Showing posts with label jaguar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jaguar. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

My GT7 Log: Three Legendary Cars

Three Legendary Cars...The three legendary race cars that were once destined to win 24-hour races. What are they? If you remember your GT5 adventures, these three legendary cars ring a bell to you; the Jaguar XJ13, the Ford Mark IV, and the Ferrari 330 P4.


These three legendary race cars feel like they appear once in a blue moon and when one of these popped up at the Legend Cars dealership, it's gonna take more than winning difficult races to rack up some eight-figure income to snag the three legendary race cars that were once destined to win 24-hour races. Come unprepared and broke, you'll gonna need to win some money to buy one.

Anyway, just what are these three legendary race cars required to hit the namesake trophy achievement?


Beginning with the Jaguar XJ13, a Le Mans contender that never was. Intended to succeed the legendary D-Type that won Le Mans three years in a row from 1955 to 1957, the XJ13 is Jaguar's first mid-engine race car. Shaped like the E-Type, the XJ13 is fitted with a 5.0L V12 DOHC engine producing 495HP of power. Despite high hopes for racing, Jaguar canceled the XJ13 project as it tries to keep the V12 engine development a secret, and if that wasn't enough, it was badly damaged during filming for a promotional video for the E-Type. Thankfully, it was restored in 2005 in Whitley so it can showcase its exhibition run in Le Mans a year later.


Next is the Ford Mark IV Race Car, Ford's last effort to challenge for the 24 Hours of Le Mans title. Served as a worthy successor to the Le Mans-winning GT40 Mark II race car, the Mark IV is built according to Article J of the FIA vehicle regulation. Although well-known for its aerodynamic form, the Mark IV uses the same engine as the GT40 Mark II but it's been tuned to 523HP of power, making it capable of hitting 215.6mph of top speed. In 1967, it won the Sebring 12-hour race and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, beating Ferrari by five laps.


Lastly, the Ferrari 330 P4, the V12-powered masterpiece dubbed as "the most beautiful machine ever". Made as a response to the Le Mans-winning Ford GT40, the 330 P4 features the same 4.0L V12 engine as the P3 but it's been tuned to produce 444HP of power output. Debuted in 1967, it won the 24 Hours of Daytona and the Monza 1000km race but lost to the Ford GT40 in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Despite that, it managed to defeat Porsche in the sports car world championships and became a series champion.


These three legendary cars were once destined to win 24-hour races but now, it's time to find out which of the three legendary cars is the superior one.




I've selected the Goodwood Motor Circuit, which has been my go-to track to set lap times on cars bought from the Legend Cars dealership, and with the three legendary cars primed and ready, it's time to commence their one-lap time attack to determine which one is the pure alpha. Roll the tape.



And now, the results...

Jaguar XJ13 '66 - 1m18.759s

Ford Mark IV Race Car '67 - 1m18.522s

Ferrari 330 P4 '67 - 1m18.331s

What a close result for this legendary trio. Although they have set similar times, it looks like the Ferrari is pure alpha by a narrow margin.


Like I said before, these three legendary cars appear once in a blue moon and if you come unprepared when one of these popped up at the Legend Cars dealership, you'll gonna need to win some difficult races to rack up such a herculean income to invest in one of these masterpieces. 

Fortune favors the prepared. Keep on racing and keep on winning if you are itching to grab all three legendary race cars when the opportunity arises. Miss one of these and you'll gonna have to wait for a long time for these vintage racers to reappear so keep your eyes open and be sure to have enough funding because...it's going to be a long night.

Never stop driving.

Tuesday, February 1, 2022

My FH5 Log: Getting Away With It

The final playlist of the FH5 Series 3 update features two high-performance favorites up for grabs. There's the hardcore finale of the Jaguar XK, the XKR-S GT, and the favorite car of the Russian mob from a certain action game from a long time ago, the Vauxhall Lotus Carlton. Score enough points from the last playlist of the series and you'll get away with these two, fast and clean.

Having got away from this playlist with fast cars and clean hands, it's time to come clean with the two exclusive cars I've won from this playlist before the juice is loose.


