10 Years Strong.

Celebrating a decade of automotive bliss, this year’s MIAS with its motto, “10 years going strong”, once again outdid itself, stamping another one for the history books as more than 102,000 automotive and tech enthusiasts came along for the ride, setting sights and taking snaps of over 500 vehicles and other motoring displays.

What started out as a dream between a handful of motoring, motor sports, and motoring media men and women ten years ago, the Manila International Auto Show quickly gained popularity as the country’s most visited motoring summer event. 10 years going strong indeed.

New cars and product launching activities were held over the entire 4-day event. Leading the pack was Ford Motors Philippines with their latest entry to the crossover utility vehicle segment, the new Ford EcoSport, followed by an all new updated version of the Everest, E-150, Focus, Fiesta, and a newly-revamped version of the Escape, which came as a surprise. The Mustang was also on display and is celebrating its 50th birthday on April 17, 2014.

Motor Image Pilipinas, the country’s official distributor of Subaru motor vehicles, once again made their presence felt in a spectacular fashion with the debut of their all-new WRX and WRX STI., replacing the legendary Impreza WRX series, yet still retains the famed Impreza wildness within. These new 4-wheel-driven powerhouses were joined by the brand’s updated line-up like the BRZ, the Impreza 2.0, the Legacy, the Forester, the Outback, and the XV, which will be put to the test, but more on that later.

One of the few car brands who have graced the occasion for the first time was Volkswagen Philippines. And what a way to make a debut, for they have brought in the all-new Beetle, now with a much more refined look, yet undoubtedly still carries that signature Beetle aura that we all came to know and love. Along with the Beetle, the Polo Notch was also on display, together with the Touran, Touareg, and the Jetta.

Another MIAS first-timer needs no highfaluting introduction, as it pretty much stamped itself as the most luxury-oriented car brand to ever hit the Philippines… Rolls-Royce, and they brought with them not only their famed posh sense of exclusivity, but also their latest masterpiece, the Wraith, which sports a 600+ horsepower V12 engine, and is packed with an almost unimaginable array of luxurious driver and passenger comforts inside.

Building your dreams is what the new car brand BYD’s mission was all about, and sure enough, with their first ever appearance at the MIAS this year, it looks like those dreams will become a reality. Starting off with the F5 SURUI. A model that’s straight out of the MythBusters series, the F5 SURUI is the first and the only full-size remote-controlled car in the Philippines! The BYD line-up also featured the L3, as well as the S6.

Completing the list of this year’s MIAS newbies is the Indian car maker Tata Motors, bringing in their freshest units like the Manza Sedan, the Xenon Pickup, and the Ace multicab.

What sets apart this year’s MIAS from its previous staging was the inclusion of many motorcycle brands as well. 

Other car brands that came prepared for this year’s MIAS were Chevrolet with their Captain America: The Winter Soldier inspired Colorado pickup, Kia and their new Soul which now has a diesel engine, Jeep with their all-new Grand Cherokee, and the French car maker Peugeot, which has the new 208 T16 GTi, that’s dressed to impress, and more car brands that altogether made this year’s MIAS another crowd-pleaser.

What sets apart this year’s MIAS from its previous staging was the inclusion of many motorcycle brands as well. Popular motorcycle makers like the Harley Davidson, Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Kymco have also made their presence known for the two-wheel aficionados. 

And finally, for the adrenaline junkies among us, Russ Swift, the world’s best number one precision driver has yet again made things more exhilarating, especially for this year’s MIAS. Doing what he does best, Russ captivated thousands of crowds with his record-breaking signature moves, the J-Turn, the ultra-tight parallel parking maneuver, and the famed balancing run, wherein he tilts the car on its left side via an inclined plane, effectively making the car run and balance on its left front and rear wheels.

Using his years of experiences as a professional stunt driver and defensive driving instructor, he did this hair-raising maneuver with an absolute confidence and commitment, and with the help of the all new Subaru XV crossover SUV and its symmetrical all-wheel-drive system, this spectacular stunt was indeed for the win. This was the first time Russ was able to successfully perform this stunt using an SUV.

The all-new Subaru WRX also made its debut as a very capable and very agile quick mover. In the hands of Russ Swift, the WRX easily and gracefully made tire-smoking donuts, which undoubtedly proves that the Impreza WRX STI spirit lives on.

The 2014 Manila International Auto Show. Ten years going strong, and still is going strong for the years to come.