Saturday, August 31, 2013

Cars GT6 Should Put (Volume 7)



Everyone knows that more and more car gamers everywhere are willing to prefer the upcoming Gran Turismo 6, coming this winter exclusively on the Playstation3 console, than the upcoming Forza Motorsport 5, coming this autumn exclusively on the new XBOX One console. However, despite the 1200-car lineup, there are some cars GT6 should put...

Cars like...

1) Lamborghini Veneno '13

WHY: Built to celebrate Lamborghini's 50th anniversary, the Lamborghini Veneno is probably one of the best Lamborghinis ever made and of course, unlike the one-off Lamborghini Aventador J as seen on the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, only three units of these 50th anniversary special machines were made and shortly before its announcement, all three units had been accounted for. Let's hope that this million euro Lambo had a spot on GT6. Hoping but not expecting...


2) Volvo S60 R-Design '13

WHY: There should be a latest-generation S60 in GT6 because in the previous GT5, only the first-generation S60 was offered so PD, don't hesitate to add the latest S60 on this game.


3) Subaru Forester 2.0 XT '12

WHY: The fourth-generation Subaru Forester. In the Japanese commercial titled "Forester Live", the latest Forester traveled around the world to check out its true capabilities. It's still a work in progress for the whole "Forester Live" but hopefully, GT6 should feature this new model, probably the one with the FA20 DIT engine on it. If that showed up, it would be FORESTER LIVE GT6 STYLE so we don't need to go around the world to try out the newest Forester.


4) Kia K3 KOUP '13

WHY: Gran Turismo 6 should feature Kia Motors for the first time and if that came to fruition, how about the all new Kia K3 KOUP? For the new model, it's now turbocharged and it tries to be a better front-wheel drive sportscar. So, how about it Yamauchi-sensei? Can you please get a license to feature Kia Motors in Gran Turismo 6?


5) Jaguar F-Type S '13

WHY: 5 decades since the E-Type, Jaguar launched its modern-day successor to the legendary machine called the F-Type and this is the first time Jaguar made a sportscar that behaves beautifully like what its predecessor does. I just hope that Gran Turismo 6 should feature this timeless modern-day beauty here because when the F-Type does showed up, it would look great especially on Photo Travels.


The results please? So, if Polyphony's still on the rethinking process whether these cars I've mentioned will be featured on Gran Turismo 6, whether in game or as a DLC, you can't say that I didn't had a bit to do with that.

Take that to Kaz Yamauchi!

What's in our Car Town garage today? (August 31, 2013)

What's in our Car Town garage today?

2009 Fiat Punto Abarth

Based on the Punto Evo, the Abarth version of the Punto Evo tries to be a better hot hatch in a world where these kinds are no longer the norm. Why bother? Because with the 1.4 Multiair petrol engine with the fuel-saving Stop-Start function, this hot hatch tries to be an eco-car in disguise even though with this function, it saves 10% of fuel consumption and emissions in the urban cycle. Of course, with Abarth has rally racing roots, the Punto Evo Abarth comes with the Gear Shift Indicator that provides a signal on the instrument panel, telling you if this is the right time to shift gear.

2009 Fiat Punto Abarth

1969 Pontiac GTO

One of the most iconic GTO models at that time is the GTO Judge model. It maybe as flashy as its exterior color but The Judge was born in the age when factory performance does mean a lot and this model became the norm by which their performance were measured. If you had one of these since that time, you really are The Judge in the eyes of drivers and when it's judgement day at your local drag strip, this muscle car packs a huge threat against its opposition.

1969 Pontiac GTO

2011 Fiat 500 Abarth Assetto Corse

The 500 Abarth Assetto Corse is a track-prepped version of the very popular Fiat 500 Abarth hot hatchback. Even though it comes with the same 1.4L turbocharged engine as the normal 500 Abarth, the Assetto Corse version has all of its essentials stripped out and became a single-seater racing machine capable for setting blistering lap times during track days. Only 49 of these were made.

2011 Fiat 500 Abarth Assetto Corse

Threats from North Korea - A Week in Review (August 31, 2013)


And now, the week in review of what's what at the Korean peninsula...

August 26, 2013

- President Park Geun-hye pledged to make sure necessary reforms are made within the nation's spy agency, as the opposition's demanding.

August 27, 2013

- South Korean government offered October 2 as the date to hold working-level talks with North Korea over the reopening of the Mount Geumgang resort to South Korean tourists.

August 28, 2013

- Ambassador Robert King, the US Special envoy for North Korean human rights issue, will travel to Pyongyang on Friday at the invitation of the North Korean government.

