A few years ago, I was only dreaming of becoming a Spartan. I took a leap of faith by taking on a Spartan Race back in 2022 in the midst of a hurricane, running through a 10-kilometer muddy trail.

In case you didn’t know, Spartan Race is the world’s premier obstacle course race hosted across the globe. It tests the limits and grit of an athlete, transforming anyone to be their strongest and most unbreakable self.

Three races in and I’ve clocked a total of 36 kilometers, ending the year as a full-fledged Spartan. A 10-kilometer muddy trail in Vermosa; a 5-kilometer trail run inside Timberland Heights; and a 21-kilometer mixed trail in Alviera.

As the 2023 season begins, I was dead-set on taking my first Age Group (competitive) category and a back-to-back race on the same day. All my gears were Spartan-ready, and all that was left was a vehicle appropriate for a Spartan.

Spartan-grade vehicle

In my quest to prepare for my most enduring race yet, Ford lent me the Next-Gen Ford Ranger. The Next-Gen Ford Ranger arrived in a Blue Lightning colorway, emanating strength and speed. It was instantly a head-turner, catching the attention of other commuters and passersby.

Everything about the Ranger screams Spartan. The vehicle exudes the same ethos we live for. It’s battle-ready, extremely durable, and insanely powerful.

Previous races L-R: Vermosa 10K Trail (September 2022), Timberland 5K Sprint (November 2022), Alviera 21K Trail (December 2022)

Not to mention, it has striking looks — which I always exude whenever I take on a race. How can you get noticed by event photographers if you won’t play with colors, right?

It looked strong and it made us feel powerful. “Us” as a collective because the emotional state doesn’t just pulsate with the driver, but also with its passengers. One weekend with the Ranger and we felt like warriors. Ready to take on any challenges that we can conquer.

Made for Spartans

Just because I’m a Spartan doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the creature comforts the Next-Gen Ford Ranger brings. In fact, I am trained to be uncomfortable but the vehicle’s features allow me to pursue the Spartan lifestyle.

Call it a paradox but we take the convenience of having a comfortable ride and/or drive so we can train our minds and bodies to be familiar with pain and discomfort. As a modern-day Spartan, life isn’t all about battles and preparing for war under the heat of the sun.

We wage our fights through our day jobs, balancing our personal lives, while also developing our bodies to be ready for sports.

Having a tech-infused vehicle enables me to freely pursue the life of a Spartan. If you’re familiar with Ford’s driving experience, which we have mentioned several times here in GadgetMatch, it’s always buttery-smooth.

Even with a humongous body, I can maneuver the steering wheels easily. As someone who drives small cars, I felt the heft and the pain of driving a bigger automobile. But the features packed inside the vehicle made driving smoother — both for rookies and seasoned drivers.

When a smartphone and a vehicle match!

With every technology update to Ford’s lineup of automobiles, it’s becoming more of a tech machine each year. The Next-Gen Ford Ranger is no exception with the ability to use FordPass Connect. If you’ve been living under a rock, FordPass is Ford’s newest technology utilizing remote control functions for the vehicle through an app.

When I was in a hurry and I couldn’t locate my keys, I used the FordPass app on my iPhone to remotely unlock the Ford Ranger. Through the app, I was able to remotely start the vehicle so I can turn on the air conditioner even before I step in. I was also able to stop the engine, lock the car, and check the fuel level — all in one space.

What I like the most is the vehicle locator feature, which allows me to find the Ford Ranger in crowded parking areas. Thankfully, I didn’t have to use the feature when the Ranger was parked in Vermosa’s gravel lot since I was the only one with a vehicle in a striking blue colorway.

Aside from FordPass, the accessibility and ease of use of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto allowed everyone to connect with the vehicle to help in navigation and music playback. We sang “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus while on our way to Alabang so we can hopefully shake our pre-race jitters.

I personally love the bigger, best-in-class 12-inch portrait touchscreen that allows me to see an overview of the map, adjust music playback, and even have a space for responding to calls and messages.

The perfect companion for an endurance race

For a pick-up truck, the Ranger offers extremely comfortable space for its passengers. We picked up Alison — my friend, a teacher, and an elite athlete — partaking in the first race of the weekend. Alison competed with elite and national athletes, hopefully qualifying for the national team.

Alison, together with other competitive athletes, gleefully took some rest in the back seat while in transit. They loved the leg space and the coziness the couches offered. The same experience goes for the front passenger seat, which I took as I was playing with the car’s features while my friend Betty took on the wheels.

When female Spartans are lovin’ it

Perhaps, the people who enjoyed the Ranger the most are Spartan women that I befriended after my first race. Jomi and Betty, competitive athletes who are consistently part of the Top 10 of their respective age groups, took over the wheel while I was exploring the Ranger’s features and technology.

Recently, I have learned that the Next-Gen Ford Ranger is officially the best 4×4 and pick-up according to the Women’s World Car of the Year judges. It won for a multitude of reasons; the same reasons that Jomi and Betty loved when they experienced driving the Ranger.

