All of Volvo Car Corporation's three cars the 11th Michelin Challenge Bibendum in Berlin achieved top results in the international sustainability event.
• The Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid got the Challenge Bibendum 2011 Design Contest award in the category for vehicles with internal combustion engines.
• The Volvo C30 Electric came in shared first place in the 130-kilometer rally plus awards for handling, well to wheel CO2 emissions and local emissions. All in all, 13 cars took part in the rally.
• The Volvo V50 DRIVe came in third in the 300-kilometer rally with awards for fuel efficiency. The V60 Plug-in Hybrid came fifth among the 16 cars in the long rally and was awarded for its acceleration. The car can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 6.9 seconds.
"We are very happy with the results. They reflect Volvo Car Corporation's uncompromising attitude to green motoring. Performing well both in the energy efficiency rallies and in acceleration and handling tests prove that we have the ability to combine environmental technology with a full luxury car experience," says Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President Research and Development at Volvo Car Corporation.
Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid - three cars in one
The Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid, which made its official road test debut at Michelin Challenge Bibendum, integrates the very best properties from three different car types. The driver chooses the preferred driving mode via three buttons on the instrument panel: Pure, Hybrid and Power.
The car's front wheels are driven by a five- cylinder 2.4-litre turbodiesel producing 215 hp/440 Nm. The rear axle has a 70 hp electric motor, which receives power from a 12 kWh lithium-ion battery.
Volvo C30 Electric - 150 km with almost zero emissions
The Volvo C30 Electric is as well-equipped, comfortable, sporty and safe as the standard C30 - while at the same time offering the driver a range of up to 150 kilometres per charge with almost zero carbon dioxide emissions. The car has a 111 hp electric motor delivering 220 Nm of torque.
Volvo V50 DRIVe - 99 g/100 km
The Volvo V50 DRIVe is equipped with a 1.6-litre common rail turbo diesel featuring start/stop and several other refinements that bring CO2 emissions down to 99 g/km. The engine produces 115 hp/270 Nm and fuel consumption (EU Combined) is 3.8 litres per 100 km.
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Volvo Car Corporation's emergency brake assist systems can save lives. Proof of this came in a comparison test that ADAC has conducted. ADAC, the largest automobile club in Europe, has for the first time tested emergency brake assist systems from six major car-makers in different collision situations and has noted clear differences in how they respond. The Volvo V60 system was the only one to achieve a "very good" rating and was the clear winner in the comparison.
Volvo Car Corporation offers various emergency brake systems for its models. The Volvo City Safety System is fitted as standard to six Volvo models, while the "Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake and Pedestrian Detection system is available as an option. Both systems were classified as very good in the ADAC test in which a Volvo V60 was entered.
Various traffic scenarios were tested: collision with a vehicle travelling at low speed, collision with a braking vehicle, collision with a vehicle that has come to a stop and collision with a stationary vehicle. In all these scenarios the Volvo system produced convincing results with its reliable operation, and made the Volvo V60 automatically avoid the collision or decelerated it so that the impact velocity was massively reduced.
"The Volvo V60 wins the comparative test and is the only one to obtain a very good rating.
The autonomous braking just before a collision greatly reduces impact energy, so that the severity of the accident is mitigated. The City Safety System can even completely prevent collisions at low city speeds. In addition, the Swedish system achieves convincing results with its good collision warning and effectively acting automatic brake support," says Dino Silvestro, vehicle test project manager at ADAC's Landsberg Technology Centre, which conducted the test.
The tested cars were: Volvo V60, Audi A7, Mercedes-Benz CLS, BMW 530, VW Passat and Infiniti M37.
The explanation of the reasons for the test result goes on to say that: "The emergency brake system of the Volvo V60 substantially reduces speed and therefore the impact energy against a stationary vehicle if the driver fails to respond in time - the accident turns out to be far more minor. Someone driving in city traffic can therefore largely avoid a collision. The Swedish vehicle's warning system also performs convincingly. Drivers are made aware of the danger in a way they cannot fail to notice through a warning tone and LEDs projected into the windscreen."
ADAC had already tested various automatic speed and distance control systems in early 2010. That time a Volvo XC60 was under test. Volvo emerged as the clear victor in that test too. ADAC's testers praised the emphasis on accident avoidance in the Volvo system.
"ADAC has systematically gone through collision situations that are the most important in real traffic, for both warning functions and emergency braking. ADAC has also tested difficult situations where the systems are not supposed to give warning and then weighed that in with the total results. The tests selected by ADAC are similar to those we ourselves identified as the most important during system development. So the strengths of our V60 comes through very well in the result," says Jonas Ekmark, Active Safety, Volvo Car Corporation.
