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Campi Board and Execom with guest of honor Sen. Joseph Victor ‘JV’ Ejercito

THE Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS) is surely this country's main venue where car manufacturers showcase their latest and greatest, giving the visitors a glimpse of what the future of Philippine mobility will be like.

While the supposed biannual event failed to happen two years ago, all thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, the auto industry finally regained its footing this year to finally hold the country's premier automotive event.

The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines (Campi) has opted to focus on the theme "Mobility + Humanity: Innovating for the common good," showcasing the ever-changing landscape of mobility in the country today.

This year, Geely, Chery, and the newly relaunched Hyundai joined the ranks of Campi, alongside longtime members such as Toyota, Suzuki, Isuzu, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Honda and BMW, which are showcasing their brands at this year's PIMS. Below is a list of what the participants have announced:

Toyota flexes a diverse lineup. Industry leader Toyota Motor Philippines flexed its booth with a diverse lineup of vehicles, from hybrids such as the Camry, Corolla Altis, Corolla Cross, and RAV4, to sports cars such as the GR Supra, GR Yaris and the recently launched GR86.

In addition to commercial vehicles such as the LiteAce, the recently inaugurated Toyota Mobility Solutions makes its appearance in PIMS, offering mobility solutions such as KintoOne and myToyota Shuttle.

Isuzu showcases commercial vehicles. Isuzu Philippines Corp. (IPC) highlights its PIMS booth with its diverse lineup of passenger vehicles, as well as commercial vehicles that can be tailor fit to the customers' needs.

Alongside the D-Max and mu-X, the Traviz and the N-Series were also featured in the event, catering to the small and medium business enterprises. IPC announced that the Traviz — which can cover 1,063 kilometers in a single full tank — sold more than 10,000 units just two years after its launch.

Aside from giving visitors a test drive of its offerings, IPC also showcased its aftersales program, including Isuzu's Vehicle Health Report, Fleet Programs, Parts Support and Eco-Drive Trainings.

Nissan electrifies lineup. Nissan Philippines Inc. presented its newest electric vehicle (EV) models, highlighting the newly launched Livina MPV, the Kicks e-Power, as well as the highly popular electric Leaf.

While the Kicks e-Power gives a taste of what electrified motoring is like, the Leaf offers the full EV experience that PIMS visitors can test drive alongside the rest of Nissan's model lineup.

Suzuki features the Ertiga Hybrid. Joining the mild hybrid bandwagon is Suzuki Philippines Inc., which launched its first hybrid vehicle in the form of a newly refreshed Ertiga multipurpose vehicle (MPV).

Supplying power in the Ertiga MPV is a K15B 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that is mated to a lithium-ion battery and an integrated starter generator, which works as the motor and generator captures electrical energy during braking and stores energy in the battery. With the launch, it means that we can expect Suzuki to bring in more electrified models in the market in the future.

Mitsubishi Ralliart makes a comeback. Ralliart is a name synonymous to Mitsubishi's racing heritage; one that is born and honed in the toughest, dirtiest roads of the world, thanks to its participation in the Dakar Rally and the World Rally championships. Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. (MMPC) brought back the iconic name as trim packages for the Strada and the Montero Sport, equipped with mud flaps, bumper garnishes, decals, and floor mats.

MMPC also announced it will participate in the 27th Asia Cross Country Rally with a modified Strada built for the 2,000-kilometer cross-country competition.

Honda previews next-gen BR-V, HR-V RS. Honda Cars Philippines Inc. presented its Honda Connect technology and Honda Sensing safety suite, allowing customers to connect with their cars with their smartphone and make their cars safer, respectively.

With the new lineup, Honda plans to make its Honda Sensing safety suite a standard feature to all models, complete with the addition of the new sporty looking HR-V RS as well as a preview of the next generation BR-V, which will be formally launched in the future.

Kia previews the EV6. Kia Philippines joins the EV fray with a preview of the EV6, an EV which has garnered praises from other automotive journalists all over the world. It will reportedly be sold for "less than P4 million," following the official launch in 2023.

Powering the EV6 GT-Line is a 77.4kWh battery which produces 229PS and can travel up to 500km in a single charge. Charging options for the EV6 will include a Kia in-cable control box, a wall mounted charger which will be included with the EV6 as standard. The launch follows Kia's announcement during the brand's relaunch last 2021 that it will bring in EVs in the country.

Hyundai debuts the Ioniq 5 EV and Creta SUV. Hyundai Motor Philippines Inc., now under the umbrella of the Korean automaker, debuts in this year's PIMS following its membership at Campi. The Korean automaker brought in the Ioniq 5 EV and has confirmed that the EV will arrive on Philippine shores in January 2023. Alongside the Ioniq 5 EV is the newly launched Creta SUV.

Mazda highlights MX-5 MCP, new CX-8 AWD. To celebrate the company's long-standing relationship with the Miata Club of the Philippines, Mazda Philippines pulled the silken covers off a special edition MX-5, dubbed the Miata Club of the Philippines 25th Anniversary Edition (to give its full name), which will be released on a limited run in both automatic and manual variants for P2,250,000 and P2,300,000, respectively.

Mazda Philippines also debuted the new CX-8 AWD Exclusive, complete with new exterior changes such as a new metallic front grille, new 19-inch alloys, larger tailpipes as well as a chrome garnish on the front bumper. Mazda's i-Activsense safety suite will come standard with the CX-8 as well.

Chery offers the new Tiggo 8 Pro. The success of the Tiggo 8 Pro prompted United Asia Automotive Group Inc. to launch a more powerful 2.0-liter turbocharged version, which now produces 254PS and 390 Nm of torque, mated to a 7-speed DCT. This version slots between the 1.6T-GDI and the PHEV variants with a P1,945,000 price tag.

BMW presents the electrified iX. BMW Philippines headlines its PIMS booth with the iX electric SUV, which was launched last May. This electric SUV features a single speed driven electric motor which produces 326hp and 630 Nm of torque and can reach up to 425km of range. The iX joins with the likes of the M5 Competition as well as the new 2-series in its booth for the 2022 PIMS.

There are also aftermarket retail booths at PIMS, which include Autoline MotorSports, Centro Manufacturing Corp., Consumer Care Products, Inc., Digicars Auto Trading, Europlates Euro Car Accessories Inc., Forceworks Inc., Halden Galway, JNY Global Resources Inc., Nature Joe's, Otium Health Care Co., Philkotse.com-Maxspeed Autoportal Inc., Power Equipment & Supplies Inc., Shop4Fun, Sta.Lucia Global Marketing Inc., Swak-Dito, Thunder Automotive Parts Inc. (ACDelco PH) and TPL Industrial Sales Corp., located in the World Trade Center's pavilion.