The XKR-S GT represents the pinnacle of Jaguar's ultimate grand tourer and it has become a hardcore, track-focused version of the said model. In the North American market, only 30 units are made. The GT features enhanced aerodynamic components and suspension development for better downforce and handling. It is the first Jaguar to use carbon-ceramic brakes. Like the base XKR-S, it comes with the 5.0L V8 petrol Supercharged AJ-V8 Gen III R engine producing 550PS of power and 680Nm of torque. It will do 0-60mph in 3.9 seconds and a top speed electronically limited to 186mph.


The Lotus Carlton was a modified version of the Vauxhall Carlton (Great Britain equivalent of the Opel Omega) 3.0 Si 20V and since its arrival as a 1990 model, it was a huge sensation because this was the fastest super sedan ever made with the collaboration of Vauxhall and Lotus. It uses a modified 3.6L 6-cylinder C36GET engine with twin turbos and a 6-speed manual ZF transmission sourced from the old Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, capable of hitting over 280kph of top speed, causing a major scandal for health and safety as well as the German rivals limiting their vehicles to 250kph.



With their quick introduction done, it's time to give these two monsters a quick getaway they will never forget. Roll the tape.



Fast cars, clean hands. Just the way I like.

Enjoy your new rides!

Thursday, December 31, 2020

Jaguar F-Type (2021 minor change)

The Jaguar sportscar every speedo boy fell in love with since the beginning, the F-Type range, has been given an extensive minor change for 2021 model year and it's packed with extensive updates that will keep them longing for more. What's it all about the latest minor change for these lightweight luxury cruisers?


With prices start at 54,510 Pounds plus additional costs, the heavily facelifted Jaguar F-Type, in coupe and convertible variants, is a bold statement as done by its new, sharp-looking, front face that looks like every other Jaguar in the family tree but either way, the bold new look makes the new F-Type even more attractive to have one in their garage as long as they don't make a big fuss about it.


While the heavily revised exterior design is something to fall in love with, the interior looks pretty much the same as last time except now the screen's gotten bigger and more high-definition compared to the previous model. Also, the instrumental panel's gotten even more digital, which is rather nice for a sports car but that high-tech enhancements somewhat spoils your driving experience.

With the loss of the manual gearbox is the most worrying fact about the new F-Type, the choice of engines are streamlined for your cherry-picking pleasure. It features a range of four, six, and eight-cylinder engines with the latter reserved for the R variant is the prime mate because the supercharged 5.0L V8 engine now produces 575PS of power and 700Nm of torque. That's more power than the Aston Martin Vantage of course and it sounds even more muscular as well, although the V8 models now come with the rather silent but odd Quiet Start feature that can be overriden when you engage Dynamic Mode on the driving modes. Anyway, with that muscular engine and the standard all-wheel drive system, it can do 0-60mph in 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 186mph.

That acceleration really outpaces the ancient XKR-S by a long shot but whichever F-Type you're picking, the way it behaves has gotten even more enjoyable than ever because of its recalibrated dynamics as well as the revised Dynamic Stability Control system, new brakes, Torque Vectoring by Braking, and so much more. In its rear-wheel drive guise, it feels like you can enjoy it so much more but in its all-wheel drive guise, it feels like a lion crushing through the traps like a boss.

Could this be the best F-Type ever made despite the loss of the manual gearbox?

Photo: Jaguar Land Rover

Friday, September 11, 2020

Forza Horizon 4: My Pace

The Jaguar I-PACE is by no means one of the best electric crossovers ever made and now that I got my hands on it from the recent Horizon Autumn Playlist, let's get to know more about Jaguar's first electric vehicle.


So, what's it all about the I-PACE, you may ask? As Jaguar's first electric vehicle, the I-PACE features a well-sculpted design inspired by the concept car of the same name while delivering the same Jaguar dynamics without the emissions. Powering the I-PACE are two permanent magnet synchronous electric motors integrated with the front and rear axles and a 90kWh battery mounted within the wheelbase for better center of gravity, can easily get away from 0-60mph in 4.5 seconds. It offers wide array of features such as Adaptive Dynamics, Adaptive Surface Response, and All Surface Progress Control.


