1967 VW T2

"This sunshine is a split on the road!"

Spotted in Ayala Terraces parking a vintage VW van! Known as the Transporter or Bus in layman terms. Before any other trendy APV (all-purpose-vehicle) nowadays like the most common Toyota Grandia and Nissan Urvan, this vintage is the forerunner of the modern cargo and and passenger vans. Like the superstar Beetle, the van received numerous nicknames worldwide like microbus, minibus, and the hippie van! Following its first generation, the T2 adopted exterior renovations and engine specs upgrade making it a more reliable German creation!

Porsche Cayman S

"German engineers never fails to amuse me!"

The midengine boxster who is nothing more than a poor man's 911, but as to anyone who has driven one can attest the Cayman is no weak link. The character of this sportscar is one of free will; no compromise but to make conscious decisions, to be governed by nothing but one's free will.

It has a 3.4-litre capacity engine than can push its power output to 320hp at 7,200rpm with a maximum torque of 370 Nm at 4,750 rpm. All these achieved by the (DFI) direct fuel injection in the Cayman S, a lightweight construction and a host of other engineering advancements.

German engineers never fail to amuse me. Get in, and the car really fits around you not the other way around. The driving position, pedal layout and gearchange are all smootha nd perfect. Oh and the leather sports seat are definitely perfect to my every body contours. But even more amazing is the Cayman's composure in any surface. The steering and suspension are in perfect sync making handling superb.

Spotted in RED who's apparently owned by one of our local politicians. ^_^

Nissan 370Z GT Edition

"The spirit of that pioneering "Z" lives on!"

Built to celebrate Nissan's global racing success, the new 370Z GT Edition promises to be the best handling version yet. Inspired by its 1970s forebearer, the newborn features a set of eye-catching racing stripes down both sides, darker 19-inch alloys, and a trio of special paint finishes - Pearl White, Kuro Black, and Black Rose.

As the name implies, the GT Edition highlights Nissan's presence in GT racing on the world stage. As well as its continuing commitment to Super GT in Japan. The edition also introduces a number of significant suspension and equipment improvements which have been also adopted by the standardf Coupe. One of the principal modification is the retuned dampers that provides ideal balance between ride comfort and high-speed handling. With a shorter wheelbase, wider track and stiffer shell than its predecessors, the Nissan 370Z has starred on track as well as on road.

Extra kit for the GT Edition includes a reversing camera that appears in the sat-nav screen and a new tyre pressure monitoring system. The advance seven-speed automatic option now has a 'snow' setting mode when which applied, sets the car off in second gear and controls engine revs to prevent spinning the wheels in slippery conditions.

However changes aren't purely cosmetic - the latest addition to the line-up has been fettled by Nissan's UK engineers, who have retuned the dampers to help provide "the ideal balance the ride comfort and high-speed handling" and added underfloor insulation to help increase refinement. The newcomer's price starts at Php2,500,000 ( SP35,000).

Ford Mustang GT

SPOTTED Ford Mustang GT earlier today at Ayala Center Cebu Terraces Parking Area.

If ever there were a so-called American automotive icon, perhaps the Ford Mustang would be it. The legendary Ford Mustang appeared in most Hollywood movies. Today's Mustang brings bold styling, remarkable performance and affordability that have been Mustang's trademark for decades in auto industry history. It created the "pony car" class of American automobile - sports car like coupes with long hood and short rear decks that gave rise to its competitors.

TIPS on Filling Fuel

Now that gasoline has been fueling higher in the market again, motorists should be wise to know the simple do's in getting the right amount of gas or diesel into their cars or bikes. The following are proven tips my dad has shared to us. By the way my dad is a Senior Planner for Oil Exploration and Drilling to one of the biggest oil company in the world, Chevron. He is now in Africa and someday i hope to be working in the oil industry as well. Nonetheless, enough of my plans and you should be knowing now the useful tips to get the right amount of fuel you paid for:

• Only buy or fill up your car or bike during early morning, when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks underground. The colder the ground, the more dense the fuel. When it gets warmer, petrol expands. So, buying in the afternoon or in the evening, your litre is not exactly a litre. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature play an important role. 1 degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business already. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.

