Car aficionados all over the country swarmed the combined venues of the World Trade Center and the Philippine Trade Training Center in Pasay City on Thursday, March 30, for day one of 13th Manila International Auto Show (MIAS).
READ: Manila’s top international auto show opens
The annual car spectacle, organized by WorldBex Services International, once again brought out the finest “big boy toys” in what has become the biggest automobile exhibition in the Philippines.
Coming off the huge success of last year’s showcase which amassed over 110,000 visitors, MIAS 2017 guaranteed an even bigger and even more engaging gathering for its ever growing following.
Fulfilling its promise to deliver “Beyond Performance”, the absurd 34,000 square meters of exhibition space was filled to the brim with an eye candy collection of impressive cars, motorcycles and of course, beautiful women.
The yearly display has also become a haven for the world’s most respected car brands, as they unveiled their latest and most jaw-dropping innovations in front of a massive vehicle-hungry Filipino audience.
Star-studded appearances
Aside from the event’s testosterone-filled sights and happenings, several local and international celebrities graced the event to represent their favorite brands.
To commemorate Hyundai’s release of its latest flagship sedan Genesis G90, Filipino band UDD (Up Dharma Down) performed an original song entitled “Gusto Ko”.
After the performance, the band’s vocalist and keyboardist Armi Millare, talked about how the song embodies Hyundai’s goals to go beyond mobility.
“Hyundai kasi when we met with officials they told us a story about how the cars have been a part of people’s lives. They’re very simple but at the same time very functional,” she told InqPOP!
“In that song we wanted to feature that no matter how long it’s going to take, you can actually keep a car from Hyundai with you and bring it to every journey no matter who you are or where you’re from”.
Meanwhile, after presenting Mazda’s latest MX-5 Miada, fashion icon Joey Mead King talked about her affinity with the new model.
“It was actually my very first car I own, the Mazda Miata,” the Asia Next Top Model mentor told InqPOP!
“Its easy for me to do projects with them because it always has a place in my heart. My very, very first car. I just think that it’s a great city car, especially here in the Philippines. Parking wise, I don’t have to worry about size. This one definitely embodies my spirit,” she said.
But perhaps the grandest applause was saved for the world’s most precision driver, Russ Swift, who gladly strut his stuff for the Filipino crowd.
The 66-year-old British driver and occasional car stuntman displayed a mind-boggling array of tricks and stunts using Subaru’s latest models.
He even performed his trademark “Swift Parking” and J-turn maneuver, which set the Guinness World Record for fastest parking in a tight space.
Some lucky members of the audience were even chosen to ride alongside the legendary driver, as he spun erratically around the track, leaving ‘donut’ like marks and the smell of burning rubber behind.
Meanwhile, the MIAS 2017 automobile showcase and the Russ Swift show is still open to the public from 10:00 a.m to 10:00 pm at the World Trade Center, Pasay City, Metro Manila until Sunday, April 2.
