Entered as second class mail at the Sta. Mesa Post Office by the Automobile Association Philippines under Permit No. 594, March 25, 1995. Postage paid.
PASTE MEMBER’S NAME AND ADDRESS HERE
Alternative Fuel Vehicles:
The Way to Go Page 8
Cars we’d like to drive in 2005 Page 13
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December 2004
Compressed workweek, staggered hours eyed to ease traffic Authorities and business groups are proposing different schemes to cope with the economic crisis a n d e a se t he w ors en i n g traffic condition in the country, particularly in urban centers. The Makati Business Club, for one, has expressed support to the idea of a compressed work week which aims to reduce working days from five to four. On the other hand, the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is pushing for a change in working hours for government and private employees so as to lessen the number of vehicles on the road during rush hours. MBC Executive Director Guillermo Luz said a compressed workweek would benefit both employers and their workers in terms of savings. He said those engaged in
manufacturing and assembly of various goods would be in a better position to meet production schedules if work hours were extended in exchange for fewer workdays. “Employees will also spend less for food and transportation and enjoy more time with their families,” he said. Another business leader, Serio Ortiz Luis, chairman of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said a compressed workweek would e ven help prop local tourism because workers will now have a longer weekend with their families. “I can’t think of any firm that will oppose that,” he said. Meanwhile, a staggered working schedule for government and private workers is being proposed to help ease traffic on the road this Christmas season. The MMDA, in a recent announcement, suggested that
government employees be made to work from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and private employees from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. This will effectively reduce vehicles on the road by as much as 30 percent during rush hours. This will also ease the plight of commuters who will have less competition for available seats in jeepneys, buses and trains. MBC’s Luz even wants to take this staggered working time or EWT a little further. He suggests that government offices, especially those with frontline services like the Land Transportation Office, the Bureau of Internal Revenue and similar agencies, to be open for business from Tuesday to Saturday instead of from Monday to Friday. This way, people who work the whole week would have the chance to transact with these government offices on Saturdays.
Rollback of oil prices expected
Toll rates to increase anew
Good news to all motorists: Fuel prices will go down this month. This is what industrialist and consumer advocate Raul Concepcion said as he thanked consumers for their understanding during these hard times. The chairman of Consumer and Oil Price Watch said there will definitely be a price rollback of gasoline since world crude prices have dropped as early as November. “We’re not sure yet about a rollback for diesel,” he said. “Since diesel is subsidized by gasoline pricing, we will have to determine first the final under-recovery of oil companies.” Overall, he said oil prices would continue to go down from December 2004 to March 2005 because the demand for heating oil will be lower than expected due to the expected mild winter in the United States and Europe.. Concepcion would be meeting with senior officials of the country’s Big 3 oil companies, namely Petron, Shell and Caltex, as well as the new players to reconcile disparities in oil price increases
The Philippine National Construction Corp. is raising toll fees in the South Luzon Expressway starting January 1, 2005 due to ever-rising cost of operations and maintenance. A similar thing will happen in the Coastal Road, owned and operated by the Philippine Estates Authority, although the increase will be less. The Toll Regulatory Board has approved a four-centavo increase per kilometer for the SLEX, which will translate to a P10 hike in toll fee for Class A (cars and vans) vehicles for the whole stretch of the highway, The TRB also approved a P3 increase in the fees for Class A vehicles passing through Coastal Road. Transportation Undersecretary Art Valdez said these increases were part of the periodic adjustment that the government allows. “The increase is reasonable considering that everything is going up,” he said. Valdez said the TRB has not come up with a new set of rates for the North Luzon Expressway which will be fully renovated by year end. “The board is waiting for the proposal of the Manila North Tollway Corp.,” he said.
MMDA to run after motorists using phones while driving Motorists using cell phones while driving, beware! The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will run after you. In its effort to curb vehicular accidents, Philippine National Police (PNP) Traffic Enforcement Group (TEG) chief Senior Superintendent Philmore Balmaceda vowed to apprehend drivers using cellular phones while cruising the busy roads of Metro Manila. The 800-strong TEG members deployed in the metropolis is the police arm of the MMDA. Balmaceda said that the TEG would flag down motorists with cellular telephones on their hands while driving. “Motorists know that this is illegal and they should be informed of the dangers of talking to someone while driving,” Balmaceda added. MMDA ordinance number 97-001 explicitly bans the drivers of both private and public utility vehicles to use mobile telephones or handset radios while driving. Aside from drunken driving, traffic police authorities traced the cause of vehicular accidents on the insistence of erring motorists to use hand-held radios or mobile telephones while traversing the busy main roads of the metropolis. Balmaceda cleared that only cellular telephones with ear sets may be used by motorists while driving. The PNPTEG would fine the driver violators of P200 with the penalty expected to increase for habitual violators. Balmaceda expects a smooth sailing for erring drivers as the TEG units in the metropolis are equipped with radios and other communication gadgets that may track down violators trying to evade apprehension. If a motorist is texting or calling through the cellular telephones and flagging him down is impossible, the TEG men would merely radio the nearest traffic unit to apprehend the offender. Balmaceda instructed his men to apprehend violators in a courteous manner and explain to them vividly the dangers of using their cellular telephones while driving. Motorists also asked Balmaceda to send patrol units on Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City where drivers engage in illegal drag racing usually on Friday nights or on the wee hours of Saturdays. Several concerned citizens complained that their plea to police authorities to put a stop to the dangerous activity had fallen to deaf ears as the drag races attracted even larger audience of speed enthusiasts. “This is a disaster waiting to happen. Before any horrendous incidents happen, I hope that police authorities act immediately,” said a doctor who was nearly sideswiped by racing cars recently.
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December 2004
AAP News On the Road...
Tour RP for less – Wow! Pinoy Caravan invites AAP members Around the Philippines by land and through the Nautical Highway… Marvel at the sights of natural wonders and exotic wildlife of flora and fauna…join the revelry in the actual and simulated festivals…frolic in the worldclass beaches…behold our rich cultural and religious heritage…commune with nature at its best in the ecologic a l p a r ks. . . s e e t h e awe s o m e h i s t o r i c a l s i g h t s a n d artifacts…take the challenge in the extreme adventures only for the daring…strike new deals with novel business opportunities in the countryside…savor the delicacies…and fall in love with the genteel people in the countryside renowned for their hospitality… The second nationwide journey starting on April 2005 promises an even greatly enhanced itinerary for the members of AAP who are invited to join the whole merry jaunt or just any segment of their choice. As valued guests, you will be entitled to discounts of twenty percent (20%) on the registration fees upon presentation of your AAP membership card. Even at the traditional destinations AAP members can excitingly rediscover their unknown ethnic and cultural facets that never cease to amaze. The amiable host communities, in coordination with the local chapters of the Philippine Jaycees, the regional and district offices of the Departments of Tourism (DoT), Transportation & Communications (DoTC), and Trade & Industry (DTI), and the local government units, will showcase dazzling itineraries exclusively packaged for this grand summer spectacle. The collaboration of the partners will make it distinctively and uniquely possible for AAP members to experience a basket of festivals. Even the festivals that are not regularly scheduled during the arrival of the caravan (e.g. Ati-Atihan, Dinagyang, Pamulinawen) will be re-enacted for the delightfully exciting experience and incomparable pleasure of the esteemed guests. There will be concerts of popular bands to be brought by the caravan to the selected weekend destinations. Weekend expos and exhibits featuring cars shows, audio-video demonstrations, gadgets and appliances exhibits, culinary demonstrations, are being arranged at its stopovers and overnight destinations. Trade fairs will highlight local business and investment opportunities. With the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) as a co-sponsor, it will take on a road show the government’s shelter programs. Medical missions and other socio-economic community development programs are included in this unique project benevolently intended to address profoundly the rural concerns. This is an exciting journey many would covet and envy but only a few can boast of. For details, please contact the caravan’s secretariat at 9271316; telefax 920-9608; mobile 0916-3126418; or e-mail wowpinoycaravan04@yahoo.com or info@wowpinoycaravan04.com. Just present your AAP ID card to avail of the discount.
