Saturday, March 3, 2012

Spotlight: 2003 Nissan Fairlady Z (Community Bounty Hunter -sinnermac-)

2003 Nissan Fairlady Z Community Bounty Hunter edition


What you're looking here is a 2003 Nissan Fairlady Z customized by FM4 player sinnermac. His design showcased the bounty hunters of Star Wars such as Jango Fett and Boba Fett. It was selected as the Bounty Hunter prize car for those who beat sinnermac's time at the "Compact Combat" Community Monthly Rival challenge. Those people who beaten sinnermac's time of "00:12.100" at that challenge got rewarded with the 2003 Nissan Fairlady Z modified by sinnermac. I beat sinnermac with a lap time of 00:11.967 using a 1984 Volkswagen Rabbit GTi with some modifications I bought from the storefront that says it can be faster than sinnermac's.

With the Community Bounty Hunter against sinnermac's Compact Combat lap time round and over, seems that I don't need the tuning setup I bought at the storefront and I decided to tune my Rabbit GTi by myself. But anyway, I'll surely keep sinnermac's Z33 with Star Wars Bounty Hunters design as a prize. I would gladly thank sinnermac for this challenge.

Anyone else who beat sinnermac got this?

Let's Do The News (March 3, 2012)

Time now for the news!

Let's begin with a very interesting one. You know that there are a few Formula One drivers defected to other motorsports. Juan Pablo Montoya used to be an F1 driver but now he's involved on NASCAR. Today, F1 driver Rubens Barrichello is defected to IndyCar, just like the other F1 graduates such as Nigel Mansell, Takuma Sato, Sebastien Bourdais, and Jean Alesi.

Good thing that Rubens Barrichello is finally retired from his F1 racing and moving on to the IndyCar, fighting alongside with IZOD IndyCar racer, Tony Kanaan, for KV Racing Technology for the 2012 IndyCar season.


Well, now that Rubens Barrichello is now an F1 graduate and moving on to IndyCar, let's check out something interesting....OH MY!

Chevrolet Volt


Because of poor sales, General Motors will stop production of the Chevrolet Volt PHV and the Opel Ampera for five weeks! Really? Why would they pause production of these PHVs? Oh wait, let me guess, General Motors need to maintain the right inventory levels and continue to meet demand, right? Looks like the Chevrolet Volt's having a hard sell eh? Too difficult to sell in the States...


Well, to put this misery, let's move to the next one and this will enlighten the hearts of many...

PEUGEOT RETURNS TO THE PHILIPPINES!!!!

Yes, the French automaker deserved a second chance of life in the Philippines and it's now under the management of the same group behind BMW and Kia, Columbian Motors. They'll be looking for it's 2% share in the Philippine market with the Peugeot lineup such as the 3008 crossover, 5008 minivan, 508 sedan, 308CC, and the RCZ sports coupe.


Gosh, I hope their pricing would be so okay, not like the last time their pricing looks horrible. Anyway, moving on...

Land Rover produced the 1-millionth Discovery (LR4) SUV at its Solihull plant in Birmingham, UK and to celebrate, they'll be ready for the millionth Discovery's epic journey from UK, Russia, and China. This would be as exciting as the original Overland Expedition in 1955!


How's that to be more epic for the one-millionth LR4?


Actor Charlie Sheen endorses the Fiat 500 Abarth! Wow! How's life being a person who's on house arrest? On this ad, THIS RULES!

And that's the news!

SLS AMG tuning by Wheelsandmore

Wheelsandmore SLS AMG

After Wheelsandmore modified the McLaren MP4-12C, their next car on their tuning portfolio is the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. 

For this modification, Wheelsandmore updated the SLS AMG's software, therefore it provides 610PS of power and top speed of 323kph. That costs 3,000 Euros but you may need 2,500 Euros to get a tachometer that measures up to 400kph. For 10,841 Euros, Wheelsandmore will provide you some tuned exhaust system with special manifolds and sports catalysts, providing a 20hp increase.

Some extras include some adjustable suspension, and a choice of 20 or 21-inch rims with an optional gold-plated Swarovski cystal-finished spokes.

Sakura Iro Sotsugyou|BareBare Valentine

Sakura Iro Sotsugyou|BareBare Valentine

The latest maxi-single from a fan favorite from The World God Only Knows (日本名:神のみぞ知るセカイ), Kanon Nakagawa, is served as a birthday present for her because Kanon Nakagawa's birthday was March 3! It seems that Kanon Nakagawa's very happy and therefore I was going to kiss the poster that has the picture of Kanon Nakagawa on it, literally.

This all new album features two new Kanon Nakagawa songs fans would love to enjoy such as Sakura Iro Sotsugyou and BareBare Valentine. There was a piano version of Sakura Iro Sotsugyou and some "minus one" versions of those two titular songs, plus the piano version, giving a total of six tracks.

For launch bonus, there was an alternate case with a picture of Kanon Nakagawa holding a heart-shaped chocolate that says "I ♥ You" on it.

Surely, Valentine's Day is over but with this new maxi single courtesy of Nao Toyama as Kanon Nakagawa, everyday is Valentine's Day.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KANON NAKAGAWA!!!!

