AutoDeal Weekly News Recap Oct. 10-14: a rundown of the last 120 hours

For the last 120 hours, we’ve published a number of local and international automotive news. In case you were too busy, here’s a recap of the latest news in the automotive industry.  

Local news recap

Maserati PH launches 2017 Levante SUV

Formula Sports Inc., the official importer of Maserati cars in the Philippines, has launched the Levante SUV, the brand’s first SUV. It is available with 3 engine options which are all mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission.

The 3.0L V6 twin-turbo gasoline engine variants have 2 options: a 430-hp that can go from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds with a maximum speed of 264 km/h; and a 350-hp that can do it in 6 seconds with a maximum speed of 251 km/h.   

On the other hand, the all-new Levante is also available in a 3.0L direct-injection turbodiesel V6 engine. It can produce up to 275 hp with a maximum speed of 230 km/h, and can go from standstill to 100 km/h in 6.9 seconds.

Suzuki PH confirms availability of new, refreshed Alto

Suzuki Philippines Inc. (SPI), the exclusive distributor of Suzuki vehicles in the country, is now offering an updated version of the Alto. It features a refreshed front fascia, but retains its compact size that’s perfect for the city streets.

Under the hood, it is still powered by the 3-cylinder 0.8L gasoline engine that’s capable of producing 47 hp and 68 Nm of torque. It’s then mated to a 5-speed manual transmission that transfers the power to the front wheels.

The new Suzuki Alto is now available in your local showrooms at a price tag of P398,000 for the Standard variant, while the Deluxe variant sells at P438,000.

Foreign news recap

Toyota, Suzuki announce partnership to push R&D

Toyota Motor Corp. and Suzuki Motor Corp. announced that they plan to explore a business partnership that will allow them to keep up with the drastic pace of technological challenges in the automotive industry.

The two companies said in a press release that the “environment surrounding the automotive industry has been changing drastically and rapidly.” With this, Toyota and Suzuki cited that the field of R&D (Research and Development) for conventional and future technologies are one of the reasons why they are looking to explore a business partnership.

Interbrand cites top global automotive brands of 2016

The annual list of Best Global Brands from the consultancy firm, Interbrand, shows how companies strive to improve in terms of investments and asset management. This year, 14 car makers made the list including Toyota, Nissan, Tesla, among others. Click this link to see the full table of top car manufacturers according to Interbrand.

For more of the latest automotive news, visit the AutoDeal Blog section.