AAP marketing goes to Cebu The AAP’s Cebu branch joined the Ayala Business Club and the Cebu International School Parents Teachers Association for the Christmas Bazaar, a fund-raising event at the Cebu Business Park last December 4 and 5. Attended by parents, teachers and families, the event proved to be a timely opportunity for AAP Cebu to showcase its services and educate motorists on defensive driving, roadside emergencies and road safety in general. Jing Bolhano, branch manager of AAP Cebu, said the bazaar afforded him and his team to present to the public the host of valuable benefits that an AAP membership can bring them. He appreciated the presence of foreigners whose children are enrolled at the Cebu International School. These foreigners, he said, knew the Automobile Association or AA concept in their home countries, thus were already convinced as to the importance of an AAP membership. “Cebu is a fast-booming city with at least 300,000 private cars. This is the commercial center of the Visayas and
the AAP can truly make a difference here by educating motorists on the right way to drive,” he said. Hired by the AAP only last October, Bolhano was the for mer sales manager of Geodata Solutions and had worked in the same capacity with Lenton Marketing and Island Souvenirs. He is a product of the University of the
Philippines Cebu. Bolhano is looking at arranging free seminars and lectures on defensive driving for high school and college students. He has already started the AAP’s Driving Academy and has partnered with a local karting circuit where students are given basic lessons on maneuvering cars. The AAP Cebu branch can be found at 105 CRM Building, Molave corner Escario streets, Cebu City. It offers AAP memberships, Philippine International Drivers Permits, and Driving Academy courses. For more information, call (032) 2326406.
Soon to open: AAP Davao The AAP is now in Mindanao and is setting up shop in downtown Davao City. AAP Executive Director Bong Saculles announced this as he revealed the appointment of Kevin Obed as branch manager. Saculles said Davao is one key area in Mindanao where vehicle population is growing. “This is the reason why we believe the AAP should have a presence there,” he said. The AAP Davao is now putting up an office in downtown Davao City where it will start offering Philippine International Driving Permits by January next year. It aims to start Driving Academy operations and offer club services by June 2005.
Nominations now accepted for AAP directors The AAP will be holdings its annual board of directors elections next year. And this early, all members are invited to submit their nominations. As required by the AAP bylaws, a Nominations Committee of five AAP members in good standing will be convened to ascertain the qualifications of the nominees for the 2005-06 Board of Directors. Those wanting to submit a nominee should adhere to the following guidelines: 1. The nominee must be a bona fide AAP member for at least one (1) year. 2. The nominee must be willing and able to devote time and energy to the affairs of the Association as member of the Board, which may not be limited to the regular monthly meethings. 3. A brief resume of the nominee shall be sent to the Nominations Committee through the AAP secretariat at 683 Aurora Boulevard, Quezon City, not later than January 18, 2005. Nominations submitted after this date shall not be considered. 4. The Nominations Committee shall then evaluate each of the nominations submitted and confirm with each nominee their willingness to run in the elections for AAP officers. 5. The final roster of nominees shall then be forwarded to the General Membership for their guidance and consideration. For more information, please call the AAP at (02) 723-0808 or email info@aap.org.ph.
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December 2004
Open letter to AAP members
EDITORIAL
New year, new format
Dear AAP Member:
The next time you receive your copy of AAP Drive, it will be a quarterly magazine instead of a bi-monthly tabloid. New Year, new format. Why is AAP Drive reformatting? There are several reasons: The life of a magazine is longer than that of a newspaper, which is “good” for only 24 hours. The magazine is more likely to be kept around for months while the newspaper is usually discarded the day after it is printed. In the reception areas, lobbies or waiting rooms of offices and clubs, you will notice that the reading material made available to visitors consists of magazines, not newspapers. If ever there is a newspaper, it is the issue of that particular day and it will be gone tomorrow. We want AAP Drive to be something that AAP members can be proud of, something that they will voluntarily show or pass on to others to read and appreciate. . . if not display in their homes or offices for all to see. During the months that a magazine is displayed or left lying around in plain view, it will be picked up repeatedly and read by customers, clients, visitors, invited guests, neighbors, club members, family members, etc. So the articles in the magazine and the ideas or message they give live longer and may benefit a greater number of people. AAP Drive aims to be such a magazine. Naturally, the magazine has a longer life span than the newspaper because it has a cover and the inner pages are of better-quality, more durable paper than newsprint. Moreover, magazines can be stacked in a neat pile on a bookshelf or a coffee table while it is difficult to keep a bunch of newspapers intact and neat unless they are bound together or attached to wooden spines. Any way you look at it, a magazine is more attractive and has more substance and value than a newspaper. And since AAP members deserve the best that their club can offer, AAP Drive is graduating from tabloid newspaper to magazine. In effect, the AAP Drive Magazine will be the club’s Happy New Year greeting to members. In the meantime, drive safely and enjoy the holidays. Merry Christmas!
We at the AAP join our government and the Filipino MAILBOX peoplee at the AAP join our government and the Filipino people in searching for ways to save money amidst the financial difficulties facing all of us as a nation. As custodians of our Association’s resources, we strongly believe that we are doing you – our members – a big disservice if we will not proactively look for ways to cut costs and generate more revenues. We have reviewed our processes and identified a number of areas in our operation where we can significantly cut costs and even make a little bit more money. We have amended these processes with efficiency and austerity in mind. LTO Registration Assistance The first process concerns the assistance we give to AAP members in renewing their LTO Motor Vehicle Registration. We found out that so much time and money are spent in providing this service because we take pains in registering members’ vehicles in the LTO offices located in the city or municipality where the members reside. This is both unnecessary and wasteful. It even poses some safety concerns for our personnel who handle sizable amounts of money everyday in going from one LTO office to another. Hence, effectively immediately, the registration of all AAP members’ vehicles will be coursed through the LTO nearest to our AAP offices. In relation to this, a one-time Change Address Fee of P100 (to be paid to the LTO) will be collected from members availing of this service, unless the vehicles are already registered in our preferred LTO branch. Changing Cars The other process concerns the changing of registered cars by AAP members. Effective immediately, members may change their cars enrolled in AAP for free only once within one year. After the first car change, a member who again requests to change his or her enrolled car shall be charged P500 for the procedure. We look forward to your usual cooperation and we thank you for your kind consideration and understanding in relation to these efforts. Rest assured that our vigor and commitment to serve you will always be 100 percent.
Yours for better and safer motoring, Necy Zornosa Manager Membership services and PIDP Email: Necy.zornosa@aap.org.ph
Editor JUNEP OCAMPO Contributing Writers BRIAN AFUANG TESSA SALAZAR TITO F. HERMOSO Photographer MANOLET AGONCILLO Graphic Designer GERRY BACLAGON
Drive is published every two months by RightMedia Communications for the Automobile Association Philippines. For comments, suggestions, letters and contributions, please write to Drive, c/o Automobile Association Philippines, 683 Aurora Boulevard, Quezon City, or email drive@aap.org.ph. Tel. Nos. 723-0808 or 0917-8480191 All rights reserved.
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December 2004
Discounts galore from Battery Station The Battery Station is giving discounts to all AAP members for its various products. Bernadette Pua, Battery Station’s general manager, said all AAP members will get a 25 percent discount on all Outlast Super Premium, Maintenance Free and Premium batteries on cash and credit card basis. AAP members may also avail of a 10 percent discount on all Gulf Oil products sold at Battery Station outlets. “On top of these, we are giving free car check-up, free delivery and installation and even free mobile service at home, office or on the road,” she said. Formerly known as JVSM Market-
ing Corporation, Battery Station also gives free orientation seminars to companies and fleet drivers on the basics of battery maintenance. Aside from Outlast batteries and Gulf Oil lubricants, Battery Station also sells Xtreme Power a line of maintenance-free, sealed-type batteries made by Chang Guang Battery Co. For more information, please visit their 11 branches in Banaue, QC; Bansalangin, Project 7, QC; Binangonan, Rizal; Cainta, Rizal; Commonwealth, QC; EDSA, Kalookan; Imus, Cavite; Pasong Tamo, Makati; Marcos Highway, Marikina; and Taytay, Rizal. You can also call their hotline at (02) 455-1111 or email jvsp@stream.net.ph.