• Another important tip is to fill up when your tank is HALF FULL. The reason for this is, the more fuel you have in your tank the less is the air occupying its empty space. You should know that petrol evaporates faster than you can imagine.

• Another reminder, if there is a fuel truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy, DO NOT fill up--most likely the petrol/diesel is being stirred up as the fuel is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom that might cause some problems to your engine.

I hope the following would help you save more on these days of crisis. And please do share these tips with others. It is important for as many people to know about this, especially in the wake of rising petrol prices.

BMW World Singapore

"Discover the icons that have changed the automobile history. Glimpse the future with today's concept cars. Welcome the arrival of the most ground breaking technologies. Preview the latest lifestyle collection." - BMW

My trip to Singapore was made more worth it with the timing of the BMW World Singapore Expo at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. The halls of the convention center was transformed into a world of BMW prestige through the years. Starting from their classics like the 8 series to this year's concept car the BMW Gina "Light Visionary". One may find himself dreaming. I did. Nevertheless, below are the machines I admired most at the show.

Outside the expo lobby you are already welcomed by several BMWs like this one. the 120i convertible is bringing summer to the streets. On day time the sun reflects across the hood's contour while at night, city lights rebound off its signature muscular profile. When the soft top is open, the focus shifts to the wide and elegant rear. When closed, the impact is compact and powerful.

Every BMW is a classic car in the making and I say classic is sexy and so is the 507! This is a beautiful car. It is well-proportioned, refined and visually harmonious. It is a shape of classic grace and timeless elegance manufactured between 1956-1959. The sassy roadster featured a V8 engine that can deliver an output power of 150hp and can reach the speed of 60mph in 10 seconds.

I'm a big fan of crossovers and SUVs! though not the head turner, the event was also the Asia premiere of the all new X3. Now this is a choice for a sharp-driving car that wears the right badge for school-run kudos. Some ability off-road should you need it that runs in excellent diesel engine. It has a 6-speed automatic, a strong 3.0 L, six-cylinder engine, and a nicer and more roomy interior than in past models. Looking at it already feels big, how much more when you hold the wheels!

Are you a free spirit? well i am, at least that's what I tell myself!lol Now open yourself to the joys of the Z4 roadster! The successor to the original Z3 is one of the more intriguing sports car available today. It features traditional characteristics such as a front-engine/rear-drive layout, a hunkered-down stance, a long hood and rearward positioning of driver and passenger. While the first Z4 featured a traditional soft top, the current Z4 model has a sleek retractable hardtop that makes this fun-loving roadster a more viable all-year car choice. The result is a grand touring coupe and roadster, and one of the most rounded sports cars money can buy.

A motorbike is not much of my choice for a daily transportation but i would say YES driving one of these on the road for try outs. The German marque well known for its automobiles actually has its roots in motorcycles. BMW's first motorcycle, the R32, debuted in 1923 and since then the company has been known for premium motorcycles that can go long distances with its recent offerings geared towards younger and faster riders.

The highlight of the show is the Gina, a fabric-skinned shape-shifting sports car concept built by the prestige BMW auto designers. The visionary model's outer skin, which is made entirely out of textile fabric that's pulled taut around a frame of metal and carbon fiber wires. The skeleton of the car is controlled by electro-hydraulic devices and can actually move and change shape beneath the fabric skin. For instance, the headlights of the concept can be exposed or hidden by the skin just like blinking eyes! and the hood opens from the center as the fabric parts to expose the engine. This futuristic design shows how BMW thinks outside of the box when it comes to the materials that make up a car and also how the car relates to the driver.

Hovering the show with my buddies Doyzkie, Reymond, and lovely couple Jill and Pio.

VW New Beetle

"timeless..."

