By Aida Sevilla-Mendoza
Philippine Daily Inquirer

DRIVING fast is not much fun these days — what with oil prices soaring and the guilty feeling that pricks your conscience when you exceed 100 kph. So you learn to moderate your speed in your daily commute.

Just the same, you still want a car that can zoom way ahead of the pack when the spirit moves you on the highway.

Enter the 2008 Subaru Impreza 2.0R Sport.

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By Aida Sevilla-Mendoza
Philippine Daily Inquirer

CHINA is the third largest country in the world in land area and the largest in population with 1.2 billion. China is also, after the United States, the world’s second largest car market (8.8 million motor vehicles sold in 2007) with sales rising nearly 20 percent every year, and it aims to be the world’s second largest automobile manufacturing country. Naturally, when this giant holds its bi-annual international auto show, it has got to be on the grandest scale, with car makers from all over the world scrambling to showcase their best and gain market share.

The 10th Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, a.k.a. Auto China 2008, opened on April 22 and ended last Monday at the new China International Exhibition Center. It had 106,000 square meters of indoor space in eight halls, all displaying passenger vehicles plus 80,000 sq m outdoors; 2,100 exhibitors of which 225 were from 18 countries; a total of 890 models, almost 100 brand-new, with 55 concept cars, seven global debuts and 24 Asian debuts. Nearly 10,000 domestic and overseas reporters attended the press days (April 20-21) and 600,000 visitors were expected, including 30,000 foreigners.

The theme, “Dream, Harmony and New Vision” aptly has “dream” as the first word. Independent Chinese car manufacturers — those that have not formed joint ventures with European, American, Japanese or Korean brands — dream of breaking into the European and North American markets, which comprise 50 to 60 percent of the world market. Among the dreamers is Chery, China’s foremost state-owned automaker, which displayed 26 models in a 2,500-sq-m exhibit area, one of the largest in the show. The theme “Safe and Save” underscored Chery’s goal to build much safer, more energy-saving and more eco-friendly cars.

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By Aida Sevilla-Mendoza
Philippine Daily Inquirer

IN THE PHILIPPINE car industry, there are two groups: the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (Campi) and the non-Campi. The non-Campi are considered mavericks or upstarts that, for one reason or another, dropped out of Campi or have not joined the Campi establishment.

Early this month, the non-Campi showcased their products at the 4th Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) at the World Trade Center. The new wrinkle in the 4th MIAS was the participation of two Chinese car manufacturers—Chery Automobile Co. Ltd. and Chana. The newest kids on the block occupied large pavilions and unveiled cute minicars that are priced to grab market share from the Suzuki Alto, Chevrolet Spark and Kia Picanto.

Many people have heard of Chery, which entered the Philippine market last year and now has 28 dealerships all over the country. Geely, another Chinese brand, set up a distribution hub in the Subic Freeport in 2007. But Chana?

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By Aida Sevilla-Mendoza
Philippine Daily Inquirer

“HEY, that’s the same engine!” exclaimed a friend of mine when he opened the hood of the 2008 Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8G.

This friend, who is technically savvy about cars, was correct. The 10th generation Corolla which debuted in Manila this March is powered by either of two engines: the IZZ-FE 1.8-liter,16-valve, 4-in-line, DOHC, VVT-i or the 3ZZ-FE 1.6-liter, 16-valve, 4-in-line DOHC, VVT-i. These are the same powerplants in the 2004 Corolla Altis.

But with a slight difference: whereas the 1.8-liter 2004 Corolla Altis packed 147 PS/6,000 rpm, the latest 1.8-liter’s horsepower has been reduced to 132 PS/6,000 rpm to comply with Euro 3 emission standards. Max torque is now 170 Nm/4,200 rpm compared to 188 Nm/4,200 rpm in the outgoing model.

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By Aida Sevilla-Mendoza
Philippine Daily Inquirer

DOES the Mazda CX-9 deserve superlatives? Yes, in the sense that it is Mazda’s biggest passenger vehicle, has the largest engine ever in a Mazda and the longest wheelbase in the crossover/SUV class. Moreover, it won the Motor Trend Sport Utility Award for 2008 and was included by Automobile Magazine in its All Stars 2008 list of the 10 Best Cars aside from being voted the North American Truck of the Year by 45 motoring journalists at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The CX-9 also deserves superlatives for its good looks. Sleek, stylishly sculpted and sensuous with a sharply raked windshield, it defies the boxy tradition of its class yet retains the stance and substance of a sport utility vehicle. For me, the four 20-inch tires shoved right to the corners are the CX-9’s most eye-catching feature, revealing its zoom-zoom capability and adding muscle to an already powerful package.

Built on the same platform as the Mazda6 sedan and launched on the market in 2007, the CX-9 has been upgraded for 2008 with a bigger engine displacement, from 3.6 liters to a 3.7-liter 24-valve DOHC V6 with variable valve timing. The upgrade increased horsepower from 263 to 273 bhp and upped max torque from 249 lb ft to 270 lb ft/4,500 rpm, a welcome boost for the CX-9’s size and weight exceeding two tons.