WD-40 is now over 50 We bet you have a can of it on your shelf or toolbox at this very moment? It even has an official fan club and is sold in 160 countries. We’re talking here of the forever-useful WD-40 which turned 50 years old not too long ago. Some 50 years ago, three lab technicians at the then Rocket Chemical Co. in San Diego, California, were trying to create a line of rustpreventive solvents and degreasers to protect Atlas missile parts from corrosion. It took them 40 attempts to finalize the formula, which was then named for Water Displacement perfected on the 40th try—and WD-40 was born. Word spread quickly about the world’s first multipurpose lubricant/cleaning agent/penetrant/solvent/rust inhibitor. And so did its number of uses, which now stands at 2000 at www.wd40.com.
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December 2004
Driving more economically Driver’s Advocate
Would you like to be able to travel an extra 100 kilometers on a tank load of gasoline or diesel? You can if you are able to drive more economically, and can get at least 2 kilometers more out of every liter of fuel you consume.
The starting point is to first be conscious of, and find out how many kilometers per liter you are able to get with the way you presently drive. Load up a full tank and zero your trip meter. After a week of driving, re-load to a full tank again, and divide the kilometers shown on your trip meter by the liters loaded, so you will get your kilometers per liter. Then, drive for another week according to the following suggestions: 1. Keep your RPM as low as possible (without lugging your engine). This means making use of your car’s tachometer (or RPM indicator) so that you can determine RPM levels when you can already upshift as quickly as possible. In many cases, this shift-point is when 2,000 RPM is reached. In vehicles without tachometers, it is possible to “sense” when this shiftpoint is reached. Light-footed acceleration in the case of cars with automatic transmission will produce the same results, as you will be able to determine at what RPM levels you can back-off on the accelerator pedal to induce up-shifting. 2. Maintain your car’s forward momentum. This means ANTICIPATING traffic and road conditions (even 3 to 4 cars ahead) so that you can MINIMIZE UNNECESSSARY BRAKING – which not only wastes forward momentum energy, but also consumes added fuel to get back to your momentum speed. (One technique is to use your horn and/or flash your headlights to warn and keep pedestrians and vehicles from intruding onto your path.) 3. Make use of the gliding power of your car (especially vehicles with automatic transmissions). This means BACKING OFF EARLY when approaching traffic build-up, or intersections where traffic lights are on red, and even speed humps (instead of still stepping on the accelerator, only to brake hard at the last moment). 4. Make sure your tires are always fullyinflated, because under-inflated tires increase rolling resistance, requiring more energy and thus more fuel. 5. Drive with a light and steady foot on the accelerator pedal, avoiding unnecessary acceleration – unless you have to really drive in a hurry. Never pump the accelerator pedal (some drivers with nervous ticks or who are ‘hyper’ do so!). 6. Your car’s engine must be properly-tuned so that your fuel is burned efficiently. 7. You should develop the “art and science of overtaking” – which means alertly assessing road
conditions even 3 to 4 cars ahead, keeping your car’s momentum, and accelerating ( or down-shifting if necessary) only as lightly as required. By anticipating, it is sometimes possible to just back-off when you spot a temporary traffic ahead, and overtake still in the same gear (or down-shifting only one gear down) – instead of braking heavily (or even stopping behind a stopped jeepney) and down-shifting 2 or 3 gears lower. Otherwise, overtaking is a major cause of increased fuel consumption. 8. Cruise at the right speed. Because of the so-called “coefficient of drag” – the most economical cruising speed is the slowest which your vehicle can run in top gear (without lugging or underrevving your engine). For auto transmissions, this means observing at what speed (and RPM) your car will upshift to its highest gear, and cruising 2 to 3 KPH above that shift point, to stay in top gear. Depending on your car’s final gear ratios, in most
cases this will be between 60 to 70 kilometers per hour (so you must also give due consideration in not being a road hog to faster-running vehicles). 9. Avoid engine-braking unless absolutely necessary, because this spikes up your RPM and consumes more fuel. The braking system of today’s cars no longer require down-shifting/engine-braking anyway….. 10. Do not rev up your engine before shutting it off; this is completely unnecessary and just consumes more fuel. By observing these suggestions, you will be surprised that you might just be able to get two additional 50-kilometer round-trip commutes to work per tank load of fuel. There is nothing we can do about the global supply and demand dynamics that determine fuel prices, but there IS something we can do in the face of very high fuel prices – and that is to DRIVE MORE ECONOMICALLY.
Give a gift that lasts! Looking for a gift that will remind them of your thoughtfulness all year long? Then give something you wouldn’t want to be without: membership in the Automobile Association Philippines. An AAP gift membership shows how much you care and anyone would appreciate the following benefits: ■ Emergency Roadside Service ■ Vehicle registration assistance ■ P100,000 accident insurance ■ Windshield etching ■ Discounts ■ Accident investigation assistance ■ VIP treatment worldwide
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December 2004
th
FIA marks 100 year The Automobile Association Philippines (AAP) celebrated in 2004 the 100th year of the Federation Internationale de Automobile, the highest governing body of motor sports in the world. The FIA was born out of racing. Out of the competition between men and machines when all cars were prototypes and roads were designed for the horse and cart. In the beginning racing was from city to city; Paris to Bordeaux, to Marseille and to Madrid. With the Gordon Bennett Trophy races, competition became international with teams racing in national colours. Motor sport was becoming faster and ever more popular with the public and the nascent car industry. The 1903 Paris Madrid race attracted an estimated three million spectators and 300 entries. But with cars now capable of speeds above 160 km/h, disaster was inevitable. The race suffered six fatalities and many injuries among competitors and spectators alike. Governments threaten to ban the sport. The Automobile Club de France, together with other early motoring clubs, quickly realized that common rules for fair competition and for safety must be agreed internationally. So in June 1904, 13 clubs, from Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Holland, Italy, Portugal,
Russia, Spain, Switzerland and the USA, became the founders of the ‘Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus’. This was the birth, and the original name of the FIA. The association elected the Belgian born aristocrat Baron Etienne de Zuylen to serve as its first President. Over the next 40 years, despite two world wars, motor sport thrived. The ACF organised the first Grand Prix at Le Mans (1906), Permanent race tracks were built at Brooklands, and Indianapolis (1907 & 1909). Monte Carlo staged its first rally (1911) and then its first Grand Prix (1929). Land Speed records were set by Seagrave, Campbell and Cobb (1920s-30s). European Grand Prix saw the rise of the all conquering Mercedes and Auto Union teams (1935-39). And all within the framework of common rules of the AIACR’s International Sporting Code. Just as racing needed rules so did the ordinary motorist. Once Henry Ford made the Model T and motoring became a possibility for millions, rules of the road became an urgent necessity. The FIA’s founding clubs became
FIA, composed of national automobile clubs from 118 countries, is the world governing body for motor sports.
