The recently concluded StreetWise Auto Show held last May 12, 2012 at the front parking lot of SM Center Las Pinas, reminded me of car club meets where you do some hard parking, then chat with like-minded car enthusiasts. The ambiance was more like that than an it was an actual competition, which to me, was really good!

And Custom Pinoy Rides, being a media sponsor of the event, was able to do some awesome coverage with the “Car Photobooth” that we’ve set up. So Philip Aragones and I set out to work that day, and we’ve taken a photo of just about every car in this event. Rest assured that car spotlights will be coming showcasing some notable cars. In the meantime, here’s Part 1 of this event coverage. Enjoy!

Check out the rest of our series of coverage articles about the 2012 STREETWISE AUTO SHOW here.

We shot the All-New Ford Ranger during the last Ford Club Philippines 10-Year Anniversary. Let me tell you this, I think it looks awesome.

From a styling perspective, I’ve always liked the Toyota Hilux better than the previous rendition of the Ford Ranger. But for this latest version, I’m pretty impressed! It’d be a good platform for any sort of mods you’d like to do with it. Audio, Offroad, Slammed to the ground, or just about anything!

I can’t wait to see modified versions of this in upcoming car shows. Bring it on!

Check out all the features of the All-New Ford Ranger on the Ford Philippines website. Enjoy!

The 21st iteration of the Trans Sport Show saw us returning to SM Megamall, with near 100 cars on show (or maybe more – I lost count!). Cars on display ranged from a 1937 Chevy, to the latest of Porsches, so whether you were into vintage or the cutting edge, this years Trans Sport Show had something for everyone.

The 2011 Hyundai Genesis Coupe by A-toy Customs looking meaner than ever.

A 1997 Nissan Skyline, also by A-toy Customs in classic red…

…and an RB26 to back it up!

Off-road in style with this 1997 Land Rover Defender by Bilstein Performance Suspension.

This 1982 Toyota Landcruiser 4×4 is all business…

…especially from this angle.

1985 Toyota Corolla by Vkool Philippines

2010 Honda CRV by Phat Audio

2010 Honda CRV by Phat Audio

2010 Honda CRV by Phat Audio

1991 Mini Cooper by Hotwheels Autobody Specialist

The general styling of this car really flowed well from front to rear, with the front grills being painted matte black, along with what were originally chrome accents… genius!

2010 Mercedes Benz C180 and E300 by Concept One, wrapped with Foil A Car technology, giving that clean, sleek, matte finish look.

Firland Audio shows us a clean and composed audio setup.

.. and then gives us something completely out of this world with this 1978 Volkswagen Beetle.

A seizure inducing interior, which will keep any party animal going all night.

This must have been one of the more striking cars in the event, obviously with plenty of hours put in to get the Beetle looking as slick as this…

…with the front suspension exposed for all to see,

Every square inch of this vehicle has been transformed, with speakers lining what used to be the rear seats.

Stay tuned to see more of the 21st Trans Sport Show 2012 coverage.

Here is set two of the MIAS 2012 coverage, focusing more on custom rides, with the Girls of MIAS 2012 soon to follow in Part 3. With 21st Trans Sport Show (2012) also having wrapped up last weekend, it is getting pretty busy here at Custom Pinoy Rides with all the photos which need to be published, so stay tuned for more.

Here’s Part 1 of the 2012 Manila INternational Auto Show coverage.

I’d like to apologize to you guys for the long hiatus. Been real busy lately as, since I’m also human, I also experience changes in life like all of you do. Don’t worry, it’s nothing negative and it doesn’t mean you’ll see less blogs from me or from Custom Pinoy Rides. My wedding is coming up next month, so my time has been a bit more divided the past few weeks. But not to worry, things will be looking up for Custom Pinoy Rides and this year will be even bigger than last year. In the meantime, let me catch up on some stuff I need to post up…

In Part 2 of this series, I’ve featured the Invasion of the Old Schoolers. Today, I’d like to show you some of the more modern vehicles wearing the blue oval, and what their Pinoy owners have done to customize and personalize them.

See the rest of the gallery below…

But the thing is, it would hurt to see this thing actually tackle a tough offroad trail, seeing how neat and shiny the paint is. It just looks so pristine!

Though I would be kidding you if I said I wasn’t a fan of properly stanced rides. This Ford Focus has got the goods to make the Stance Pilipinas crew proud. Aggressive fitment, stretched tires wrapped around Rota IKR’s, this ride puts the “n” in the word “neat”.

This Focus sedan also strut its stuff. The RS kit looks awesome on it! Me likey!