Track Listings:

01 桜色卒業
02 バレバレ・バレンタイン
03 桜色卒業 ピアノ伴奏
04 桜色卒業(Instrumental)
05 バレバレ・バレンタイン(Instrumental)
06 桜色卒業 ピアノ伴奏(Instrumental)

For international customers:
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=GNCA-214

MINI Roadster

2013 Mini Roadster


There was already a convertible variant for the Mini, which is the MINI CABRIO, but who would need another open-top MINI on their lineup anyway? The all new Mini Roadster is somewhat the same as the Mini Cabrio but instead of a four-seater layout, the Mini Roadster has two seats! TWO SEATS! That makes the Mini Roadster different than the Mini Cabrio! The Mini Roadster has rivals on its sleeves such as the Renault Wind and the Mazda Roadster.

It's actually the drop-top version of last year's Mini Coupe and the result is 20 millimeters lower than the Mini Cabrio as this new model cuts a distinctive, low-slung and elegantly stretched figure from the side. Unlike modern roadsters, the black soft-top roof can be folded by hand, not by machine, but on the plus side, closing or open the roof manually saves time rather that waiting for 10 to 20 seconds to close or open the roof automatically.

On the inside, there goes the same old Mini interior but with the black interior, it was made to be road-focused and avoiding the driver of getting distracted by something that attracts him or her, especially the combination of upholstery variant, trim elements and Color Lines chosen by the MINI Roadster owner.

Firstly, the entry-level of the range was the Mini Cooper Roadster, the most economical variant was the Mini Cooper SD Roadster, and the sportiest model was the Mini Cooper S Roadster. Those variants have a choice of a 6-speed automatic and a 6-speed manual transmission. Because I can't take this too long, here are the specs of each variants;

MINI Cooper S Roadster
Four-cylinder petrol engine with MINI TwinPower Turbo technology
Displacement: 1,598 cc
Power Output: 135 kW/184 hp at 5,500 rpm
Max. torque: 240 Nm/177 lb-ft at 1,600-5,000 rpm (260 Nm/192 lb-ft with Overboost at 1,730-4,500 rpm)
Acceleration 0-100 km/h (62 mph): 7.0 seconds
Top speed: 227 km/h (141 mph)
Average fuel consumption according to EU: 6.0 l/100 km (47.1 mpg imp)
CO2 emissions: 139 g/km

MINI Cooper Roadster
Four-cylinder petrol engine with fully variable valve management based on the BMW Group's VALVETRONIC technology
Displacement: 1,598 cc
Power Output: 90 kW/122 hp at 6,000 rpm
Max. torque: 160 Nm/118 lb-ft at 4,250 rpm
Acceleration 0-100 km/h (62 mph): 9.2 seconds
Top speed: 199 km/h (124 mph)
Average fuel consumption according to EU: 5.7 l/100 km (49.6 mpg imp)
CO2 emissions: 133 g/km

MINI Cooper SD Roadster
Four-cylinder turbodiesel with MINI TwinPower Turbo technology
Displacement: 1,995 cc
Power Output: 105 kW/143 hp at 4,000 rpm
Max. torque: 305 Nm/225 lb-ft at 1,750-2,700 rpm
Acceleration 0-100 km/h (62 mph): 8.1 seconds
Top speed: 212 km/h (132 mph)
Average fuel consumption according to EU: 4.5 l/100 km (62.8 mpg imp)
CO2 emissions: 118 g/km

If you're not interested in those, consider this, the JCW (John Cooper Works) version of the Mini Roadster.


2013 Mini John Cooper Works Roadster


Being the latest of Mini's John Cooper Works range that consist of the original, JCW Cabrio, JCW Clubman, JCW Coupe, and the upcoming JCW Countryman, the new JCW Roadster has go-kart agility with a turbocharged engine, which sounds perfect to mess around your neighbors.

SPECS:
Four-cylinder petrol engine with MINI TwinPower Turbo technology and numerous technological details carried over directly from motor sport
Displacement: 1,598 cc
Power Output: 155 kW/211 hp at 6,000 rpm
Max. torque: 260 Nm/192 lb-ft at 1,850-5,600 rpm (280 Nm/207 lb-ft with Overboost at 2,000-5,100 rpm)
Acceleration 0-100 km/h (62 mph): 6.5 seconds
Top speed: 237 km/h (147 mph)
Average fuel consumption according to EU: 7.3 l/100 km (38.7 mpg imp)
CO2 emissions: 169 g/km

Colors Available for the Mini Roadster such as Chili Red, Pepper White, British Racing Green II, Eclipse Grey, Lightning Blue, Midnight Black, Spice Orange, White Silver, and Reef Blue.

My comment:
It wasn't a good idea to have another convertible model with the same size as the Mini Cabrio but the Mini Roadster is somewhat known to be the Cabrio's evil twin because it was highly a soft-top version of the Mini Coupe. Because it has two seats, this car was made for the singles who want to take their girls to a date at a five-star restaurant. The Mini Roadster is a silly addition of the Mini range but it does pack some serious performance. Well, another day, another adventure...

Photo: MINI

"As Sunday meal expert, may dagdag sa recipe niyo, BARETTA!"

Even with today's standards, GMA's Bubble Gang is rated PG and always will be, keeping this show fun for all. Anyway, what's up on that March 2, 2012 episode?

- Dance steps gags just before the school year ends!

- So you think you can do all these stuff at home?!

- If a soldier falls, what you expect?

- So, what can you say something for us, Cheche Bureche?

- Sira ang Sunday ko! As Sunday meal expert, may dagdag sa recipe niyo, BARETTA! Bubble Gang does Joy Ultra by spoofing this commercial as CHOY ULTRA!

Bubble Gang does Joy Ultra


- Have a question that you really don't get it at all? Fear not because Brod Pete and friends are here to answer your questions on ANG DATING DOON!