Volvo Car Corporation's emergency brake assist systems
The Volvo City Safety System helps in completely avoiding collisions at low speed or at least substantially mitigating the consequences. City Safety works with an laser sensor in the upper portion of the windscreen, responds to vehicles at a distance of up to six metres and is active at speeds of between 4 and 30 km/h. If the system establishes that there is a danger of collision when the car in front performs a sudden braking manoeuvre or because of a stationary vehicle, the car's own brake system swings into action. If the driver fails to respond to the danger situation, emergency braking is automatically initiated with a deceleration between 50 and 100 percent of the available brake friction force.
Volvo City Safety is fitted as standard to the Volvo S60, Volvo V60, Volvo XC60, Volvo XC70, Volvo V70 and Volvo S80 models.
The Adapative Cruise Control system automatically adapts speed and the distance from the vehicle ahead, defined by the driver himself. The system receives the necessary data from a radar sensor installed between the radiator grille (76 GHz unit, dual mode) and a computer vision camera, which is fitted between the interior mirror and windscreen.
"Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake and Pedestrian Detection" is active from a speed of 4 km/h to maximum speed (including when cruise control is deactivated) and warns the driver if there is collision risk with another vehicle or a pedestrian. The distances detected are 120 metres for vehicles travelling in the same direction and 65 metres for stationary vehicles. If the driver fails to respond and a collision is imminent, full braking is automatically activated in order to avoid the collision or to reduce the consequences of the collision as far as possible. Full braking takes place into the ABS control range with a deceleration of up to 100 % of the available brake friction force.
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A motoring milestone event unfolds on May 26-29 at the SMX Convention Center with three big shows happening simultaneously – the 20th Trans Sport Show, the 1st Philippine Nostalgic Motor Show and the 4th Manila Sports Car Club Concours d’ Elegance presented by Phoenix Fuels and leading motor show organizer, Tradeshow International, Inc.
2011 marks the 20th edition of the longest-running car show in the country -20th TRANS SPORT SHOW and is a cause for great celebration as it gathers 13 of its past Best of Show winners still gleaming and all ready for show to the delight of car enthusiasts young and old. These are the 1976 Lancia Stratos (first winner),1930 Ford Model A, 1947 MGTC, 1948 Buick Roadmaster, 1963 Jaguar XKE, 1957 Mercedes Benx 300SL Gullwing, 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air, 1965 Ford Mustang, 1967 Toyota Corona, 1970 Lamborghini Miura, 1970 Mercedes Benz 300SEL, 2002 Scion XB and two Reserve Best of Show winners: 1996 Honda Civic and a 1972 BMW 3.0 CS. The much awaited 20th Phoenix Trans Sport Show Cup will be the hottest car competition this year as two milestone awards will be given— Best of Show Contemporary and Best of Show Nostalgic from over 80 competing vehicles. This year’s panel of judges is headed by visiting Judge from Japan , Minoru Goko together with our local team eg. Eddie Salonga, Martin Galan, Martin delos Reyes, John Escobar, Pepon Marave and George Apacible.
A special vintage race cars display will be the highlight of the very 1st Philippine Nostalgic Motor Show with a showcase of motorsports classics such as : 1972 Ford Mexico, 1973 Ford Escort, 1979 Ford Escort RS, 1970s Porsche RSRs, 1969 Morris Cooper S, 1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint, 1965 MGB, 1974 Alfa Romeo GTV, 1976 Opel Kadett , 1984 Mitsubishi Lancer Turbo EX. These are racing and rally eye candies for the race car enthusiasts.
Last but definitely not the least is the 4th Manila Sports Car Club Concours d’ Elegance –the most prestigious car competition in the country today limited to 30 of the best restored and preserved cars in the Philippines 1976 and older competing based on year of manufacture: Veteran (up to 1949), Classic (1950-1959), Historic (1960-1969) and Modern (1970- 1976). The oldest entry is a 1916 Studebaker SF- Four. The international panel of judges is headed by Osamu Hasegawa (Japan) together with Minoru Goku (Japan), Kenji Yamazaki (Japan) and Peter Chan (Singapore). The Concours will be closed early at 4PM on May 28 Saturday to give way to an exclusive “Bowtie Dinner & Awards Ceremonies” .