Apart from the Focuses (or is it Foci? Nobody has answered me yet guys…), there were also a variety of tuned FoFi’s (pet name for Ford Fiesta). From rides inspired by VIP styling like the one you see here…

To race inspired, complete with the matte wheels and racing stripes…

To Euro inspired, there was no shortage of variety despite seeing basically the same car in different forms.

Of course, the new Fiesta was there too. Though we’ve shown you this car on our teaser post for this event, we’re showing it to you again, this time with a different model posing with it.

Off to other things, I went around doing my walkabout again, and snapped away at some of the models at the event.

You’ve probably had more than your fill of the previous model already. But this half-foreign model has posed for us during another shoot. More on that later so watch out for it!

I’m a dog lover too. So when I saw this cute Shar Pei, I realized that some club members actually bring the entire families to events, including their pets!

Would you look at that! A model who is also a photographer! Awesome! We got the opportunity to work with her as well. Again, more on that later so watch out for an exclusive feature!

I climbed the scaffolding and tried to play a game of “how wide can your lens go” with one of my favorite photographers and mentors – Ken Go. For the first time, I found myself wanting to have something wider than 18mm. Just look at the amount of cars attending the event! Take note, what you see in this photo is just one-third of the entire parking space – filled with member’s rides!

And when the owners stepped into the frame, well, sorry guys, I really couldn’t fit everyone. But I hope I’ve got most of them, and Ken Go was able to take the full photo with his fisheye lens, which the club members should be able to see on the FCP Forums.

That’s all for now guys. I’ve still got more photos coming up from this event so stay tuned!

Related Stuff:
- See more photos of FCP cars and events featured at Custom Pinoy Rides here.
- Se more car show babes and models here.

And so we continue on to the next exhibits in the Osaka Motor Show.

Japan’s answer to the American HMMWV, the Toyota Mega Cruiser. This one’s in JGSDF livery.

Exedy Formula F race car. It’s powered by a Honda L15A7, the same engine in your typical Jazz or City.

TE37′s being put to good use.

The G’s Prius. Looks great, nothing over-the-top.

The Team A crew going at it.

And we find the piece de resistance: the Toyota 86.

Like its BRZ brother, it’s a great looking little car too.

The 86 exhibit was easily the most crowded in the whole event.

Finally, Toyota’s making exciting cars again!

We at Team A Motorsports like, well, motorsports. So we didn’t pass up the chance to try out this driving sim, featuring Ayrton Senna’s McLaren-Honda MP4/4 at the Suzuka Circuit.

“Stop driving like an idiot!”

The pretty ladies from the Mazda booth. Zoom zoom!

There were even bikes. Here’s a cool retro-modern Honda electric bike. I really hope these bikes make it to production.

Who knew that there was a Mugen bike?

This might be the only time I’ll ever see a Lexus LF-A clutch.

All sorts of people went to the motor show.

Young or old.

Random stuff to find.

Random cars to see.

The show really wasn’t limited to a specific class of cars.

That Jimny is just badass.

Check out the very clean kei car.

Looks like we have quite a long way to go.

You’d have to hand it to the people who make these interiors.

A wild Isuzu bus appears!

Talk about rare.

Brace yourselves for Part 4, coming soon!

In case you missed the previous installments of the 2012 Osaka Motor Show <– check them out here.

The results are in! And with that, I’m proud to announce the Car Photography Club January 2012 Photo Contest winner, and henceforth, the January 2012 Car Photographer of the Month… Jay Cee, with his spectacular photo of this rock crawling Toyota FJ40 at Mt. Pinatubo.

Indeed a worthy shot for our January theme: Action Shots (or the Notion of Action where the viewer is compelled into thinking that the subject did an action prior to the photo being taken).

Join us in congratulating Jay Cee for this fantastic achievement. We look forward to seeing more awesome photos from you in the days to come.

Meanwhile, watch out for the February 2012 Car Photography Club Photo Contest to be announced soon. Stay tuned for this on the Car Photography Club group page.

It’s time to cast your votes for who will win the Car Photography Club January 2012 Photo Contest!

easypollmaker.com – get your free poll

Poll will close on the 7th of February, 2012 at 11:59pm (Manila Time).

* UPDATE (02-Feb-2012): I sincerely apologies about this guys but there is a bug with the poll/vote collecting facility and none of the votes are getting saved. A new poll will be release in a bit. Please bear with us. Thank you for your support!

** UPDATE (03-Feb-2012): Poll is now active and reset to 0. You may cast your votes now!

Cast your votes now! Here are the entries:

The Theme: Action Shots (or the Notion of Action where the viewer is compelled into thinking that the subject did an action prior to the photo being taken).