At first, I was going to think that because it's an electric crossover, I'd expect this to be a lot heavy to handle like most electric cars but I was wrong. Despite being electric, the I-PACE handles like a sportscar and it's way beyond expectations not as an electric crossover made for the commoners but as a Jaguar. Yes, it's still a Jaguar and I'm starting to fall in love with the I-PACE the moment I set foot on it.

With my first dibs on the I-PACE done, I want to find out more about the I-PACE's surprising dynamics not heard on any electric cars on the road and with that, it's time for a challenge.



Never mind the fancy design though, the I-PACE is all packed up and ready to leave Britain as it heads out somewhere to take on a little challenge I made for it.



After a little business-class trip to LEGO Valley, my little I-PACE prepares for a little business-class fight against crossovers at the airport just to see how much as a Jaguar this electric crossover is. Ready Set Go!


Guess this crossover's got the jaeger's touch, am I right?


The Jaguar I-PACE proved to the world that despite being an electric crossover, it can still perform like a proper Jag and it's no wonder why they made a one-make support race series to supplant Formula E races. Needless to say, this crossover never fails to impress me and I'm looking forward to drive it all day, all night, for the sake of pleasure.

Is it still a Jaguar? Yes it must be.

Saturday, December 15, 2018

Jaguar I-PACE

Jaguar, one of the coolest-sounding luxury car makers in the world, wants to wave a finger on Tesla's Model X by using all of their Formula E knowhow to create an all-electric crossover that promises to be one of the most exciting electric cars ever made. It's called the I-PACE and what's it all about Jaguar's so-called electric performance SUV that takes on the likes of the Tesla Model X.

2019 Jaguar I-PACE

Starting at 64,495 Pounds, which includes the OLEV Plug-In Grant of course, the first-ever electric performance SUV from Jaguar, the I-PACE, is all about either breaking or continuing the 80-year tradition of Jaguar making one of the world's charismatic and shady people who like to get away with everything unnoticed. This then could be the one that can slip away like snatchers in the dark alley and in typical Jaaaaaag fashion, the I-PACE likes to stand out and shy away like a real phantom thief and who can't blame them?

Beginning with the design, as a future-ready electric crossover, all the modern Jaguar design from its relatives are incorporated to the I-PACE to deliver a charismatic appearance as seen from the concept car that can either draw attention to the public by day or shy away from them by nighttime. Typical Jag stuff to you and that design is balls-out sexy indeed.

2019 Jaguar I-PACE interior
2019 Jaguar I-PACE interior

Most electric cars do tend to have futuristic interiors and the I-PACE is surprisingly one of them. The dashboard looks like it was straight from sci-fi films and when you toy at its climate control and its sat-nav with smartphone connectivity, it really shows its futuring lifestyle the I-PACE has and apart from its futuristic dashboard, it's surprisingly accommodating and very posh for five people to get inside and the boot space wasn't too shabby either. You even get connected to the internet while on the go.

Believe it or not, whether you live in the hot day in Dubai or a cold day in Norway, good to know that you can either pre-heat or pre-cool the I-PACE's interior with just an app away from your smartphone. That way, that will keep the I-PACE all warmed up or all cooled up for you before setting off. How convenient.

2019 Jaguar I-PACE
In the true spirit of electric cars, instant acceleration means more fun to drive and for the I-PACE, along with its two permanent magnet synchronous electric motors integrated with the front and rear axles and a 90kWh battery mounted within the wheelbase for better center of gravity, can easily get away from 0-60mph in 4.5 seconds. Not as fast as the Model X but it's essentially quick enough to leave home before your mistress spotted you leaving.

Speaking of better center of gravity, the I-PACE, despite being a crossover, behaves pretty much like what a Jaguar should be. It's pretty enjoyable, pretty addicting, and makes you come back for more. 

Not only it's very aerodynamic, it's surprisingly adaptive to all kinds of road conditions thanks to its high-tech features such as Adaptive Dynamics, Adaptive Surface Response, and All Surface Progress Control. These tech are surprisingly wonderful to keep the I-PACE stable but word of warning because when you get overjoyed with the I-PACE, it might end up becoming too challenging to handle in the bends so take things responsibly while handling the I-PACE.

