Motors provided us a better understanding of their background and tremendous growth, as well as their foresight as a response to the rapid change in the global business environment. 

THE 12th Manila Auto Salon and 24th Sport Truck Show will run until December 2 at the SMX Convention Center by SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City. There will be over 200 show stopping vehicles for display and competition conceptualized and organized by the leading motoring events production company Tradeshow International, Inc., This event is by far the most comprehensive motor show for customized vehicles, performance cars, sport utility vehicles, 4x4s, off-roaders with a retail section for products and services. Both events occupy all four trade halls of the convention center, which is located on 9,000 square meters of “show vehicles” and automotive product treats perfect for Christmas shopping for the car lovers.

THE Vantage nameplate has been the heartbeat of Aston Martin’s purest models for seven decades and has been worn by some true icons, as well as a trademark to James Bond movies.

VOLKSWAGEN Philippines recently took us to the provinces of Central Luzon onboard their global best sellers, the new Santana, Lavida and Tiguan—the same models that were launched three months ago. To allow us to test their capabilities, Volkswagen put us in their vehicles, which we drove on a Filipiniana-themed lifestyle tour of Pampanga, Nueva Ecija and Bulacan.

SSANGYONG Berjaya Motor Philippines (SBMP), the exclusive distributor of SsangYong vehicles and parts in the country, introduced today its new products, which was held at the Valle Verde Country Club in Pasig City. The new Tivoli Premium Sport is a more homey interior finish, and the updated Tivoli XLV. Both received substantial design improvements and upgrades intended to deliver a more refined and mature crossover experience.

SEVERAL transport groups and vehicle manufacturing companies have expressed their support for the Duterte administration’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) through a memorandum of agreement, which was signed in February at the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and witnessed by officials of the Department of Transportation (DOTr). The manufacturers have also committed to produce more than 3,000 modern jeepneys in the second quarter of 2018.

DESPITE the new vehicle excise-tax regime, Ford Philippines continues to sell their SUV lineup, as well as the Ranger pickup.  According to their latest report, Ford Philippines had their best-ever January performance with retail sales rising 9 percent from a year ago to 2,737 vehicles.

THE Manila North Tollways Corp. was recently reorganized as Nlex Corp. and 2017 was as a year of “Triple Es”—expansion, enhancements, excellence—for the company.

MITSUBISHI Motors Corp. (MMC) had one of the most conspicuous and eagerly awaited presentations during the Press Day of the 45th Tokyo Motor Show (TMS) when it held the world premier of the e-Evolution Concept on October 25. The e-Evolution Concept, which will be on display at the Tokyo Big Sight until November 5, shared the spotlight with Mitsubishi’s Eclipse Cross, Outlander PHEV, Delica D:5, RVR and eK Custom, among others.

AFTER all those years telling the stories of different people, I finally decided that it was time to write about the man who has served as my mentor, an inspiration and who also happens to be my husband in my career as a motoring journalist.

SIZE matters! At least as far as expressways are concerned. The North Luzon Expressway (Nlex) Corp. managers and engineers seem to think so, as they haven’t stopped innovating.

DO you remember the first time you ever rode a bicycle? Can you still recall the thrill and excitement that you felt? In my case, I was around 7 years old, and I was envious of the beautiful bike that belonged to my Uncle Dodi, who was almost the same age as I was.

WHEN this writer, along with several other motoring hacks, was recently invited by Isuzu Philippines Corp. (IPC) to experience paradise for three days in Palawan, I knew that we were in for another unforgettable adventure in an equally unforgettable vehicle.

By Tet Andolong | Photos by Ronald Rey M. de los Reyes

By Tet Andolong

By Tet Andolong

EXCITING and inspiring as always, the Tokyo Motor Show (TMS), did not fail to influence and stimulate the motoring world. The 44th edition of the biannual event kicked off last week at the Tokyo Big Sight in Koto Ward, where thousands of visitors, including this writer, got first dibs on the latest automotive trends and a glimpse of future mobility. Automakers displayed their latest lineups, cutting-edge environment-friendly cars and concept models that provide ideas of what the vehicles of tomorrow will look like and key technologies that will have an impact on the lives of motorists, such as autonomous driving systems.

By Tet Andolong | Photos by Nonnie Reyes

SOME animals are compared to cars because of their behavior, power, style and speed.  In Thailand, the elephant was chosen as the country’s national animal because of its long life, its symbolism for livelihood and its historic role as transportation for the Thai people.

Story & photos by Tet Andolong

YOU might probably be thinking or wondering of what vehicle to get for Father’s Day or still planning on a road trip for your family because summer is almost over, although it should handle the rainy season just as good. Then, there’s no better way than to drive a big van that is roomy and has ample space for luggage anytime of the year—the Foton View Traveller.

By Tet Andolong

WHEN the Jaguar XF was launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show and the North American International Auto Show in 2007, it won many fans over with its gorgeous styling courtesy of Jaguar Design Director Ian Callum.

MY father and I have the same birthday and we always celebrated it together. I remember that I had just turned seven in October 1969, when my dad got himself a birthday present—a new car. He was an absolute fanatic of automobiles and I saw how he always showered unconditional love upon the vehicles that he owned, but there was something different about this particular one, which also became my favorite among all the cars in our garage.

LAST year’s Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) proved to be spectacular as more than 100,000 visitors crowded into the World Trade Center (WTC) Manila in Pasay City to view up close around 512 cars, trucks, and classic and vintage cars, as well as motorbike displays put up by the exhibitors and their staff.

EXCITEDLY, I said yes to Timmy Naval-de Leon, head of communications of Automobile Central Enterprise Inc. (ACEI), distributor of Volkswagen cars in the Philippines, when she invited me to their third Fuel Eco Fun Run event—a fuel economy test.

‘WHAT you’re not familiar with, you don’t trust, and what you don’t trust, you won’t buy—I guess this is human instinct. When it comes to transportation, this is also true as we only purchase items that we have tried and tested.

EVERY now and then, this writer is asked which pickup truck is a good buy and my answer is always: “It depends on what you’re looking for.” If you want a ready-for-all-road-conditions kind of truck with a car-like ride, and you’re asking me right at this moment, I would say go for the all-new Mitsubishi Strada/L200.

FORD Motor Co. introduced a series of new powerful vehicles, including a new GT supercar at the 2015 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), which runs until January 25 at the Cobo Center in Detroit, Michigan.

MANY people are aware that Volkswagen is back and has brought in several models, including its SUVs with exotic-sounding names. One of them has a moniker that is unfamiliar to many motorists and, when encountering it for the first time, people ask: “What’s a Tiguan?”