Ang Dating Doon


1) Betong from Survivor Philippines asked "May nasusulat po ba tungkol sa mga shoplifter?"

From the book of Price Tag 11:95; EVERYBODY LOOK TO THE LEFT. EVERYBODY LOOK TO THE RIGHT. CAN YOU FEEL THAT? YEAH. WE'LL PAY THEM WITH LOVE TONIGHT. AIN'T ABOUT THAT CHA-CHING CHA-CHING. AIN'T ABOUT THE BA-BLING BA-BLING. FORGET ABOUT THE PRICE TAG.

2) Maureen asked "Meron po bang nasusulat tungkol sa mister na merong girlfriend?"

From the pages of Kulasisi 3:15; AKO'Y MAY ALAGA, ASONG MATABA. BUNTOT AY MAHABA, MAKINIS ANG MUKHA. MAHAL NIYA AKO, MAHAL KO RIN SIYA. KAYA KAMING DALAWA, TAYONG MAGKASAMA.

- Looks like there's gonna be some cost-cutting for the film production...

- For the most delicious food served at the table comes a price; an arguement and some riots

Friday, March 2, 2012

Italian Passion for the Filipinos

Two Italian exotic car brands, Ferrari and Maserati, has finally arrived in the Philippines under the authorized importer, Autostrada Motore. Their dealership is located at 32nd & 4th Crescent Park West, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.

For their opening salvo, The Ferrari 458 Italia and the Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale were launched in the Philippines, with more new models coming soon.

About the 458 Italia

Ferrari 458 Italia

The Ferrari 458 Italia continues the Modena-based carmaker's MR tradition and it served as the replacement to the F430. It was launched at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show and this V8 midship grand tourer is the evolution since the 348 in 1989, F355 in 1994, 360 Modena in 1999, and the F430 in 2004. Trust us, this one's faster than James May's actual F430 where Jeremy Clarkson's littering it with a chocolate bar wrapper and a bag of Doritos. In the hands of The Stig, it lapped the Top Gear Test Track at 1:19.1, and it was proven to be faster than the Ferrari 430 Scuderia. Even though the assembly of the direct injection V8 engine is done by hand, computerized equipment made sure that each step of the process is done accurately. To be precise, the 458 Italia's crankshaft is one of the few parts that's balanced to within one gram for each level of balance. What we also learned that while painting the 458 Italia's body, Ferrari uses a powder base coat process that produces zero emission and it uses "emu feathers" as the only kind of feather that can clean in an electrostatically charged environment.

Price: 23,000,000 Pesos

About the Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale

Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale

The Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale is the most powerful Maserati ever built for the hardcore car enthusiasts and it is known to be the softened, firmed-up, street-legal version of the track-only Maserati GranTurismo MC and the MC GT4. This hardcore version is all work, all play, suitable for track day use or as a long-distance cruiser if you want to go out for a stroll at the country club. The inspired race-car technology derived from the GranTurismo MC GT4 produces more aerodynamic downforce and more power, without sacrificing the original GranTurismo's ride quality. Under, the hood, the MC Stradale comes with the 4.7L V8 engine that was improved to have 450HP of power and 510Nm of torque. It can do naught to 60 in 4.6 seconds and top speed of 187MPH. To make it more race-oriented, the GranTurismo MC Stradale retains the original 48:52 weight distribution for balanced handling and even tyre wear. The rear seats from the original Maserati GranTurismo has been stripped off, all in the case of saving weight and this is the first to have Race Mode that even sharpens throttle response and gear changes.

Price: PRICE ON APPLICATION (POA)

Welcome Back: 2011 Citroen DS3

Looks like the Citroen DS3 Racing,
but it's slightly modified...


This is my only favorite Citroen in Forza Motorsport 4, the stylish DS3. As a general rule, I love this kind of Citroen not only because of its style, but it's because how owners customize it to be very unique. We once say Forza 4 players tricked out their DS3 with their unique designs, especially when they're making mock-ups of Sebastien Loeb's DS3 WRC, DS3 R3, and the high-performance DS3 Racing, the one that was featured on an episode of Top Gear where Jeremy Clarkson drives one while James May is on a Renaultsport Clio (Lutecia) Cup and Richard Hammond on the Abarth 500C Esseesse (which turned out that it's not a hot hatch). They drove those from the labyrinth of Lucca to the bends of Monaco's Cote d'Azur.



Actually, Top Gear Magazine awarded the Citroen DS3 as the 2010 Car of the Year. Seriously, they did. Yeah...

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Toyota Avensis (ZRT272W) facelift

2013 Toyota Avensis
Although the JDM Toyota Avensis wagon was been on the market for about five months, it's been rushed for a facelift at the 2013 Model Year. Talk about being too early to be facelifted but whatever.

Designed and engineered from the Great Britain via Toyota Motor United Kingdom, the Toyota Avensis the the Japanese car that has the appeals of European tendency because of its European style, good performance, and a 5-star Euro NCAP safety rating. Available in Japan this April 2012, the Avensis now has two grades; the basic level Xi and the top-of-the-line Li.

For its facelift, the 2013MY Avensis has a new front face that provides a glamorous stance rather than the previous 2012MY JDM Avensis that was sold since September 2011. What's more, the new Toyota Avensis Li variant features a beige-colored interior to provide first-class comfort for five adults. The entry-level Xi variant comes with a black-colored interior. Again, the Avensis has no radio and no sat-nav unless you want those as a dealer option.