- An advanced team of technicians and admins crossed over to North Korea to check the venue that will be used to hold reunions of families separated by the Korean War

August 29, 2013

- The two Koreas will convene a first meeting of their joint committee on the management of the Kaesong Complex on Monday.

- Preparations for the upcoming reunions of families separated by the Korean War are in full swing.

August 30, 2013

- A series of joint military drills between South Korea and USA ended today, marking one of the largest computer simulation exercises in the world involving troops across the Pacific.

Infiniti Q50

The Infiniti G, the car that was known to be Infiniti's answer to the Lexus IS as well as its German rivals like the BMW 3-Series, Audi A4, and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. So far, there has been numerous people interested in this car despite the fact that the G in the Infiniti range was just an Stateside version of the Japanese car we all love, the Nissan Skyline. Last year, with Infiniti proposed their new naming scheme that has all cars start with Q and QX, the first car to implement Infiniti's new naming scheme was this...

2014 Infiniti Q50

This is the Infiniti Q50. It costs 36,700 US Dollars and on paper, Infiniti's answer to the Lexus IS and the Germans is starting to get even more clever than its replacement. First and foremost, it is available in either a high-performance 328HP 3.7L V6 carried over from its G37 predecessor and for the first time ever, a hybrid powerplant that incorporates the Infiniti Direct Response Hybrid system with Intelligent Dual Clutch Control as seen on the Infiniti M35h. The combined output of 360HP of power channeled from its 3.5-liter V6 and compact laminated lithium-ion battery design with an innovative one-motor/two-clutch motor control is just one thing why the hybrids of Infiniti aren't like any other hybrids you'd expect. You would expect this to be dull and boring just like any other hybrids I know but for this one, it isn't. Despite its hybrid powerplant, the Q50 sure knows how to behave like its Euro enemies and I had to say that this is worth a try against the petrol-powered Lexus IS350. Thumbs up though.

2014 Infiniti Q50 interior

2014 Infiniti Q50 interior
The drama isn't just the powertrain of the Q50 because on the inside, it's as cutting-edge as your Samsung Galaxy smartphone and the craftsmanship isn't just limited on the outside because every nooks and crannies of the Q50 is well-mannered and it took several resources such as leathers, fabrics, metals and glass. It's also come with two screens just like what 2013's Hondas and Acuras got but this isn't because on the top, this is what I called the display zone and on the bottom, this is what I called the command zone because on the bottom, the driver can choose whatever apps it offered from its hard drive just a few fingers away and that's iPad stuff if you know what I mean.

Don't forget that even though you can have either a 3.7L V6 or a 3.5L V6 hybrid in which it has more than the former I told, the Q50 is available in either a rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive. Oh yeah, if my pick was the rear-wheel drive, I wonder what is like to handle this? Well, the answer, you can. Even if you act like a Brainiac, you can corner this car and get out alive because of its clever suspension system. It's a good thing it doesn't act like the Germans or the Lexus IS or the Toyota Crown but that's just the tip of the iceberg because there's this world's first Direct Adaptive Steering technology which allows independent control of the Q50's tire angle and steering inputs, transmitting the driver's intentions to the wheels faster than a mechanical system. Well, that's new.

2014 Infiniti Q50
The G37 is probably the hardest act to follow but the all new 2014 Infiniti Q50 really pulled it off quickly like a magician pulling a rabbit out of the hat. It drives well, it looks well, and it doesn't lost most of its J-dorama quirkiness. It has some of the elements that its Japanese rivals like the Toyota Crown and the Lexus IS can't. This sedan, well I was gonna say another kind of culture shock, has still got its gentleman manner hidden beneath the heart of the bravest warrior. Cars like the Crown and the IS is still just a bit of a drama nowadays even when they put smaller engines and hybrid powerplants in the name of JC08 fuel economy but for this one, it still has the right elements. It's amazing that for this Q50, it tries to show that the only thing more sexier than that is taking a peek at teenage girls in their racing swimsuit rather than the rather nonsense stuff about a swimming club with boys in their biceps. It's a sure fire thing that with this Q50, something so wrong feel so right all along with it.

Friday, August 30, 2013

Crown Athlete ReBORN PINK

Toyota Crown Athlete ReBORN PINK

Last Christmas 2012, Toyota launched the all new 14th generation Crown and then there's a TV commercial showcasing a pink-colored Toyota Crown Athlete that actor Jean Reno drove. The viewers shocked about this pink-colored Crown made specifically for the commercial until now, the pink-colored Crown Athlete is now available as a limited edition "ReBORN PINK" model.

