“In this business, you gotta have a tough skin.” This is what Visor.Ph Editor-in-Chief Vernon Sarne told me at last week's BMW M2 launch event. Chief, as I fondly call him to this day (he got me to join Top Gear Philippines magazine as a cover photographer and writer back in 2010), has seen it all and has been through wars ordinary people would have waived the white flag early on. The mental and physical stress this job entails can be too much for someone who cares about his craft. So when we he

This year’s auto industry rigodon has new participants. Astara Philippines, the multinational mobility distributor that handles the local operations of Peugeot and GAC Motor, announced in an August 2023 press statement that it has appointed two well-renowned executives in key leadership positions. Timmy Naval-de Leon, who was formerly head of corporate communications of the Ayala Corporation’s automotive arm AC Motors for nine years, is now Astara Phiippines’ new marketing director. Naval-de Leo

Chinese cars have flooded the Philippine market and many other countries around the globe. It is because Chinese automakers have found ways to undercut the competition by offering quality vehicles that are more affordable but have features comparable to or even better than their Japanese, European, and American counterparts. But the question is, how has China evolved so quickly to produce quality, feature-rich, and, most importantly, cheap vehicles so customers can afford them? Lower production

Two of Toyota’s most popular models in the U.S. are reportedly getting new looks by next year. American motoring publication Autoblog reported on March 2023 that redesigned versions of the Toyota Camry sedan and the Toyota RAV4 crossover may arrive as early as 2024. Both are expected to use revised versions of the brand’s TNGA-K platforms. As for styling, the Toyota Crossover EV Concept that was unveiled on December 2021 could provide the future design direction for the next RAV4. Hybrid-only RA

It's still early in 2023, but automakers are slowly adjusting the prices of their vehicles for the new year. While brands such as Toyota and Honda have already released their new pricing, Mazda Philippines is the latest Japanese brand to join in. A quick check of the local website has revealed that the Japanese automaker has adjusted the pricing of specific models, which includes the Mazda 2, MX-5, CX-3, and the top variant of the recently updated CX-5. Mazda’s pricing updates The Mazda2, in its

With more than 10,000 examples on Philippine roads, the Ford Territory can be considered a runaway hit. Ford took a risk to launch the compact crossover in the middle of a pandemic two years ago. People have learned to adapt to the new normal, and they’ve held their finances in anticipation of Covid-19 exposure. But the Ford Territory has proven itself a value proposition too good to ignore. We recently got behind the wheel of a Territory Titanium+, the sole remaining variant now sold in Ford sh