The Japan-spec Toyota Avensis Wagon is powered with the 3ZR-FAE (2.0-litre 4-cylinder DOHC) engine that delivers a modest 152PS/6200rpm of power output, 20.0kgf・m/4000rpm of torque output, and 13.6km/L (JC08 Mode) of fuel economy. The standard transmission is a 7-speed CVT with Paddle Shifters and Sport Mode for a more agile shifting at winding roads. The suspension is Euro-tuned to make cornering more fun because the Avensis Wagon has the suspension that was made for the sporty European roads.

Notable safety features include Steering‐assisted Vehicle Stability Control, Electric Power Steering, Anti-lock Brake System, Traction Control, Electronic Brake-force Distribution, Emergency Brake Signal, Projector Discharge Headlamps, Intelligent Adaptive Front-Lighting System, Rear fog lights, Flat wiper blades, Global Outstanding Assessment compatibility body, and SRS airbags.

Available in three colors; Black Mica, Silver Metallic, and Super White II

My Comment:
Even though the JDM Toyota Avensis being rushed for a facelift after being on the Japanese market for five months, this latest facelift is finally heading to the right direction because it was featured on last year's Frankfurt Motor Show. Again, the Avensis was designed and engineered in United Kingdom and prices start at 2,500,000 Japanese Yen for the Xi model. With that new design, can it keep up against it's Eurasian rivals such as the Honda Accord Tourer and the Hyundai i40?

Photo: Toyota Motor Corporation

Let's Do The News! (March 1, 2012)

Now, let's do the news and before that, let's introduce to the newest and the most powerful Ferrari ever made. Meet the all new 2013 Ferrari F12berlinetta, the flagship of Ferrari that is packed with the most powerful V12 engine ever made.

2013 Ferrari F12berlinetta


Those idiotic motoring press called it the F620 GT but it isn't. Again, please don't do the name-guessing next time. Anyway, this new F12berlinetta comes with the most powerful V12 engine Ferrari made and it promises a top speed that exceeds 340kph and a 0-60m time of 3.1 seconds. It can lap the Fiorano faster than the previous fastest Ferrari, the 599 GTO. Wait, hang on. Even though the F12berlinetta's key competitor is the Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4, it's still wasn't enough despite the 40HP gap. Uh-oh... Even though it claims to be the most powerful Ferrari ever made, it can't outrun against my new favorite car, the Aventador, because while the new F12berlinetta can do 0-60m in 3.1 seconds, the Aventador will do it in 2.9 seconds. In conclusion, their weight-saving technologies weren't that enough... But anyway, feel free to visit the official Ferrari F12berlinetta site for further info! More info will be revealed at the Geneva Motor Show this month.

Okay, now where was I? Oh yes! The news! Now you may probably seen the marketing collaboration between Mazda USA and Universal Pictures about promoting the new Mazda CX-5 crossover and the movie Dr. Seuss' The Lorax. However, some controversy shot through the marketing ploy.

Save Lorax!


This has enraged the organization called "Rethinking the Automobile" and they started the petition with a description like this:

in these advertisements Mazda and Universal claim that a new automobile is "Certified Truffula Tree Friendly" and imply an endorsement of their product by the cherished title character of "The Lorax." By airing these advertisements, Mazda and Universal have shamelessly turned a character who has inspired millions of children to care about their environment into a car salesman. Cars--even ones that pollute a little less--are neither kid-friendly nor good for the environment.


Still, could be worse. Comedy Central's The Colbert Report mocked The Lorax about tie-ins!



Heh... pretty soon, a piano will fell over the CX-5, the same fate happened on the Morris Marina...

Anyway, moving on...

There are reports saying that the creator of the fan-favorite Touhou Project series, ZUN, was married to a programmer who is not associated with Touhou. It was explained on the 2-Kenme Kara Hajimaru Radio show on Wednesday. Whoa, looks like those Touhou fans never heard of it, and some say, the marriage ceremony between ZUN and some female we don't know pretty much more about at May 27, the day the spring's Reitasai, a Touhou Project convention, will begun.


Word. If whoever is the mystery girl whose ZUN will marry, it's gonna be Remilia, Sakuya, Marisa, Cirno, Reimu, or some of the Touhou girls I haven't heard of. Hey, I'm not a Touhou fan but my little sister's getting addicted to those Touhou games!

Uh...it seems that the Thai motoring industry's stood up again after the massive flooding in October. So now, the 33rd Bangkok Motor Show is scheduled for March 28, 2012.


Well, I was hoping to see the new 2012 Ford Focus on the Bangkok Motor Show and because production for the third-generation Focus will start at the 2nd half, there is hope that there will be a third-generation Focus coming to the Philippines...at late 2012. Just saying...

I just heard that Bela Padilla was interviewed by BBC News about her racist FHM cover for the men's magazine's March 2012 issue.


Seems that the racist FHM cover really got the attention of the international press, especially the greatest television organization in the world that brought Top Gear. Oooohh!

Anyway, anyone heard? Pac-Man gets his own North American 3D CG cartoon on Disney XD! Yes, the origin of Namco as we know it today gets his new cartoon in late 2013 on Disney XD.


As I'm sure you know, there was already a Pac-Man cartoon since 1982 courtesy of Hanna-Barbera. This 2013 cartoon of Pac-Man will spawn 26 episodes and it's all thanks to Namco Bandai Games, Arad Productions, and 41 Entertainment LLC. Good luck on that project!

