PilipinasAuto Sends Dongfeng Modern PUVs to Assist Front Liners

Pilipinas Autogroup, Inc. (PilipinasAuto) is one with the nation in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and salutes all health front liners and essential workers who continue to provide selfless service amidst the threat of the coronavirus.

In this trying time, PilipinasAuto is mobilizing its Dongfeng Class 2 and Class 3 modern Public Utility Vehicles (PUVs). In cooperation with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Office of the Vice President, these shuttles will cover two routes and is free of charge.

• Route 1: SM Masinag to Philippine General Hospital (and will pass-by other hospitals within the area such as St. Luke’s Medical Center, National Children’s Hospital and others)
• Route 2: SM San Jose Del Monte to SM Fairview (including several hospitals such as North Caloocan Doctors Hospital, Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial and others). 

PilipinasAuto wishes to express its support and gratitude for the untiring sacrifices and dedication of all the front liners. The company is committed in not only providing quality vehicles but is also working hard towards becoming a responsible corporate citizen always ready to respond and contribute for the best of the nation.

GM Will Engineer, Make Honda's New Electric Vehicles

General Motors and Honda are jointly developing two all-new electric vehicles for Honda, based on GM’s global EV platform and powered by the American carmaker’s proprietary Ultium batteries.

The exterior and interior of the new EVs will be exclusively designed by Honda, and the platform will be engineered, GM promises, to support Honda’s sporty driving character. Production will be done at GM plants in North America with sales starting sometime 2024 for U.S. and Canada.

GM and Honda have an ongoing relationship around electrification. This includes work on fuel cells and the Cruise Origin, an electric, self-driving, and shared vehicle, which was revealed in San Francisco earlier this year. Honda also joined GM’s battery module development efforts in 2018.

As part of the agreement to jointly develop electric vehicles, Honda will incorporate GM’s OnStar safety and security services into the two EVs, seamlessly integrating them with HondaLink. Additionally, Honda plans to make GM’s hands-free advanced driver-assist technology available.

Toyota Motor PH's Car Leasing Plans Could Be Kinto

Late last year, Toyota Motor Philippines laid down plans to offer long-term leasing in a bid to solidify its market share. While no details were provided at the time, we just have to look at our neighbor in Thailand to see that Toyota has done just that with a new brand called Kinto.

As Toyota sees a shift from conventional car ownership to car usage that can be enjoyed wherever and as much as users would like, there’s a growing need for a service that allows customers to freely select the car that they like or want to drive and enjoy it as they like, instead of using a car simply as a means of transportation.

This is where Kinto comes in. Incorporated just in February 2019, it offers customers the chance to drive a brand-new Toyota with both just a monthly fixed-sum service that packages voluntary insurance payments, vehicle tax, registration charges, and regularly scheduled maintenance. The service was rolled out in Japan initially, with Thailand soon following suit.

In both countries, Kinto comes with a fixed term (3 or 4 years). In the case of Japan, there’s a two-tier system—Kinto One (basic), and Kinto Select (which includes Lexus models). In the case of Thailand, there’s a three-tier system based on the total mileage the customer intends to use per year—15,000, 25,000, or 45,000 kilometers per year. After that, it’s just a matter of selecting what car and which dealership the car would be pick-up at. And unlike a typical car loan which may require a guarantor, with Kinto, all it takes is a swipe of the credit card.

When it comes to car selection, it’s extensive enough. In Japan, Kinto One subscribers can take out a Prius, Corolla, Alphard, or Crown. With Kinto Select, the service includes six Lexus models including the IS, NX, and heck, even the RC sports coupe. Sadly, in both cases, there’s no chance to swap between models during the term of the lease (unlike the Nissan Switch program in the U.S.). Meanwhile, for Thailand, it covers the Yaris Ativ (our Vios), Vios, C-HR, Altis, and Camry.

As for the pricing, well, in Japan, it starts at 46,100 yen (P 21,842~) to 180,000 yen (P 85,286~) per month, while in Thailand, it’s from 10,840 THB (P 16,640~) to 33,040 THB (P 50,720~). With those prices in mind, would you consider a long-term lease than outright buying a brand-new car?

15 Audi Movies You Can Binge On During Enhanced Community Quarantine

Well, we’re about halfway through the Enhanced Community Quarantine (hopefully), and if you’ve binged enough of K-Dramas and gone through Crash Landing On You multiple times, Audi’s suggesting a change of pace.

Since the first Audi appeared in “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” in 1982, nearly every Audi vehicle has spent time on the big screen—from rom-coms to action and thriller films to epic chase scenes. With all that extra time at home, here’s a list of 15 movies that feature one or more Audi vehicles to keep you entertained.

