“In this business, you gotta have a tough skin.” This is what Visor.Ph Editor-in-Chief Vernon Sarne told me at last week's BMW M2 launch event. Chief, as I fondly call him to this day (he got me to join Top Gear Philippines magazine as a cover photographer and writer back in 2010), has seen it all and has been through wars ordinary people would have waived the white flag early on. The mental and physical stress this job entails can be too much for someone who cares about his craft. So when we he

Mazda Motor Corp. has announced that it will launch its first electric vehicle-only model in 2027. The Japanese automaker’s CEO, Masahiro Moro, stated in a recent interview in Tokyo that the new model is part of the brand’s effort to speed up its electrification efforts to keep it competitive globally. Mazda has already dabbled with electric vehicles (EVs) with the Mazda MX-30 crossover, launched as a hybrid vehicle with electric-only and rotary range-extender models also available. It also sell

The current-generation Mazda3 was launched in the Philippines back in August 2019. It has since provided the market with a stylish and elegant alternative to the Honda Civic (Specs | News) and Toyota Corolla Altis. While it showcased evocative styling, and refined driving characteristics at the time, it also came with a higher price range that made it a challenge to pick it over similarly priced crossovers with more bells and whistles. For the 2024 model year in Japan, however, the Mazda3 gets a

Over the past decade, an oft-repeated but rarely turned into concrete action posit of the local auto industry was a need to shift to electric and hybrid cars. The 2022 Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS) showed attendees that the shift above wasn't just idle chat. Pure battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and hybrid vehicles (HEVs) were highlights of more than one automaker at PIMS. For example, Kia's EV6 full-electric compact crossover sport utility vehicle (SUV) was front and center at the

There are several reasons why the refreshed 2022 Toyota Camry is far much better than last year's model. Aside from the fact that its looks have gotten better with the new front bumper design and 18-inch wheels, it now comes with amazing features that will make every passenger feel even more comfortable. A new 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system highlighted with JBL speakers is a huge improvement over the old setup. And at the back, touch-sensitive buttons on the center armrest for the rear p

Two years since the world was placed on lockdown, Filipinos are itching to go to one of their favorite tourist destination in Asia – Japan! For people like me who has been to the land of the rising sun many times already, there is still this sheer wonder and excitement as though going there the first time. Everything seemed to be orderly, and technology seems to have been fully integrated in day-to-day life. The shinkansen or bullet train, the uber hi-tech toilets you want to bring home if you c