And that's the news!

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Who Do You Think You Are? - The Ferrari GTO bloodline

In Forza Motorsport 4, there are three Ferrari cars that bear the name GTO. GTO usually means Grand Touring Omologation, which is meant to be used for racing purposes but sometimes, it isn't. Let's start at the car that where the Ferrari GTO all began...

Ferrari 250 GTO at the Top Gear Studio

It all starts with the Ferrari 250 GTO, which remains the world's most valuable and quite possibly the world's most beautiful car Ferrari made. Built in 1962, the 250 GTO was made to compete in GT racing. It is fitted with a 3-liter V12 engine from the 250 Testa Rossa, producing 300HP of power, and it was mated with a 5-speed manual transmission. In history books, the engine was installed by Giotto Bizzarrini while Sergio Scaglietti was responsible for the bodywork. When Giotto Bizzarrini and other Ferrari engineers were sacked by Enzo Ferrari, he enlisted Mauro Forghieri to further develop the body.

It made its first debut appearance at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1962, driven by Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien. Although that they're driving GT-class cars instead of Testa Rossa's, they worked hard and achieve 2nd overall behind the Testa Rossa.

Now, the 250 GTO became a rarity for classic car collectors. Here at Forza Motorsport 4, it is heralded as the most expensive car in the game, costing 10,000,000 CR, so you may need to play hard to get that amount. If you belong to a club and if your fellow club member shared his 250 GTO, well it's fine but it works on online races.



Next, GTO number 2 is the Ferrari 288 GTO. The Ferrari was also made for racing - only for the rules to change at the last minute, leaving it with nowhere to race.

Ferrari GTO at the Top Gear Studio

What music would The Stig be listening
on the GTO?

Originally, it was made to compete in the Group B Race series and 200 cars are needed for homologation. As this one entered, the race was abandoned, in fact, the 288 GTO never raced at all and all 272 examples produced remained as purely road-legal cars.

The Ferrari GTO comes with a 2855cc engine that produces 395HP of power and 366lb-ft of torque. This engine was positioned longitudinally to make room for the twin turbos and intercoolers. With this, the 0-60 time for the 288 GTO was reached to the upper 4-second range and it has the top speed of 189mph, making this the first road-going Ferrari to reach 186mph! That's unbelievably staggering!


And now, it's this. The third GTO...

Ferrari 599 GTO at the Top Gear studio

The Italian Job...less

The Ferrari 599 GTO is the quietened-down, softer version...of the 599XX. Unlike the 599XX, it's heavier, slightly less power, and thanks to sports tires, a lot less grippy but it's still a great car. When this car was featured on Top Gear, Jeremy Clarkson's having a problem cornering with the 599 GTO with the traction control off at a wet condition. When The Stig drove this one, it set a lap time of 1:19.8 seconds, making it faster than the Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 and the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 but it's slower than the Ferrari 458. Oh yeah, this was also featured on Jeremy Clarkson's DVD titled "Clarkson: The Italian Job". Just so when you think that the Ferrari 599 GTO is a lot faster than the 458 Italia, wait till you'll hear the word from the PA and he'll say that the 458 Italia is faster than the 599 GTO. If you were driving the 599 GTO and if you were overtaken by the 458, catching up could be a lot difficult, and with traction control off, you would be having a hard time chasing the 458 until you'll spin out for complete surrender. That's what happened on Jeremy Clarkson's...

Anyway, it uses the improved version of the V12 engine lifted from the Ferrari Enzo. It produces 670PS of power and 620Nm of torque. 0-60 time is 3.6 seconds and flat-out, it can do 325kph of power. When it was launched in 2010, it became the most powerful Ferrari ever made, with only 599 units made. Despite the naming, the 599 GTO wasn't design for homologation. All that matters is that this is just the pumped-up version of the car Chef Gordon Ramsay would drive...



Which of these three Ferrari GTO cars best suits you?

Forza 4 unveils March Pirelli Pack

With it's team-up with renown tire manufacturer, Pirelli, Forza Motorsport 4 unveiled its March Pirelli Pack which includes the following:

1) 2011 Aston Martin V12 Zagato (Villa d'Este)
2) Ferrari #2 Ferrari Automobili 312 P
3) 2012 Ultima GTR
4) 1969 Chevrolet Nova SS 396
5) 2010 Renault Clio RS
6) 1966 Ford Country Squire
7) BMW 850CSi
8) 1986 Alfa Romeo GTV-6
9) 2011 Wiesmann GT MF5
10) 1969 Chevrolet Corvair Monza

So my comment is that even it presented a race-car version, I'm glad to see the Aston Martin V12 Zagato featured on March's DLC pack. Also, they've featured the 2011MY Wiesmann GT MF5 that features a new rear spoiler and the new V8 Twin Turbo engine that has more power than the 2010MY Wiesmann GT MF5. The Chevrolet Corvair is the one Rutledge Wood's gonna use on tonight's Top Gear USA episode where the presenters will be driving the most dangerous cars in America for $1500. Because there's already a Ford Pinto, which is the one Adam Ferrera's gonna be using for tonight's show, I expect this would be bonkers. Aside from that, the 2010 Clio RS is there and believe me. It was featured on Top Gear's hot hatches episode and it was driven by James May! It was also featured on last year's Clarkson Powered Up DVD and it was proven to be faster than Clarkson's DS3 Racing and Hammond's 500C Abarth, when tested by Lotus F1 driver Karun Chandhok. (James May's absolutely useless!)

