Motoring Today Column: Mitsubishi Xpander, Toyota Alphard top People's Choice Awards

Oct 23, 2019

Mitsubishi Xpander, Toyota Alphard top People's Choice Awards

A new SUV model and an elegant classic van took the top awards in the 2019-2020 Auto Focus People's Choice Awards (AFPCA) last week, declaring that car buyers and enthusiasts carefully study each vehicle before choosing favourites.

The winners were the top-selling models of Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) andToyota Motor Philippines (TMP) - the Mitsubishi Xpander and the Toyota Alphard .

The Mitsubishi Xpander took the 2019 Automobile of the Year (AOTY)- Standard category crown and bagged the evening's "Model of the Year" award in the MPV/Van category.

(Outermost) Ray Louis Gamboa, Online Operations Manager for STV and Mr. Gerry Aquino, Awards Committee Chairman handed the 2019 Standard Automobile of the Year award to the executives of Mitsubishi Motors Philippines (middle, l-r) Mr. Mark Parulan, Senior Manager, Marketing Communications; Yu Kasahara, Senior Expert, Sales and Marketing Division; CJ Yucoco, PR, Marketing Communications; and Alvin Dalida, First Vice President, Marketing Division.

The Toyota Alphard van took the top AOTY award in thePremium/Luxury category and also the " Premium/Luxury MPV/Van of the Year" award. The award strengthened the legendary status of the Alphard which had taken the award four years in a row from 2012 to 2015. The Alphard enters the elite circle of the Auto Focus Model of the Year Hall of Fame.

(Outermost) Ray Louis Gamboa of STV and Mr. Gerry Aquino handed the 2019 Premium/Luxury Automobile of the Year award to (middle) Toyota Motor Philippines' Mr. Jose Maria Atienza, Senior Vice President for Marketing and Ms. Nadinne Capistrano, Public Relations & Communications Officer.

The AFPCA, organized by Sunshine Television (STV), is on its 15th edition. It is an annual public poll on the country's most popular automobile brands and models. The scoring system attributes 80 percent value to public votes from the July 1 - September 30 on-line poll and 20 percent to unit sales.

The other four Standard Model of the Year awards were given to Toyota Wigo (which also bagged the "2019 Sedan of the Year." Maiden victories were scored by the Nissan GT-R as "2019 Sports Car of the Year," and the Toyota Rush as " 2019 SUV/Crossover of the Year."

Tthe "Pickup of the Year" award went to Nissan Navara, it's 5th after prior model of the year titles in 2008, 2010, 2011, and 2018. The Navara will now step into the Auto Focus Model of the Year Hall of Fame.

The Premium/Luxury Model of the Year classifications marked three first-time awardees. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class debuted as "2019 Premium/Luxury Sedan of the Year". TheDodge Challenger SRT was honored as "2019 Premium/Luxury Sports Car of the Year". And, the "2019 Premium/Luxury SUV/Crossover of the Year" was cornered by the Mercedes-Benz G/GLA Class.

The prestigious recognition of the " 2019-2020 Auto Focus Media's Choice Awards" (AFMCA) were also announced that evening. Motoring media professionals comprised the AFMCA Voters' Panel. 56 winners emerged from the 88 award categories.

These were:

Best Design - Standard : 6 Awards

Honda Brio (Mini Sedan); Mazda 6 (Midsize Sedan);Ford Ranger Raptor (Pickup);Mitsubishi Xpander (MPV); Toyota HiAce (Van); Suzuki Jimny (Subcompact Crossover)

Best Design - Premium/Luxury : 5 Winners

Mercedes-Benz A-Class (Subcompact Sedan); BMW 5 Series (Midsize Sedan); Lamborghini Urus (Large SUV); Peugeot Traveller (MPV); Toyota Alphard (Van)

Best Engine Performance - Standard: 7 Awards

Honda Brio (Mini Sedan); Subaru Levorg (Compact Sedan); Mazda 6 (MidsizeSedan); Nissan GT-R (Sports Car);Toyota Land Cruiser 200 (Large SUV);Ford Ranger Raptor (Pickup); Toyota HiAce (Van)

Best Engine Performance - Premium/Luxury : 9 Awards

MINI 3Door&5Door (Subcompact Sedan); Lexus GSF (Midsize Sedan); Porsche Panamera (Large Sedan); Lamborghini Huracan ( Sports Car); Porsche Macan (Compact SUV ); Porsche Cayenne (Midsize SUV);Lamborghini Urus (Large SUV);Peugeot Traveller (MPV); Toyota Alphard (Van)

Best Safety Features - Standard : 5 Awards

Honda CR-V (Compact SUV); Nissan Terra (Midsize SUV ); Ford Ranger Raptor (Pickup);Kia Grand Carnival (MPV); Subaru XV (Subcompact SUV)

Best Safety Features - Premium/Luxury : 8 Awards

Mercedes-Benz A-Class (Subcompact Sedan); Mercedes-Benz C-Class (Compact Sedan); BMW 5-Series (Midsize Sedan); Volvo S90 (Large Sedan);Volvo XC60 (Midsize SUV);Volvo XC90 (Large SUV);BMW 2-Series Gran Tourer (MPV); Honda Odyssey (Van)

Best Value-for-Money - Standard: 9 Awards

Honda Brio (Mini Sedan); Suzuki Ciaz (Subcompact Sedan); MG 6 (Compact Sedan);Volkswagen Lamando (Midsize Sedan);Suzuki Vitara (Compact SUV);Isuzu MU-X (Midsize SUV);Isuzu D-Max (Pickup);Suzuki Ertiga (MPV); Toyota HiAce (Van)

Best Value-for-Money - Premium/Luxury : 7 Awards

Mercedes-Benz A-Class (Subcompact Sedan); Lexus IS350 (Compact Sedan); Lexus ES350 ( Midsize Sedan); Lexus NX300 (Compact SUV ); Lexus RX350 (Midsize SUV);Peugeot Traveller (MPV); Toyota Alphard (Van)

The Awards Night was graced by top officials of the country's car manufacturers and distributors, the auto industry's two lead organizations, the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) and the Association of Vehicle Importers & Distributors (AVID), and motoring media professionals.

Happy Motoring!!!

For comments & inquiries:

(email) sunshine.television@yahoo.com

(website) 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)