2. Jundio Salvador: Monster truck at the RFC Pampanga 2011

3. Rean Angelo Reyes Velasco: Rockstar Impreza

4. Michael Kalbo Simon: Tandem Drift

5. Trish Rodrigo: Lonely Lancer

6. John Neri Natividad: Atoy Drifting the Skyline Sedan

7. Randolph B. de Leon: Russ Swift Stunt Show 2010 (2-Wheeling Impreza)

8. Jefferson V. Livara: Sports Utility Car (AE92 Corolla Rolling Shot)

9. Iori Suzuki: RHD Civic Race Car

10. Roberto Minosa: Rolling Shot at Night

11. Mark Abergas: Rain Rain Go Away (EVO parked at BRC)

12. Carlos Benitez: 2011 American Le Mans (BMW M3 Race Car Panning Shot)

13. Andy Rodriguez: Houston, we have lift off! (3-wheeling S15 Silvia)

14. Kevin Carlos: Rocket Bunny (Motul Drift Car with Tire Smoke)

15. Jet Rabe: Honda S2000 Rolling Shot

16. Jing Gines: Mountain Climbing More Fun in the Philippines (Subysoc and FRF Fun Run to Sierra Madre)

17. Calvin Marwood: Shooting Brent Co (?) Shooting a Tandem Drift Battle at Clark

18. Dexter Lim: Drag Race at Buendia (Impreza vs 370Z vs EVO)

19. Jay Cee: The Rock Crawler. Lens flare are real. (Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser at Pinatubo)

20. The Astig Custompinoyrides: Perfect Cover Shot? (Atoy Llave doing a Tire Burnout on the Rockstar Drift Car)

21. Patrick Lauder: Porsche Cayman Rolling Shot

To join future contests of the Car Photography Club <– Click here!

Photos from their respective sources (links included)

Having a little fun this Christmas season. Just toying with the idea of “What Would Santa Drive if not his sleigh?”. Let’s start!

F1 Car?

Ferrari Formula 1 Car

Santa’s colors, as if it were dressed in his livery. If he could fit, I’m sure he’d want to drive one of these. Question is, would he drive this for Christmas eve, given it can get him places faster than just about any vehicle on land?

Supercar?

Bugatti Veyron

The F1 car probably wouldn’t work, as Santa won’t be able to carry any gifts in an F1 car. So how about a super fast road car with some luggage space?

Muscle Car?

Ford Shelby GT500 Cobra

Then again, if he drove the F1 or the Veyron, he probably wouldn’t be able to make it through countries like the Philippines. With such horrific road conditions, he just won’t be able to make it through every household in the country. So how about a Muscle Car, such as this Ford Shelby GT500 Cobra? Would a little more ground clearance help?

Blingin’ SUV?

GeigerCars.de Christmas Hummer H2

GeigerCars is Europe’s largest HUMMER dealer and leading European tuner of American automobiles. They have put together this Hummer H2 wearing Christmas livery and rolling on 22-inch wheels. It is adorned with 250 LED lights for some Christmasy illumination at night. To give Santa a grand entrance, the doors open Lambo-style, giving people a sneak-peak at what’s keeping Santa awake while driving the entire night – a 3,800-watt JBL sound system with a 42-inch widescreen TV. If the snow gets too deep, all Santa has to do is take out the snowmobile in tow, and let it rip!

Monster Pickup Truck?

Top Gear’s Ice and Volcano-Conquering Toyota HiLux

But then again, if he has to get through to places where the road conditions are just downright harsh, he needs something a little more mighty. We’d especially want Santa to reach the likes of our brothers and sisters in Cagayan De Oro and Iligan City, who were recently struck by the wrath of Typhoon Sendong. Let us all pray for the dearly departed, and for the speedy recovery of all those who were affected.

If you were given the chance to own any single one of these fabulous customized offroad machines, whether as your weekend warrior, or as a daily driver to scare-off crazy undisciplined lane-cutting morons, which would you pick? Choose your weapon!

Do you prefer American? Such as the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon?

Or British? Such as the Land Rover Defender 90?

How about a modified version of the modern status symbol – the Toyota Fortuner?

Or monster truck looks, such as this humongous Toyota Hilux?

Or if you’re more of the Dakkar Rally type, how about something like this Nissan Frontier?

So what do you think? Which type of custom offroad machine would you pick? Do share your thoughts on the comments!

Related Stuff:
- The vehicles above were showcased in the 2011 Manila Auto Salon. See more coverage of the car show here.
- See more custom offroad vehicles here.