THE past few weeks have been a whirlwind for us in the automotive industry. Events, launches and test drives have been taking place so frequently that I sometimes wish I could be split into three individuals just to keep up.
Last week alone, we averaged two events a day. On Monday, we attended the launch of a new car brand, Aion, led by my old friend, Anton Ibarle. Aion, part of the GAC group, is a Chinese brand focused on fully electric vehicles, boasting small electric vehicles (EVs) with European styling.
That evening, we headed to Bonifacio Global City in Taguig to check out Lotus' first fully electric car, the Emeya. Lotus, known for its super sports cars, ventured into the EV space with this sedan to tap into the growing market for alternative-powered vehicles. Car enthusiast Willie Tee Ten was eagerly explaining how different the Emeya is from other Lotus models.
On Tuesday, right after my radio program at DZRJ 810 AM, we rushed to Aseana City in Parañaque for the launch of the Vinfast VF3, a compact EV with a 210-kilometer range, perfect for city driving. Dubbed the 'City Boi,' it delivers 43 horsepower and 110 Newton-meters of torque. Ginia Domingo and Margo Delfinado took center stage to announce its price — P645,000.
Later that afternoon, we were off to Wack Wack Golf and Country Club in Mandaluyong for the Mooncake Festival of the United Asia Automotive Group Inc. There, we caught a glimpse of Lynk & Co, BAIC, Chery, and Foton models, and Rommel Sytin kept things exciting with generous prizes during the dice game.
After Wack Wack, we headed to Valenzuela for the introduction of Rox, another EV brand.
Wednesday saw us catching up with Vinfast again over lunch, followed by a Honda event in the evening. That was another packed day.
On Thursday, we attended a BAIC launch at the MOA grounds in Pasay City, and Friday was spent filming a Nissan test drive, wrapping up what can only be described as a hectic week.
This rush of events comes as the year-end approaches, with all brands pushing for final sales. We can certainly expect more of this pace in the weeks ahead.
Here's wishing us all the strength to keep up!