As safety becomes the top priority for most cars, especially electrics, the I-PACE offers a wide range of safety features all wrapped up in its aluminum and steel body. It has External Sound System, Adaptive Cruise Control with Steering Assist, Emergency Braking, Adaptive Speed Limited and Traffic Sign Recognition, Driver Condition Monitor, Lane Keep Assist, Rear Camera, and many more, either standard or optional. On the journey home, the tech makes the I-PACE more safer and peaceful for them but for the speedo boy, who cares.

 Although not a worthy substitute to the Tesla Model X, the first-ever Jaguar I-PACE continues to be a cool Jaguar even in its electrified glory that's in tune with the times. When the times demand it, the I-PACE comes knocking into heaven's door with its brand of classic Jaguar dynamics in a zero-emission taste which is almost like your favorite soda that has great taste with zero sugar and zero calories.

Upon seeing the I-PACE in action, men like you and I are starting to feel a bit jealous, wishing that we want to drive one now and in fact, we really are. Come on, Jaguar, we're waiting.

Photo: Jaguar Land Rover Ltd.

Saturday, February 3, 2018

Forza Motorsport 7: The unsung speed demons

With the topic of how much improvements supercars had made over the past few decades, I went to the Top Gear Test Track to sample out the unsung heroes of the supercar realm in the 90's on Forza Motorsport 7.





It was the early 90s when I was born, Mount Pinatubo erupted in a cataclysmic matter, the Gulf War reached its climax, Bill Clinton rose to power, and most importantly, the stock market crash, Bugatti brought us the EB110 and Jaguar brought us the XJ220. Emerging from the dark days of the last decade of the 20th century, these speed demons have been overlooked by many but their speed is beyond comparison to today's supercars and frightening indeed when you take them out for a spin.





The EB110 wasn't much of a problem to drive because it is four-wheel drive but the XJ220 is frightening indeed because with no driver aids, no TCS, and no ABS, it's all up to the skill of the driver to survive the intimidating speed and dynamics this Jag delivers and between a rock and a hard place, the XJ220 really is both so you'd better watch out if you're behind the wheel of this Jag.

Anyway, now that I got my taste with the most vicious supercars of the 90s that are forgettable by some but remain quicker by modern standards, something not ever today's supercars can possess, how about a little one-lap battle between these two? This is going to be good...



Anyway, let's check out the times...

EB110 - 1:20.741
XJ220 - 1:21.588

Another day, another close-call comparison between the two cars. Sounds idiotic but seems that the Bugatti that was forged before its financial woes and takeover by VW was the poster supercar and to date, only a handful of supercars can go quicker than that. That's on the straights but on the racetrack, it's everyone's game, to be honest.



It's hard to fathom that there are some cars, despite their age, can go quicker than today's cars because as cars went softer and softer, they're not reaching the full reach that their ancestors possess and it's a pity that with supercars like these, looks like the best have done nothing to be like these cars. And that is the bottom line.

Thursday, January 25, 2018

Jaguar E-Pace

Following the success of Jaguar's first SUV, the F-Pace, the Jaaaaaaaag that puts the sport back to the sports utility vehicle because not only it looks good to look at, it's surprisingly agile and sharp indeed, the British luxury car maker added a new SUV much to the dismay of Jaguar enthusiasts even for a masked mob leader who called himself Jaguar, only this time, it's a little different than the Jaguars we are familiar with.

2018 Jaguar E-Pace
It's called the Jaguar E-Pace and this is the first time they've made a small crossover that can compete against the likes of Mercedes's GLA, Audi's Q2, and BMW's X1 and while the Germans are clawing their way to the top with their record-breaking sales, this newcomer from Jaguar is ready for a riposte against the Germans because it is a Jaaaaaag.

First, let's get to know the styling and while this is like a mashup between the F-Type and the F-Pace, the E-Pace is surprisingly smaller than its F-Pace brother and when you put them side-by-side, the F-Pace is like a lion while the E-Pace is like a cub that is about to be thrown to the cliff by its father lion, or should I say jaguar because it is a Jaguar. Considering it a painful rite of passage...

