Motor shows won't be complete without models, and in the 3rd Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS), they were as varied as they came: beautiful and sexy in their minis, hot pants, and even red-carpet gowns, gamely posing with visitors-turned-overnight paparazzi.

Yet there is more to the models than meet the eye.

In an informal poll on this website that has been running since July 24, almost a third of 291 web visitors who were asked, "What excites you most in a motor show?" ranked "sexy models" highest. But new car models still topped the poll with 31.3% of the votes as of Aug. 26.

At the recently held 3rd PIMS, the women of PGA Cars, Inc., the exclusive distributor of Porsche and Audi, vied for attention in their long, flowing dresses and matched the sophistication of the Audi RB V10, Audi Q5, and other luxury models. Suzuki, meanwhile, attracted a male following with models in Japanese schoolgirl outfits.

Not all models are certified car lovers, but model Risha Sotto at the Ford Philippines booth professes her passion for wheels.

Proving that cars aren’t just for big boys, families with tiny tots in tow flocked to the recently held 3^rd Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS) at the World Trade Center Metro Manila. They were treated not only to a magnificent display of the latest car models, but also to wholesome and fun-filled family activities, transforming the 15,000- square meter exhibit space into a vast playground.

One of the main draws were Transformers robots Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, who wowed the crowd at the booth of The Covenant Car Company, Inc. (TCCCI), local distributor of Chevrolet. The autobots highlighted the all-new Chevy Spark that appeared in the popular movie franchise. The Chevy Spark is already available overseas in 1-liter and 1.2-liter variants. Its release in the local market will largely depend on the visitors’ reception at the 3^rd PIMS, said TCCCI officials.

At the balloon twisting and face painting booths of Toyota Motor Philippines, Inc., 5-year-old Sunny and 3-year-old JP Manese shared bonding moments with their parents, freelance web developer Ronald Manese and wife Aileen, who considered the motor show a special Sunday family date. Their kids were particularly drawn to posing inside the Toyota Hybrid X, a concept car with an open-space motif and futuristic blue exteriors.

“I went all alone to the 2008 PIMS, not realizing that the whole family could enjoy the sights. I made up for it by finally bringing them here. My little girl enjoyed the hybrid cars that looked like they’re straight from outer space,” Mr. Manese said.

The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) capped its four-day 3rd Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS) with the announcement of winners of its 1st CAMPI Motor Show Media Awards.

The CMMA was held in recognition of the vital role that mainstream and social media play in keeping the public informed about the developments in the auto industry. The Awards used the 3rd PIMS as a platform to generate awareness on the auto industry in general, and on CAMPI and its environmental advocacy called "My Ride+Earth."

The Philippine Daily Inquirer/Inquirer.net bagged the top award, the "Best Motor Show Coverage," and two other awards to take home a total of P30,000 in cash prizes and P25,000 worth of in-kind prizes, including the forfeited prizes from two categories without declared winners. The Inquirer team was represented by Motoring Editor Jong Arcano.

The following are the winners in the 16 categories:

BEST MOTOR SHOW COVERAGE: Philippine Daily Inquirer/Inquirer.net (Mr. Jong Arcano, Motoring Editor); prizes of P10,000 cash and P5,000 in kind and a trophy sponsored by CAMPI

BEST PRINT COVERAGE: Manila Times (Mr. Brian Afuang, Motoring Editor); prizes of P5,000 cash and P5,000 in kind and a trophy sponsored by Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI)

BEST ONLINE COVERAGE: Inquirer.net (Mr. Jong Arcano, Motoring Editor); prizes of P5,000 cash and P5,000 in kind and a trophy sponsored by Toyota Motor Philippines, Inc. (TMP)

BEST BROADCAST COVERAGE: Turbo Time, U92 FM (Mr. Mike Potenciano, Producer/Host); prizes of P5,000 cash and P5,000 in kind and a trophy sponsored by Asian Carmakers Corp. (ACC)

The power of celebrity emerged at the 3rd Philippine International Motor Show where the vast exhibition space burst at the seams, not only with the latest luxury sedans, SUVs, hatchbacks, and hybrids, but also with entertainment.

Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) gathered an artistic powerhouse: world-class artist Lea Salonga, prima ballerina Lisa Macuja, and singing wonder Charlie Green, to kick-start its eco motoring campaign entitled "The Wonderful World of Hyundai."

Filharmonica, conducted by maestro Gerard Salonga, provided the music as the crowd enjoyed PIMS’s first-ever augmented reality (AR) and 3D show in their 3D cyan glasses.

During the presentation, Hyundai launched its sci-fi and space-inspired concept car: the iX-Metro Hybrid Electric Crossover Utility Vehicle. The fifth concept car in the Hyundai Namyang Design (HND) series, the iX-Metro has a triangular overall design theme and is equipped with an eco-friendly, hybridized petrol engine.

Driving on local roads is no walk in the park, and Scandinavian Motors Philippines (Volvo) aims to make the ride safe, as well as stylish with its S60 sports sedan that debuted at the 3rd Philippine International Motor Show on Aug. 19.

The S60’s key safety features include the world’s first Pedestrian Detection, a support system the European car brand pioneered. This essentially makes it impossible for the car to run over a pedestrian if it's going below 35 kilometers per hour.

Using its laser and radar, the S60 intelligently senses when people are in front of the car and immediately warns the driver.

If the driver does not respond on time, the vehicle will apply full brakes. At higher speeds, the system slows down the car if it can't stop it altogether.

"It's a support system. It doesn't mean people have to stop using the brakes," said Froilan Valencia, Volvo sales manager.

The S60 also comes with Lane Departure Warning, which sends an audible warning to the driver if the car is leaving its lane. An Adaptive Cruise Control makes the car match the speed of the vehicle in front of it, ultimately making a collision impossible by maintaining a safe distance.

The high expectations for the Nissan Teana are proving to be worth the buzz.

Berna Acena, Nissan Motor Philippines, Inc. (NMPI) head for market and product planning, said there were already a lot of reservations made for the "superior sedan" just one day after its local unveiling at the 3rd Philippine International Motor Show.

She sees at least 50 to 60 units of the Nissan Teana sold per month, starting on Sept. 4 when it becomes available in Nissan dealerships. "And that is a conservative estimate," Ms. Acena added.

She credited the vehicle’s look and pricing for the upbeat debut.

"The design is more sleek. The look is very European. The interiors are premium, and the pricing level is very competitive. Its specifications are incomparable. It's very obvious why a lot of people are interested," she said.