Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Kris Aquino, IHAW NA!

Kris Aquino returns in a very special IHAW NA segment in the June 25, 2013's Banana Nite! For the second part, we hear about her commercial endorsements, which TV role suits her best, life for Bimby and something else just for her.

Meanwhile, a sketch that goes "if he's still in his pants, he will never ever do any favors". Yeah right. See if she'll take off his pants just so he can do the favors she asked...

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Kris Aquino, IHAW NA!

On the June 24, 2013's Banana Nite's IHAW NA segment, the queen of all media Ms. Kris Aquino was the guest of the day in a totally unexpected kind of way. She's busy talking about her hiatus in her showbiz career so she can focus on her family time with her Bimby... Of course, this was part one, there's more from Kris Aquino on Part Two the next day...

Meanwhile, we examined what would a Sosyal and Di Sosyal do such as buying a cellphone, drinking water, sipping soup, and putting a deodorant.

2014 Nissan Fairlady Z NISMO

Yes, the March NISMO was made to be a beginner's car suitable for track day weekends but for the upperclassmen of the track day scene, there's also another NISMO out there and it seems that the newly reborn NISMO brand is becoming what AMG does to Mercedes-Benz, M Power does to BMW, and SRT does to Chrysler brands.

2014 Nissan Fairlady Z NISMO

Part of the ever-expanding NISMO brand is the 2014 Nissan Fairlady Z NISMO, which is now more of an ultimate version of the speedo boy favorite Nissan FR sportscar with some added genes of Nissan's involvement in the world of motorsports. For the 2014 model, the Z NISMO now sticks with the new Nismo design theme with distinctive new exterior and interior accents which was applied in the Juke and March models.

First of all, it looks like the Version NISMO model that was launched in 2009 and based on the Z34 model but because of the rename from "Version NISMO" to just "NISMO", the main difference for the new Z NISMO is the upgraded aerodynamics, sharper handling, sports tires, rigid body, increased stopping power, and the upgraded version of the VQ37VHR engine.

Wait a minute, the Version NISMO didn't notice it but for the Fairlady Z NISMO (remove the "Version" stuff), NISMO provided a special dual exhaust system with equal-length exhaust manifolds and a new ECM (tuning computer) so the VQ37VHR's power output is now up from 336PS to 355PS of power while being mated with either a 7-speed auto or a 6-speed manual gearbox with SynchroRev match system in which the revs match the gearbox.

2014 Nissan Fairlady Z NISMO interior
There's more to this because while most NISMO models are driver-focused cars complete with driver-focused interiors, the Z NISMO is no exception on the inside, the Z NISMO receives a similar NISMO treatment to make it more driver-focused while keeping it luxurious for the fancy businessmen who wanted to be more flashy. There are the special combinations of seats made with genuine leather and suede-like fabric, the steering wheels wrapped in Alcantara, a special genuine leather shift knob, some red stitching, a special number plate, and a special NISMO instrument cluster in which we can find a speedo that reads up to 280kph! Smart move but this was all in the name of being a high-performance version of a high-performance sports car.

2014 Nissan Fairlady Z NISMO

With all of this special equipment, the pricing is now up to 5,218,500 Japanese Yen, which is kinda expensive for a hot version of the Z but judging from its combat gear that makes it a proper track weapon, it's like munching every menu from the 5-star restaurant while adding the most daring flavoring that no normal person can survive against. It takes a Merc with the Mouth to describe this in an insane kind of way that you'll never ever understand but still it's worth the fun. I know, it's worth the fun during track days but as an everyday car, it's kinda harsh and if you were taking a date with someone to a 5-star restaurant, pretty soon, your date might just steal it. Oh well...

Available colors: Brilliant White Pearl, Brilliant Silver, Diamond Black, and Vibrant Red

Photo: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

Nissan March NISMO (K13)

The major problem about having a Nissan March K13 is that it's a bit tad boring, it's too vanilla-ish, and it's only for someone who lives by eating a galunggong. There's also one big problem about the Nissan March K13 and that is...why this car hadn't been featured in the world of Gran Turismo? Sure, ranging from GT4 to GT5, only the K11 March and the K12 March were featured, and sadly, no K13 March on sight. Seems that the Gran Turismo staff kinda forgot the memo that there was a K13 March out there but its too late. The Nissan March K13 showed up in Forza Motorsport 4 as one of the starter cars so what went wrong for a Japanese eco car not featured in the world of Gran Turismo? Now though, there is a hot version that will tempt the Gran Turismo committee to feature it just for you to drive it.

2014 Nissan March NISMO

Yep, it's the Nissan March NISMO and this is just another one of the everyday Nissan cars getting the NISMO treatment since the Juke Nismo a few months ago I had my fingers crossed that this could be the one thing the upcoming Gran Turismo 6 would going to feature it if they had the manpower to feature it. So, what do you think about this potential GT6 candidate?