The base for the ReBORN PINK model is the G model with Toyota's newly developed 2AR-FSE 2.5L direct-injected engine together with Toyota Hybrid System II. With the combination of both the new 2AR-FSE engine and the 105kW electric motor, it develops about 220PS of combined power while developing a class-leading fuel economy of 23.2km/L based on Japan's JC08 Mode standards. Yes, I said about that but the special ReBORN PINK model is enveloped with a special "Momotaro" exterior color. Yes, it's pink and we all heard the whole Momotaro story.

On the inside, the seats are all white genuine leather, the wooden panel's black, the carpets a black with some pink linings on it, the engine start button's pink, and when you start it, the opening screen will feature the Crown logo with something pink on it. There are 7 PINK SURPRISES as Toyota claims it and the starting price for the ReBORN PINK special costs 5.7 to 6 million yen.

URL: http://toyota.jp/crownathlete/pink/

Source: Toyota Motor Corporation

Porsche 911 991 GT3

One day, I was heading to the nearest EO Executive Optical at some mall in Alabang for some eye checkups. Yes. Some eye checkups because as we know, we all need eye checkups every year. Several minutes later, the eye doctor told me to pick some glasses. Of course, wearing normal glasses will make everyone think you're geek or a nerd perhaps sunglasses will make you look cool. Science tells us that it takes 7 pairs of sunglasses to make the wearer not seeing any light at all. Well, it's I Can Do Science Me stuff you know. After choosing the glasses of my choice, I had to pay a very expensive price and then left EO.

Anyway, enough about the whole eyeglasses stuff because what I'm going to tell you about today's treat. If this was Tekken, it would be Xiaoyu. If this was Ridge Racer, it's the Himmel EO. If this is iDOLM@STER, it would be Azusa Miura. Except this isn't but it's fairly close to those. Richard Hammond, eat your heart out.

2014 Porsche 911 GT3
This, I believe, is the brand new 911 GT3. The ultimate version of what Richard Hammond claims to be the perfect car, although it's an agreement for Porsche fans everywhere. The GT3 is the stripped-out model that took Porsche decades of German engineering that brought into this and like its normal model, the 911 GT3 provides some stylish design and spartan driving manners. Some say that with its organic bodywork, "mild" driving feel, and a decade-old philosophy, the brand new GT3 sure knows how to rack up the points on track and on the road. Running in all walks of life, the brand new 911 GT3 provides timeless pleasure and always sing to the sound of speed unlike any other.

2014 Porsche 911 GT3

Well, don't get to excited about this one because there are a couple of chinks behind this knight in shining armor and to explain what I'm on about, I want you to visualize something a bit more...BRAINIAC-ish. Think about, putting a figure of Xiaoyu on the microwave however that figure I just mentioned is not yet on sale until this fall so for a substitute...how about...a figure of Azusa Miura instead? Of course, as Richard Hammond might say before this; "STOP! The following experiment is dangerous. Do not try this at home. No really, DON'T!". Since PVC is another form of plastic, a certain Brainiac would need something to blow this off such as CD, light bulb, christmas lights, alcohol, anything metal and then he closed the door of the oven.

Imagine you are in a drag race between the new GT3 against the microwave waiting to explode. Which is faster? Well, as the GT3 and the oven starts, it starts. The all new GT3, it does 0-100kph in 3.5 seconds, faster than the old one, and top speed...315kph, 3kph more than the old. I suspect that it should have more firepower and more speed thanks to its 3.8L flat-6 engine mated with a 7-speed PDK gearbox but just before it reaches 0-100mph, the microwave explodes, blowing poor little Miura-san alongside with it.

It maybe not quite quick enough to outrun an exploding microwave oven but what else does it do for the new GT3? Like I was saying, the new GT3, being a stripped-out 911 for track days, has some spartan driving manners so it will take some manners mastering the grip of this German engineering beauty. Mild driving feel? Yes. Very. It maybe another ugly machine for those who doesn't like Porsches but it's still renowned for the exuberance it brings to anyone who owns one.

Thing is though, you might like the 9,000rpm rev-limit because reaching through here is the exact moment when a microwave full of junk explodes without warning. If a Brainiac drives one, it would be proper comedy to abuse such a German sportscar with cutting-edge technology. However, there's just one thing I'm not particularly fond of and it's the 7-speed PDK because past 911 GT3 models are rigged with manuals because shifting with these is the ultimate expression of freedom as an enthusiasts but for the new one, it's flappy paddle or nothing. The same thing happened to the brand-new hot Renault Clio. The manual gearbox has been removed in favor for the rather tasteless dual-clutch gearbox but as they say, "Responsibility Demands Sacrifice" because making it faster demands a lot of sacrifice.

