Throwback to the Aurelio, the first Filipino-made sports car

The Aurelio sports car is a Filipino-made supercar that has been making waves in the automotive industry since its introduction. In this blog post, we will delve into the history of the Aurelio sports car, its features, and the impact it has had on the Filipino automotive industry.

Supercars are the specialty of the Italians and Germans. Ferraris and Porsches, to name a couple, are heralded for their ability to reach 200kph in style and substance. For decades, that has certainly held true, so when a Filipino-made supercar was unveiled, quite a frenzy followed. Here’s a look back on Aurelio, the first Filipino company to create a supercar.

About Aurelio Automobile 

It was around 2015 to 2016 when an angry-eyed, curvaceous two-seater grabbed the attention of local car enthusiasts and automotive media. That car was produced by Factor Aurelio Motors Philippines, a firm founded by men who, according to a sources at the time, share the “same passion for cars and decided to create the Aurelio supercar to further boost local automotive manufacturing in the Philippines.”

Brothers Kevin and Bryan Factor, as well as Brendan Aurelio, are the people who run the business. The youngest, Kevin, is in charge of the car's internal mechanisms, while Aurelio is in charge of the exterior and interior styling. Bryan, on the other hand, is the organization's business mind and has prior experience in marketing and investment ventures.

Aurelio Sports car Exterior

Almost 80% of the sports car's exterior components — such as the fiberglass and carbon fiber — according to Aurelio's San Pedro, Laguna-based manufacturer, were made in the Philippines. Rota wheels underpin the car. Everything in this automobile, excluding the transmission, some suspension parts, brakes, and engine, was acquired locally.

And what a striking design has our fellowmen penned. The Aurelio supercar’s front end with its squinting headlights, for one, appears to take after McLaren. It’s also from the British manufacturer’s products where Aurelio seemingly got inspiration, too, in coming up with the aggressive fins and folds on the car’s sides. Oh, and have we mentioned the Aurelio supercar’s doors that swing upwards like Lamborghini cars do?

Aurelio Sports car Performance

A Honda B16A V-TEC engine and a 2.0 liter Mitsubishi 4G63T turbocharged engine are mounted in the center of the supercar, the Carmudi feature added. The Mitsubishi engine powers the Aurelio up to 457 horsepower, allowing it to reach high speeds of approximately 290 kilometers per hour and complete a quarter-mile in under 10 seconds. Clearly, the car packs superb performance.

According to a Reddit source the latest specs of Aurelio are :

Model : Aurelio 320

Type: 2 door sports coupe

Layout: Mid-Engine Rear Wheel Drive

Engine: 3.5L V6

Horspower: 277 hp

Transmission: 5 Speed Automatic with Sports mode (Paddle Shifters)

Body: Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic - Carbon Fiber Composite

Chassis: Tube steel spaceframe, MIG welded, Rollcage integrated

Suspension: 4 Wheel Independent, uneven A-arms, Adjustable coilovers

Brakes: 4 Wheel discs with ABS

Wheels: 19" x 9.5" Alloy magwheels with 35 series tires at front and 40 series tires at rear

Safety Features: Traction control,  5 point racing seatbelts, SRS Airbags.

Comfort and Entertainment: Fixed Seats with adjustable pedals and steering wheel column, AIM Digital Gauge Cluster, Harman Kardon Audio System, Push button parking brake system, Front airlift system

Order time: 72 working days

Base price: PhP 3.5M 

Optional components: Power/Remote door lifters (PhP 150,000) (USD 3,102), Push button shifter (PhP 95,000)(USD 1,965)

Aurelio Supercar Interior

The Aurelio's two-seater interior is made out of carbon fiber and fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) firewall components. Factor Aurelio Automobile, the four-man all-Filipino team, has not yet revealed the car's complete interior details. Yet according to the report, the company offers features and upholstery that may be altered to suit the desires and requirements of its customers.

Aurelio Car Price Philippines

Factor Aurelio Automobile claimed that given its present labor force, it can only build six to 10 vehicles annually. The Aurelio cost P1.6 million at the time of launch 2016.

Impact of the Aurelio sports car on the Filipino automotive industry

The Aurelio sports car has had a significant impact on the Filipino automotive industry. It has shown that Filipinos are capable of creating high-quality cars that can compete with the best in the world. The car has also inspired other Filipino engineers and designers to create their own cars, which has led to a growing automotive industry in the country.

Aurelio Automobile Today

There’s not much buzz surrounding Factor Aurelio Automobile today, and that’s a shame. Our homegrown talents definitely deserve more prominence — especially when these talents produce such striking metal. A Facebook page shows proof of life of the company and its breakthrough concept, though. 

Official or not, we can only expect a bigger, better homegrown supercar marque when it flanks its scissor doors on center stage once again.

Photos from Aurelio Concepts Instagram Page