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Would you hang on to a Subaru, stand on one leg and raise your arm above your head for six hours without letting go? Well, 28 pople did last Saturday, September 20, at the Greenhills open parking lot in front of the Greenhills Theater in San Juan for a chance to win P50,000. At the Celebrity and Media Edition of the Subaru Impreza Challenge, 28 contestants from show business and the media placed their right palms flat on certain parts of two Subarus for six hours. This was a teaser for the main event which happens October 10, 11 and 12 in the same area where the winner will be flown to Singapore to compete in the Asian version of the challenge. The winner in the Singapore contest will win a Subaru Impreza WRX.
The record in the Singapore challenge is 77 straight hours, with five-minute bathroom breaks every six hours. In the Philippine Celebrity and Media Challenge, however, the challengers hung on for six hours with a 10-minute break after the first three hours. The winner for Media would get P50,000, then another P50,000 for the Celebrities. Who won? Watch the video to find out!

CHECK out this video INQUIRER.net reporter Relly Carpio took of world-renowned precision driver Russ Swift wowing the crowd with his driving skills at the show grounds of the Manila International Auto Show 2008 . For his performances, Swift used the new Subaru Impreza WRX STI and the MI Rally Model, which is an exact replica of the winning Subaru car in the World Rally Championships.

By Relly Carpio INQUIRER.net THE MANILA International Auto Show 2008 opened Thursday at the World Trade Center in Pasay. Apart from many of the major car manufacturers, the list of exhibitors includes a number of car accessories and services suppliers. Among the highlights in the show activities is the presence of precision driver Russ Swift who will perform for the duration of the event, which will run until April 6 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City. Here's a video I took of Subaru CEO Glenn Tan unveiling the new Subaru Impreza WRX STI and the MI Rally Model, which is an exact replica of the winning Subaru car in the World Rally Championships. Swift will be using the brand new Imprezas for his performances. More on that soon.

By Andre Palma Inquirer CHOOSING a driver's car is often problematic. Most of the cars that can really rip up the open road at copious amounts of speed are handicapped by prices that would require 25-year mortgages. We would be so lucky to be in that capacity, wouldn't we? Thankfully, all is not lost. There are still some cars out there that can fill the budget performance driving requirements of the everyday Filipino motorist. The age of the budget driver's car is upon us, where low prices don't automatically translate into the lack of satisfaction. A blend of simplicity, fun The mini car segment is loaded to the brim with automobiles that not only drive well, but also are merciful on the bank balance. The Philippine market is lucky though. In the ranks of these small two-box wonders is an automobile that blends simplicity and punch better than most anything in the market today. The numbers of this little hatchback cannot lie. Powered by an able 1.5-liter, twin-cam, common-rail, turbo diesel the resulting engine figures run about 100 bhp and 235 Nm of torque at just 2,000 rpm. Confused by the math? Mere moments in the cockpit of this rocket will clear any sort of bewilderment and make you beg for 4-piston Brembos. None other than the Hyundai Getz 1.5 CRDi delivers this pocket-sized punch. Priced around P630,000, one can imagine that most of the money went into the engine. Learn to live with the cheap plastic of the '90s interior and the aches and groans of the budget chassis and realize that the other "H" brand knows how to build fun cars too. In the next segment, the beleaguered compact sedan niche, an old familiar name delivers the best bang for buck driving. In 35 years of this model's existence, many of this car's faithful followers thought that Honda lost the plot with the bland and boring seventh generation. Mercifully, the eighth generation FD chassis brings back the Honda Civic that Generation X tuners and enthusiasts went goo-goo over -- fun, frugal and loaded with potential. A surprisingly stiff chassis is what really works for this car alongside a suspension design that is made for decent road holding. While the 2.0-liter version comes with more torque and power, it is the 1.8-liter single cam that delivers the best performance, efficiency and retail price. If you endure the sneering looks in public, the bare basic 1.8V, sans ABS, EDB and airbags, is the one to have. At P777,000, this bare basic car leaves a lot of budget for simple modifications that can really polish this gem in the rough. Look no further than a simple Neova tire upgrade to remind you of what Civics are all about. Imagine what adjustable coil-overs and simple engine modifications will deliver. Do I sound like a