2014 Porsche 911 GT3 interior

In the new GT3 though, sacrificing a manual gearbox in favor of a new kind of PDK is no ordinary task because this one shifts as low as 100 milliseconds in "Race Track" mode. With close-ratios, this PDK makes the GT3 feel as fast as thoroughbred supercars and shifting through the paddles is like trying blow more microwaves one by one by one. Brainy!

2014 Porsche 911 GT3 interior

So, the verdict. Although, the new GT3 lost some of the things that "purists" love but it's still a fast one. It's still the ultimate version as we know it even if it has a bit of a problems with it and being lost by an exploding microwave oven with lots of flammable stuff. If Richard Hammond drove this one, I'm awaiting his reaction about the new model's double clutch, its new cutting-edge technology, its mild driving feel, and the organic bodyline that has been around since the beginning of time itself. But still, I'm not willing to have one, even though with an ultra-expensive 137,303 Euro pricing because for me, it's still the kind of sportscar that took me trips to Executive Optical.

Photo: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

Let's Do The News! (August 30, 2013)

The mad, the bad, and the downright stupid. The biggest scoops in the world ahead...now;

- GOOD NEWS! After a year of hiatus, WOW MALI, the longest running prank show for all ages, returns on TV5 this September. With WOW MALI back next month, what sort of pranks will this show pull up next? Let's hope for something more hilarious and more...WOW for your buck.

- Janet Lim Napoles, a fugitive businesswoman responsible for the pork barrel scandal, is finally in government custody after weeks of evading arrest. The Malacanang Palace confirmed Napoles' surrender. The statement says "At 9:37 p.m on August 28, Janet Napoles surrendered to President Aquino. Napoles is wanted on charges of serious illegal detention arising from the alleged kidnapping of Benhur Luy," Full story here.

- Word to James May...GREAT NEWS! Because a new, updated, version of the Dacia Duster is coming at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show next month! Excellent!

2014 Dacia Duster

- Volvo will showcase their Coupe Concept at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show. Although, no plans to build it, the Coupe Concept proves to be a worthy successor to the legendary P1800 sports coupe.

Volvo reveals SPA coupe concept
2013 Volvo Coupe Concept

- Good Smile Company announced a Nendoroid version of one of the popular characters from the 2013 hit anime, Attack On Titan. Yes, that's right. It's Mikasa Ackerman! It should be arriving this January but pre-orders are opened for a limited time only. Get one now! This is the second AOT Nendoroid ever announced since the Colossal Titan.

Nendoroid Mikasa Ackerman

- There's a new addition to the Nintendo DS family and this isn't the kind of DS you might be expecting soon. It's called the 2DS and true to its name, it doesn't had 3D stereoscopic, which is fine by us. But here's a thing, the upcoming 2DS can play both DS and 3DS games! It should be out this fall.



- BREAK TIME! Here's a short cartoon made possible by Frederator Studios' CARTOON HANGOVER. It's called Bee and PuppyCat. Enjoy watching this short web cartoon and oh, don't stab yourself in the gut with your umbrella or even your BF's hot dogs.

Toyota SAI (2014 Facelift, AZK10)

2014 Toyota SAI

The Toyota hybrid sedan that was Lexus is to the HS250h called the SAI. It came here since the end of 2009 and judging by the looks of it, you can't really tell the difference between this and the more expensive Lexus HS. Now, just like its expensive brother, the HS250h, gained a facelift earlier, it seems that it's the turn of the Toyota SAI to have itself a major nip-tuck but things are looking a bit more different because for the 2014MY minor change, not only the cosmetics are new but also fuel economy of it but we'll talk about it later though. Let's start at the cosmetics...

2014 Toyota SAI

On the exterior, just look at the massive changes on the outside view and judging by the looks of it, it's no longer a bit of a Lexus HS carbon copy although this is still a Lexus HS in Toyota's clothing. Although, I'm starting to argue that such looks kinda reminded me of the...Corolla Furia concept as seen in Detroit except this isn't a Corolla Furia. It's a bit more than that because it tries to draw inspiration from its bigger brother, the Camry, as well as its little brother, the Corolla. Of course, the Camry is available in hybrid-only while the Corolla does had a hybrid variant in two body styles. This 2014 SAI tries to be even more noticeable than ever but it's still not as exciting as it supposed to be. This is like seeing your lady boss in her shoulder pads.

2014 Toyota SAI interior

2014 Toyota SAI interior
Apart from your lady boss in shoulder pads, there's something a bit different on the interior although it's still look like the HS's aside from the Lexus-style Remote Touch. Past SAI models had speedos that read up to 180kph (the JDM norm for Japanese cars) but for the 2014 model, it now reads up to 220kph respectively and it's readable by its reworked instrumental panels that make it more convincing than a Saturday night at the pub. What Toyota also did to the new SAI is by adding some LED illumination on the dashboard to make it more classy yet futuristic. There are so many refinements happened on the new SAI out there but no matter what, it's still the car made for your lady boss in shoulder pads.