Special activities of the Grand 3-Ring Motoring Event include the Car Crazy Central (with Barry Meguiar) of Speed Channel “On location shooting” of its first two episodes in Asia at the show courtesy of Meguiar’s Philippines, Inc. A “Meet and Greet Barry Meguiar” session is scheduled on opening day May 26 form 2pm – 5pm. There is also the Trip Ko Phoenix Fuels-Transport Show Auto Rally by M P Turbo and Timberland Rally Raid . This is like the Sampaguita or "On Time, All the Time" rally which will be open to all road going vehicles. The Phoenix Auto Rally will run through 4 provinces-Cavite, Batangas, Quezon and Laguna with bracket timed runs in race tracks and closed public roads as part of the event. Ceremonial flag-off will take place on May 28 Saturday at 7pm in front of SMX with the 36 Mr. and Ms. Eco Tourism/Mossimo Bikini Summit contestants. The final Checkpoint will be at Padi's Point (rally sponsor) where early dinner will be served. the Awarding will be held inside the the exhibit hall.
The Die Cast Car Collectors of the Philippines (DCCPH) will do a “Heritage Cars in Miniature” in the Lobby area of the Convention Center – a welcome treat for the young and budding car enthusiasts and hobbyists. The Search for the 2011 Miss Trans Sport Show is open to all the pretty booth attendants in the show and will surely be a must –shoot activity for the photographers. There will be daily raffles, exhibitor related activities, video shows , Trans Sport Show memorabilia and many more.
The Grand 3-Ring Motoring event is sponsored in part by The House of Precast, Solar Auto Club and 3M Philippines. Service Providers include Meguiar’s (Exclusive Detailer), Dream Limo (Official VIP Ride), Auto Transporter (Official Car Carrier), Motorola (Official Communications) and DC Audio Rhythmix (Official Lights Provider) . Other sponsors are C!, Calibre, Top Gear and Power Wheels,99.5RT , Crossover 105.1,Dream FM 106.7, DZRH 666, Magic 89.9, UR 105.9, DWIZ, 97 Home Radio, RJ 100, DZRJ 810, Inside Motoring, Turbo Time, Business Mirror, Businessworld, Chinese Commercial News, Daily Tribune, Manila Bulletin, Manila Standard Today, Manila Times, Malaya Business Insight, Philippine Star, Padi’s Point, Lazer Maxx, Gotcha, Auto Review, Sunshine TV, Motoring Today, Auto Focus, Stoplight TV, Pinoy Extreme, The Kapamilya Channel, Jack TV , Auto Extreme, Autoindustriya.com, Kotse.com and Bigbigcar.com. For more details, call Tradeshow International, Inc. at 6713122, 6718381-82.
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The Honda CR-V is a good cross-over between a sedan and a big SUV for its compactness and carlike easy handling but with more powerful engine, cargo room and flexibility in space.
A versatile, functional SUV that can easily transform into anything, the Honda CR-V is as good as a family vehicle which can take you on out-of-town road trips or city-driving, a compact SUV for bachelors and bachelorettes who like to drive in style, and a convenient and efficient SUV for old couples. The Honda CR-V once again promises to be a hit for its refinement of features and aesthetics. It has its manageable drivability, powerful engine, roomy cabin space with colors such as Urban Titanium Metallic and Polished Metal for a classy and sophisticated finish.
In choosing a vehicle, you always consider various factors; its driving capability, functionality, design, size and practicality. You also think whether a sedan or an SUV perfectly suits your lifestyle more. But with Honda CR-V, you don’t have to think twice as it gives you the best and most practical choice in all these factors, having a sedan-like design for easy driving and handling, a four-cylinder engine for power driving , excellent passenger room and cargo capacity as of an SUV and a sleeker exterior for a mod driving.
Powerful SUV in a sedan-based platform
Featuring bold styling, the Honda CR-V is tough when it comes to performance and functionality. Its sedan-like performance is a bonus which makes you drive with agile moves, easy maneuverability and refined ride, suitable for all types of drivers, especially for ladies. Its ride is comfortable, quiet and nimble, which is good for driving in both highly-congested roads or long-distance trips. Honda CR-V’s wide tread gives a good stability.
As compared to a full-sized SUV which gives you a harder time in getting on the car, the CR-V’s height is just right that it doesn’t need to have a step board. Honda has also improved its suspension settings for quicker steering response; the center of gravity is lowered and the body rigidity is lightweight and well-balanced for a safer and more comfortable driving. It also boasts of its sporty-shifting 5-speed automatic transmission for smooth shifts and a Realtime 4WD for the 2.4L variant, which gives better grip during adverse road conditions.