2018 Jaguar E-Pace interior
2018 Jaguar E-Pace interior
The interior is pretty much basic for a Jag. Of course, the sat-nav works like it means it, the climate control works like it should, the instrumental panel, the steering wheel, everything works like it should and because it is basically a five-seater, it would be unwise to use it as a family car because that will ruin the sweet spot of the second-row seat. Oh wait. The E-Pace doesn't need to be used as a family car because...it's a Jaaag. Instead, you can go with your plutocratic ways to make use of the E-Pace's conveniences while on the go such as taking your mates after work, occupy the seats, especially the boot, with everything you've bought at the thrift store, you can do whatever you want in this crossover Jag without somebody yelling at you and it's as easy as hitting a baseball with a giant bat that cavemen used. Although not pretty to look at, it's not half bad to make use of it.

2018 Jaguar E-Pace

Now time for something alarming on the performance side because when I said alarming, it really is because the E-Pace is the first front-wheel drive Jaguar since the lackluster X-Type and this is something you should better be away from it because having learned out lessons from the X-Type saloon in the past, it really doesn't work and it really doesn't perform what a Jaguar should be so instead, how about opting for the one with the all-new Active Driveline AWD system because with such feature, it's like having two cars in one and because of its recalibrated drivetrain thanks to science, it behaves like a rear-wheel drive under normal conditions and then goes multipurpose on any conditions it gets through, be it tarmac, gravel, and snow. It can be as crazy as using a Subaru for your own gymkhana spoof but it behaves pretty much like its big brother, the F-Pace, and this AWD system is a real winner for this Jaaaaaaag.

Apart from the AWD system, the E-Pace features a specifically made chassis courtesy of its Integral Link rear suspension, which is surprisingly compact and driver friendly, along with is lightweight suspension geometry that makes it work like it should.

Under the hood, the E-Pace comes with a choice of a 2.0L diesel and a 2.0L petrol engine with different configurations, mated with either a 6-speed manual or a 9-speed AT. The range-topping HSE's 2.0L petrol engine produces 300PS of power and 400Nm of torque, capable of going 0-60mph in 5.9 seconds and onwards to 151mph, less than what the Germans allowed to do. Ouch.

While taking on a leisurely cruise on the city streets, the E-Pace isn't half bad and because being a Jaaaag, this one is a real head turner. It even comes with a wide array of cutting edge safety tech so you and the car can be fully aware of the surroundings while heading to your ideal point of interest like the mall, the restaurant, or even your favorite thrift store to buy some useless objects for no reason.

Pricing? The E-Pace starts at 28,500 Pounds (2.1 million PHP) plus on road costs so that is somewhat 250 pounds more than the XE saloon and that makes it the ideal bargain luxury crossover of the year. Yes, the pricing is accessible enough for anyone who wants a Jag but keep in mind that while the E-Pace impresses in its AWD drivetrain, a well-balanced choice of engines, interior, and design, the front-wheel drive offering is somewhat disappointing because it might end up on the wrong side of the park like what happened to the X-Type. Nevertheless, Jaguar's on the roll for making cars that can outpace the Germans with the E-Pace and because crossovers are the dominant species in today's motoring, looks like they're going bullish about this new model right now.

Available colors: Fiji White, Santorini Black, Yulong White, Corris Grey, Indus Silver, Firenze Red, Caesium Blue, Borasco Grey, Farallon Pearl Black, and Silicon Silver

Photo: Jaguar Land Rover

Monday, October 16, 2017

Second-generation Jaguar XF Sportbrake

Like its saloon equivalent, the all-new Jaguar XF Sportbrake promises to be quite a worthy contender with everything at its disposal such as style, performance, and technology, not to mention the added space for a luxury wagon of this size that is ideal for their next weekend trips at the great outdoors.

2018 Jaguar XF Sportbrake
Billed as an ideal competitor against the likes of wagon versions of BMW's 5-Series, Audi's A6, or even the Mercedes E-Class, the new XF Sportbrake offers the same aspects as its saloon equivalent, only with the added space at the back so you'll have plenty of reasons to enjoy it.

Although it has the same styling as the saloon version, the Sportbrake's sideline has the ideal expression of "I'm sexy and you know it" and that's a plus for Jaguar there. With the witty combination of the XE-styled nose, F-Type-styled rear lamps, and the wagon body, this new Sportbrake really is an improvement compared to the old XF Sportbrake of yesteryears and who can blame them but the designers themselves just to show everyone what they're capable of.

