Motoring Today Column: Here are the year's most outstanding automobiles

Oct 24, 2018

Here are the year's most outstanding automobiles

For some reason this year's handing out of theAuto Focus People's Choice Awards for the most preferred car models and most popular automobiles and the Media's Choice Awards for exceptional car models as deemed by the motoring journalists was remarkably well attended despite the more than usual horrendous traffic that came with an unexpected downpour.

Held last Thursday, October 18 at theValle Verde Country Club,Toyota Motor Philippines in tandem with Lexus Philippines once again swept the top honors with the Toyota Wigo driving off with the2018 — 2019 People's Choice for Automobile of the Year (AOY) among the Standard models with the Lexus NX300 for the Premium Luxury category.

The Toyota Wigo came out with a consolidated score (80% - votes and 20% - sales) of 3,316.2 outpointing Standard category second placer Mitsubishi Montero Sport, which accumulated 2,863 consolidated points.

In the Premium/Luxury classification, the Lexus NX300 registered 837.2 points with a reed-thin 3.6 point winning margin over stable mate, Lexus RX350.

As for the most preferred models ( Model of the Year) in the different vehicle categories, here's the list of winners.

STANDARD

A. Sedan of the Year (AOY) — Toyota Wigo

B. Sports Car of the Year — Ford Mustang in its first-ever victory in this category

C. Van/MPV of the Year — Nissan Urvan in a back-to-back win from last year's.

D. Pick Up of the Year -Nissan Navarra on its4^th win with previous awards given in 2008, 2010 and 2011.

E. SUV/Crossover of the Year -Mitsubishi Montero Sport, with its5^th award is now enshrined in the Model of the Year Hall of Fame with previous wins in 2009, 2012, 2013 and 2017.

PREMIUM

A. SUV/Crossover of the Year (AOY) — Lexus NX300

A. Sports Car of the Year — Audi R8 V10 is on its debut award in the category.

B. Van/MPV of the Year — Honda Odyssey is on its 3^rd straight win.

C. Sedan of the Year — Lexus IS350 lost its chance to be part of the prestigious Hall of Fame having previously won the AOY award twice.

Media's Choice Awards

During the same evening, due recognition was also conferred upon winners of the "2018-2019 Auto Focus Media's Choice Awards" (AFMCA), an equally important component of STV's Automobile Industry Merit Program. The AFMCA aim is to further recognize the automobile industry's continuing efforts to provide car owners and motorists with the best on-board features, styling, performance and overall value. A select group of recognized motoring media professionals and practitioners comprised the AFMCA Voters' Panel. Prompted by a record-high number of entries and the evident level of parity in many model categories, the Awards Committee reviewed the previous years' majority rule and opted for 1/3rd or 33.3% vote tally requirement for media awardees. The previous 12Standard and 10 Premium/Luxury model classes were retained. Based on this, 45 winners emerged from the 88 award categories. These were:

Best Design — Standard:

Chevrolet Spark (Mini); Mazda 2 (Subcompact);Mazda 6 (Midsize Sedan);Civic Type R (Sports Car);Ford Ranger (Pickup);Hyundai Grand Starex (Van); Mitsubishi XPander (MPV)

Best Design — Premium/Luxury:

BMW 5-Series (Midsize Sedan); Porsche Panamera (Large Sedan);Lamborghini Aventador (Sports Car);Toyota Alphard (Van); Mercedes Benz B-Class (MPV)

Best Engine Performance — Standard:

Honda Brio (Mini); Mazda 2 (Subcompact);Honda Civic Type R (Sports Car);Mitsubishi Pajero (Large SUV/Crossover);Isuzu D-Max (Pickup);Nissan NV350 Urvan (Van); Toyota Innova (MPV)

Best Engine Performance — Premium/Luxury:

MINI 3-Door & 5-Doo r (Subcompact); BMW 5-Series (Midsize Sedan);Porsche Panamera (Large Sedan);Porsche Cayenne (Midsize SUV/Crossover);Toyota Alphard (Van); Mercedes Benz B-Class (MPV)

Best Safety Features — Standard:

Volkswagen Golf GTS (Compact Sedan); Ford Expedition (Large SUV/Crossover); Hyundai Grand Starex (Van)

Best Safety Features — Premium/Luxury:

Mercedes Benz A-Class (Subcompact); Volvo S60 (Midsize Sedan);Volvo XC60 (Midsize SUV/Crossover);Volvo XC90 (Large SUV/Crossover);Mercedes Benz V-Class (Van); BMW 2-Series Gran Tourer (MPV)

Best Value-for-Money — Standard:

Toyota Wigo (Mini); Toyota Camry (Midsize Sedan);Suzuki Jimny (Subcompact SUV/Crossover);Isuzu MU-X (Midsize SUV/Crossover);Isuzu D-Max (Pickup); Nissan NV350 Urvan (Van)

Best Value-for-Money — Premium/Luxury:

Lexis IS350 (Compact Sedan); BMW 5-Series (Midsize Sedan);Lexus LS500 (Large Sedan);Lexus NX300 (Compact SUV/Crossover);Toyota Land Cruiser 200 (Large SUV/Crossover); Peugeot Traveler (MPV)

We would like to express our appreciation to the Land Transportation Office and STRADCOM, its longtime official IT Provider for their invaluable support and assistance to ensure this endeavor's success.

Congratulations to all the winners.

Happy Motoring!!!

For comments & inquiries:

(Email) sunshine.television@yahoo.com (online) www.motoringtoday.ph

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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)