The Honda CR-V is the most compact SUV you can get, yet it gives you much flexibility in space when it comes to passenger room and cargo capacity. At the recent Auto Rally Corporate Challenge (ARCC), environmentalists Grace Favila, Nieves Confesor and Bettina Manalang of the Philippine Businesses for the Environment (PBE) had a good test run of CR-V on their road trip. The three have been friends for a long time and know each other’s quirks as they enjoyed their road trip using CR-V. They were able to sample how convenient it is to ride a compact SUV like CR-V in congested roads in the metro and even bring it out of town for weekend trips. Bettina, who has always been a Honda user, didn’t get surprised of the CR-V’s smooth performance. “I was not at all surprised at the smoothness of the ride. I have always been a Honda girl, and as a matter of fact, my entire family is a Honda fan too. So I know first-hand the riding comfort of any Honda,” Bettina said.
The hassle of bringing an SUV in tight roads is never a problem with the compact CR-V, yet it still gives you the conveniences of SUV in terms of cargo capacity and power. Adult passengers can comfortably sit without feeling cramped and gives more space for children or smaller passengers.
For Nieves, Grace and Bettina, they love shopping so they didn’t pass the chance in shopping for food on their way. They loaded the CR-V with items they shopped for their families including delicacies and household wares. It features fold and tumble rear seats for a completely flat loading floor which allows you to load more of your cargos especially for out-of-town trips. “I definitely liked the spaciousness. I just felt safe and secure during the ride each time,” Grace added. They have loaded at least 20 shopping bags in the cargo.
Grace, who was the team’s navigator, found the auto rally experience enjoyable and unforgettable. “I never imagined that I would be part of one and was immensely surprised at how much I enjoyed the experience. As the route navigator, it made me proud that we never got lost. The experience was very pleasant. The ride was smooth and comfortable.” Grace said. On their road trip, the team went shopping in Subic and Pampanga and had a relaxing body massage to cap the night.
Safe and environment-friendly
When it comes to safety and environmental features, the Honda CR-V doesn’t falter as it has met the Euro 4 emission standard level, surpassing EURO 2 standards as per Philippine regulations. The CR-V is also equipped with a fuel meter that displays instantaneous and average fuel economy to help moderate one’s consumption. The CR-V also has safety technologies such as anti-lock braking system (ABS) and vehicle stability assist (VSA), which gives drivers a retaining control during sudden braking and slippage and provides lateral skidding prevention.
Consumers also get to save money because it is cheap to maintain a CR-V, with maintenance schedule that comes every 10,000 km., versus competition’s 5,000 km. interval. The CR-V also has a high resale value, making the Honda CR-V a recipient of Kelley Blue Book Best Resale Value for three years now. The Kelley Blue Book is one of the most trusted resources in the U.S. for used car values. When it comes to practicality, design, performance and price competitiveness, Honda CR-V gives every peso of your money worth it.
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The STCC 2011 premiere weekend in Denmark provided a tough start for Volvo Polestar Racing. Hard fights were mixed with a strong qualifying session and double podium finishes for James Thompson and Tommy Rustad.
"I am really pleased to be on the podium with Rustad in my first ever race for Volvo Polestar Racing," said Thompson.
Volvo Polestar Racing dominated the qualifying with Rustad on pole position and Thompson third, just seven hundredths of a second behind his team mate.
"The car was perfect in the qualifying run, we do have a strong package for the rest of the season," said Rustad.
After a strong first race, the second one, featuring reverse grid, turned out to be tough for the two Volvo drivers with hard fights and incidents.
Despite a tough second race, Volvo Polestar Racing currently holds second place in the team championship.
"We have had a good first race weekend. This is the worst track on the calendar for front wheel drive cars. We took important points for the championship and we are in a strong position for the coming races," said Rustad.
The next STCC race takes place at Ring Knutstorp in two weeks. For more information, visit http://www.volvopolestarracing.com/
Team Championship - Top 5
1 MA:GP/IPS 49 points
2 Volvo Polestar Racing 37 points
3 Flash Engineering 34 points
4 Team Bygma 25 points
5 SEAT Dealer Team 22 points
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Award-winning Focus Turbo Diesel now priced at PhP1,099,000
May 5, 2011 Manila, Philippines - Ford Group Philippines (FGP) introduces the 2011 Ford Focus TDCi line-up at a new introductory price of 1,099,000 starting this month, as well as an irresistible PhP129,000 All-In low down payment scheme exclusive to East West Bank. “Since its introduction in 2008, the Focus TDCi turbo-diesel has been getting better and better - the 2011 Focus Diesel boasts of smart, premium features normally available in luxury cars and of course, its super slick 6-speed dual clutch automatic transmission. And now, the Focus TDCi is offered at an even more compelling new price point,” says Steven Tan, Ford Group Philippines Vice President for Sales and Marketing.
