Off-road expo highlights industry’s popularity

TTEXT AND PHOTOS BY DINO RAY V. DIRECTO 3RD

HE to the open grounds of Arcovia City in Pasig City last weekend. Organized by marketing whiz Justin Uy of Wheel Gallery, of the Philippines. distributors of Black Rhino wheels, Patriot Tires and Nitto “I am fortunate to have friends like Olson who helped me Tires, the two-day off-road expo saw the largest gathering of organize this event,” Liuson said.

4x4 vehicles and related industries. Another activity that visitors were able to learn from was

“I would always invite friends, relatives and customers to the participation of trusted automotive accessory brands that join us in our off-road events, but most of them could not are preferred among off-road enthusiasts in upgrading their commit or join us on a whole day event. This is why Uncle vehicles and making these geared up and ready for the drive. Sam Liuson and I thought of organizing this 4x4 Expo. We Apart from the main presentors, Black Rhino Wheels and Nitto Tires, brands that will be having display booths include Bilstein, PIAA, Motul, Decathlon, Atoy Customs, Overland Kings, CTEK, Coleman, among others. There were also tech talks by some sponsors that discussed how to make overlanding a safe hobby to have and how to get ready for the trails.

The gathering also highlighted the impressive display of 4x4 rigs and vehicles by the industry’s enthusiasts. Visitors also ogled at the individual displays, and participation from some of the country’s biggest car clubs, such as the Land Rover Club, Jeep Club, Terra Nation, Jimny Club, Raptor Group, Montero Sport United, to name a few.

Another highlight was the collaborative efforts with the Association of Philippine Volunteer Fire Brigades (APVFBI) hand experience on the basics of off-road driving,” Uy said.

For two days or September 28 to 29, Arcovia was a beehive of activity, with different vendors displaying their off-road gears and equipment, plus patrons of the sport drooling at

for the two-day 4x4 Expo.

“I am surprised and happy at the same time to see these many people are into this sport. I am also grateful to Sam that he made the brand a big deal here in the Philippines, and Black Rhino has become the standard of off-road wheels,” he said.

One of the highlights of the weekend was the fully functional off-roading track, where beginners (or even nonbeginners) can learn the basics of safe driving over uneven terrain. The track included makeshift sand dunes, dirt road, and even a water-wading moat. The track was dug and designed by off-road legend Olson Camacho of Project O and one of the founding Fathers of the 4x4 Off-Road Federation

attended the two-day expo.

The 4x4 Expo was supported by notable car brands like Chevrolet, GAC Motors, Isuzu, Jeep, Land Rover, Mitsubishi Motors, and Suzuki. These brands offered test drives of their latest 4x4 vehicle models slated for the off-road lifestyle and how these can be customized for the sport.