The 2.4L petrol engine with Toyota Hybrid System II develops a combined output of about 190PS of power, the same as the 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid's, while mated with the rather terrible CVT gearbox for fuel economy purposes. What I didn't know is that the 2014MY SAI now has new dampers to make handling a bit more personal than ever. Sounds hecky-peck but it's still tries to be worth a serious one. For fuel economy, the 2014 model SAI is now 22.4km/L, that's more than the HS250h, and then as for pricing, it starts at 3,210,000 Japanese Yen, cheaper than the Lexus HS.



Available colors: White Pearl Crystal Shine, Silver Metallic, Grey Mica Metallic, Black, Red Mica Metallic, Crystal Stream Metallic, and Dark Blue Mica.

Photo: Toyota Motor Corporation

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Kia K3 Koup

Last year, Kia Motors shocked the world when their newest medium sedan, the K3, broke cover in the Autumn and served as the replacement to the Forte. Well, in some countries, the K3 was sold as either this, the Forte, or the Cerato. It maybe available only in sedan but for 2013, the K3 range expands with two additional body styles such as the hatchback called K3 EURO (to come out late this year) and then this...

2014 Kia K3 Koup

Debuted since the 2013 New York Auto Show, the new generation KOUP, now based on the K3, features European styling and performance to match with the 1.6 Turbo GDi engine. Wait, did you say turbo? Well, since the new model's turbocharged, the K3 KOUP is officially THE MOST POWERFUL KOUP EVER. Amazingly, this is the sort of engine as expected from the Veloster Turbo and let's explain why this new model's turbocharged.

2014 Kia K3 Koup

Well, the brand new 1.6 T-GDi engine offered on the new K3 Koup develops about 204PS of power and 27.0kg-m of torque. With about that stats, that's more powerful than the outgoing model and more importantly, more than the non-turbo model, which you can have one on the entry-level model. In terms of transmission types; you can have either a flappy-paddle gearbox or for the spartan ones, a 6-speed manual gearbox. What luck indeed, a 204PS engine mated with a 6-speed manual is just what this car needs. Although may not be a decent alternative to today's hot hatch, it's still worth trying to impress its owners but sadly, this is a Korean car and Korean cars are harder to impress than its European rivals so it may take some tough love getting to know more about the new KOUP.

To explain what I'm on about, I'm using both the Peugeot 208 GTi and the 2014MY Scion tC as the basis on what's what on the new KOUP. First of all, the new K3 KOUP weighs about 1,305kg or about 2877lbs, meaning that it weighs more than the 208 GTi but a few kilos lighter than the 2014 tC with the manual gearbox on it. Sure, all three have manual gearboxes but let's not forget that this new KOUP got more power than the 208 GTi or the 2014 Scion tC because of its 204PS power output. That seems legit but enough about that, what about how they drive?

2014 Kia K3 Koup interior
Well, if you are in the 208 GTi, it feels a bit more enjoyable thanks to its 3-door shape and its European handling but if you're in the tC, this is a totally different story because it feels a bit harsh in every direction. So, what's like on the new KOUP? Hmmm... Well, it may have the right tools, the right turbo engine for the enthusiasts, the right gearbox for the enthusiasts but let's be honest, this is a bit too odd to drive one even for a Korean-made car like this. It feels a bit rough, the steering's vague, the ride feels like you're in the economy section of Delta Airlines, and overall, it's not quite insane enough to be a "speedo boy" trend-setter. Even when you fickle its FLEX STEER setting to SPORT, it's not quite a "player" even when you thrash this around like a West Side gangster.

So, there we are, the new K3 KOUP. This new model proves that it has the right elements to succeed as a front-wheel drive sportscar rigged with a turbocharged GDi engine and a standard 6-speed manual but for a keen driver, these right elements hasn't been put into use just yet because there's been a long road ahead for the new K3 KOUP.

Available colors: Snow White Pearl, Bright Silver, Racing Red, Abyss Blue, Metal Stream, and Aurora Black Pearl.

Photo: Kia Motors

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

F1 2013 Belgian GP

That weekend's Formula One race in Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, proven to be worth the mettle even for the seasoned F1 racers and despite Hamilton's PP, it's no match to Red Bull's S. Vettel as they went through Les Combes and after 44 laps later, Sebastian Vettel takes it. Oh yeah. There was one part of the race where just before the pit entry, there has been some brakes failure with Kimi Raikkonen's F1 racer.