The PowerShift Promise
One of the Ford Focus TDCi turbo diesel’s most distinctive features has always been the high torque 2.0L commonrail direct injection turbo diesel engine and the 6-speed dual clutch PowerShift™ transmission. The PowerShift technology delivers the fuel efficiency and dynamics of a manual gearbox with the driving ease and full comfort of a premium automatic transmission, all because of its electronically-controlled dual-clutch technology to change gears. Not only does PowerShift™ allow you to tap into more power and control in its six-speed transmission, it also helps reduce fuel consumption by up to nine percent depending on the application.
The Ford Focus TDCi boasts of class leading fuel economy with a proven 21KM/L (according to the 2008 Department of Energy Fuel Economy Run). More recently, the winning Ford Focus TDCi set a new fuel economy record garnering a total of 1,432.3km of total mileage on a single tank of fuel during the 2010 Ford Focus Coast to Coast Challenge.
The Focus TDCi is fuel efficient, but not at the expense of power with peak torque of 340Nm at 2,000rpm and maximum power of 136PS at 4,000rpm. This makes it not only powerful but also agile and responsive, with plenty of pulling power at low engine speeds for user-friendly everyday driving.
“With the combined class-first dual clutch PowerShift and TDCi technology found in the Ford Focus, you are guaranteed an exhilarating experience given the Focus’ responsive operation of an automatic transmission and driving dynamics for ultimate fuel efficiency of a manual transmission without the expense of its torque power,” says Tan.
The Focus Package
The Ford Focus TDCi Sport Hatch boasts of the latest innovative offerings through a 16-inch ST design wheels, specially designed for the ultimate comfort and smooth driving with the Ford Focus. With class-first features such as Rain Sensing Wipers, Auto On/Off Headlamps and Auto Dimming Rear View Mirror, this Ford Focus TDCi Sport is geared for optimum performance on the road with the comfort and convenience
The Ford Focus TDCi Ghia Sedan showcases the same innovative 16-inch ST Design Wheels, Rain Sensing Wipers, Auto On/Off Headlamps and Auto Dimming Rear View Mirror for ultimate performance. “With the latest evolution of the Ford Focus, its advanced product features showcase Ford’s commitment to bringing in class-first technology and performance at an affordable price”, says Tan.
“There is no doubt that the Focus is one of the nameplates that truly embraces Ford’s thrust to allow customers to appreciate the transformation in our brand and allow them to Feel the Difference. In the local market, there is no better time for us to translate this idea into real customer benefits and offerings that make a difference in the way our customers see, experience and feel the Ford brand.”
Test drive the winning Ford Focus TDCi at any of our 22 dealerships nationwide. In Metro-Manila, Ford dealerships are located in Alabang, Balintawak, Commonwealth, Edsa, Libis, Global City, Manila and Quezon Avenue. Outside Metro-Manila, Ford dealerships are located in Batangas, Bacolod, Cabanatuan, Cagayan de Oro, Cavite, Cebu, Dagupan, Davao, Iloilo, Pampanga, San Pablo and Tacloban.
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How do you love thy Honda Civic? Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) lets Civic owners count the ways by presenting an online photo contest entitled, “Lovin’ My Civic.”
Hot and exciting gadgets are at stake. Simply capture the reasons why you adore your Civic or what makes it special. Be it a memorable experience or sheer aesthetic distinction, snap a photograph of it and upload in www.hondaphil.com. Entries must be in JPEG format, with 2MB file size limit. To complete the entry, remember to drop 2-3 sentences that best describe your experience.
Lovin’ My Civic online photo contest runs until June 15, 2011. 1st prize winner gets to take home HTC Desire S android phone while 2nd and 3rd prize winners shall get a Nintendo 3DS and Sony 2GB W Series MP3 Walkman, respectively.
Designed to deliver pure intensity, the Honda Civic has endeared the discriminating taste of car enthusiasts with its cutting-edge technologies, spirited driving performance, dynamic styling and over-all value-for-money attributes. And so, it comes as no surprise that over 100,000 Civic units have already been sold in the Philippines and over 18 million units worldwide; not to mention the numerous recognitions the Civic has earned here and abroad. With over 100,000 Civic owners in the country who share the same passion for excitement and innovation, Honda has built THE CIVIC REPUBLIC!
Be a fan of HCPI’s Civic Facebook page (keyword: Civic Republic) and keep abreast with the latest Civic news. You may also visit www.hondaphil.com for more details.
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