pioneers in promoting standardised road signs, number plates, and registration documents. In Britain, for example, the RAC inspired the creation of the Highway Code. And clubs around Europe developed travel and customs documents to permit cross border travel by car. They also began to develop systems of roadside assistance to help with breakdowns. In 1946 the ACF again played a key role hosting the first post-war General Assembly of the newly renamed FIA. Soon the FIA inaugurated the Formula One World Championship for Drivers, creating the ultimate test of individual achievement in motor sport. The new championship began in 1950 and the first round was held at Silverstone and attended by the British Monarch, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. The first champion was the Italian Guiseppe Farina, driving an Alfa Romeo 158. In the years since then the achievements of world champions like Fangio, Clark, Brabham, Prost, Senna and Schumacher, have established the FIA Formula One World Championship as the greatest prize in motor sport. A Constructors Championship was added in 1958 which has been won by Ferrari, a record 14 times. World Championships have spread to other disciplines - the World Rally Championships for Drivers and Constructors, and the GT Championship. Today the FIA International Calendar contains over 850 motor sport events. There are 30 official FIA championships ranging from karts, to drag racing, cross country rallies, truck racing, hill climbs and historic cars. The FIA has grown with the increased professionalism of sport and of television broadcasting, so that many of its championships can now be watched by motor sport enthusiasts around the world. Formula One continues to enjoy among the largest television audience for any sport in the world. The FIA has also strengthened its role as the governing body for the sport; maintaining rules in all its
disciplines to ensure fair play, impartial regulation, and the possibility of appeal to the Tribunal D’Appel Internationale. Above all the FIA strives for the maximum level of safety possible. The FIA has always sought to learn from sometimes bitter experience how to minimise the risks of a sport that will always be dangerous. And it has always encouraged the transfer of the lessons in safety from the racetrack to the road. For the ordinary motorist the FIA’s member clubs have become leading providers of motoring services to the public. Clubs like the AAP in the Philippines, ADAC in Germany, the AAA in the USA, and JAF in Japan provide breakdown assistance, travel services, and consumer information to millions of members. The FIA, together with its member clubs, have the shared responsibility to defend the interest of the motorist. Independent of government or industry, they have supported major improvements in road safety and environmental standards, but they also strongly advocate freedom of mobility, and a fair deal for the motorist. In a hundred years the FIA has been served by 10 Presidents, all have worked to strengthen the Federation’s role, to increase its membership, and to adapt to the rapid changes that have occurred in the world of the automobile on both road and track. In 1904 a private aristocratic club of clubs began an international association. Today that association has become a federation of over 160 clubs from over 120 countries representing over 100 million people. Much has changed in both the world of motor sport and motoring over the last 100 years. And yet the vision of the FIA’s founders remains just as relevant today. An organisation that is independent and strong, ready to serve as the government of the sport, and the defender of the motoring public.
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December 2004
Alternative Fuel Vehicles
By Brian Afuang
The Way to Go It may not exactly be reinventing the wheel, but the latest products carmakers are developing (or even presently selling) are the most radical advancement in automotive technology since— well, since the automobile was invented. All for the sake of the earth’s resources too In recent years, leading automakers like General Motors, Toyota, Ford, Honda and DaimlerChrysler are churning out specific models (or modifying existing ones) that run on alternative fuel sources, some of which have power plants that are significantly different from conventional petrolor diesel-burning internal combustion engines. The result are vehicles that are energy-efficient and utterly environment-friendly, with non-polluting emissions and boast of “green” manufacturing and disposal processes. Also, unlike the electric cars of only a decade back, the recent batch of alternative fuel vehicles are gaining a substantial degree of acceptance in the market place. Suddenly, green cars are no longer the oddball oddities they once were. Now which green technologies automakers are pushing? Here are some of the most popular alternatives. Ethanol/Methanol Vehicles These vehicles still employ good ole internal combustion engines which are slightly modified to run on ethanol or methanol instead. The advantage of ethanol is that it has a renewable source, made from corn or other grains, or even biomass waste. Methanol can likewise be derived from natural gas and biomass waste, and like ethanol, has a high-octane content that produces only about half the pollutive emission of a gasoline vehicle. However, both these alcohol fuels produce less energy than gasoline so a shorter driving range is one of its drawbacks. The good thing going for these fuels though is that the raw materials needed to produce them is virtually unlimited, the Houses of Congress alone could guarantee an unending supply of biomass waste. Natural Gas Vehicles These vehicles currently offer one of the most significant reduction in emissions when compared against gas engines. Used either in compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG) form, both are bulky and therefore requires bigger storage spaces. As a result, these are often combined with conventional gas engines to extend its driving range. A number of manufacturers have models that are intended for mass market use, notably Honda, which plans to sell an innovative CNG Civic in the near future. Chevrolet and Ford already have CNG vans and pickups in showrooms. Electric Vehicles (Battery-powered) Production model EVs have been around for quite a while now, and for a time have been considered as the wave of the
gible emission ratings, an already established fuel infrastructure in some countries that supports its usage, and impressively efficient fuel consumption. Also, unlike battery-powered EVs, hybrids operate much like a normal car, the vehicle’s batteries are recharged onboard so no external plug-in charging is required. As such, manufacturers like Honda and Toyota have already successfully sold hybrids in significant numbers to the mass market. The Honda Insight and Civic hybrid variants are quite popular, selling at about 20,000 units a year in the US. Meanwhile, Toyota’s Prius, which is a hybrid model from
Toyota Prius being assembled future. These vehicles offer numerous advantages, zero emissions, low maintenance and operating costs being the most important. But the prices of EVs were prohibitive, and coupled with a limited range and lengthy recharging requirements, made them unappealing to consumers. Today, manufacturers like DaimlerChrysler still sells EVs, but only low-speed neighborhoodonly use models. Hybrid Electric Vehicles These are presently the most popular alternative fuel vehicles around. Hybrids are powered by both an electric motor and an internal combustion (or compression ignition) gas or diesel engine, the usage of which power plant dictated by specific conditions. In low speeds, the electric motor is often used while the fuel engine goes to work in the higher speed range. In certain conditions and models, both power plants can also be employed. The advantages of hybrids are its negli-
its inception, could be considered as the most successful alternative fuel vehicle. Toyota even launched a second-generation Prius in 2004. Chevrolet also introduced a hybrid Silverado pickup this year, an indication that SUVs will be next in getting this technology. Already, word has it that Toyota will soon launch a Lexus RX 330 hybrid, while a Ford Escape hybrid has been making the news for some time now. With Honda announcing an Accord V-6 engine hybrid for next year, clearly, hybrid is also going the high-performance and fun driving route as well. How does it feel to drive a hybrid car in the real world? In 2001, I and a group of motoring journalists were in Japan and were able to sample Toyota’s latest hybrid models at the time. Driving through Tokyo rush hour traffic, the hybrid gas-electric power plant performed seamlessly that one wouldn’t notice there was anything different about the vehicle.
The only clue to its uniqueness, which initially feels disconcerting, is that the engine shuts itself off in low speeds and when the vehicle is stationary, with the electric motor taking over. But once more power is required, the engine switches itself on again. The transition from one power plant to another is quite unnoticeable. Fuel Cell Vehicles From all indications, these technology will power the cars of the future. Manufacturers believe FCVs may finally get the automobile out of environmental debates in the future, and consider them as the most feasible alternative fuel vehicles— and hydrogen, which fuels FCVs, as the best alternative power source. General Motors said FCV will eventually render other alternatives like gasoline-electric hybrids obsolete. The carmaker has even invested US$ 1 billion in developing its fuel cell technology and hopes to mass market FCV by 2010, a move considered as one of the most optimistic in the industry. FCVs do not pack an internal combustion engine beneath its sheetmetal. Instead, an FCV uses an electric motor to power its wheels. This electric motor runs on electricity generated by a fuel cell stack that uses hydrogen and oxygen as its energy source. There are different methods on how a fuel cell stack creates electricity, but generally speaking, it is the chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen that makes it possible to produce electrical power. Think of it as the reverse of electrolysis, where electrical current is used to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen. In the fuel cell stack, the chemical energy derived from hydrogen and oxygen that’s converted into electrical energy, and the only emission is water. Now how can anyone argue against a vehicle whose tailpipe emits nothing but water vapors? Presently, there is quite a number of FCVs from major automakers that are undergoing various types of testing. Honda turned over FCX cars to the Los Angeles city government in the US as early as 2002 for the city’s use. Besides the FCX, FCVs that are based on existing models like the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, Ford Focus, Dodge Caravan, Nissan Xterra, Hyundai Santa Fe, Toyota Highlander and the Opel Zafira are undergoing real-world development testings also. Like hybrids, operating an FCV in realworld mode is pretty much an ordinary experience. On another trip to Japan, we were able to sample the Honda FCX at the company’s proving grounds outside of Tokyo. The FCX’s motor provides ample power for acceleration, and can get by with only one forward gear as there’s plenty of torque on tap to haul the car around. Apart from that single “Drive” setting, there really is nothing markedly peculiar in an FCV. Which is a good thing. Because apparently in the not-so-distant future, it’s the gas- and diesel-powered cars that will be classified as the alternative fuel vehicles while the FCVs and its ilk will be the mainstream models.