PRESS RELEASE:

Race - dominant Vettel waltzes to victory in Belgium

Sebastian Vettel took the lead from Lewis Hamilton on the opening lap of the 2013 Formula 1 Shell Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps on Sunday, and the manner in which his Red Bull imperiously swept ahead of the Mercedes on the climb up towards Les Combes set the tone for a dominant race in which the reigning world champion was never troubled.

As Vettel checked out, Hamilton was unable to hold off the fast-starting Fernando Alonso who bullied his Ferrari through the field from ninth on the grid to second place, but the Spaniard was 16.8s adrift of Vettel’s RB9 after the 44 laps. 

Hamilton held on for third, another 10.8s further back and 2.1s ahead of Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg, who made a welcome return to the points. At one stage the German was under threat from Red Bull’s Mark Webber, who made another poor start and spent the afternoon fighting back, but towards the end the Australian began to lose pace and was 3.9s behind Rosberg at the flag.

Jenson Button had a more competitive run for McLaren and led very briefly during the pit stops on the 15th lap, but Vettel was back in front before the lap was over. Thereafter Button lost ground to the really quick runners, but held on to a decent sixth. Ferrari’s Felipe Massa finally overcame Lotus’s Romain Grosjean on the 40th lap to claim seventh, as a feisty run from Adrian Sutil earned Force India two more points. Toro Rosso’s Daniel Ricciardo was also quick towards the end, passing Nico Hulkenberg’s Sauber and team mate Jean-Eric Vergne to claim the final point.

The other McLaren of Sergio Perez was 11th after serving a drive-through penalty for squeezing Grosjean into a momentary off at Les Combes while relieving him of 10th place on the eighth lap. Vergne, who finished behind him, did not get a similar penalty despite appearing to do the same to Nico Hulkenberg as they battled later at Les Combes. Behind, the Sauber driver's team mate Esteban Gutierrez’s path to 14th saw him get a drive-through penalty for gaining an advantage by leaving the track limits.

Valtteri Bottas was Williams higher placed runner in 15th after Pastor Maldonado was clipped by Sutil exiting the Bus Stop chicane on the 27th lap, then turned into Paul di Resta’s Force India after he appeared to belatedly try to get into the pit lane after he had passed the entrance. The Venezuelan received a 10-second stop-go penalty, which was no consolation to the angry Scot.

Giedo van der Garde drove his heart out for Caterham in the closing laps to keep Maldonado at bay for 16th, with the Marussias of Jules Bianchi and Max Chilton taking 18th and 19th.

Besides Di Resta and Charles Pic, whose Caterham faded early, the only other retirement was Kimi Raikkonen. The Finn’s amazing run of 27 consecutive points finishes ended with an apparent brake problem after his Lotus was seen emitting black dust from its wheels throughout the race. That lost him two places in the title fight, as Vettel extended his tally to 197 points from Alonso, who jumps to second with 151, and Hamilton, who takes third with 139 to Raikkonen’s 134. Webber is fifth with 115.

In the constructors’ stakes, Red Bull have 312 points to Mercedes’ 235, Ferrari’s 218, and Lotus’s 187, while McLaren move back ahead of Force India with 65 to 61.

Source: Formula 1 official

Next match is at Italy this September 8, 2013

Martin Nievera, IHAW NA!

On thr August 26, 2013's Banana Nite's IHAW NA segment, The guest of tvhe day is none other than Martin Nievera himself. Not only he's famed for being a singer, Martin Nievera is one of the most influential TV personalities in Philippine showbizness and he's famed for his rivalry between Gary V.


Monday, August 26, 2013

How Cute Is Your Character? - Catbug


10 cute characters brought in by me will face my CUTENESS TESTS; getting kissed, getting hugged, and against Isabella's cuteness in a bid to top my CUTENESS RANKER leaderboard.

Today's cute character is...

Catbug

Is that Catbug from the web cartoon from Cartoon Hangover titled Bravest Warriors, which is a web cartoon made by the same people behind Adventure Time?

Well, Catbug does look cute but...HOW CUTE IS CATBUG?

First test is...getting kissed. Just how kissable is Catbug? Well, it's not quite bad to kiss Catbug in the cheeks and it seems Catbug likes getting kissed in the cheeks! It's as sweet as...um...eating chocolate sundae. Yum yum... Anyway, it's a 8 out 10 for Catbug's kissable rating.

Second test is...getting hugged. How huggable is Catbug? Happily though, it seems that Catbug enjoys getting hugged. One more thing though, at one time, there was a shopping site called WeLoveFine that sells an exclusive Catbug plush. In fact, more and more love this plushie so much, it sold out and we're awaiting the news when will it be restocked. Wowies. Catbug's on the equal side as BMO when it comes to getting hugged and that's a 10 out of 10 for Catbug's huggable rating.