This new March Pirelli Pack is available worldwide this March 6, 2012 and those who have Season Pass got them covered.

Double Oops! Chevrolet ZL1 and Porsche 991 911's first crash!

Two cars, the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and the all new 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera (991), suffered their very first crash in recorded history!

2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 totaled!

Although, the new 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 hasn't been on sale yet, it suffered it's very first crash and oh my, it was a Top Gear related one. It was wrecked by Top Gear USA Consulting Producer, Aaron Gold, who is a motoring journalist and editor for About.com Cars, which sounds to be odd. He really blamed the wet condition for this incident and he also said that he's fine and the damage is a bit cosmetic.


2012 Porsche 911 Carrera (991) wrecked!

It is possibly the first 2012 Porsche 991 wreckage in history and it was occurred at Holland where the owner of the 991 had an unfortunate accident upon his encounter with a Volvo V50. 

New GS Debut!

2013 Lexus GS


After its January debut in Japan, Lexus Manila finally launched the all new 2013 Lexus GS, promising that there's no turning back to this one because the next generation of Lexus cannot be contained. In Japan, it was available in variants like the GS230, GS350, and the GS450h (to be on sale in Japan next month), but for now, only petrol variants of the New GS are available for the Philippines as the GS450h will come later this year.

Hang on a second, the entry level variant won't arrive because of the JPEPA agreement but don't worry because what we're getting is the flagship variant, the GS 350, as well as its F-Sport counterpart. It has a 2GR-FSE engine that produces 318PS of power and 380Nm of torque. It is mated with a 6-speed paddle shift transmission and the fuel economy? Let's see...9.9km/L based on Japan's JC08 Mode cycle but it can be 9.8km/L if you choose the GS350 F-Sport.

Pricing starts at 4,238,000 Philippine Pesos for the GS350 up to 4,818,000 Philippine Pesos for the GS 350 F-Sport. What you do get here is the new trademark Lexus grille that they called it "Spindle Grille".

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Noble Works well in FM4

Did I say NOBLE WORKS? Oh sorry. I am not referring to some eroge titled NOBLE WORKS, I'm referring to the Noble that was featured on Forza Motorsport 4 but only applicable for those who owned the FM4 Limited Collector's Edition. This here is the Noble M600, another vehicle that was discovered by Top Gear.


The Noble has the engine derived
from a Volvo SUV

The Noble M600 was built by the people I never heard about it from Leicester, England, the chassis was made of stainless steel, and the V8 engine that powers it was derived from a Volvo. Due to search overload, I can't tell the exact Vovlo but if you want to find out what Volvo has the engine that powered the Noble M600, click here.

Anyway, it may have a Volvo-derived V8 engine but it has been tweaked by Yamaha and it gave it twin turbos with variable boost. In the real world, the Noble M600 has an Adaptable Performance Control function that allows the user to choose which performance figure best suit to the conditions. When the user set it to ROAD, it will produce about 450HP of power. If it switched to TRACK, it produces 550HP. And if it set on the highest setting, that is RACE, that produces the maximum power output of 650HP.

This car costs 200,000 British Pounds Sterling and this has NO SATELLITE NAVIGATION, NO CLIMATE CONTROL, NO AIRBAGS, it does not have Anti-Lock Brakes because some say that ABS is just part of the "nanny state" sticking their noses into but there is a reason why ABS is not included because it's expensive. 

What about the competition? There is a reason why you might like the Noble M600 rather than the Ferrari F430, Lamborghini Gallardo, Aston Martin DBS, or a McLaren-Mercedes. Like what Jeremy Clarkson said, the Noble M600 can obliterate those in the middle of last week. LOOOOSERS!

The M600 rattles through Silverstone

Despite the Volvo connection, the Noble M600 can accumulate a 0-60m time of 3 seconds and flatout, it will do 225mph. With the weight of 1250kg, it can accumulate a power to weight figure of 520BHP per tonne. This is somewhat a Veyron territory if you ask the boffins from Noble.

In reality, the Noble M600 has a switch that can turn off the car's Traction Control and if that turned off, the Noble M600 will leave you completely bonkers but it doesn't respond to such brutal treatment. 1% percent too much speed in the corner and you'll get understeer. 1% too much throttles corrected and you'll get oversteer. And 1% wrong with the steering, you'll spin out. Remember that the Noble M600 has no electronic driving aids to help you out. Make a mistake and AYUSIN MO ANG BUHAY MO!

Despite the powerful engine, it does have a stereo to listen to.
Now, The Stig is listening to the theme song of Lupin III

Despite being too dangerous to drive, the Noble M600 is made to be somewhat special but you have to be a better driver (or a better Forza 4 VIP) than I am. I'm not really good at handling the Noble but just like the previous Nobles, the M600 is surprisingly comfortable and very beautiful to drive. There are so many reasons why you would prefer the Noble M600 because, let's be honest, when you overtook your rivals, chances are that you're gonna be yelling "LOSER" to them. That's why the Noble M600 was featured in an episode of Top Gear with Jeremy Clarkson testing it. When it handed to The Stig, it lapped the Top Gear Test Track in 1:17.7, eclipsing the Bugatti Veyron. Heh, guess this Noble works well in FM4. NOBLE WORKS!