9
December 2004
Enjoying while saving By Tito F. Hermoso
With oil prices behaving like they did in the early and late ’70s, you may be ruing the day you bought your teenage dream sports car or your big engine-powered muscle car/sports sedan/limo/family van/SUV or turbo tuner car. Or you may now well be in the throes of regret for having chosen the bigger engine variant or the bigger and more spacious member of your favorite brand/model family. Or even the fact that you preferred an automatic over a manual. Making matters worse, you are faced with the decision to sell your current car in exchange for a cheaper, thriftier model, but since everyone you know is trading down to something smaller, you are stuck with a car which is depreciating as rapidly as gas prices rise. Take heart and don’t despair. You can still squeeze a couple more kilometers per liter if you observe the usual driving tips — higher tire pressures, no full-bore acceleration, keeping a steady speed, shutting off the engine, setting the air con to ECO mode, planning your trips, minimizing idling, etcetera, etcetera — and to this long list you can add a couple of my own, which begins with adopting an energy efficiency attitude or psyche. Take note though, that what we mean by energy efficiency, doesn’t mean driving like an annoying turtlehog much less abandoning the fun of motoring. You can do this by challenging yourself to keep to a steady speed, coast as much as you can and avoid any situations that lead to hard braking. I have found that most European in-town speed limits of 30km/h and 50km/h and dual carriageway limits of 90km/h and 120km/h make sense as they peg everyone to the same velocity, minimizing differences in pace which avoids leading to others overtaking left-right-and-center, accelerating and braking all the time. Locals say that if you drive like that, you will end up with half the driving population overtaking you and cutting you off. To which I say, so what? Granted that anyone who follows the speed limit in this country becomes a legitimate target for getting cut-off, only means that all the more one should keep a wider berth between oneself and the next guy. This gives you plenty of space to coast and brake at the last possible opportunity while you let the impatient ones go ahead and burn more fuel needlessly. Keeping long gaps between vehicles on the open road reduces driv-
ing stress as one gets to see more of the road and scenery rather than the tail of the annoying vehicle ahead of you. Of course it makes sense that one should not mash the throttle to the floor boards. For confident acceleration, one will find more than adequate reserves of power for overtaking in most vehicles using a halfway dab of the gas pedal instead of mashing it to the floor. Then once the desired cruising speed is attained, literally sit back, relax and enjoy the view. Automatics need not be handicapped vis-a-vis manuals as today’s ECU controlled CVTs and automatic transmissions can shift at the most efficient [and economical] engine rpm, fully matched to the load demand at real time, all the time. In a manual, one may be fresh at the beginning of the drive but as constant traffic wears one down, erratic gas pedal-clutch release timing sets in the longer the time spent in stop-go driving. Lastly, having a bigger engine may not necessarily mean you have no chance to improve your fuel mileage. Bigger engines mean more power and having more power means your engine doesn’t have to work as hard as a smaller engine in moving your vehicle’s weight around. It’s called power to weight ratio. Which is why you will find some V8 gas engine’s fuel consumption only slightly higher than a large 2.5liter four cylinder or a six cylinder of 75% of the V8's engine displacement. Of course, when it comes to idling in traffic, nothing can beat the fuel economy of a very small engine. I leave you with some real world mileage averages that I’ve accumulated which will only baffle those who haven’t tried what I just wrote. (See boxed table)
The author is a columnist of BusinessWorld and editor-in-chief of C! Magazine
04 04 03 03 04 04 03 03 03 03
Honda City 1.5 vtec M/T Honda City 1.3 idsi M/T Ford Explorer Spor Trac V6 Ford Expedition V8 Honda Jazz 1.3idsi M/T Honda Jazz 1.3idsi CVT BMW 316i M/T BMW 318i valvetronic A/T Nissan Frontier M/T 4x2 Nissan Frontier A/T 4x4
City
Highway
11kms/l 11kms/l 5.5kms/l 5.0kms/l 11kms/l 11kms/l 8kms/l 8kms/l 8kms/l 8kms/l
13kms/l 13kms/l 8.8kms/l 8.0kms/l 13kms/l 13kms/l 11kms/l 11kms/l 10kms/l 10kms/l
Smart Driver
Mind Your Tires The Ford Explorer/Firestone tire debacle in the United States a few years ago has generated new regulations in the US for mandatory tire pressure monitoring systems starting this coming year. These regulations will go into effect as soon as the government figures out whether to enforce indirect monitoring (the ABS looks for differences in wheel rotation speeds, indicating inconsistent tire pressures) or direct monitoring (pressure transducers and radio transmitters are mounted inside each tire). Current sentiment seems to favor the latter. It’s the more complex way to go, but it’s more accurate with only a 2 percent tolerance. In the meantime, experts recommend checking your tire pressures— manually—once a month, say, on a Saturday morning. Use a good dial indicator-type gauge, and make sure that tread depth exceeds the minimum of 2/32 in. Replace worn tires in pairs (both fronts or both rears, or all four at once). Remember to check the tire pressures when the tires are cold, in the morning, and adjust them to the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations listed in the owner’s manual and on a sticker found—usually— on the driver’s door frame. (Sometimes this sticker is found in the glovebox, inside the fuel fill flap, on the right rear door frame or on the underside of the trunklid.) Err to the high side when adjusting pressures using a service station’s air pump—which tends to get worn from lack of maintenance. Tire pressures and tread conditions are even more critical for lowprofile, stiff-sidewall, high-performance tires such as those worn by this BMW 3 Series. Even more so than on a soft-riding minivan, the rubber on a car such as this firmly planted Bimmer is considered a component of the suspension system. High-perf tires greatly contribute to the car’s handling and grip, offer increased road feel and feedback, and allow higher cornering speeds and more aggressive turn entry, among other things. But improper tire maintenance can quickly relegate all of these fun-to-drive characteristics to the low-performance category. The one thing that keeps tires in tip-top condition is regular rotation. You should rotate your tires front to back every 3,000 kilometers up to the 10,000-km mark on your odometer. Thereafter, rotate every 6,000 kilometer up to 30,000 km. At this point, your vehicle is due for a new set of tires. Also, don’t forget to go to a wheel-balancing shop for your front tires whenever you rotate.