The cute car that started the retro-futurist design craze that struck a chord with consumers who had grown tired of standard conservative designs and had fond memories of the legendary "Bugs" from their youth. The front-wheel-drive Volkswagen New Beetle is available in two-door hatchback or a two-door convertible. But since we're in a tropical country with lots of humid heat and polluted crowded street the prior is more relevant!

Undeniably cute but the coupe can never hide its cramped passenger and cargo room. Front seats are actually roomy, but the same can hardly be said of the back seats. The interior is savvy with heatable front seats for cool nights and freezing mornings. It is also equipped with six speakers plus it comes with ipod jack and in-dash mp3 cd player. Now that's a bang for a cramped space! What's unique is the deformable steering column that is designed to actually collapse upon impact to prevent injuries from the driver. Think pirate's spyglass! Standard safety and security features also include antilock brakes, electronic stability control, active front head restraints, standard airbags, and the "immobilizer system" that will only allow the vehicle to start when the appropriate digital coding is inserted into the ignition otherwise the beetle will never wake up!LOL.

The bug's power comes from a 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine that makes 170 horsepower. Transmission choices are a standard five-speed manual or an optional six-speed automatic. Fuel economy for an automatic transmission since I'm using one is not so friendly running at 6km/L for city driving and 8km/L for rural driving. The engine revs smoothly and pulls well especially when speeding up in long roads, though it's hardly sporty enough for me. Nonetheless, suspension tuning is on the soft side while driving balance is really good.

Exterior for my opinion is undeniably timeless! Its iconic round shape doesn't just give it a spacious feeling but actually add strength and rigidity for safety. And just like a concert hall, it makes fantastic sounds!

Would like to thank my models Alandia, Milezy, and Betsy Beetle! you gurls are so cute and amazing!

Mazda CX-7

"A truly potent sport crossover SUV"

Designed to blend both sports car and sports utility vehicle, attributes sporting and dynamic features exclusively for every road you're ever going to travel. The birth of the CX7 here in the Philippines draws in crowd of individuals gambling on 5 seater SUV rather the traditional 7 seater. This places CX7 on the same road with Honda CR-V, Toyota Rav4, and Hyundai Tucson.

Though of much no difference to the old CX-7, exterior styling is emotional! Lines and contour blend with each other incorporating the details of a sports car to an SUV. The craftmanship and design is very mindful. and what strikes me most is the sharp and aggressive front contours. The CX-7 rolls on 17inch alloy wheels with a dimension of 4.7 X 1.9m, spacious enough to be a midsize suv. And i should tell you that its HID ready, need not to pimp the eyes!

On the inside the feel is sophisticated. The panel board is equipped with advance control systems including an LCD display for fuel consumption, maintenance record, and vehicle performance. Plus the meter cluster is inspired by the thoroughbred Mazda RX-8. Active auxiliary controls are still available on the steering wheel for the driver's accessibility and comfort. I personally think this should come on all cars today. One thing disturbs me is the cliff-cut on the facia board between the trip LCD display which worst extends all the way to both ends, totally disagrees the concept of continuous flow. Nonetheless, the driver's seat is electronically adjustable giving perfect command to the fit you perfectly want. So no more pushing, sliding and pulling.Lelz. Legroom is good but head room is quite lower than the normal. Upholstery is leather with perforated inserts, and both front seats have heaters. Boot and utility space is excellent. And here comes my surprise! the floor console between the front seats is large enough to hold most notebook computers which means no more notebooks on the seats!

The CX70 represents Mazda'a newly adopted MZR 2.5 petrol engine that delivers sound drivability and fuel economy without compromising the zoom zoom driving performance. Runs in 9km/liter in mixed driving for a luxury SUV sure feels good. In addition driving stability and handling is superb especially when doing sudden stops, high speed on curves, and quick shifts between cars. This is because of the integrated Dynamic Control System (DCS) and Traction Control System (TCS) that greatly attributes to safety, stability, and performance of the vehicle. Techtronic activematic transmission still comes with this baby as well as the rest of the Mazda Pack.