While the inside functions the same as its saloon equivalent from the air conditioning, the touch-screen sat nav, everything, the Sportbrake offers more practicality than its German rivals apart from the 555-litre boot space. There's this hands-free gesture control feature that allows drivers to use gestures to operate not just the tailgate but also the sunroof as well. Scary but amazing by Jaguar standards. Apart from the gesture control that will surprise most owners, the new Sportbrake comes with the Intelligent Tailgate that can be adjusted in an event of height restrictions, a versatile 40:20:40 split-fold set-up on the rear seats, and so much more. This wagon is all about being prepared to be extra prepared because you never know when you are having a big day.

Just like the saloon variant, the new XF Sportbrake is lighter than the previous model because of extensive use of aluminium, and thanks to their reworked dynamics as applied on the saloon such as adaptive damping, front double wishbone and rear Integral Link suspension systems, the result is a wagon that handles like a sportscar, even though the electric power steering is a bruising experience.

What's even more amazing in the new Sportbrake is its intelligent AWD system with the added, wait for it, Intelligent Driveline Dynamics that comes with Dynamic Stability Control and torque vectoring. Torque vectoring! That means the new Sportbrake's AWD system can behave like the Ford Focus RS. Wait, this all-wheel drive is reminiscent of the ones as applied on the F-Type and the F-Pace crossover so it shouldn't be a problem to get intoxicated over its clever and amazing all-wheel drive system that can adapt through driving conditions with ease as well as the way you drive this thing.

Choice of engines? Well, the XF Sportbrake is offered with a wide variety of engines such as the highly-recommended Ingenium engine range that balances efficiency and performance at the same pace, and the 3.0L V6 diesel engine, which is the most powerful engine offered in the Sportbrake, with 300PS of power and 700Nm of torque. With so much torque, it has a towing capacity of up to 2,000kg. That V6 diesel sounds raunchy and nice but the Ingenium engines are a best best because they're very light and well-balanced.

As for safety, the Sportbrake, like the saloon equivalent, comes with a wide array of driver assist features such as Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control with Queue Assist, Blind Spot Monitor and Reverse Traffic Detection, and of course, Park Assist. With features like these, nothing says being prepared than having a Sportbrake that is prepared for almost everything.

Price? The new Sportbrake starts at 34,910 GBP, which is two grand more than the saloon equivalent but that prices rather well to the competition. To sum this thing up; the new Sportbrake may be slightly expensive than the saloon variant and it doesn't have the F-Type sourced V6 petrol that the saloon has but with a wide array of safety tech, relatively superior handling, and a healthy engine lineup, the new Sportbrake shows the Germans what they're capable of and that kind of perfection would not go unnoticed.

Source: Jaguar Land Rover

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Forza Horizon 3: Baby Jag born again

By the time you laid your hands on the Jaguar XE on Forza Horizon 3's Duracell Car Pack, you might start asking how in the name of all things bright and beautiful is this baby Jaguar doing here even though it comes with the similar supercharged V6 engine as the F-Pace you tried out moments ago. To explain what I'm on about, let's investigate what's it all about the rebirth of the baby Jag.



When Jaguar once made the X-Type in the last decade, they wanted to make a car that can compete against the BMW 3-Series but because of its Ford-derived platform and front-wheel drive, it was a disaster and they killed it. Fast forward to this decade and Jaguar's back in making a 3-Series rival in the form of the new XE. Launched in 2015, it was the first Jaguar to use a brand new platform that will be used in upcoming models for cost-saving measures. With this, the aluminum bodywork, and rear-wheel drive, the XE is the most important car in the Jaguar range. For the time being, the top-of-the-line model comes with the 3.0L Supercharged V6 engine derived from the F-Type. With the 8-speed automatic gearbox present, it produces 340PS of power and 450Nm of torque. 0-60mph takes about 4.9 seconds and top speed electronically limited to 155mph.