10
December 2004
Car of the Year Mirror, mirror on the wall, which car is fairest of them all? 1st test fest participants - 1.6-2.0-liter cars
What can bring journalists from 29 newspapers, 12 radio and TV stations and five Internet websites together? Well, for those interested in anything automotive, come up with a project that will choose the best car introduced in the country within the year and you’d surely get the best and the brightest motoring media guy on board. The Automobile Association Philippines, in cooperation with the Car Awards Groups (CAG), has come up with Car Of The Year Philippines (COTYP), an award-giving body that will pick the best among the cars available in the local market. The CAG has attracted motoringoriented journalists from, among others, the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Star, Manila Bulletin, Manila Standard, BusinessWorld, C! Magazine, Top Gear, Rev, Speed, Gadgets, T3, Reviewer, MANual Magazine, Men’s Zone, Stuff Magazine, Overdrive, ABS-CBN, Radio Mindanao Network, dzRH, dwIZ, Auto Extreme, Auto Review, Speed TV, autoindustriya.com, motorista.com.ph and motioncars.com., to be part of COTYP. Every weekend of the past two months, CAG members brought motor vehicles loaned by their manufacturers to Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club in Cavite for quantitative and qualitative testing. The tests made use of precision instruments to gauge under normal driving conditions the zero to 100 km/hr acceleration, 100 to zero deceleration, brakes, revving, fuel effi-
ciency and noise of automobiles powered by 1.6-, 1.8- or 2.0-liter engines. Veteran rally drivers Raul Asuncion, Barry Ortiz and Dennis Santos acted as marshals. The qualitative or subjective testings were done on Sundays by motoring journalists who are experienced test drivers. CAG members drove each of the test units along a set route inside Eagle Ridge and afterward rated the cars on a scale of 1 to 9 on points such as acceleration, braking, ergonomics, comfort, front-side-rear design, safety, and value for money. In addition, the COTYP members described in a blank box on the rating sheet the X Factor that they thought was the best characteristic of each car and were afterward asked to choose their Top Pick from among the vehicles tested. The rating sheet scores and Top Pick results are kept in the strictest confidence and promptly forwarded to the SGV accounting firm for tallying. Among the cars tested were the 2004 models of the Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8, Honda Civic 2.0, Mitsubishi Lancer 1.6, Nissan Sentra 180 GT, Mazda3 2.0, Ford Lynx 2.0 RS,
Chevrolet Optra 1.8 and Hyundai 2.0 coupe. The Best Sport Compact of the Year will emerge from these entries. Also up for grabs are Super-Mini of the Year Award (small cars in the 1.3- to 1.5-liter category), Best Asian Utility Vehicle, Best Executive Sedan, Best Luxury Sedan, Best Compact Sport Utility Vehicle, Best Full-Size SUV, Best Pickup and Best Van. At the same time, a Media Choice of the Year Award (a vehicle that did not win but has that X Factor) and Best of Brand Certificates of Recognition will also be given. The Car of the Year will be chosen from the winners in the eight major categories. AAP board member Mandy Eduque, a veteran motorsports enthuSUV Test Fest
siast, said the Car of the Year is a great way of informing and educating the public on the wide variety of vehicle models now available in the Philippines. “It’s a great way of informing them about the attributes of the different models so everybody can make their own decision when it’s time for them to buy a car,” he said. Eduque and fellow AAP board member Dave Arcenas visited one of the testing weekends to personally observe how the cars are evaluated. The CAG appreciates the cooperation extended by car manufacturers/ distributors and emphasizes that no donations or sponsorships whatsoever will be solicited from them for COTYP and the Awards Night. The AAP, being the country’s oldest auto club and the only one affiliated with Federation International de l’Automobile (FIA), will foot the bill for the testing equipment and test drive sessions. Those who are participating in COTYP so far are the Philippine assemblers and distributors of Honda, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Isuzu, Suzuki, Hyundai, Kia, BMW, Volvo, Peugeot, Ford, Chevrolet and Dodge, Formula Sports Inc. (dealer of Ferrari), Jaguar Philippines, and Land Rover Philippines. AAP board member Aida Sevilla Mendoza, in her column in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, said the participation of so many car manufacturers and the support of AAP validates the credibility of COTYP. “The COTYP will be an annual project that will not only give due recognition to the auto industry’s improvements in technology and quality, but will also benefit consumers and the motoring public,” she said.
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December 2004
How to test drive a car It’s the most important element in your car-buying decision. Don’t leave the dealership without it
You’ve kicked the tires, wiggled around in their driver’s seats and nailed down prices. But you still can’t decide between three new-car models. It’s a dead heat. The styling on all three gets your juices flowing, all come in the colors you want and with the features you simply must have. And they all fit your budget. So what’s your next move? It’s the most important step to take before you sign on the dotted line — the test drive. We’re assuming, of course, that you used some common sense in making your final model selections and that the vehicles you’re serious about meet your practical needs. You also should have given the cars a close look in the showroom. You’ve checked fit and finish and other details on the highly polished vehicle sitting on the carpet. This may be hard to believe, but some buyers make their purchase decision right in the showroom without ever sitting in the car or starting the engine, let alone putting it through its paces. Don’t be one of them. A test drive can be a meaningless and superficial joyride, or a substantive evaluation upon which to base the likelihood of carmonial bliss over the next four or five years. It all depends on your preparation prior to turning on the ignition. Realize that if your present car is a worn-out clunker, any new car would feel like a million bucks. Don’t get carried away and act impulsively — a big mistake when buying a car. Test drives would be great if you
could keep the car for a couple of days and run it under a variety of conditions. In reality, don’t expect to squeeze in more than a half-hour behind the wheel, so be sure to make every minute count. If your spouse, for example, will also be driving the car, be sure to bring him or her along for input, as well as anyone else who will be a regular driver or passenger. Some car salespeople consider the test ride a chance to babble on and on with their sales pitch. Politely suggest that the salesperson shut up so you can concentrate on the car. He or she will have plenty of opportunity to turn it on again after the ride is over. It’s important that you drive a car that’s equipped the way you want it. There’s no point in testing a base stripper if you can afford to be pampered in decadent luxury or to enjoy an uplevel performance package. One exception here is that you might want to compare performance of the available engines. If you have your heart set on a muscular V6, for example, but
find the car only marginally faster than the same model packing an economical Four, you might be inclined to rethink your original choice. Before starting out, spend some time evaluating the relationship of your body to the car. How’s the headroom, positioning of the armrest, accessibility of the door handles, visibility of the instruments and positioning of the steering wheel and pedals? Check out the operation of all the car’s features — everything from the power windows to the air con to the sound system. Do you find all the controls convenient and comfortable, or are some awkward and confusing? You might find a simple radio with basic volume and tuning controls a better choice than one with 1000 buttons on the dash and another 100 on the steering-wheel hub. Likewise, a steering column sporting 15 stalks for all kinds of different functions may hang you up rather than help you out. How good is your visibility to the front and rear and to each side? Are
the seats comfortable and supportive, or do your thighs and shoulders feel like you’re inside a coffin? Interior styling may not seem as important as the outside sheetmetal, but you see the exterior only when you get in and out of the car, whereas the dash is constantly in your field of vision while you’re driving the car. Some attempts at different or unique styling may turn you off. The test route itself should offer a variety of driving conditions-smooth and rough roads, curves and a safe area where you can try some hard stops and an evasive maneuver or two. What you’re looking for is a solid feel. A car needn’t have a buckboard-stiff suspension to feel like it’s hewn from a single block of steel. Plenty of new vehicles in showrooms offer a compliant ride without feeling as if the chassis components were joined together with chewing gum. No one we know likes driving a slug, and it’s just about impossible for To page 12
12 a car to have sufficient redeeming qualities to make up for inadequate endowment under the hood, or a drivetrain that responds with rough edges. On the other hand, not everyone wants, needs or can afford a megapowerhouse with acceleration potential capable of sending you to the trauma ward. But you do want something to happen when you hit the gas pedal. Whether it need be simply a peppy takeoff or a g-force experience of cataclysmic proportion is up to you. Passing power at highway speeds should also be solid and responsive, not sluggish. You should feel safe and confident that the vehicle has enough power for passing on the highway without giving you cardiac arrest. Test-Drive Checklist Print out the checklist in the other page and use it to rate each car right after you complete your test drive. Also, don’t forget to jot down any notes that will clarify an item or provide additional information to help you make an informed choice. Then, compare the ratings on this checklist and your notes to see which car comes out tops on your list. Print out this checklist and use it to rate each car right after you complete your test drive. Also, don’t forget to jot down any notes that will clarify an item or provide additional information to help you make an informed choice. Then, compare the ratings on this checklist and your notes to see which car comes out tops on your list. Some car manufacturers are slick. They set the throttle so only about onequarter accelerator-pedal travel opens the throttle about halfway. You just touch the gas and the car feels like a rocket ship. Trouble is, there’s not much left in reserve. An automatic transmission should shift smoothly and quickly at both light-
December 2004 and heavy-throttle applications. A tendency for the trans to hunt for gears or shift in and out of overdrive while moving at a fairly constant speed can drive you out of your mind. In a manual-shift car, note clutch and shifting action. Does the clutch grab like a hair trigger or, at the other extreme, engage in a lazy, vague manner, like it’s doing you a favor? Shifting action should be light and positive. A notchy or balky gearbox is not a thing of joy. And excessively long throws between gears may be the hot setup in a dumptruck, but not in a passenger car. Handling should be responsive and confidence-inspiring. Quick right-left transitions and simulated emergency evasive maneuvers should not cause the car to lose its composure, become unstable or do anything weird. Look for a flat attitude under hard cornering unless a certain amount of body roll doesn’t bother you. Some cars offer an excellent balance of ride comfort and handling. Others may ride too stiff. On the flip side is a ride that’s too soft, which makes for a wallowy attitude and a car that undulates down the road on a flaccid suspension. If a car flunks the ride and handling part of your test, but you really like its other attributes, an optional suspension package may be more your taste. But it will take another test drive to find that out for sure. Feeling Good Steering, while considered part of overall vehicle handling, is a factor to consider on its own. The way a car steers will have a major impact on your driving happiness. Road feel can run the gamut from razor precision to a feeling that the steering wheel is not even directly linked to the front wheels. How quickly and surely does the car react to steering inputs, and does the
wheel telegraph back annoying jolts from bumps and potholes? Does the car track accurately, and are you pleased with its on-center feel? You may like a quick go-kartlike steering response, or your personal driving style may be more comfortable with a slower, yet still accurate, feel. Any test ride should include one or two panic stops. Even cars equipped with antilock brakes vary in their ultimate stopping power, or their ability to grab, depending on how the system is engineered and set up at the factory and the grip of the tires. Does the car dive excessively under hard braking, and are you satisfied with the feel of the brakes during normal driving? Don’t expect an P600,000 econobox to ride like a P2 million luxury car. So while you’re wiggling around in the seat trying to make up your mind about how comfortable it is, be aware of how much and what kind of noise you hear while under way. Road noise, generated primarily by the tires, can be an annoying whine or a drumlike thump when going over highway expansion joints or metal dividers. The noise may be amplified or quieted in the passenger compartment
depending on the quality of factory sound deadening. The interiors of more expensive cars are generally quieter than those of less expensive models. You will probably also hear engine and drivetrain sounds and wind noise, but hopefully little else. An engine that screams for mercy, making you feel like a car abuser every time you step on the gas, is not conducive to relaxed driving. Wind whistles indicate a problem, but one that may be easily corrected. Squeaks and rattles are a no-no. Ask questions about anything you don’t understand and anything that does not seem to be right. If you find a problem with the car, ask to drive another one equipped the same way. This will give you an idea whether the glitch on the first car was a fluke (and fodder for the warranty service writer), or if there’s a defect in the car’s chromosomes and the problem is cloned throughout the model line. After test driving each vehicle, make notes for yourself about what you like and don’t like about the car while the impressions are still fresh in your mind. Then you can compare the good and bad points of each candidate and come up with the best choice for your needs.
