Suzuki S-Presso Special Edition lands in PH with P568k
“Suzuki Philippines (SPH) is giving one of its best-selling models, the S-Presso, some changes for 2022. Meet the new Suzuki S-Presso Special Edition.
“This new variant of the popular hatchback gets a host of aesthetic upgrades. Most notable are the new stylish alloy wheels that take the place of the original steel wheels with hub caps.
“The S-Presso also gets new black plastic claddings with silver accents on the doors. The same accents can be found on the grille, the front and rear bumpers, and the skid plates. SPH quietly added these to the base S-Presso—you can see it via our review here—but now they’re part of a completely new variant.
“For those who were hoping to see mechanical upgrades here—like a new automatic gearbox—sorry to burst your bubble. The S-Presso Special Edition retains its 67hp, 90Nm 1.0-liter gasoline engine mated to a five-speed manual.
“The Suzuki S-Presso Special Edition is priced at P568,000, making it P45,000 more expensive than the base GL variant. Only the Starry Blue Pearl color option you see here is available in our market.”
The Mitsubishi Xpander Black Series is now available in PH for P1.138-M
“Remember the Mitsubishi Xpander Black Edition that was launched in Indonesia a few months ago? Well, a similar model has just been officially added to the Mitsubishi Motors Philippines (MMPC) stable.
“Say hello to the new Xpander Black Series. It arrives sporting blacked-out exterior elements including the grille, the Dynamic Shield garnish, the lower bumper, the foglamp bezel, and side mirrors. The door handles, panel moldings, rear bumper, and 17-inch alloy wheels receive the same treatment as well.
“The aesthetic upgrades are limited to the exterior, so this one gets a similar cabin as the other non-Xpander Cross variants. The interior features a mix of fabric and black plastics, and it has no Apple CarPlay-/Android Auto-compatible infotainment system.
“No changes were made to the engine either, so the MPV is still powered by a 1.5-liter MIVEC gasoline engine that generates 103hp and 141Nm of torque. Power is delivered to the front wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission.
“The Xpander Black Series can be had with either a Quartz White Pearl or a Jet Black Mica exterior finish. Regardless of color, the MPV stickers for P1,138,000.”
Ford will unveil the all-new Ranger on November 24
“Getting tired of all the Ranger previews and teasers from Ford? Well, we might not have to deal with them much longer, as the American carmaker has finally announced the official reveal date of the next-generation truck: November 24, 2021.
“Ford has yet to release official images of the truck minus all the camo, so the actual design is still a bit of a mystery to most of us. All we know is that it’ll get an entirely new front fascia that might now look a lot closer in terms of design to the F-150’s.
“Ford says it has used a customer-centric approach to designing this Ranger, conducting more than 5,000 interviews and working with pickup owners throughout the globe to find out how customers actually use their trucks.
“‘As designers, we engaged with customers much earlier in the process, spent more time with them, and got more insights than ever before,’ Ford Ranger chief designer Max Tran. ‘Interestingly, we found that no matter what market, our customers are doers. They like solving their own problems, and they like to feel confident in their truck… not just the way the vehicle functions but the way they feel when they’re driving it.’
“We still don’t have specs, either, but we’re expecting quite a bit from this Ranger. Apart from testing the pickup through some of the toughest terrains in the world, Ford claims that its new truck will be the ‘smartest, most versatile, and most capable Ranger ever for customers in more than 180 markets around the world.’ We hope it’ll live up to the hype.”
Indonesia might be seeing the arrival of the next-gen Mitsubishi Xpander soon
“Photos of what appears to be the face-lifted Mitsubishi Xpander started circulating online a few weeks ago. The Japanese carmaker has kept mum about it since, but it now looks like we have confirmation of sorts courtesy of Mitsubishi Motors Indonesia.
“The company shared a teaser photo on Facebook showing a vehicle’s front fascia that features Mitsubishi’s signature Dynamic Shield design. The post didn’t exactly reveal anything, but it clearly shows a pair of distinct T-shaped headlights that can also be seen in the leaked photos that were recently shared by PaulTan.org.
“It’s not a lot to go by, but at least we know there’s a refreshed version of the MPV that’s on the way. And seeing as this will only be a mid-cycle facelift, don’t expect to see drastic mechanical changes with this one, if any.
“Mitsubishi didn’t say when the launch will be, either, and all we know based on a previous report is that it’ll be within FY2021. But since the company already released a teaser, we reckon this will happen sooner rather than later.”
Suzuki is set to unveil the all-new Celerio India
“It’s been a while since we’ve heard any big updates about the Suzuki Celerio. Frankly, the tiny hatchback’s been looking a bit dated for a while now, especially with the recent arrival of refreshed competitors, not to mention a new stablemate in the S-Presso.
“That’ll soon change, as Maruti Suzuki is set to launch the all-new Celerio in India soon. Various reports from ’round the web say that ‘soon’ means November 10. Mark your calendars.
“The carmaker hasn’t revealed much about the vehicle yet, but it’s already accepting reservations. And thanks to the promotional video embedded below, we get a good look at the Celerio’s front end and interior. Look:
“There are several important bits we get from the brief clip. First, the Celerio will come available with an automatic gearbox that has a manual mode. It’ll also be equipped with a smart keyless entry system and push-to-start ignition, as well as an Apple CarPlay-compatible touchscreen display.
“We reckon these extra tech will be reserved for the higher variants in the lineup, but we expect to see that fresh cabin across the range.
“The video also gives us a good-enough view of the hatchback’s front fascia, and it shows how the next-gen model will feature much more modern styling. Judging by the image, the new Celerio will have a beefier-looking face similar to that of its stablemates like the Ciaz and the Dzire. It’ll sport an entirely new grille to go along with a large chunk of black plastic accentuating the front bumper.”