teenager? See, I told you, this car is fun! Real driving monster Rightfully, at the top of the best cars of 2007 list is a real driving monster. At the lowest rung of true performance automobile is the rally replica. These are turbocharged cars that temper World Rally Championship speed and all-wheel drive handling for public roads. Simply, there is no point A to B car segment faster for the price. And in the Philippine market, there is no more economical example of a rally replica than the Subaru Impreza WRX. Fine, let's concede that the Impreza STi is closer to the full-blown rally car than the street-going WRX but again, the numbers don't mislead. For around P1,700,000 would-be rally rep owners get 230 bhp and 330 Nm of torque. These are really massive numbers for any car that can be made to prowl everyday Philippine roads. Another point to ponder is that at half a million cheaper than a full-blown STi, this everyday rally car conservatively delivers 80 percent of the experience. So there they are, the cars that have helped define the 2007 motoring year. For the sheer volume of choice, we consumers are better off than ever before. So raise a glass with me to the year about to pass and the one still to come. Here's to an equally exciting 2008 and if my crystal ball is anywhere near clear as before, we are in for another wild ride. Cheers!

By Aida Sevilla-Mendoza Inquirer THE 4TH Car of the Year (Coty) Philippines Awards program, which was held at the Rockwell Tent in Makati last Thursday, established quite a few firsts. It was the first time that: a European brand won the big trophy. The 2007 Car of the Year, the Volvo C30 (shown in photo) is a sports coupe that aced the Luxury Subcompact category versus the BMW 120i and the Mercedes-Benz B160. What's more, the Swedish carmaker outshone its German rivals two more times when the Volvo S60 T5 won the Executive Car of the Year Award and the Volvo S80 2.5L topped the Luxury Car category. Swept It was also the first time that a Korean brand -- Kia -- swept four category awards, besting Japanese brands. The Kia Picanto 1.1 DLX bagged the Basic Subcompact Car of the Year Award, the Kia Rio 1.4 sedan was adjudged the Executive Subcompact Car of the Year, the Kia Carens CRDi collected the Compact Van/Multipurpose Vehicle of the Year Award and the Kia Carnival LX 2.9 CRDi short wheelbase won the Executive Van/MPV of the Year trophy. For the first time, the Car Awards Group Inc. (Cagi), organizer of Coty, got a big business corporation to be the title sponsor, i.e. Petron Corp. Thus it is now officially known as the Petron 2007 Car of the Year Awards. The decision to get a title sponsor was made by Cagi 2007 president Ira Panganiban with the concurrence of his board: External VP Andy Sevilla, external vice president; Fernan Lao, internal VP and technical committee chair; and Jeff Reyes, treasurer. Media practitioners All the officers and members of Cagi, if you don't know it yet, are media practitioners as Cagi is a nonstock, nonprofit private organization of motoring journalists that conducts consumer-oriented tests of mass production motor vehicles annually to help consumers make an informed choice when buying a car and to recognize the progress of the auto industry in engineering, quality, design and safety features. This time, the Automobile Association Philippines (AAP) supported the 2007 Coty Awards not as a sponsor, but as Cagi's technical partner in testing the entries. After all, AAP is a nonprofit, nonstock organization, the national auto club that is the only Philippine affiliate of the FIA, the Paris-based body that governs motor sports worldwide including F1, the WRC and Le Mans. AAP motor sports committee chair Mandy Eduque and AAP director Dave Arcenas participated in some of the car testing sessions. Categories The number of categories was increased from 11 in the 3rd Coty to 23 after the Cagi executive board consulted the technical experts of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (Campi) on how to improve the Coty formula. Passenger cars now have nine categories: Basic Subcompact, Executive Subcompact, Luxury Subcompact, Midsize, Sports Car, Executive, Luxury and Ultra Luxury. Car-based utility vehicles enter four categories: 2WD Crossover/Wagon, 4WD Crossover/Wagon, Luxury Crossover/Wagon and Ultra-Luxury Crossover/Wagon. Minivans were divided into four categories: Compact Van/Multipurpose Vehicle (MPV), Executive Van/MPV, Luxury Van/MPV and Ultra Luxury Van/MPV. Sport utility vehicles (SUVs) were also Compact, Executive, Luxury or Ultra Luxury. Pickup trucks have two categories: 2WD (4x2) and 4WD (4x4). Chose The car manufacturers themselves, not Cagi, chose which of their products would participate and in which category each would enter. The car manufacturers also took care of bringing the test units to the test venue. Entries that did not win in their respective categories last time were allowed to try again. Previously, losing entries were not allowed to participate unless the motor vehicle in question had undergone major changes or upgrades in engineering, technology and/or safety features. A facelift -- new headlights or taillights, a new grille, new bumpers -- did not count. 