As you'd expect, the Jaguar XE is no X-Type on the contrary and because this car is surprisingly lighter than the Germans, it was no surprise that the XE handles like a Jag and despite having problems with that electric power steering in terms of handling sharply, you can really get hooked on this baby Jag as long as you want and because this is Horizon, you have endless possibilities to do with the XE as I shall now demonstrate.





See what I did to the XE? I've experiment with this car using a supercharged V8 because I just heard that Jaguar are doing some kind of experiment to inject their supercharged V8 engine for their limited-edition XE reserved for the privileged few so I reckon I can do the same thing...sorta. Apart from that, my test subject car is donning a special kind of design I made just for this. What? Don't know this face? That's Aikatsu Stars' Mahiru, now donning her sister's S4 uniform after claiming her sister's spot and become her successor. Anyway, long story short but this is the kind of thing I'm reflecting on this case study and with the test subject XE in question armed with the supercharged V8 and four-wheel drive, along with the very cute design to lure them to its trap, looks like its ready to spin its wheels and have a shot at it. Oh, and better get your headphones ready because I'm sure you're going to love it.



Man that noise is so cool, makes me want to listen to it over and over again but anyway, while the electric power steering upsets the 4WD setup on my test subject, unless you master limited-slip differential knowledge, it's a clear reminder that this kind of experiment with its howling V8 engine powering all four wheels is the kind of simulation that I expect from the folks from Jaguar and because it's ready to unleash their kind of XE to the public, nothing like simulating the future by creating one and looks like I'm looking forward to it.

In the meantime, let's look back at the XE. In its stock form, it wasn't so bad to drive but with the little creativity, just imagine how much untapped potential you can come up with that baby Jag and if you get used to your creation, you're going to get hooked with it over and over until it needs refining. The more you know and that's how you do with your new Jaguar XE in the Land Down Under only here on FH3.

Thursday, February 2, 2017

Forza Horizon 3: [Censored] to [Censored]...sorta

Sorry about the title but it's a clear reference from the latest Grand Tour episode titled [Censored] to [Censored] where the boys compare three British SUVs and going on their German-Austria road trip from Wank, Kissing, Petting, the Austrian village with the curse word on it, and all the way to Nuremberg. We saw the Jaguar F-Pace, the Range Rover, and the Bentley Bentayga into action and if I was just wondering if I can do the same comparison right here Down Under on Forza Horizon 3.







I already tried three of British SUVs in the past and I am already familiar with the way they behave for me because while the F-Pace excels in its handling capabilities because this is the lightest of the three, the Bentayga is the all-powerful heavyweight that shows its inner tyranny in the house of cards, and the Range Rover is all about offroad capabilities unlike any other, even though I found out that it's the heaviest of the three British-made SUVs.

Since this is Australia, it's impossible to recreate the comparison on the said Grand Tour episode but I found a piece of Grand Tour somewhere Down Under and that was called "Grand Tour Sprint", so famously called because it has the words "Grand Tour" on it and that remind anyone of the car show the former Top Gear trio were on it. Special, isn't it? And that gave me the ideal time to put these three British SUVs to the test round the Grand Tour Sprint because...it's like conducting science experiments with test subjects, only this time in cars.







To ensure a fair-playing field, I've stripped most of their upgrades to their respective tuning files so they can pick them up later after this experiment. Oh, and I also stripped off the special designs that I made because...I don't know why but this is science and no fancy accessories are allowed during the conduction of such a scientific process.

Now it's time to find out which of these three British SUVs is the best and no, there won't be any underwear, pets, sunglasses, and canned beans involved in the making of this experiment. No way. It's time to settle things once and for all and see which SUV is the best. Remember, no shortcuts because this is cheating just like what happened in the Grand Tour episode.

And so, the boxing bell has rung...



At the end of their Grand Tour sprint, I have the times;

F-Pace: 2:52.139
Range Rover: 2:41.862
Bentayga: 2:37.457

Here's the point; the F-Pace, because of its supercharged 3.0L V6 engine that produces less than the other two heavyweights, is the slowest of the three while the Bentayga, due to its tyrannical power output for a 12-cylinder SUV, is the fastest of the three, and in the end...hmmm...James May is absolutely useless.

