JDM legends, tuned supercars, rugged rigs headline 2019 Manila Auto Salon
Check out some of the finest builds in the Metro at 13th Manila Auto Salon
There are plenty of reasons to be excited this November. Aside from the Christmas holidays fast approaching, it is also time for the annual Manila Auto Salon. Now on its 13th year, the 2019 Manila Auto Salon is open from November 14 to 17, showcasing the latest tuner cars and off-road trucks alike.
Similar to shows in the past, the wide variety of vehicles on display at the Manila Auto Salon caters to everyone's tastes. Whether its 90’s tuner rides, high-end exotics, or off-road trucks and SUVs, there is literally a vehicle that will appeal to everyone who goes, no matter the age or gender.
Unlike last year’s Manila Auto Salon, there are more cars than trucks on display at this year’s show. From the moment you enter the event area, you are immediately greeted by the Import Hookup booth. The booth has 5 heavily modified vehicles on display: a flashy red Lamborghini Huracan Performante wearing a full 1016 Industries Forged Carbon kit, an Audi R8 with a VF Supercharger, a colorful Mercedes SLS AMG, an Artisan Spirits Toyota Land Cruiser, and Car Porn Racing’s slant nose 911 Turbo fitted with an Old&New widebody kit.
Right beside Import Hookup is the R33 Cars booth which features even more supercars. No doubt the huge lineup of modified supercars was a popular attraction to most show-goers. It's not everyday visitors get to be up close and personal with an RWB Porsche, a Liberty Walk Ferrari 458, and a twin-turbo Lamborghini Gallardo.
If exotic supercars aren’t your thing, there are numerous JDM tuner cars to choose from as well. In fact, the Autogenix booth has a wide array of Honda Civics modified in various forms. It’s not really a Philippine car show without a Civic involved, isn’t it?
The one that stood out the most is the yellow EK9 Civic Type R which has all the right Spoon goodies fitted onto it. Look closely in the engine bay and you’ll see that even the transmission and engine feature the legendary Spoon plaque. In contrast to the very yellow Civic is the all-stock Championship White EK9 which looks like it just rolled out of the factory.
Making a return to the scene was the “Cyber Evo” Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution of StreetLevel Performance now finished in red. Roam around the event area and you’ll even see some JDM classics like the Nissan Fairlady Z and the Toyota Celica.
Surprisingly, there was only one Toyota GR Supra on display built by AutoLine Performance. It features a custom exhaust, Yokohama Advan GT wheels, Alcon brakes, and slammed air suspension. We can only assume that other Supra owners are still trying to keep to their warranties intact, except for the owner of this particular specimen.
For the pickup and SUV section, this was dominated mainly by the Suzuki Jimny. Sure the Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux, and Mitsubishi Strada were around, but it was the small and cute Suzuki that could be seen everywhere. DZ Racing’s booth had four of them in fact, all modified in various forms: from the Wald kit to Liberty Walk, to the Damd Little G and Little D.
Aside from stylish kits for the Jimny, some shops also offered a more off-road and rugged look for Suzuki’s boxy crossover. From steel bumpers to lift kits and even big brake kits, the options to upgrade your Jimny were endless.
Together with the show cars, there were also a lot of booths dedicated to the display and sale of aftermarket parts and accessories. Performance parts, audio systems, alarms, dash cams, and other gadgets and accessories could be brought home from the show. Some are even selling them at a discount.
After 13 years, the Manila Auto Salon and Sport Truck Show continue to showcase some of the best builds in the Metro. With that in mind, we can expect even better and crazier builds in the shows to come.