87 entries Eighty-seven cars and trucks were tested over a span of eight Saturdays from Aug. 25 to Oct. 13 at the San Lazaro Leisure Park in Carmona, Cavite. The total number would have been 97 if the test units of 10 models had shown up. The number of Special Awards was increased from four to 19. Supporters of Coty 2007 sponsored the awards. Thus, Toyota Motors Philippines won the AAP Best Road Safety Campaign Award, the Honda Jazz 1.3 won the Standard Insurance Best Value for Money Award, the Nissan Teana the Rockwell Land Best Interior Design Award, the Mercedes-Benz S350 the Bridgestone Most Comfortable Ride Award, the Mitsubishi Outlander the Bosch Best In-Car Entertainment Award, the Subaru Impreza WRX the Globe Media Dream Car Award and the Petron 2007 Car of the Year, the Volvo C30, also won the Concept One Sexiest Car Award. So Coty 2007 was a year of firsts, setting the stage for a more exciting 2008.

By Andre Palma Inquirer MAJOR motor shows are often difficult to initially grasp in their entirety. Merely a single pass of the major manufacturer's displays can send even the most jaded of motoring hacks reeling from all the sights, sounds and sheet metal. You just get numb from the sensory overload. Trying to understand what's going on and what the general flavor of the show is comes only when the shell shock passes. Even then, moments of true insight are rare. Tokyo's place in the international motor show arena is to divine the future. It is through the fantasy world of concept cars that the world's major players try to capture our imagination. For manufacturers, showing up at Tokyo without a jaw-dropping interpretation of the future is like going to a wedding reception in your flip-flops. This year there were quite a few who apparently forgot the dress code. Maybe it was a calculated risk on the part of the manufacturers. In all honesty, trying to steal the limelight from two of the most exciting new releases would be near impossible. Show headliner Headlining the show for all intents was the unveiling of Nissan's GTR. As bold as the concept, technology and execution of this soon-to-be available super car is its rebellious break from the sustainable eco friendly line that most of the mainstream players are towing. It would be hard to find anyone who went to the show this year who did not take home a snapshot of the latest interpretation of the all-conquering Skylines of years past. Off-duty showgirls, clad in trench coats over their scant motor show finery snapped away on their equally tiny and cute mobile phones. Even executives from the European sporting brands jostled with masses to get a closer peek. You get the picture. The excitement about the GTR is deserved. This car revives the Japanese super car genre and is the gauntlet on the table to the other players who traditionally participate in the segment. Significant too is the gossip going around the Nissan GTR. Finally available in left-hand drive for the first time in history, it looks like the Philippines will be getting a few units. Don't hold your breath though, as this information came from the same people who promised us the Teana in 2003. Controversially designed A new release that is sure to hit our shores will be the controversially designed 2008 Subaru Impreza and the generally more impressive STI version. Derogatory remarks about the styling of these WRC-derived everyday tarmac monsters are getting tiresome already. There is really nothing we can do about what this car looks like. And if we can get that out of the way, maybe we can focus on the changes that are going to affect more important things regarding Impreza -- mainly the way it will drive. Pray that function overshadows form in this case. The shift over to the hatchback format is a necessity born of the WRC. Subaru needs a platform that will go toe to toe with the kinds of car that Loeb and the gang are driving. Shorter wheelbases combined with lighter cars will logically be snappier around the corners. Engines remain the same with the beautifully linear power of the EJ25 turbo family of power plants under the brand's signature hood scoops. Seriously folks, these cars are coming and there's an invite in my mailbox to allay any fears that the Philippine market is going to lose out on these models. The mid-level Imprezas are going to break cover soon, likely within the month. The much-awaited, hot and bothered STI version will hit the fast lanes of Philippine roads sometime next year. Cars that are able to steal the limelight from the futuristic prototypes and concepts are rare indeed and in this case, the Nissan GTR and the Subaru Impreza WRX Sti define the 40th Tokyo Motor show. This year has given us two models to that are really worth the wait. Speed is on the Philippine motoring horizon. What a wonderful world indeed!

