FAST Times: Having found your way into the auto industry, is it safe to assume that you have always been a car guy?

Carlos Gono: Yes, ever since I could remember.

FT: We almost never forget our “firsts;” What was your first car?

CG: Before I had bought my own car, I drove my Mom’s 1980 Mitsubishi Galant Super Saloon for a few years. After that, I summoned the courage to ask my Dad if he would buy me a car—which he did, a Mitsubishi Lancer GT—in exchange for working for him on weekends, holidays and during school vacations. It was well worth it.

FT: What got you started in the car industry?

CG: I got into it when my cousin-in-law, Giovanni Tan, and I were asked by an uncle living in the US who owns Autoplus Sportzentrium in San Francisco, California, if we would like to open a similar shop here—which we did in 1995. Autoplus Sportzentrium in the Philippines started modestly at a small garage in San Juan City that was owned by Giovanni. It was in there where we developed this hobby and passion for building fast but reliable cars. We always tell our clients the real deal in all of the modifications we do—no frills, no empty promises.

FT: From Autoplus, you have ventured into distributing Motul lubricants, and you will be opening the Subaru Alabang dealership soon. What is it about the Autoplus/Motul/Subaru brands that appealed to you?

CG: The name Autoplus has become synonymous to precision performance and the fastest cars. This is what our company lives by. We always make sure that Autoplus is at the forefront of tuning and high-performance modification. We always take pride in what we do. And we do it right.

With Motul, we did an actual comparison and dynamometer testing on a car filled with Motul oil and another that used a competitor brand. The Motul-powered car surpassed the other by three horsepower in the test. Plus, the Motul name has been in existence for almost 160 years, and in all those years it has pushed the envelope, pioneering in developing new and advanced technologies in the lubricants industry. Motul was the first to introduce multi-grade oil in the ‘50s, semi-synthetic oil in the ‘60s, 100-percent synthetic oil in 1971, and now the first in marketing Ester-based oil technology. Ester is a plant derivative and is a substance not harmful to the environment.

With regards to Subaru, it has always been my favorite brand of Japanese sports cars. It has perfected the boxer-type configuration engine that’s mated to an all-wheel drive system, separating Subaru from the rest of its class. Because of our strong belief in the Subaru brand and our trust in Motor Image Pilipinas General Manager Nicky Mariano, we applied for a franchise and have been fortunate to be granted a Subaru dealership in Alabang.

Autoplus, Motul and Subaru all fall in the common category of pioneering excellence, true performance and guaranteed product and service.

FT: How is business at present?

CG: Motul is doing well. It is accepted by the motoring public, mostly by the A- and B-segment of the market. Because of increasing fuel prices though, many motorists are saving up the wrong way—like postponing to change their vehicle’s oil, which in the long run causes more damage to the engine and drive-train. This erroneous practice also increases the car’s fuel consumption, and so one ends up spending more in repairs. Do you know that an oil-change actually costs less than a full tank of gasoline? And it’s only done twice a year.

That said, I aim to make Motul oil affordable to lessen customers’ burden of maintaining a car. That’s why I recently launched Motul’s 4,5,6 program.

FT: What are your future plans?

CG: Continuity of our signature honest service and world-class modifications. I am very proud and satisfied with what I have accomplished through Autoplus and Motul. We have created and maintained the flourishing high-performance section of the industry, which is now appreciated by the general motoring public. Now you’ll see a lot of average to high-performance vehicles being modified by owners. It’s a good gauge showing that people are actually appreciating and understanding what Autoplus had done all these years.

FT: Is acquiring a dream car part of these plans?

CG: I am lucky enough to have bought my dream car when I turned 40 in 2005. This is the Ford GT supercar that was built in limited numbers to commemorate Ford’s 100th year anniversary. I have driven this car several times at speeds of up to 360kph, as it comes standard with 550 horsepower. Still, it’s unacceptable for me to leave it stock. And now, with all the modifications done to it by our resident engineer and Autoplus pride, Francisco Blanco, the car packs more than 1,000 horsepower.