In an effort to solidify its market share and strengthen its presence in the domestic market, Ford Group Philippines hosted a two- week ride and drive event last week. Held at the historic Clark Economic Zone, a former bastion of the U.S. military in South East Asia, the Ford SUV Experience event played host to motoring scribes from neighboring countries such as China, Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Korea.
The goal was to experience Ford’s heritage and expertise while promoting the natural beauty and scenic destinations of the Pampanga province. This writer was part of the first batch of motoring media which included Vietnam and Korea.
For this momentous event, Ford prepared their SUV line-up led by the all-new Expedition, followed by its top selling variants, the Ford Ecosport and Everest, plus the all new Escape and Explorer SUV’s. To give the participants adequate downtime with the vehicles, we were grouped into sets of four with two persons per vehicle. I shared my ride with motoring colleague Anjo Perez of Wheels Ph.
Our first taste of the SUV experience took us around the San Fernando and Angeles for a bit of urban exploration driving the Ecosport to savor delectable Kapampangan cuisine and learn a thing or two on how to make lanterns. In the Afternoon, we had our fill of some off-road fun as we drove through the trail of Mt. Pinatubo, which was a mix of volcanic ash, sand and deep water beds behind the wheel of a bone stock Everest. The SUV never faltered considering that we were riding on stock tires which was impressive.
The following day started early as we headed off to the Green Canyon Resort, the country’s first eco-adventure resort in the country built with sustainable living in mind. With some of our colleagues availing of the massage at the waiting area, our group decided to explore the dirt trail of the resort driving the luxurious Explorer. The last stop of the day was the Lakeshore, a modern community surrounding a lake filled with aquatic life. Here, participants did some fishing, kite flying and biking, which reflected Ford’s outdoor lifestyle.
It was an adventure and fun–filled two days for motoring scribes, and for me, an emotional one because my first trip to Mt. Pinatubo was also with a Ford vehicle way back in the nineties. Ford left no stone unturned in making this one a memorable experience.