Our Full Foton Big Show 2013 Experience

I have to admit, it was the Foton Dancing Wheel Loader that inspired me to Bring Berry all the way to World Trade Center in Manila for Foton’s Big Show 2013 last Friday, October 25. 

One of the highlights was actually the unveiling of Foton’s 15 seater van, the View Traveller…

… but the idea of a dancing construction vehicle was just hard to get over!

Well, as if that was to signal the feel of the day, we were in for a morning like no other. 

Foton’s Big Show 2013 formally opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony by the guests-of-honor Senator Nancy Binay, The Chinese Embassy’s Economic & Commercial Attache to the Philippines Hon. Wu Zheng Ping and Department of Public Works & Highways Secretary Hon. Rogelio Singson.

To set the mood, the National University Pep Squad performed a high-powered routine, and stayed on to present Foton vehicles to the guests of honor.

 photo via mymomfriday.com

Hosted by the lively Cito Beltran and the lovely Nicole Asensio,

and with the presence of officials from Foton China,

…the management and staff of Foton Philippines, and their guests, were treated to accolades and speeches from the esteemed speakers…

As well as a wide array of Foton vehicles that just goes to show the breadth of Foton’s manufacturing capabilities.
 

There’s the handsome and rugged Foton Thunder pick-up truck, which retails at about PHp898,000 for the 4 x 2 model…

Commercial vehicles such as the LCV which would be great for making deliveries and shuttling merchandise around… 

Light duty trucks such as the Tornado models:

Foton Auman heavy duty trucks, the result of a joint venture with Daimler AG:

And an extensive line up of industrial and construction machinery such as fork lifts, excavators, wheel loaders, backhoe loaders and such:  

But more than just the usual passenger and commercial vehicles, there were special Foton vehicles that Berry & I enjoyed seeing up close, the kind that little kids dreams are made of. 

The Emergency Response Vehicle which can load a rescue boat on its roof. Totally useful for crisis situations.

A tanker truck, OMG! When Berry saw this, she immediately ran for the stairs so she could come closer.  

A real red fire truck! Complete with all the whistles and bells that a fire truck requires. 

Then of course, as Berry & I climbed up to take a closer look at all the awe inspiring trucks, we were also treated to a first look of the Foton View Traveller, a spacious passenger van with safety features like dual front airbags, ABS and EBD, seat belts for seats, dual air con system. And as expected from Foton, reasonably priced at less than Php1.3 million. 

 

Seeing all these shiny, well-built Foton vehicles, was impressive. But we had to find out if there was more to Foton than form. 

With my fellow meticulous mommy friends Michelle aka My Mom Friday and Rowena aka Animetric, we just had to board the Foton Thunder to see for ourselves what it’s like to ride a Foton pick-up truck. 

Stepping inside, it felt just like being in a Japanese pick-up truck. The seats were comfortable, the leg room was spacious. The dashboard was pretty standard, but better than expected, given the price point. 

As for the ride? It was way better than expected! We had a smooth, controlled ride, and it felt like being in an SUV with great suspension. My brother drives a Japanese pick-up truck and it is so bumpy, that this Foton trumps his truck by a mile. Amazing! 

And with that, I leave you with a video of the Dancing Wheel Loader! Awe-mazing! 

For more on Foton vehicles, Like the Foton page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FOTONPhilippines

Foton's Big Show 2013: Driven by Vision

What's that? What's Foton?

Same question I asked when I first heard of it, and as it turns out, it's a huge Chinese motor company known for manufacturing commercial vehicles - trucks, pick-ups, vans, SUVs, and heavy equipment.

It was first founded in 1996 and in less than two decades has grown into an industry leader, partnering with the likes of Daimler AG which owns and produces Mercedes-Benz, Smart, Freightliner and Maybach cars and trucks.

As with all China-made and Chinese homegrown products, a big come on is the affordable price, with the Foton Thunder pick-up truck selling for less than Php 900,000.

 Foton Thunder, Topgear PH review here

Yes, true story. And worth learning more about!

Discover Foton vehicles and trucks at the Foton’s Big Show 2013: Drive by Vision Grand Launch at the World Trade Center on October 25, 2013 and witness the launching of the new Foton View Traveller, a coaster/mini-bus perfect for shuttle operators, as featured by the auto section of PDI.

Worth seeing as well is the FOTON Dancing Wheel Loader, a first in the Philippines, and reminds me somehow of Transformers. 

photo via PDI

For those looking to buy a vehicle, the show is a chance to trade-in old vehicles from October 26 to 27, and avail of discounts and rewards when purchasing Foton vehicles at the event.

Watch out for giveaways too just for coming, test driving passenger vehicles or attending forums and trainings. Bring the family, there is no entrance fee.

How to get in? Register your attendance to the event through the registration form at the bottom of this page!

Bloggers, you may want to blog about this event too. Last day to have that post up is today! It's gonna be worth the effort as you may win an iPad mini or be one of ten winners of Php20,000 each!

Details and how to join, here:

For updates, Like the Foton page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FOTONPhilippines

Feiyue in Manila

Photo by My Mom Friday's 6 year old daughter M, galing! 

The sneakers above are my Feiyues (pronounced Feî-yué) and I love them! Not only are they stylish, they are super comfortable too! I remember seeing a guy in the Singapore MRT back in 2010, that's 3 years ago, wearing this exact same pair and I wanted one at first sight. I thought they looked cool in a classic, old school kind of way.

Feiyue sneakers have an interesting history. As the name suggests, it has Chinese roots. Feiyue literally means "Flying Forward" and it has done just that, transforming itself from a lowly cloth shoe in the 1920s worn by martial artists and athletes to a global brand today, backed up by a group of French sneaker enthusiasts.

Ruby Gan's son Ralph tells me Feiyues are known as shaolin shoes

To understand how progressive the brand has become, imagine this. From shaolin shoes, they moved on to a Feiyue x CELINE collaboration in 2008. And the sneakers looked pretty cool, pre-Phoebe Philo at that. (Philo only came on board as Creative Director of Celine in 2008 and presented her Pre-Spring 2010 debut collection in 2009 - MFO's note).

 

The Feiyue x CELINE collaboration from 2008

From this first collaboration, Feiyue went on to work on artistic and graphic projects with Shin Tanaka (Japan), Stereo Japan (France), Steph Cop (France), NSDQ (Hong Kong), CASIO and agnès b.

Feiyue x agnès b.

Feiyue landed in Manila in 2011. The same year the brand launched in Australia and New York. But it was only recently that Feiyue Manila opened their showroom in Greenhills, at Sekai Center.

  Xavi & me at the Feiyue showroom with L to R: Janice, Jaycee, Kris, Michelle and Jenny

My friend Janice's cousin Jaycee Dee invited the SoMoms over and we got to look at the styles they brought in...

Plus a sneak peek of the new Fall 2013 collection which should arrive in a few months. Can I just say I love the kids line? Totally adorable! The high tops? O.M.G.

I want to get this for Berry

I want to get this for Xavi

Can we get a collective squeal? Eeeeeeeeeep! Too too too cute!

Of course, I am getting myself a pair of this mid-cut origins too, as seen on Janice and Jaycee:

The mid-cut origins are also part of the Fall Collection and I am getting antsy waiting for all these new styles! Hurry up Feiyue and Fly Forward to the kiddos and meeee!

Feiyue is available at Rustan's Alabang Town Center, Makati and Shangri-la, Zalora.com.ph and at their Greenhills showroom: Unit 104 Sekai Center, 368 Ortigas Avenue cor Madison Street, Greenhills, San Juan.

For more information and updates, like Feiyue on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Feiyue.Philippines