Leopaul's Heaven and Hell: SPG

Strong Parental Guidance


Last year, MTRCB introduces their own rating system on television shows aired on the Philippines. Commonly, most programs are rated PG, or Parental Guidance, while a few shows such as Sabadabadog and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire are rated G, as in for all ages. Those rated-PG shows and rated-G shows are nothing new to us. This rating system from the MTRCB is nothing really new to us until the encounter of this kind of rating system that I am not particularly familiar of... It's SPG or STRONG PARENTAL GUIDANCE.

What the heck is SPG anyway? Firstly, a program titled SOCO (Scene of the Crime Operatives) got the SPG treatment. Why? There are signs to consider if a show is rated SPG. These are suggestive dialogue, Strong Language, Sexual Themes, Violence, and more. I really don't bother why last week's episode of Lokomoko on TV5 is now rated SPG. Even the second season of Gandang Gabi Vice is now rated SPG, even though it used to be a rated-PG programme. So now, my favorite TV5 show, Face to Face, is now rated SPG because of you know, violence and language spurting out. What's going on? 

Because we live in a "Nanny State", the entertainment industry are making stringent regulations in programming. This new "STRONG PARENTAL GUIDANCE" rating established by the MTRCB is just plain wrong and that made us silly to watch our favorite shows. Why? Why would you rate a show that was used to be rated-PG as rated-SPG? PARENTAL GUIDANCE is fine and it should be. We really don't need the STRONG PARENTAL GUIDANCE rating because that's rubbish! Rubbish I said! Rubbish! We have mommies and daddies watching shows with the whole family and that's okay!

What's next? Make a rating that is much worse than SPG? Oh, come on! You're only humiliating the Philippine Television and the viewers of all ages!

The message then is clear. If your favorite show used to be rated PG, now rated SPG, don't complain to the network. Complain to the MTRCB.

Monday, February 27, 2012

84th Academy Awards winners!

Earlier, the 84th Academy Awards was a huge success, even though the opening skit was far too many with comedian Billy Crystal, which is the presenter of this year's award, on it. Anyway, a movie titled "The Artist", produced by Thomas Langmaan, won as the BEST PICTURE! Wait! That's not the least of it! Actor Jean Dujardin from THE ARTIST won as the best actor in a leading role, while Meryl Streep from THE IRON LADY won as best actress in a leading role.

What's more, the best actor in a supporting role is Christopher Plummer from BEGINNERS, Octavia Spencer from THE HELP is the best actress in a supporting role, Rango hailed as the best Animated Feature Film, Robert Richardson's HUGO has the best Cinematography and also the best art direction, THE ARTIST gained the best costume design and directing, UNDEFEATED is the best documentary feature, SAVING FACE is the best documentary short, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO has the best film editing, IRAN "A SEPARATION" garnered as the best foreign language film, THE IRON LADY has the best makeup, THE ARTIST has the best soundtrack, "Man on Muppet" from THE MUPPETS is the best original song, THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF MR. MORRIS LESSMORE is the best animated short film, THE SHORE is the best short film, HUGO has the best Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Visual Effects, THE DESCENDANTS has the best writing for adapted screenplay, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS has the best writing for original screenplay, and that's it!

Movies like Hugo and The Artist garnered more awards on the 84th Academy Awards! Congrats!

2013MY Suzuki Palette and Solio has improved fuel consumption


Suzuki Palette
Suzuki Solio
 
For the 2013 model year, the Suzuki Palette range and the Suzuki Solio got their fuel consumption data improved.

Variants of the Palette and the Palette SW that comes with FF layout and natural aspiration 660cc engine get an improved CVT, resulting a 20.8km/L based on Japan's JC08 Mode scale. The Solio, on the other hand, also got an improved CVT, resulting a fuel economy of 20.6km/L on the JC08 Mode scale. Those CVT were upgraded to lower friction.

Prices for the 2013 Palette range starts at 1,207,500 Yen up to 1,499,400 Yen while the 2013 Solio costs about 1,382,850 up to 1,683,150 Yen.

Let's Do The News! (February 27, 2012)

Right, the news, and let's begin with a very bad one because NASCAR postponed this year's Daytona 500 to Monday due to bad weather. Yes, they would postpone America's greatest race because of the bad weather and we don't want our NASCAR faves such as Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. got slipped away in a wet Daytona.


Let's hope it will not rain in Daytona Beach tomorrow so we can see this much awaited race of the year. Gosh, I hope it won't rain... Anyway, moving on...

Study shows that in the next 16 years, Star Cinema will be running out of songs to name their movies. Really? You should better ask the top scientists from the Philippine Society for Science and Technology because they used mathematics to determine the year that Star Cinema have to resort using original titles because they ran out of ideas of naming their movies after songs.


Over the years, Star Cinema has movies named after songs such as May Minamahal, Sana Maulit Muli, Mr. Suave and Muling Ibalik ang Tamis ng Pagibig, Tong Tatlong Tatay Kong Pakitong Kitong, Bcuz of U, and Got 2 Believe. ABS-CBN also did the same thing, they named their dramas after songs such as Basta’t Kasama Kita,  My Girl, Kung Tayo’y Magkakalayo, and Maging Sino Ka Man. Surely though that GMA never titled their dramas after movies until there was one named after the Lara Fabian song which was used as an insert song from METEOR GARDEN II. That's Broken Vow!