Subaru PH launches 2022 XV GT Edition with P2.008-M SRP
“Motor Image Pilipinas (MIP) brought the refreshed Subaru XV to our market earlier this year. Now, the company has just launched the beefed-up version of its crossover—the XV GT Edition.
“As with previous GT Edition models, no mechanical tweaks were done with this one. This will still pack a 2.0-liter petrol boxer engine that generates 154hp and 196Nm of torque. This unit comes with Subaru’s AWD system, and power is delivered via a Lineartronic CVT. If you want to read more on the new XV’s specs, you can check out the full story here.
“As for the aesthetic upgrades, the accessories that the XV GT Edition comes with include front and rear under spoilers, side skirts, a front bumper garnish, a roof spoiler, GT Edition wheels, and new leather seats.
“The 2022 Subaru XV GT Edition retails for P2,008,000, making it P100,000 pricier than the standard XV. MIP is throwing in a P210,000 introductory discount, though, so those eyeing this new Subie should take note.”
The all-new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is a very practical hybrid SUV
“Third-row seats? Check. A recognized Japanese brand? Another check. Frankly, there might only be one box left to tick for an SUV like the all-new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV to make sense in our market—the one where buyers buy into plug-in hybrids.
“It might still be a while off, but we think it will happen. And once local consumers finally come to their senses (or the government gets its act together regarding incentivizing brands to bring them in), the all-new Outlander will make perfect sense.
“The all-new plug-in hybrid has finally made its debut, and so far, we like what we see. The third row is obviously a big deal, but the company has also revealed that this generation of the Outlander PHEV gets improved range and performance.
“Its new 20kWh battery brings its all-electric range up to 87km, while a large fuel tank brings its mixed driving mileage up further as well. These two changes, Mitsubishi claims, will lessen owners’ dependence on charging.
“Exact output has yet to be made known (though the brand claims more power), but the all-new Outlander PHEV runs on a twin-motor 4WD setup with a new configuration. The rear motor and control unit have been unified, which allows for space to add the new row at the rear. This also supposedly results in a quieter drive.
“And speaking of the drive, this thing is equipped with Super-All Wheel Control (S-AWC) which adjusts output to the front and rear wheels depending on the driving environment. This, together with a more rigid structure, makes the vehicle both comfier to drive and safer.”
Jeep shows off Wrangler Overlook concept
“Yes, this is a Jeep Wrangler with a third row. It’s called the Overlook, and not only does it look awesome, but it also makes a lot of sense. Well, at least here in the Philippines where car buyers are utterly obsessed with being able to cram as many family members into one ride as possible.
“Sadly, no, this isn’t a real thing. By that we mean it’s real, as it’s going to be on display at this year’s Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas, but it is not actually going into production.
“To achieve the new configuration, the company had to extend the off-roader’s cabin by 304mm. The rear’s roofline also sits 127mm higher than that of the stock version. The roof is removable, by the way, and also features multiple side- and front-facing windows for an enhanced viewing experience.
“Other add-ons include Fox suspension with a two-inch lift kit, 20-inch Black Rhino York wheels wrapped in BF Goodrich mud tires, black tubular side steps, an aftermarket steel bumper up front, and a new satin black grille.”
This is the facelifted Toyota Camry
“Toyota has a new model that’s been launched in Thailand. And guess what? It’s not just another accessorized GR-S truck or SUV—it’s the facelifted Camry.
“For this refresh, the midsize sedan gets very subtle design tweaks that are easy to miss. The headlights and the gloss black plastic flanking the Toyota badge are left untouched, but the elements underneath have been slightly reworked.
“Some of the black and gray trim have been cut from the grille, making it look a bit smaller than before. The vehicle’s nose—the portion between the badge and the grille—has also been reduced, giving the front fascia a cleaner look overall. Meanwhile, other exterior elements have been retained, but the vehicle does sit on new 18-inch wheels.
“Inside, you won’t see a lot of styling changes as well. What you’ll get are tech upgrades such as the new nine-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. There’s also a new wireless charging pad in the cabin as well as a heads-up display.
“In the second row, the new Camry gets power-adjustable seats and a digital control panel for several functions including the rear climate control.
“The new Camry will come available with two powertrains in Thailand: a 2.5-liter four-pot that generates 206hp and 250Nm of torque mated to an eight-speed automatic and a 2.5-liter four-cylinder petrol engine paired with an electric motor. The latter is capable of producing a combined total of 208hp and 221Nm and is mated to an E-CVT. Toyota says with this hybrid setup, the Camry can do up to 23.8km/L.”
Lexus PH will launch the all-new NX in December
“Just a few months after making its global debut, the all-new Lexus NX is now on its way to our market. Lexus Philippines has just confirmed that the next-generation crossover will be launched in December later this year.
“There’s not much to go by yet, though, as the carmaker hasn’t provided any further information. But at least we already know a bit about the vehicle and what we might be seeing in a few weeks’ time.
“First, there’s the new design. While the changes aren’t that drastic, the all-new NX still has a much more refined design than its predecessor. The DRLs are now integrated into the headlamps, giving the front fascia a much cleaner styling. The new taillight strip and the removal of the Lexus badge out back also add to the NX’s improved look.
“One of the bigger highlights of the new crossover is the engine, particularly the new 2.5-liter plug-in hybrid setup in the NX 450h+ AWD. This is the first PHEV from Lexus. We’re not sure whether this will land on our shores, but we’re guessing at least one of the hybrid variants will.”