The last test is...against Isabella. Isabella says "Whatcha Doin?"...like this. What would Catbug do? There's your answer..."DON'T HIT ME!". Feels like Catbug's getting hit by some sort of "gas-powered stick". Ouch... For that, that's a poorly rated 2 out of 10 for Catbug's Isabella-resistance rating.

Catbug from Bravest Warriors gets a grand total of 20 out of 30 points, putting him behind Mokona and ahead of Mog.

CUTENESS RATING:

1) BMO - 22/30
2) Mokona - 22/30
3) Catbug - 20/30
4) Mog - 19/30
5) Adipose - 16/30

How cute do I rank I? Very cute... HOW CUTE IS YOUR CHARACTER?

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Let's Do The News! (August 25, 2013)

Richard: And now the news and oh! Big news because...Hey! Is anyone of you coming to Luneta tomorrow for some bloodlust of a protest?

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: If by mean bloodlust, you mean there's a protest going on somewhere in Luneta. What is it?

James: Well, it's a protest against the government's misuse over the "pork barrel" or PDAF. As I heard, thanks to some Facebook post, people will be at Luneta by 9:00AM Philippine Standard Time. Rain or shine, I think those who come here are protesting against the PDAF...for the hell of it.

(audience laughing)

Richard: Yeah, who would want to get themselves by the long arm of the law, even water cannons and riot shields cops are using against the protesters?

James: Or what about Typhoon Nando? There was a new typhoon approaching in the Philippines and do you think this will hamper the protest?

Jeremy: Rain or shine, with or without typhoon, it's still a bloodbath in Luneta. I'd expect that it's going to be a mess by the time the protest worsens.

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: Seriously, yes. It does get worsen.

Richard: Okay...That's a big warning, I'll give you that. So um...do you wish that the pork barrel must be scrapped for ever?

Jeremy: Well for me, yes. It must be scrapped. Reason why because this whole PDAF kept falling to the wrong hands, even Napoles, who was still hunted by the government for this scandal. Think about it, if PDAF has to be used well, the Philippines will have more schools, more equipment for the cops, more disaster-reducing equipment, more houses, everything to keep the Philippines upfloat but what just happened? The pork barrel was abused for the wrong reasons and if that keeps on happening, corruption will spell doom to the Philippines. (sigh)

James: Interesting idea, though. Maybe the pork barrel needs to be scrapped so the government needs to focus on the citizens' concern first than anything else. Think about it, people payed their taxes every year and what just happened? Instead of spending it for the good, they just spend it for the hell of it! No wonder one part of the Inferno book mentioned one part of the Philippines as "gates of hell".

(audience laughing)

Richard: Maybe the Philippines DO becoming the "gates of hell". The Inferno book was right! It is! Very!

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: Now, Motor Trend held the 3rd episode of The World's Greatest Drag Race as part of this year's BEST DRIVER'S CAR. Surprisingly though, it seems that Nissan's always a regular to this one. In the first one, the GT-R wins against the best of supercars. Then on the second one, the GT-R got beaten by the Lamborghini Aventador. Now, it's back for the third time and this time, it's the "For Track Pack" we're talking.

James: "For Track Pack". What is it?

Jeremy: Stripped out version of the GT-R. Numerous improvements, Spec V-style wheels, loss of rear seats, everything that makes this GT-R live to its name. Anyway, here's the clip...



(cheers and applause)

Jeremy: Nissan's done it, again! This time it's the Datsun!

Richard: Yeah. It seems it always love beating down supercars five times its price! What a bargain!

Jeremy: More like a bargaining chip to us. Now as this unfolds, I'd expect that future NISMO version's going to be a lot better than that and...we're not talking about that for a while...

(audience laughing)

Richard: Why?

Jeremy: I'm seeing...RC Cola stuff around here.

(audience laughing)

James: What? Oh...An RC Cola mahcine.

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: Oh, has anyone seen a clip from YouTube about a man proposing a woman at the mall and then she smacks him with a guitar?

(yes!)

Richard: Well, I do. And I kept laughing so hard by the moment I start up my computer! (laughing)

(audience laughing)

Richard: Well, that's gotta hurt. Proposing to a woman and then got disturbed by a crossing train at the mall and later got smacked by a guitar? Ouch. More like...PROPOSAL FAIL.

(audience laughing)

James: Well that was one gigantic failure for a proposal. I'll give you that. And poor him. His heart's got a big honkin hole forever ever since the girl he's proposing at smacked him with the guitar. Hope he's okay but sadly, he's already the laughing stock of the internet.