We're getting bothered that if it's getting scarce, they will resort doing original titles such as Budoy, e-Boy, My Cactus Heart, and the upcoming fantasy drama titled Wako-Wako, which will replace Maria La Del Barrio on March. Of course, Maria La Del Barrio is now on its final week. Care to watch Maria La Del Barrio all the way to the very end? Of course, I'll watch it! ^^


Although, I was getting bothered how the heck yesterday's Lokomoko episode is now rated SPG, or STRONG PARENTAL GUIDANCE. Yes, it used to be rated PG, which sounds fine, but rated SPG? Sorry but what's that? Think of it like um, TV-14 DLSV for the Filipinos but yes, that's how Strong Parental Guidance is supposed to have because of the Suggestive Dialogue, Strong Language, Sexual Themes, and Violence. DLSV! 

So here's a Top Gear Top Tip: If you're favorite show used to be rated PG by the MTRCB but now turned into a rated SPG, don't complain to the show. Complain to the MTRCB what the heck SPG means. This kind of classification is "Only in the Philippines".

Imagine if my favorite show, Top Gear, is rated SPG or Strong Parental Guidance...

Anyway, an unofficial BIGLOBE survey held by user 565702@anime1 asked who is their favorite singing Voice Actress/Anime Vocalist and guess who's on top? Some say she's Mio Akiyama and yes, she's Houki Shinonono. All we know is, she's Yoko Hikasa!


Didn't get that memo huh? Yes and now, she's currently on the role of Rias Gremory from the new anime, High School DxD. Okay, moving on...

On the 5th episode of Top Gear Series 18, there was one scene I'm kinda familiar. It was from Top Gear at the Movies, the part where Richard Hammond rides with a rally driver driving the Super 2000 Skoda Fabia Rally Car and they will race against someone with a jetpack. In the end, the man in the jetpack won and the Skoda Fabia Rally Car lost. That's not the least of it. .Jeremy Clarkson test drives the new Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black and the Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale, and oh! Guess who's out from the TARDIS? Yes it's the Eleventh Doctor! Matt Smith from Doctor Who is the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car. Oh, and Jeremy and James pays tribute to Saab, which is now bankrupt. With only two episodes left on Series 18, wonder what's next? I hope they'll feature the new BMW M5 F10 on next week's show! ^^

And that's the news! If you don't mind before the Daleks come here and say, "STAY WHERE YOU ARE!!!", I'd better get out of here before I got zapped by Daleks!


Welcome Back: 2010 Subaru Legacy B4 2.5GT

Revisiting an old friend from last year's! It's this!
The Pleiades!



It maybe a sedan but it's an epic grand tourer

Nope I'm not talking about a GMA TV drama titled "Legacy", I'm talking about My Beloved, and again no, I'm not talking about that drama. It's MY BELOVED LEGACY and it's not just any other Legacy, it's a Legacy B4 (スバル レガシィB4) BM9. It's back on Forza Motorsport 4 and this car is just one of the many examples of car passion. It may have a turbocharged 2.5L boxer-4 engine but it's not as hardcore as the WRX STi. Still, it looks better than the fourth-generation Legacy B4, which was also featured on FM4 as well.

In most video games in the past, it is rarely to try out the first-generation Legacy (see: Tokyo Xtreme Racer Drift 2) but it is common to try out the second-generation, the third-generation, and the fourth-generation Legacy. On the previous Forza 3, that game finally featured the fifth-generation Legacy, in B4 form, so it's finally heading in the right direction. Oh, I just realized that the new Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune 4 arcade did featured the Subaru Legacy B4 BM9 as well!

I love this Legacy. It is truly epic and it has all of the right ingredients that makes it so special. It has the perfect balance of style and performance and I have to say that it edges out against its key rivals such as the Vauxhall Insignia VXR and the Volvo S60 R-Design. Even though that both the Insignia VXR and the S60 R-Design has more power than the Legacy B4 2.5GT, the B4 2.5GT weighs less, which makes it an advantage and it's cheaper as well. I just really want some more examples of car passion that I expect on Forza Motorsport 4, especially when I DANCE WITH B4.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

To keep you moaning, Lokomoko is rated SPG

Sorry for how the heck a normal Rated PG show like Lokomoko got upgraded to a rated SPG, that is STRICT PARENTAL GUIDANCE. We don't know how the MTRCB used the word SPG but what the heck, what just happened on the February 26, 2012 episode?

- Portrait gags

- Tanong ko lang, kulang...Paano nailagay ang KEEP OFF THE GRASS sign sa gitna ng damuhan?

- Bank Robbery is the PERFECT CRIME but their ambitions aren't perfect

- Tanong ko lang, kulang...Anong prutas ba talaga ang flavor ng JUICY FRUIT?

- Tanong ko lang, kulang...Pwede bang mag skinny dipping ang matabang tao?

- Tanong ko lang, kulang...Kung lahat ng palabas ay kailangan ng patnubay at gabay ng magulang, may matatapos pa kayang gawain si nanay?

- Albularyo gags

- Tanong ko lang, kulang...Sa sinehan, anong arm rest ang sa iyo?

- Tanong ko lang, kulang...Kung ang tao ay nag-evolve galing sa unggoy, bakit may unggoy pa din ngayon?

- Who's Line Is It Anyhow?!

1) Kaylan kaya tayo magkikita? - Bulag

2) Araw araw na lang isang kahig isang tuka! - Manok

3) Hindi nawawala ang asim ko! - Suka

4) Kayo ang boss ko - Empleyado

5) Wow! Biglang-bigla ang laki mo na?! - Telescope

6) Ang pangit daw ng pelikula! Tara mga kasama, panoorin natin! - Langaw

7) Fancy meeting you along in the crowd, couldn't help but notice your smile. While everybody else around is going about, can we just stop and talk a while... - Ahente ng Condo sa Mall