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December 2004
Cars we’d like to drive in ‘05
Ford Mustang
(In other countries, that is) CHRYSLER 300 This is a large sedan in the classic American tradition. That means three adults in the back and all their stuff in the trunk. It also means rear-wheel drive and, as the 300C, a big V8. Nontraditional is the optional all-wheel drive. The V8 offered is the Hemi with a cylinder deactivation system to improve fuel economy during light load conditions. And the SRT8 arrives this spring with a larger, 425-hp Hemi en-
Chrystler 300
gine, and bigger tires and brakes. CADILLAC STS The big Caddy is back with rear-wheel drive and an available V8 engine. The STS is built on the same platform as the SRX sport utility, so awd is optional. And it shares its independent suspension with the sporty CTS, so the car handles more like a European sport sedan than a big Caddy of old. Available features include a 15-speaker sound system, remote start system, adaptive cruise control and heated/ventilated seats. Naturally, since this is Cadillac’s premier sedan, the interior is swathed in leather and wood trim. FORD MUSTANG Looking more like the original than many before it, the ’05 Mustang is new from the wheels up with a refined chassis, MacPherson strut front suspension, and more wheelbase than before for more interior room. Speaking of the interior, the car sports a colorconfigurable instrument cluster that allows the driver to choose from 125 different background colors. The car’s still available as the base V6 and V8 coupes. The convertible will be here later. CHEVROLET CORVETTE Perhaps the most noticeable feature of the allnew, sixth-generation Corvette is its fixed headlights—the first since 1962. Every body panel has been changed for ’05, as has the car’s size. It’s 5 in.
shorter nose to tail and 1 in. narrower than before. A coupe and convertible are offered and feature a redesigned cockpit. Both also boast a layered floor pan and aluminum bracing. The suspension has been revised. ACURA RL Acura has raised the ante in the Japanese luxurybrand market with its all-new RL. Shorter but wider than before, the car offers more passenger room. It also boasts an awd system that proportions torque front and rear as well as side to side. Innovations include a GPS-linked automatic climate control that knows whether you’re traveling into the sun or away from it. BUICK LACROSSE Buick’s Century and Regal have long represented half of Buick sales. But those stalwarts are gone, replaced by the front-drive LaCrosse. LaCrosse is available as the CX and CL, each with GM’s familiar 3.8-liter V6, and as the CXS, with a DOHC 3.6-liter V6 with variable valve timing. The suspension has been tuned to be about 20 percent stiffer than the predecessors, and the 4-wheel disc brake system is new. Available as either a 5- or 6-passenger car, the LaCrosse is larger inside than the old models partially due to a 1.5-in. increase in the wheelbase. BUICK TERRAZA Buick now has its own version of GM’s frontdrive minivan, the Terraza. Sharing its essential underpinnings with the Chevy Venture and Pontiac Montana, the 7-passenger Terraza is available as a front-driver or with GM’s Versatrak all-wheel-drive system. CHRYSLER CROSSFIRE SRT-6 SRT is Chrysler’s performance arm. Several Dodge models have gotten the SRT treatment, but the ’05 Crossfire is the first Chrysler SRT. The Crossfire shares much of its mechanical makeup with the Mercedes-Benz SLK
Buick Terraza
roadster. So the SRT-6 gets parts from AMG, Mercedes-Benz’s specialty group. The engine is a hand-built, supercharged V6 with 310 ft.-lb. of torque. The brakes, tires and suspension have all been upgraded to handle the muscle. DODGE DAKOTA All new for 2005, the Dakota has bigger engines, new transmissions and more refined cabins. And, 4wd is still available. Ride and handling improve with a new coil-over-shock front suspension. The cabin has thicker window glass and more sound insulation than before. Only full 4-door Quad Cab and extended Club Cab models are being offered. DODGE MAGNUM For now, Dodge is offering its full-size Magnum as a station wagon only. Like the Chrysler 300 sedan, the Magnum can be equipped with one of three engines and awd. However, with its rear seats folded, the Magnum can carry 71.6 cu. ft. of cargo. With people sitting back there, the Magnum still has room for 27.2 cu. ft. of whatever. FORD FIVE HUNDRED Available as a front- or all-wheel-drive, the Five Hundred slots above the Taurus in the lineup, next to the Crown Victoria. The roofline is about 5 in. higher than Taurus and front passengers sit 3.5 in. higher for an SUV-like feeling. There’s more room inside and in the trunk than in a Crown Vic. FORD ESCAPE HYBRID Aside from the small “Hybrid” badge and unique 16-in. wheels, the ’05 Escape Hybrid looks just like a conventional Escape. But it’s propelled by a 4-cylinder engine teamed to a CVT and an electric motor. The latter is powered by a 330-volt battery pack of nickel-metal-hydride Dcells. The Escape can travel up to 25 mph on just electric. FORD SUPER DUTY The changes to Ford’s line of Super Duty F-Series pickups are hard to To page 14
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December 2004
Pontiac-G6
see. The frame steel has been thickened, the rear suspension refined and 4wd models get a new front suspension. FORD FREESTYLE Under the skin, Freestyle is a near duplicate of the Five Hundred. However, as a crossover, Freestyle offers 3-row seating, sits almost 5 in. higher and weighs 300 pounds more. While the Freestyle does not share the Five Hundred’s 6-speed automatic, it does make do with the same 203-hp V6 engine and CVT. Freestyle has a fully independent suspension and disc brakes. HONDA ODYSSEY The all-new Honda Odyssey has no awd option. Instead, it has the strongest engine in its segment—a V6 that switches to 3-cylinder operation to save fuel during light-load operation. It also has a Lazy Susan under the floor and the disappearing third-row seat has more legroom than the predecessor model. HUMMER H2 SUT The H2 SUT has a lot in common with the Chevrolet Avalanche, with its hinged Midgate and reconfigurable bed. Beneath the skin, the H2 SUT has the same hardware as the original H2. Among
Toyota Tacoma
other things, that Hummer H2 SUT means a 2-speed transfer case with a Low range. There’s nearly 10 in. of ground clearance, a locking rear differential, traction control and an air suspension. Inside there are leather seats and an optional navigation system. KIA SPECTRA 5 In presenting the Spectra 5, Kia joins the crowd of carmakers offering small wagons and 5-door hatchbacks. It’s based on the Spectra sedan’s platform, and shares that car’s key components. Though they sit on identical wheelbases, the Spectra 5 is about 6 in. shorter than the sedan. The Spectra 5 has a sporttuned front suspension and a strut-tower brace for increased responsiveness. It also has a black mesh grille, blackout headlights, front spoiler with integral foglights, and a rear spoiler. Like all Spectras, this car has six airbags. LAND ROVER LR3 The LR3 is lower and larger than the Discovery it replaces. It has a 4-wheel independent air suspension, which improves comfort and handling on-road without detracting from off-road prowess. A 5position Terrain Response System links the 4wd, traction control, Hill Descent Control, suspension, transmission, ABS and engine management systems together to make extreme off-road driving as simple as turning a knob. MERCURY MONTEGO The new Mercury is identical to Ford’s Five Hundred in every meaningful way. Differences include unique LED taillights outside and leather and woodgrain trim with satin-finish metal inside.