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By Aida Sevilla-Mendoza
Philippine Daily Inquirer

THE HOTTEST debate in town involves something vital to motorists: fuel. Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who ironically enough authored the Biofuels Act of 2007, wants to apply the brakes on its implementation, citing the recent warning of 1998 Nobel laureate for chemistry Dr. Hartmut Michel that our government’s biofuels program could endanger the country’s food security and harm the environment.

The Biofuels Act, which was signed into law in January 2007, requires the oil industry to sell diesel with a minimum 1 percent biodiesel blend (B1) within three months after the signing of the law and gasoline with 5 percent bioethanol (E5) in two years. The Biofuels Act aims to reduce the nation’s dependence on imported fossil fuels, save hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign exchange annually, cut the carbon-dioxide emissions believed to cause global warming and revive the moribund sugar and coconut industries.

Santiago’s call for a review of the Biofuels Act was immediately challenged by Sen. Miguel Zubiri, author of the House of Representatives’ version of the biofuels law when he was a congressman. Countering the argument that converting hundreds of thousands of hectares of arable land from food crops to biofuel crops will cause food shortages, Zubiri clarified that since bioethanol will be derived from sugarcane, there is no need to tap other arable land areas. And since sugar is only an additive, not an essential food staple like rice or corn, planting more sugar for bioethanol production will not sacrifice food security.

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By Aida Sevilla Mendoza
Philippine Daily Inquirer

TAKE one look at the 2008 Dodge Caliber and tell me: Is it a compact sport utility vehicle? A wagon? Or a compact car?

CATS Motors Inc., the Philippine distributor of Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep, is marketing the Caliber as a compact car, having launched it in Manila last October as the entry-premium compact car of Dodge. In Europe, the Caliber was introduced last spring as a sporty compact car representing the brand’s entry into the European market.

More SUV-like

However, the Caliber looks more like a car-based SUV than a passenger car. It shares the same platform and drivetrain with the Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot, both of which are compact SUVs. It is taller and roomier than the Dodge Neon sedan (which it replaces), the Mazda3 hatchback and the Chevrolet Optra wagon (its competitors.) The driver’s seat is high like an SUVís. The broad shoulders, sculpted fenders, 17-inch wheels and swaggering stance are very SUV.

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By Aida Sevilla Mendoza
Philippine Daily Inquirer

IN ITS Accident Reporting and Analysis System 2006, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) listed speeding (6,233 cases), faulty overtaking (5,848 cases) and inattentiveness (5,238 cases) as the top three reasons for traffic accidents in Metro Manila. Driving under the influence (DUI) was listed as a minor cause with only 14 cases.

The MMDA’s findings are debatable since speeding, faulty overtaking, inattentiveness and/or falling asleep at the wheel could very well be traced to having had one too many. It highlights the apparent reluctance of traffic authorities to recognize DUI as a major cause of road mishaps. To promote road safety, the MMDA and local government units should include in their budgets the purchase and use of evidential breath-testing devices to accurately measure the blood alcohol concentration level of motorists involved in accidents or observed to be driving recklessly or erratically.

A better idea

At some social occasions in Metro Manila, there is a “designated driver” who takes the wheel when a guest who has no chauffeur is too drunk to drive home. Sometimes it is the wife who volunteers to drive. A better idea comes from Seoul: replacement drivers.

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By Aida Sevilla Mendoza
Inquirer

AS a member (and past president) of the Car Awards Group Inc. (Cagi), I didn’t give high marks to the Volvo C30 that won the Car of the Year (Coty) Award for 2007. But that’s only because I was absent when the C30 was brought to the San Lazaro Leisure Park in Cavite on the last car testing day of Coty 2007 in October.

Thus the great expectations when I was given the chance to drive the Volvo C30 for four days early last month after it had already garnered the most coveted Cagi trophy. Were these great expectations met?

Yes, as far as the C30’s styling is concerned. While the C30’s face resembles the Volvo S40 with which it shares the Ford Focus’ platform, its sloping rear end/big glass hatch sets it apart from the rest of the crowd. The C30 is simply stunning. It looks like nothing else on the road, at least from the back. Its clean lines, short overhangs and aggressive, fast-forward stance give it an eye-catching profile.

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By Aida Sevilla Mendoza
Inquirer

RACING is not the only concern of the Federation Internationale de líAutomobile (FIA) although it makes and implements rules for motor sports worldwide including Formula One, the World Rally Championship, Le Mans, the Dakar Rally and the Race of Champions.

The FIA is also concerned about the clamor for dramatic action to stop global warming which is the subject of the ongoing Climate Change Conference in Bali attended by delegates from nearly 190 nations. Although automobiles today are cleaner and more fuel-efficient as a result of improvements in technology and fuels that reduce both toxic emissions and the quantity of carbon dioxide emitted per vehicle, the FIA knows that the development and deployment of cleaner and more fuel-efficient technologies is the key to future mobility as demand for automobile use rises worldwide.

Target

Last October, the FIA general assembly tackled the global problem of climate change and called on the United Nations to adopt the first-ever worldwide target for carbon dioxide emissions in passenger cars, 140 g/km as part of a new international framework for greener motoring. This could serve as an international target that all can aspire to, the FIA noted, adding that the benchmark would provide a way of measuring progress of the entire automotive fleet worldwide.

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