• 1982, Audi 5000 in, “E.T., the Extra-Terrestrial”
• 1998, S8 appears in one of the greatest chase scenes ever filmed, “Ronin”
• 1999, A4 sedan appears in the drama film, “The Insider”
• 2003, TT Roadster in “Legally Blonde 2: Red White & Blonde”. Fun fact: Audi developed the Candy Blue exterior paint color exclusively for the movie that was then available for customers to order.
• 2006, Lois Lane drives an A3 Sportback in “Superman Returns”
• 2007, Jason Bourne drives an A5 in “The Bourne Ultimatum”
• 2008, R8, S5, and Q7 all make an appearance in the first “Iron Man” film, launching many epic adventures with the Marvel franchise.
• 2008, A3 Sportback and the S8 star in “Taken”
• 2010, A5 Sportback in “The American”
•  2013, R8 Spyder and the A8 appear in the superhero film, “The Wolverine”
• 2014, A5 Cabriolet and S6 in “Transformers: Age of Extinction”
• 2015, R8 Spyder, A3 Sedan, S8, S7 and the Audi Q7 star in “Fifty Shades of Gray” Fun fact: the author had already written all of these Audi models into the book series, which then translated directly to the silver screen.
• 2017, A8 was seen for the first time on-screen with the debut of “Spider-Man: Homecoming”
• 2019, Audi e-tron Sportback Concept and Audi e-tron GT concept appear in “Avengers: Endgame”
• 2019, Audi e-tron SUV appears in addition to the A7 and the Audi Q8 in “Spider-Man: Far From Home”

Yes, seems Audi missed it big time, but the low-brow popcorn flick “Transporter” series with Jason Statham also featured the Audi A8 in both Transporter 2 and 3.

Hyundai to Setup Innovation Center in Singapore

Hyundai is establishing a Hyundai Mobility Global Innovation Center in Singapore (HMGICs) to accelerate its innovative efforts. With support from the Singapore Economic Development Board, construction will break ground in May with completion expected in the second half of 2022.

Located in Singapore’s Jurong Innovation District, this new innovative lab will occupy 44,000 square meters (building size is approximately 28,000 square meters), and will house an ecosystem consisting of researchers, technology, and training providers.

As an open innovation lab, HMGICs will explore business ideas and technologies to revolutionize a value chain encompassing R&D, business, and production for future mobility solutions. It also will help define the future business direction for Hyundai.

The lab will also spearhead efforts to reach new markets and customers with cutting-edge technologies that will transform automotive R&D, production, and sales. Combining AI, Internet of Things (IoT), and other advanced technologies, the lab will create a human-centered smart manufacturing platform that will be validated through a small pilot EV production facility. In conjunction with the platform, an innovative product development process and on-demand production system will be tested and proven.

Hyundai, through HMGICs, will also work closely with Singapore’s forward-thinking firms and educational institutions to pursue open innovation. The company plans to collaborate with competitive local partners to test and validate innovative solutions for advanced mobility services.

HMGICs will expand new business opportunities proven in Singapore to global markets.

The MG 6's Celebrating Its 10th Anniversary, So It's Throwing Some Shade at the Honda Civic

MG’s throwing some shade at the Honda Civic. You don’t believe me? Just stare at the header photo, and you’ll see the Civic being overtaken with dirt being kicked up its front bumper by the Chinese carmaker’s “Luxury Internet New Energy Coupe.” If the MG car in question looks familiar it should; we know it better as the MG 6.

It’s hard to fathom, but the MG 6 is celebrating its 10th year already; time flies when you’re overtaking fuccbois, we guess. But even curiouser is that the MG 6 here isn’t the “regular” 1.5 we get over here—it’s a 305-horsepower monster. Forget the Civic RS, it’s a Civic Type R killer all for just 158,800 RMB (~ P 1.161 million).

Okay, MG was supposed to unveil this hotted up version at the Auto Shanghai last year, but everyone (including those who went there with MG Philippines) forgot about it. So, consider it as a pleasant surprise that it’s managed to make it from concept to showroom reality almost unchanged.

Known officially as the MG 6 50T (as opposed to its original moniker, the eMG6 Trophy 305), this fastback pairs the turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder with SAIC’s Electric Drive Enit (EBU). Total output is, as mentioned, 305 horsepower while torque is 480 Nm. It’s connected to a 10-speed intelligent electric drive gearbox, and 100 km/h arrives in less than 6 seconds—putting it squarely in Civic Type R territory.

 However, unlike its Japanese rival, this is also a plug-in hybrid. With a 9.1-kWh lithium ion battery pack, it can travel on electric power alone for up to 51 kilometers, and top up its charge in just 3.5 hours. Fuel mileage? A stonking 66.6 km/L.

While it’s mechanically simple—it retains the same front MacPherson Strut and rear Torsion Beam setup, it does get an XDS system. If that sounds familiar, it should—it’s Volkswagen’s Electronic Differential Lock system, the same sort of thing you find in the Golf GTI. XDS improves the traction and handling of front-wheel drive models by using the stability control system to apply selective braking.

Aesthetically, it doesn’t look that different from the regular MG 6, but it does ditch the chrome for black out elements, down to the available 18-inch Halberd Sport wheels. Inside, it’s got full digital instrumentation, a 10.1-inch infotainment screen, an Arkamys sound system, and yes, even an intelligent climate control system that reaches the now-mythical N95 standard (eat your heart out, Geely).

While we seriously doubt that MG Philippines would bring in this hotted up MG 6, hopefully they throw us a bone, and bring in a couple of units as some sort of limited-edition anniversary model or something. Cross your fingers, boys.

Subaru to Halt Japanese Production Until May 1

They held out for as long as they can, but Subaru Corporation has announced that all its plants will shutdown entirely due to supply chain disruptions, and a sharp fall in global demand for new vehicles brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Subaru of Indiana, home of the Evoltis (U.S.-market Ascent) temporarily halted production last March 23, but now, the shutdown extends to even the carmaker’s Gunma Manufacturing Plant in Eastern Japan that pretty much makes everything else. The shutdown, announced just yesterday will start from April 11 to May 1, bringing a 17-day stoppage to all things Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive.

All of Japan’s eight major passenger car manufacturers are now seeing production hampered by the coronavirus pandemic.