It's an all-woman-driven Dakar 2024 Astara campaign as the Spanish mobility company is set to field two entries in the treacherous desert race this coming January 5 to 19, 2024. Set to drive the Astara 02 Concept, Laia Sanz and Patricia Pita will have co-drivers Maurizio Gerini and Paolo Boggioni, respectively, to guide them through the 12 stages crossing the Saudi Arabian desert. Astara, for those who do not know yet, is the distributor of Peugeot and GAC in the Philippines. It also operates in

Disclosure: GWM Philippines kindly lent me a 2023 Haval Jolion Supreme HEV for eight days. It arrived with loaded RFID cards and a Shell fuel card. AutoFun Philippines paid for a carwash. When I was a kid, I swore by one specific brand of orange juice (which I shall not name, but it’s a brand that’s beloved by many). I simply could not have a meal without this overly sugary beverage that greatly contributed to my, shall we say, “portly” physique in grade school. And it had so many artificial ing

Resurgence is the word that perhaps best characterizes how GAC Motor Philippines is doing nowadays. Ever since multinational automotive distributor Astara took over local operations on December 2022, the Chinese car brand’s image and vehicle lineup have gotten a huge boost amid the surge of new cars from the People’s Republic. GAC Motor Philippines’ improved fortunes are also being helped by the recent appointment of highly respected industry veterans Franz Decloedt and Timmy De Leon, who serve

Disclaimer, GAC Philippines lent us the GAC Emkoo GE with a full gas tank for 15 days with access to its two RFID cards. The GAC Philippines debuted the 2023 GAC Emkoo at the 2023 Manila International Auto Show. It's part of the brand’s growing crossover portfolio in the Philippines as it seeks to take a bigger piece out of the local market with Astara Philippines backing it up. The new Emkoo brought futuristic styling to the motor show, turbocharged power, and many new features to attract the c

After making their initial debut at the 2023 Manila International Auto Show (MIAS), Chery Auto Philippines has officially launched the 2024 Chery Tiggo 5x Pro Hybrid and the 2024 Chery Tiggo 7 Pro Hybrid models. These new mild-hybrid crossovers are part of Chery Auto Philippines' continued effort to provide clean and green modes of transportation, further emphasizing its new slogan, “There’s more to our cars.” Chery Tiggo 5x Pro hybrid - the star of the show Starting with the Chery Tiggo 5x Pro

Electrification has taken over the Philippines in many ways. There are battery-electric vehicles that offer near-silent, zero-emission mobility, along with truly stunning performance. And for those who don’t want to join the electric revolution quite yet, there are the mild hybrids. These pertain to cars with regular internal combustion engines that have small battery packs to assist with vehicle functions. Unlike a full hybrid, a mild hybrid cannot operate on purely electric power alone. Chery