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

“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

When Honda Cars Philippines Inc (HCPI) launched the 2023 Honda BR-V, it knew it had a hit on its hands and had to prepare for the eventual demand for the seven-seater. It's why the Japanese automaker brought in a large shipment of units to ensure all orders and reservations for the car were met. It was also a preemptive measure to ensure that customers get their cars and to prevent supply chain issues similar to the Honda HR-V, where there's a long waiting period developed to get your hands on a

Nissan Philippines is cooking up something really special next month. AutoFun Philippines has received new information confirming the upcoming launch of the Nissan 400Z on March 2023, along with a new Nissan Terra variant called the Terra Sport. On January 2023, the Japanese brand announced at its media thanksgiving party that a performance vehicle was on its way. The information made many believe that the 400Z was coming to the Philippines. To add to this, the head of one of the brand’s larger

Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI) bagged numerous accolades at the 2022-2023 Auto Focus People’s & Media’s Choice Awards last Dec. 15, 2022. In a December 2022 press statement, the Japanese carmaker announced that the Brio, City Hatchback, Civic, Accord, and HR-V all won in various categories. These include: Standard Small Hatchback Category: Honda Brio – Best Design, Best Engine Performance, Best Features Standard Subcompact Hatchback Category: Honda City Hatchback – Best Safety Features Stand

One of Suzuki’s most famous people carriers will soon come with numerous exterior and interior upgrades, but it’s made even better as it will soon boast a mild-hybrid powerplant. Dubbed by Suzuki as the “Smart Hybrid Technology,” it utilizes a K15 engine that’s mated to an integrated starter generator (ISG) and a 6Ah 12-volt lithium-ion battery. Power to the wheels continues to be sent through a 4-speed automatic transmission. Factory rated to put out 104.7 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and torque lev