2022 MIAS: The Return of Philippine Auto Shows
It has been two years since the last time we went to a major auto show. The last one we went to wasn’t in the Philippines either; it was in Japan with the 2020 Osaka Auto Messe. As much as we want to go back and hit up the shows and events in our favorite country, we can’t do that just yet due to travel restrictions. With the 2022 Manila International Auto Show or MIAS happening this week, we decided to see what was in store.
MIAS is not exactly the go-to show for modified cars. It is an avenue for automakers to showcase their latest and upcoming model. We dropped by during the opening day to see the cars being unveiled. One of which we’re very excited about – the all-new Subaru BRZ.
Surprisingly, there were a lot of people on opening day. Mind you, it was held on a Thursday morning workday; not a holiday or a weekend. It does serve as a great reminder that things are slowly going back to normal, at least the new normal.
Onto the cars, and several models were launched at the show. The day started with Peugeot and the new 2008. It’s a funky-looking crossover and pops out against the rest of their lineup with its bright orange color.
What we were excited about was the car after the 2008 – the BRZ. Motor Image Philippines introduced their new sports car together with the refreshed Forester.
We took a bit more time checking out the 2022 BRZ, and it definitely looks better in person compared to the press photos we’ve seen.
The interior looks great, and the new dashboard design reminds me of the layout in my IS. I’m not 100 percent certain, but the seats feel like a carryover from the outgoing model.
Under the hood, it uses a new 2.4-liter flat-four that produces 237 horsepower and 250 Nm torque from the factory. Like before, the engine is still naturally aspirated, but HKS and other aftermarkets companies already have you covered with turbo kits to extract more power.
The 2022 BRZ is available with a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic with prices starting at PHP 2.399 million.
You should also check out the Autoplus booth to see three race cars on display – a McLaren 570S GT4, Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo, and a Mercedes SLS AMG GT3. They also have the Motul lineup together with the newly launched Falken RT615K+ and the RT660 tires.
Think we should schedule a shoot with all three cars for a separate feature?
Other vehicles that caught our attention at the show were Autohub’s Mini and motorbike displays. The GAC Empow looked very exciting since the automaker does run the GA4 on the track. New track toy, maybe?
There’s also a modified Geely Coolray that supposedly produces 200 wheel horsepower packaged with a wraparound kit, a big brake kit, and more. Several modified supercars could also be found at the Michelin tires booth.
If you want to see the new BRZ in action with other Subaru models, you can also check out the Russ Swift Show usually held in the afternoon. A few old school rides like this clean KE35 Corolla were also on display.
With the success of the 2022 Manila International Auto Show as the first big auto show to be held during the pandemic, we’re now excited for the return of the Tran Sports Show and Manila Auto Salon later this year.
Words and Photos by Jose Altoveros