So, the Bentayga is the fastest of the three and it's very hard to say what the dopey old idiot was doing behind the wheel because while it looks heavy inside and out, it's surprisingly fast and handles like a grand tourer, well just about. I assured that the Bentayga behaves like the good old Continental GT with the added muscle to upset the Range Rover in the race of luxury SUVs and in a straight-line performance, it would easily beat both the Jag and the Range Rover by a wide margin of reach but what could possibly go wrong with the Bentayga anyway?

Anyway, enough talk right now and time to close the case, proving that the ultra-expensive Bentley Bentayga is the best of the three SUVs and this Grand Tour episode really needs a rewrite.

Sunday, January 29, 2017

FH3 Blizzard Mountain: A Jaguar SUV? Really?!



Look closely on this pic because at first glance, it does look like a typical Jaguar to you but when I uncover the whole picture, you won't believe what kind of Jaguar is this because this is just more than being your basic Jaguar that you took it on the city centers sunrise to sunset.





Surprised? Betcha didn't know that Jaguar made an SUV for the very first time, questioning every single car enthusiasts thinking that the company that owns both Jaguar and Land Rover realized that these two have gone off the deep end and thus resulted to this; the first ever Jaguar F-Pace, and it's available on Forza Horizon 3's Logitech G Car Pack. But first, I need to go to the Blizzard Mountain to assess this SUV for a more knowledgeable manner.



So, the main question is why did Jaguar made an SUV even though only Land Rovers do so? Is this a conspiracy, I dare say? Or are they just trying to reinvent the lineup to get back on the Germans for reigning the luxury car race? Although the questions remained unanswered until further notice, the F-Pace from Jaguar was carved from the remnants of the C-X17 Concept as seen on the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, Another important example of a concept car turned reality for the motoring public, although a small price to pay to make a vision a reality for all.

Contrary to belief that the F-Pace is basically a Range Rover Evoque in Jaguar's clothing but in reality, it uses the same underbelly as Jaguar's latest saloons in the range such as the XE and the new XF. In general, this crossover behaves like a sport saloon on the road while still delivers SUV credentials that makes it go anywhere, well just about, and it was made for the upperclassmen who goes for important meetings on workdays and then going for some leisure stuff on weekends and holidays such as going for golf, hunting, camping, or anything outdoorsy stuff people with SUVs do most of the time. Didn't they mentioned that Jaguar made a special wristband for owners to act as a carkey to access this car? Pretty clever, huh? Makes conventional car keys obsolete in the near future, I dare say.

For now, the most powerful in the range is the one with the 3.0L Supercharged V6 engine that produces 380PS of power output, almost two hundred less than the Range Rover, but make no mistake that even though the power output is somewhat lacking, it's surprisingly lighter than the Range Rover, making it very sporty to handle through the bends no SUV couldn't imagine of due to the laws of physics.



This Jaguar really puts the sport back to the sports utility vehicle because not only it looks good to look at, it's surprisingly agile and sharp. It behaves like a rear-wheel drive car as I noticed and the more I get used to this Jag, the more promising it deserves. I can really take back about the deep end part and get used to this crossover that handles like a sports saloon while delivering the SUV ruggedness it does, well just about.

Even though I don't see the F-Pace to be a proper offroader as compared to the more expensive Range Rover, I want to treat it rough to see how good as this Jag gets and since I'm in Blizzard Mountain, there are plenty of reasons to play rough with this Jaguar SUV.





Quite a fitting take on such a snowy weather but sorry, you have to see that because a hint of Yokai Watch's Blizzaria on the design is what I've ordered to do it on the F-Pace and being Blizzaria, extreme icy conditions may follow shortly. Get it? Gotta love this supernatural cutie, though, but anyway, with the F-Pace all prepped up for snow duty, time to treat it rough to see how much it can do not just as an SUV but as a Jaguar.



That was the roughest take on the first ever SUV from Jaguar even though no one's pleased with its "childish" special Blizzaria design on it but I can safe to say that the Jaguar F-Pace earned the seal of approval it deserves. Although it may not be as powerful as a Range Rover but its lightweight bodywork can really cut it like a bread knife on the silver platter and its superiority complex really outshines the German crossovers awesomely.

It maybe an SUV but it still has the "art of performance" Jaguar deserves and I am very proud of what this crossover done for me.