Two models—the base, Luxury, and uplevel, Premier—are offered. PONTIAC G6 Pontiac’s G6, which replaces the Grand Am, is a whole new car. The G6 boasts a new, clean look and a chassis based on the same platform as the Chevy Malibu and Saab 9-3. In keeping with Pontiac’s image, the car has a suspension that’s tuned firm. Though there’s only a sedan available now, there will soon be a coupe and a convertible. SCION tC The latest entry to Toyota’s youth-oriented Scion line is the tC Coupe. While it shares its drivetrain and platform with other Toyotas, there is little family resemblance. The tC is marketed like the other Scions, with a low base price and few factory options. However, the palette of available equipment at Scion dealers is quite extensive and includes an MP3 sound system, suspension upgrade pieces and a supercharger kit. SUBARU LEGACY AND OUTBACK Subaru has totally updated both the Outback and the Legacy models. The new cars are larger than their predecessors. Outback and Legacy are essentially the same vehicle—they share the same overall size, drivetrain and interior space. The Outback has more ground clearance and options. While Legacy is available as both sedan and wagon, Outback comes only as a wagon. TOYOTA TACOMA The ’05 Tacoma is larger, more powerful, more fuel frugal and more refined than before. You can specify regular cab, extended Access Cab or 4-door Double Cab models in 2- and 4wd. Regular and Access Cab offer a choice of beds. New is the XRunner with special on-road performance bits.
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December 2004
(Left) Media Cup Winner Team Motorsports Review / People’s Journal. (Right) The Philippine Star Motoring Columnist Ray Butch Gamboa and his STV/Motoring Today/Auto Focus team and their Chevrolet Optra.
After all the participants had their fill of the track and of the food, they buckled up for the Second Leg, where they drove through the back roads of Batangas and outlaying provinces. Many were pleasantly surprised with the challenging course laid out by the Rally’s Grand Marshall and AAP’s motor sports chief, Jun Espino and most gave praises for the commitments of the 42 rainsoaked marshals Jun has invited to man the checkpoints. This year’s Dodo Ayuyao Sampaguita Rally finished at the circular driveway in front of the Hotel Ponte Fino in Batangas City and covered a total of 272 kilometers, which is almost twice than the 150 kilometers covered by last year’s rally. Despite the lengthy rally distance, and their aching bodies, the participants drove another 10 kilometers to the Batangas Country Club, where the AAP marketing team composed of Sandy Estrada, Vanessa Hutalla, Christine Jean Jacquet, Joesyl Reyes and myself, with a lot of help from my wife, Shawie (who used her charm to get gift certificates from our sponsors) prepared an awards ceremony that was fun, exciting and memorable. The amiable owner of the Batangas Country Club, Mr. Eping T. Ao made sure that the venue and the food were up to par and even threw in some free accommodations
for the winners. He said that he’s doing these because he believes in the cause espoused by AAP and Atty. Ayuyao.
The Ayuyao children also gave gift certificates from Lolo Dad’s, their family restaurant in Malate, while generous sponsors Hotel Ponte Fino, Hard
Rock Café, Waterfront Hotels, The Coffee Beanery Quezon Avenue and Avant Garde Magazine threw in more prizes. Wine connoisseur and Avant Garde Magazine editor-in-chief Alvin Uy, who participated in the rally driving a 2004 Mercedes Benz E240 entered by CATS Motors, also gave some bottles of expensive wine to the winners. All in all, the 2004 Dodo Ayuyao Sampaguita Rally was a fun event made more challenging by the rains. In spite of the gloomy weather, everybody had their spirits up all day and many are looking forward to participating in next year’s rally.
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December 2004
Motorsports Rallying in the Rain
th
The 4 Dodo Ayuyao Sampaguita Rally By Lester Dizon It’s hard enough to drive at a steady clip during a downpour. It gets even more difficult when you are trying to arrive “on time, all the time” at designated checkpoints set up along the route, that are barely visible due to the pouring rain. But to the twenty-two teams that participated in the 2004 Dodo Ayuyao Sampaguita Rally organized by the Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP) last November 20, the rains just added excitement to the challenging road rally. AAP partnered with Petron, The Coffee Beanery Quezon Avenue and Batangas Country Club to stage the road rally on that rainy Saturday in honor of the memory of Atty. Conrado Ayuyao, considered the Dean of Philippine motor sports who actively promoted the Sampaguita Rally format during its heydays in the ‘60s and ‘70s.
Overall winners Martin Galan, Bambi Guevarra and Raffy Guevarra flanked by AAP marketing manager and emcee Lester Dizon, executive director Bong Saculles and Dondi Ayuyao.
emonies but when the last participant left before 8 a.m., it poured down with increased intensity. The teams sliced through the rain-drenched route as the rally crisscrossed the areas of the Calabarzon – Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and Quezon to complete the First Leg,
including a “Memphis” or a special stage at the Batangas Racing Circuit (BRC) where they also had their sumptuous lunch. The BRC Memphis determined who would get the award for the Best Driver in the Rally.
Thunder from Down Under
The rally, which started at the parking lot of The Coffee Beanery in Quezon Avenue, was flagged off by none other than the widow of the late AAP president, Mrs. Maria “Butchie” Ayuyao, while their children, led by Dennis and Dondi Ayuyao, helped the organizers by distributing bottled water and gift items to the participants. The Coffee Beanery Quezon Avenue principals, Raul Asuncion, Denise Santos, Bari Ortiz and Joey Lanuza
(who are accomplished rally drivers and navigators themselves but couldn’t participate in the Dodo because of their teaching commitment at the C! Rally Experience course that day) and their helpful staff helped ensure that the participating teams did not leave the starting line with empty stomachs. Petron likewise ensured that the cars didn’t leave with empty fuel tanks. The weather participated nicely during the flag-off and starting cer-
Mrs. Maria “Butchie” Ayuyao, widow of the late Atty. Conrado “Dodo” Ayuyao, flags off the BMW 316 of Team Addict Mobile.
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Results Overall Class 1st Martin Galan/Raffy Guevara/Bambi Guevara (Ford Lynx RS) 2nd Eric Valera/Michael Aurelio/Bhonny Cunamay/Jic Valera (BMW 316) 3rd Antonio Mapa/Franciso Mapa (Toyota Altis) Novice 1st Miguel Tan/Anthony Villanueva/Marco Abellera/Jeffrey Dahlen 2nd Rodolfo Roberto/Patrick Perez/Jojo Robles 3rd Levi Castil/Alejandro Aguirre/Rod Santillan Media Cup 1st Carlos Florenda/Paolo Florenda/Sandro Fabilla - Team Motorsports Review / Peoples Journal (Mazda 3) 2nd Ulysses Ang / Jason Ang / Alvin Uy - Team CATS-Avant GardeMotionCars.com (Mercedes Benz E240) 3rd Butch Gamboa/Jenny Bleza/Arrin Villareal - Team STV-Motoring Today-Auto Focus (Chevrolet Optra) Manufacturers Team Prize 1st Toyota Team A 2nd Toyota Team B 3rd Team Isuzu Driver’s Award - Rodel Eduardo Navigators Award - Michael Aurelio and Bhonny Cunamay