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Monthly Archives: June 2019

Remembering Papa Through Cars

July 1st marks the birthday of my late father, Atty. Jaime “Jimmy” G. Dizon. He would have been 85 this year. Papa, as we lovingly called him, died seven years ago on September 5, 2012 from complications stemming from myelodyplastic anemia, a condition where his bone marrow ceased to produce red blood cells that carry oxygen around the body. Prior to ...

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1974 Volkswagen Super Beetle 1303 S Part 1: Just Got Lucky

You’re the thing that makes me weak My heart knows of the beat I seek And I found it (just got lucky) Oh yes I found it (just got lucky) – From the 1983 hit song Just Got Lucky by Jo Boxers If you regularly read our Project Cars series, especially about the restoration of the cream 1973 Volkswagen Beetle 1300 ...

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Tire Tread: Pattern, Construction and Types

When it comes to car tires, the right tread is a very important decision. After all, this is the part of the tire that is in constant contact with the road surface. Subsequently, the various features and choice of tread can greatly alter both the properties of the specific tire, as well as how the car handles. The right choice of ...

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1968 Corvette Convertible: Dreaming With The Top Down

I was quietly working on my stories for Power Wheels Magazine when I received an online message from Vegas Cars in the USA about a 1968 Chevrolet Corvette convertible that they have on sale. I’ve been subscribed to numerous online newsletters here and abroad that sends me an email whenever an interesting collector car becomes available. Even though I don’t ...

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1985-1995 Mercedes-Benz W124-Series: Engineered Like No Other

In the go-go era of the Eighties, youthful aggressiveness was predominant in the business community and many young urban professionals or “yuppies” gravitated towards European automobiles as their chariots of choice.  When BMW became the signature yuppie-mobile, the engineers and designers at Mercedes-Benz didn’t just sit still. They built a car that was flaunted in their ad campaigns as “engineered ...

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2011 Mazda MX-5 PRHT: Revisiting a Drive from a Different Time

While digging through the Power Wheels Magazine archives, we found a Driven article about the 2011 Mazda MX-5 with the PRHT or power retractable hard top. Former Power Wheels Magazine Editor-in-Chief Dino Directo III, who’s now the Motoring Editor of Manila Times and Editorial Director of Autocar Philippines, wrote about his time behind the wheel of Mazda’s phenomenal roadster that put a smile on his ...

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1973 Volkswagen Beetle 1300 S Part 7: Baby’s Back Home

We were supposed to turn over our finished project car, a 1973 Volkswagen Beetle 1300 S, back to its owner, Ildefonso “Fons” Caluag, on Sunday, June 23, 2019 the day after the World Beetle Day. Unfortunately, the day before we were supposed to drive it out of the workshop of JSK Custom Paint and Auto Works in Marulas, Valenzuela City, their shop ...

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2019 BAIC M60S Luxury: Tall Order

After successfully penetrating the local market for affordable three-row subcompact multi-purpose vehicles (MPV) with their BAIC M40/M45 series, Bayan Automotive Industries Corporation, the Philippine distributor of BAIC automobiles, is setting its sights on a loftier goal – the Asian utility vehicle (AUV) market. This pseudo-sport utility vehicle (SUV) cum MPV cum mini-van segment of the automotive industry is currently being dominated ...

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New Honda BR-V: Proudly Philippine Made with Enhanced Masculine and Premium Look

Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) unveiled the new and refreshed Honda BR-V compact sport utility vehicle (SUV) on June 25, 2019 at the Grand Ballroom of the City of Dreams Hotel in Paranaque City. Before unveiling the vehicle, HCPI President and General Manager Noriyuki Takakura reported that they have sold more than 14,500 BR-Vs since its introduction at the 6th ...

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A Sneak Peek at the All-New 2020 Ford Explorer

When Ford Philippines unveiled the minor updates on their Ford Explorer midsize SUV in October 2018, we knew that it was just a matter of time before the all-new next-generation model was coming out. We took a sneak peek at the all-new 2020 Ford Explorer and it looks as if the Ford Motor Company has augmented the Explorer’s Range Rover-like ...

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