Nov 21, 2018


Lamborghini Urus SUV arrives in style

I witnessed how both car buyers and auto enthusiasts couldn't hide their expressions of awe upon the unveiling of the Lamborghini Urus, vaunted as the world's fastest SUV at Okada Manila last week.

The Urus was presented by Lamborghini Manila as the fastest SUV in the world, featuring a 4.0 liter V8 twin-turbo engine, delivering 650 hp at 6,000 rpm and 850 Nm of maximum torque already at 2,250 rpm.

" The Urus is a model that's born out of Lamborghini's vision to continually defy boundaries and with it, the desire to create the world's first super SUV . We are very proud to bring this groundbreaking car to the Philippines," remarked Robert Coyiuto III, president and CEO of Lamborghini Manila.

"With 162.7 horsepower-per-liter, the Urus claims one of the highest specific power outputs in its class and the best weight-to-power ratio at3.38 kilogram-per-horsepower. It accelerates from0-100 km/h in 3.6 seconds, 0-200 km/h in 12.8 seconds, and boasts a top speed of 305 km/h," added Davide Sfrecola, Sales Director for Asia of Automobili Lamborghini.

We have also been apprised that the new Lamborghini Urus is also named MVP SUV ofRobb Report's Best of the Best 2018 awards. The American luxury-lifestyle magazine describes this super SUV as a "consummate crossover" with the combined elements of the Lamborghini Huracán Performante and Aventador S with its own innovative engineering.

The car buyers came in swarms

The latest staging of the Auto Focus Pre-Christmas Multi-Brand Test Drive Fest , this year powered by Phoenix Fuels with Pulse Technology stood out as the most attended in its 5-year biannual history.

A total of 12 major car manufacturers and importers composed of Ford, Honda, Isuzu, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Morris Garages, Nissan, Peugeot, Ssangyong, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota participated in this highly anticipated industry event that's vaunted to be the country's biggest and only multi brand test drive festival.

A record-breaking total of 3,473 test-drives were registered in its 4-day staging with a similar record-breaking number of models brought in by the participating car companies listed at 58 brand new models.

With Suzuki's Jimny topping the list of the most test driven models and Ford's Ranger Raptor coming as a very close second, the rest of the bunch that make up the top 10 include the Terra, Civic, Vitara, Hilux, Xpander, Rush, MG ZS and Subaru WRX.

The traditional Opening Day Cocktails, which were held, this time at the very impressive booth of the event's Presenting Sponsor, Phoenix Fuels, were attended by the usual top auto industry executives, motoring media personalities and Phoenix Petroleum executives.

The next multi-brand test drive event is set for summer, next year.

Happy Motoring!!!

For comments & inquiries:

(Email) sunshine.television@yahoo.com

(web) www.motoringtoday.ph

Archive

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ray Butch Gamboa graduated from the College of Arts and Letters of the University of Sto. Tomas. It was a course that should have been preparatory to a law degree, but the call of broadcasting aborted his plans.

At the age of 16, while still a student, Butch tried his hand at disc jockeying, landing a job at Mareco Broadcasting Network’s AM stations DZBM and DZLM. From there, Butch moved on with his illustrious career as a popular disc jockey, riding the airwaves of Bob Stewart’s middle-of-the-road music at DZXX, and ending his disc jockeying career at ABS-CBN’s DZYL and DZQL.

From there, he stayed on with ABS-CBN, covering live the proceedings at the Manila Stock Exchange and eventually entered into the world of television sales as an account manager for the premier channel of ABS-CBN Channel 2.

In the early 70’s, at the outbreak of Martial Law, Butch was one of the thousands of professionals who woke up jobless when then President Marcos declared the new status of the nation. With the closure of ABS-CBN, Butch ventured into different fields outside of broadcast. He tried his hand and with ease and success at export (Costume jewelry), real estate (brokerage), and restaurants (fast food).

In 1987, after the revolution, with the broadcast industry back to its free state, and with its irresistible call ringing in his ears, Butch made his inevitable comeback and pioneered in a local motoring show, producing Motoring Today on Channel 4 and co-hosting with local motor sports’ living legend Pocholo Ramirez.

After 4 years, he ventured into another pioneering format by producing and hosting Business & Leisure, which was originally aired on ABS-CBN’s Channel 2. The format eventually espoused similar ones in other different channels. But the clones in due course faded away leaving the original staying on airing on Channel 4 and eventually on Shop TV on Sky Cable’s Channel 13.

The following year, the pioneering spirit in Butch spurred him to produce another TV show, Race Weekend, also on Channel 4, covering circuit racing at the Subic International Raceway after the motor sport’s hiatus of 17 years. But when similar shows with duplicated formats sprouted, he decided to give way and ended the program after a year, although still enjoying unparalleled viewership.

In 1998, when the local automotive industry was in a slump, Butch contributed his share to help the ailing industry by producing another popular motoring-related show, this time exclusive to the automobile and its industry—Auto Focus, which became a vehicle for local automotive assemblers and importers to showcase their products and dwell on the industry’s latest technological developments.

In 2003, Butch teamed up with his brother, Rey Gamboa who was a former Shell executive and presently one Philippine Star’s business columnist to co-produce and co-host the TV show Breaking Barriers on Channel 13. It is a talk show that features guests who are in the news and in the middle of controversies. The program ventures to draw deeper insights into current issues to learn how they impact to our daily lives.

Today, Motoring Today on its 28th year of service to the general motoring public still enjoys its unprecedented loyal vierwership nationwide while Auto Focus, after 16 years has firmly established its niche viewership among automobile enthusiasts and on the other hand Business & Leisure is on its 24th year dishing out current business issues and lifestyle features.

Today, aside from writing weekly columns for the Philippine Star (Motoring Today on Wednesdays and Business & Leisure on Saturdays) and executive producer / host of weekly TV shows (Motoring Today, airs Sundays on Solar Sports Channel 70, Business & Leisure, airs Tuesdays on Shop TV, Sky Cable Channel 13 and Auto Focus airs Thursdays on Shop TV, Sky Cable Channel 13, Ray Butch Gamboa is currently the Chairman and CEO of Sunshine Television Production and Marketing Services Corp., President of Gamcor Management and Development Corp., Chairman of Asia-Pacific Realty Corporation, President and Chairman of Socio-Communication Foundation for Asia and Founding Chairman of the Society of Phil. Motoring Journalists (SPMJ)