2023 Motul Trans Sport Show: 31 years of car culture

What to see at Trans Sport Show from May 18 to 21, 2023

As the country's longest-running auto show, the Trans Sport Show over the years has served as the melting pot of the automotive aftermarket industry. From nostalgic vehicles to exotic European supercars, plus the latest aftermarket trends and products, the Trans Sport Show has it all.

Together with Motul distributor Infiniteserv International Corp., Tradeshow International, Inc. has opened the 31st Trans Sport Show at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. Here are the most notable cars you will see at the show.

European Supercars and Exotics

Once you enter the halls of the SMX Convention Center, you'll immediately notice the vast number of supercars at the event. And these are not just your typical production exotics. We're talking about several Lamborghini SVJs and STOs, both of which have been made in very limited numbers.

Speaking of the bulls from Bologna, Import Hookup has a tricked-out Lamborghini Urus that's placed front and center in their booth, joining the likes of Club 300's Huracans and Emperor Motorsports' Aventador.

Motul also brought out a variety of European sports cars in perhaps the biggest booth in the Trans Sport Show. Aside from their latest products and Alpinestars race wear, they also showcased the BMW M4, the Lotus Elise Cup, and the Porsche 911 GT3 RS.

Vintage Cars

For those who are into nostalgic cars, well there's no shortage of that in the 2023 Motul Trans Sport Show. There are American, European, and even Japanese classic cars at the event.

Alfred Motorworks rolled out Buick Super, a '67 Ford Mustang, the first-generation Corvette, and some pre-war vehicles as part of its show lineup. Meanwhile, we've also seen a pickup version of the classic Mini Cooper, as well as fully restored Triumph roadsters, in which one was even converted to an electric vehicle.

Japanese Classics

For fans of Japanese classics, there's a booth that has both the L-type Lancer and the popular Lancer "box type". The latter even has the revered 4G63 engine that was tuned by AMG. While people know the 4AGE engine as one of Toyota's most popular four-cylinder engines, its predecessor, the 2T-G, has also made an appearance on the Toyota Trueno TE71 at the show.

But speaking of the former, well every version of the 4AGE is at the Trans Sport Show. From the first-generation 16-valve to the 20-valve Blacktop, you'll see them underneath the hood of almost every Corolla in the show. And yes, that includes the AE86, the AE92, and even the rare ones like the AE80.

Contemporary Japanese tuners and cool engine swaps

As expected, Japanese performance cars get their own share of the spotlight at the 2023 Trans Sport Show. In the Autoindustriya.com booth is the latest generation of the Honda Civic Type R, which is one of the 40 units initially released by Honda Cars Philippines.

Furthermore, its older Honda siblings, the Integra Type R, the FK8, and the Civic EG6 are also found in various places at the show. But more importantly, Honda's 50th-anniversary gift to its loyal enthusiasts, the S2000, is out to represent the best of the VTEC family.

We know that engine swaps are common when it comes to building project cars. And in the Trans Sport Show, you'll get to see some nicely done examples. One is a Toyota Corolla AE92 packing a 2ZZ-GE engine from the Celica and a Nissan Sentra B12 coupe with the Bluebird's SR20VE engine. But if that's not enough for you, well there's an LS-swapped Toyota 86 you can check out.

Off-road ready trucks

Lately, the Trans Sport Show has become the place to be for enthusiasts of big 4x4 trucks and SUVs, as various off-road builds come aplenty in the event.

Autobot Offroad rolled out examples of the Ford Ranger Wildtrak, the Toyota Hilux, and the Jeep Wrangler wearing steel bumpers and mud-terrain tires. Meanwhile, other exhibitors brought in various generations of the Toyota Land Cruiser – from the 40 series to the boxy 70, the Prado, and even the LC300.

Campers and overlanding equipment galore

As camping and overlanding become popular recreational activities, especially for 4x4 enthusiasts, vehicles and trailers designed to become mobile homes in the great outdoors are also out to put on a show at the 2023 TSS.

Overland Kings brought in a Toyota FJ Cruiser and a Hilux. Both of which sport awning tents, overhead camping tents, foldable cooking equipment, as well as portable devices that can come in handy on your camping trip.

But if you want something mobile that's as close as it gets to your home, then Atoy Customs has it for you. They have examples of camping trailers that have been customized both inside and out, which can be towed by your SUV or pick-up truck when going on an adventure.

Aftermarket shopping spree

Apart from getting a lot of build inspiration from the cars in the event, the Trans Sport Show is also a nice place to shop around for car care products, accessories, and even replacement parts for your ride.

Various aftermarket brands have their latest products on display, and some are even giving special discounts in limited-time offers.

While it's good to read about what's happening at the 2023 Motul Trans Sport Show, we're telling you right now the experience is much better when you come by the halls of SMX to see the cars, the builds, the products, and of course, the models in person. The 2023 Motul Trans Sport Show runs from May 18 to 21, 2023, from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.