By Charles E. Buban Inquirer TOKYO, Japan--The Tokyo Motor Show has always been about technology and this year's 40th staging of one of the world's leading automobile expos is no exception as green cars featuring advanced propulsion technology share centerstage with some of today's fastest and most powerful production cars. This writer finally got the chance to get up close and personal with the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X as well as Fuji Heavy Industries' (maker of Subaru brand of vehicles) new Impreza WRX STI. Of course, this writer also witnessed the much-awaited debut of the all-new Nissan GT-R. "It only shows that while the car industry is continuously developing solutions to increase energy efficiency and reduce a car's environmental impact, carmakers will never stop dishing out passion-inspiring high-performance sports cars," said Raymond Tribdino, Nissan Motor Philippines Inc. senior manager for market and product planning. Paraded Indeed, while Nissan finally rolled out its most anticipated muscle car, it also paraded its latest breakthroughs in gasoline, diesel and electric-powered vehicles. According to Tribdino, Nissan sets a mid-term environmental action plan called Nissan Green Program 2010 that seeks ways to maximize the fuel economy of internal combustion engines. Included in this plan is the development of a clean diesel engine that will soon power the upcoming 2008 X-Trail compact SUV (to be sold in Japan); the development of the Variable Valve Event and Lift system that will be installed in the upcoming gasoline engine of the Skyline Coupe (also to be sold in Japan); the development of the company's own design of a continuously variable transmission that will be paired to several Nissan engines; and the acceleration of the development of the next generation lithium-ion battery for use in various hybrid electric and electric vehicles that Nissan is conceiving. Environmental consideration In fact, even the newly unveiled GT-R super car, which boasts a 475 horsepower, 3.8-liter twin turbo V6 VR38 engine, meets Japan's ultra-low emission vehicle standards as proof of Nissan's seriousness in putting environmental consideration a top priority. Aside from developing cleaner emissions in both of its gasoline and diesel engines, Nissan is also putting a lot of research in battery-powered vehicles, which the company believes holds a lot of promise. "Case in point is Nissan's lithium-ion powered Pivo 2 that was unveiled at the motor show. While it uses the same type of rechargeable battery commonly used in consumer electronics, Pivo 2's powerplant is more advanced," Tribdino said. More compact For the first time, Nissan was able to develop a more compact lithium-ion battery. Like flat metal sheets that can be laid on top of one another (similar to a sans rival cake), they require much less space than today's cylindrical-shaped lithium-ion batteries, thereby freeing up more space to increase cabin dimension as well as saving on total car weight. Though half the size of today's conventional batteries, it's 1.5 times more powerful and twice the capacity. With this battery, Pivo 2 could now travel about 126 km on a single charge and plugs into a regular home electric socket. But despite the advancement, carmakers like Nissan admit that they are still looking for the ultimate environment-friendly vehicle. "The goal is to have a car that could deliver zero impact on the environment. However it must also be cost-efficient to build as well as it should be attractive for the car buyer not only in terms of price but also to its drivability, safety and reliability," Tribdino said.