From excellent ride and handling, a suite of advanced driver-assist technologies and other safety features, an upgraded chassis and suspension, and the bold and confident look that resonates with strong, independent women. What more can they ask for?

Fostering a sense of community

What I love about the Next-Gen Ford Ranger is how it builds a sense of community, the same way a Spartan race brings people together. Parked in the gravels of Vermosa, the Ford Ranger became a holding area for my friends and teammates.

We used the cargo box to house our bags, equipment, and food. We were able to gather behind, passing jokes and drinks after an exhilarating day.

I used to do things alone and now, I’m surrounded by like-minded people — which was the best plot twist I’ve had so far. And even if it’s just for a weekend, I’m grateful that the Next-Gen Ford Ranger helped in making my first competitive and back-to-back race memorable.

Even with an aching body, the Ranger offered a smooth, safe, and reliable ride on our way home. It’s definitely a Spartan-grade vehicle, made for modern-day Spartans.

The Next-Gen Ford Ranger comes with a 5-year warranty. The longer warranty offering will cover the Next-Gen Ranger for up to 5 years or a total mileage of up to 150,000 kilometers, whichever comes first.

For more information, visit the Ford Ranger page on the website to reserve the next-gen Ranger through www.ford.com.ph or check your nearest Ford dealer.

Fast-paced sports need fast-paced connections. It’s hardly surprising that technology now goes hand-in-hand with today’s sports wherein real-time information is a necessity. Now, after a brief stint with Ferrari, Qualcomm is teaming up with Mercedes-AMG on the Formula 1 grid.

Last year, the chipmaker announced a surprising partnership with Ferrari’s Formula 1 team. At the time, Qualcomm joined Google as one of the major technology brands involved in Formula 1. However, unlike Google’s more visible motifs on McLaren’s livery, Qualcomm’s partnership with Ferrari was more subtle.

Since Mercedes-AMG recently unveiled its livery for the upcoming season, Qualcomm is approaching its new partnership in the same way. The brand’s logo is subtly displayed on the car’s rear wing. The team’s garage and clothing will also don the logo for this season.

Naturally, the partnership goes beyond the logo. The team will use Qualcomm technologies to improve its performance on the track. The chipmaker will also help with the team’s fan experiences, in-person and in virtual worlds.

Mercedes-AMG and Qualcomm are now in a multi-year partnership. Expect to see the chipmaker’s logo for years to come.

Now, in the world of Formula 1, Mercedes-AMG remains one of the teams to look out for. Along with Red Bull and Ferrari, the team makes up a part of the big three actively competing for the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships.

SEE ALSO: Google, Android partners with McLaren Racing

Honda is starting 2023 with a bang, introducing the 6th generation Civic Type R to the Philippine market.

The most powerful yet from the line, the all-new sports car-looking Civic Type R will feature a handful of improvements from its exterior design all the way to a more ergonomic and immersive cabin inside.

Some changes include a wider and lower overall build, wider rear doors, a reshaped rear bumper, an elongated hood, and an aggressive front bumper design featuring a honeycomb grille mesh.

The LED headlamps and taillamps have also been redesigned, complementing the matte black finish on the 19-inch alloy wheels.

Of course, the Civic Type R isn’t just all about appearance; underneath the hood is a powerful 2.0-liter, 16-valve DOHC VTEC, turbo-charged in-line 4-cylinder engine for up to 420 Nm of torque.

The car features a 6-speed manual transmission with a Rev Match Control system for more precise and smoother shifting.

Immersive, comfortable interior

Inside the all-new Civic Type R is an immersive cabin with distinct features only available on the specific model.

There is an aluminum shift knob for added sportiness and a serialized Type R plate on the dashboard. The car has racing-inspired Alcantara seats, while a black and red motif stands out in interior finishes.

Behind the steering wheel is a 10.2-inch fully-digital instrument cluster. For its infotainment setup, the Type R features a 9-inch touchscreen with support for various connectivity and multimedia functions, such as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and a 12-speaker Bose system.

Another exclusive offering for the Type R is the Honda LogR Performance Datalogger that monitors driving activity using both the car’s sensors and a built-in vehicle app.

Other comfort features include automatic air-conditioning, smart key card entry, one push start system, wireless charging, and more.

Advanced safety features

The 2023 Civic Type R comes with the full suite of Honda SENSING features, such as:

• Collision Mitigation Braking System
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Lane Keeping Assist
• Road Departure Mitigation
• Lane Departure Warning
• Forward Collision Warning
• Auto-High Beam

Aside from these, the car also has a camera mounted behind the windshield which has an improved field of view (100 degrees from 50 degrees) while at the back is a multi-view rear camera.

Other safety offerings include:

• Anti-lock Brake System
• Electronic Brake-Force Distribution
• Vehicle Stability Assist
• Hill Start Assist
• Electric Parking Brake
• Auto Brake Hold
• ISOFIX child seat anchor

Price, availability

The all-new Honda Civic Type R retails for PhP 3,880,000 for the 2.0 VTEC Turbo Honda SENSING MT variant.

Visit any of Honda’s 37 car dealerships nationwide for the virtual showroom here for more details.