Richard: Laughing stock indeed. Guess this man's gonna hide himself in shame right now with bandages on head.

(audience laughing)

Richard: Oh hey! I just got a word that 2K Games, the company behind the Borderlands franchise, the Bioshock franchise, XCOM, NBA 2K, and others, just announced a mobile racing game called 2KDRIVE

Jeremy: 2KDRIVE? What is 2KDRIVE?

Richard: Well, it's a brand new mobile racing game for the iPhone and iPad and it's developed by a new company from UK called Lucid Games. Lucid Games is a boutique studio made by the creators of Project Gotham Racing and Blur and this is just one of the few developers you'd never heard of...but still, here's the clip for 2KDRIVE.



(cheers and applause)

Richard: Impressive!

Jeremy: Yeah. That is very impressive. Anyway, that is the end of the news, folks! Hey! You still have the whole HOW CUTE IS YOUR CHARACTER segment coming up so...you've already tackled Mog from Final Fantasy, Adipose from Doctor Who, BMO from Adventure Time, and Mokona from Tsubasa which surprisingly, Mokona's tied with BMO in the Cuteness Ranker.

James: Yeah, and I can't believe it feels like Mokona cheated at our third test because Mokona's eyes remained closed.

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: So, for the preview of the next HOW CUTE IS YOUR CHARACTER segment, who's gonna be and will this...mystery cute character beat BMO's ranking?

James: Wait wait wait...Don't you mean both BMO and Mokona's?

Jeremy: Well, BMO had higher scores in the 1st and 2nd tests than Mokona's but Mokona's higher in our third test than BMO's even if it was cheating.

James: Oh...Okay...BMO's.

Jeremy: Like I was saying, who was this mystery cute character gonna be and will it beat BMO's score?

Richard: Well, as for now, I don't really know who and I'm not spilling the details who will be the next cute character to take on our challenge but I do have a clue...

Jeremy: What clue?

Richard: Ahem...(mimicking a little boy's voice) SUGAR PEAS!

James: Drop 'em!

Richard: Okay!

(audience laughing)

Richard: There's your clue and I had to say that this cute character wants to be neck-and-neck against BMO and I reckoned...It could beat or tie BMO by a margin. Anyway, check in tomorrow and find out.

Cars GT6 Should Put (Volume 6)



Everyone knows that more and more car gamers everywhere are willing to prefer the upcoming Gran Turismo 6, coming this winter exclusively on the Playstation3 console, than the upcoming Forza Motorsport 5, coming this autumn exclusively on the new XBOX One console. However, despite the 1200-car lineup, there are some cars GT6 should put...

Cars like...

1) Nissan Cefiro '89

WHY: The first-generation Nissan Cefiro midsize sedan is the kind of Cefiro we liked because unlike the second and the final generation, which runs on front wheels, this first generation is rear-wheel drive. Some say, it has a Silvia platform on it but whatever, the first-generation Cefiro was favored by tuners and drifters many. It would be nice to have this RWD Cefiro deserved a spot on GT6.




2) BMW 435i '13

WHY: The BMW 4-Series...why did BMW call this for the coupe version of the current 3-Series? Is it a bad move? I don't know but apart from its revolting looks, it's still worth being a wolf in sheep's clothing to me. Following the footsteps from the outgoing 3-Series Coupe models, the new 4-Series is worth an everyday car balanced with the required performance that will get you from Point A to Point B. If GT6 featured this, would this be worth the wait?



3) McLaren P1 '13

WHY: The McLaren P1 is a hybrid-engine wielding supercar that redefines the history of McLaren. Using the uprated 3.8L V8 turbo engine from the MP4-12C and the similar KERS technology from Formula One, over 903bhp of power were produced and that's more powerful than the McLaren F1. It's faster as well. I sure hope that the McLaren P1 hybrid hypercar has a spot on GT6, regardless of what would the promise be...


4) Audi R8 V10 Plus '12

WHY: A new Gran Turismo game deserves a new Audi R8 and this facelifted version should do the trick. The plus version of the Audi R8 V10 adds some punch to the R8 V10 without all the drama.


5) Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series '13

WHY: This limited edition model promises to be the most hardcore SLS ever made and hey! The Black Series SLS does inspired by the SLS GT3 racecar. I sure hope this high-powered version will show up in GT6 no matter what.


The results please? So, if Polyphony's still on the rethinking process whether these cars I've mentioned will be featured on Gran Turismo 6, whether in game or as a DLC, you can't say that I didn't had a bit to do with that.

Take that to Kaz Yamauchi!