For starters, it was based on the recently facelifted Nissan March K13 which was built by the Thais but now, it's added some NISMO genes on it, employing every single bit of motorsports DNA in this nippy little car, serving as the target to the Toyota Vitz RS and the Suzuki Swift Sport.

Starting on the outside view, the once bland Nissan March K13 look is starting to look even meaner and sportier thanks to some NISMO-prepped modifications including a special body kit, special front grille, daytime running lamps, and the red side mirrors which seem to be idiotic like a clown at a birthday party, except he was not here to give a birthday boy some laughs but instead traumatizing the birthday boy. Ouch...

2014 Nissan March NISMO interior

Also new for the NISMO-fied version of the Nissan March K13 was the interior and because NISMO has the genes of motorsports, the interior needs to be more of a track day-ish and built for the clubmen who are starting their track days in let's just say Tsukuba, Fuji Speedway, Twin Ring Motegi, or in Suzuka. So, the NISMO March's interior is themed with the name of track days in mind and you can expect some sports seats, a leather/Alcantara wrapped steering wheel that looks like it came from the Juke but with a red center mark on it, and joy of joys...the speedo now reads up to 220kph, although it is not necessary to take a video of your speedo while driving the Nismo March because five seconds later, you'll end up crashing and when cops trying to find the source of the crash, the main evidence is your smartphone set in Camera mode, serving this a lesson.

For the first time, there are two kinds of NISMO March models to choose from ranging from different tastes and demographics suitable for each model. First is the entry-level model which comes with the HR12DE engine mated with the XTRONIC CVT, which is a bit of nonsense for performance-oriented enthusiasts but good enough to be flashy in the streets of Shibuya and get this, the driver-focused March NISMO S model which comes with a HR15DE engine specially tuned for this model, producing 116PS of power and 156Nm of torque, while mated with a (!) 5-speed manual gearbox.

So what we have here are two different March NISMO models that suit your desires. The base March NISMO model is made to be a flashy fashion item to the crowd while the March NISMO S model which comes with unique stuff, the 1.5L engine, and the manual gearbox, is suitable for the clubmen who are trying to enjoy their track day duties for the first time. Although it may not quite be called a hot hatch, this March NISMO is definitely a beginner car for the track-day boys who want to start honing their skills on the track.

Well, when I said honing their skills, perhaps some of the beginner cars can do better than that because even though the NISMO tuned suspension for the March NISMO was made to be somewhat smooth enough to eat a corner or two, on normal roads, it feels a bit too fidgety, which goes the same for those common hot hatchbacks tuned enough to be track-focused instead for everyday uses. Maybe.

For pricing, the CVT-rigged March NISMO costs 1,540,350 Yen while the March NISMO S with the 5-speed gearbox and the 1.5L engine costs 1,770,300 Yen. Whoa hang on...a March NISMO with the 5-speed gearbox costs more than the Toyota Vitz RS and the Suzuki Swift Sport? Oh well, if this is a price worth paying, it's the price worth paying for the hot March model but still, I really want the committee to consider the new March NISMO to be part of the GT6 lineup. I had my fingers crossed!

Oh yeah, this hot model will be available in Japan this December 2013, in time for the holidays.

Available colors: Pure Black, Brilliant Silver, and Brilliant White Pearl

Photo: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd

Nissan March K13 minor change

2014 Nissan March
Wow, that is quite an unpredictable scale that this opportunity might come and it seems that having been on the roads since its debut in July 2010, just three years had passed, the Nissan March K13 gained its minor change since its premiere at Bangkok Auto Show a few months ago. Of course, this is still made in Thailand but even with the new look, it's still the same eco-car March we know. It's still the car that you can afford if you were in a world where you live to eat galunggong and pancit canton for the rest of your life.

What's for this minor change? Well, obviously not well because what they did is revising the bonnet, the front wings, the headlamps, and the front bumper with a new grille. Also, the rear bumper and the LED rear lights had changed.

2014 Nissan March interior
Inside, the 2014 Nissan March is offered in available suede-like cloth and door sheets complete with silver stitching which gives it a touch of class. Also, the dashboard gained a gloss piano black finish to make it even more classier. Bonus but this isn't all about the "sugar crush" as expected.

2014 Nissan March
Despite the added changes for the 2014 model, the performance and ecology remains the same. You still have the HR12DE engine complete with XTRONIC CVT and idling stop function, giving you the JC08 Mode fuel economy of 23kmpl whatsoever. So, that's not quite as efficient as the Mitsubishi Mirage but think of the Mitsubishi Mirage as a pancit canton while the Nissan March K13 as a galunggong because the pricing is just affordable. It's like in the days when pancit canton is more affordable than a kilo of galunggong and such pricing is related to those because the 2014 March now starts at 1,042,650 Japanese Yen, that's a 44,650 Yen more than the new Mitsubishi Mirage but like the galunggong that priced more than a pack of pancit canton, it's still a bit quite tasty to have one.

Available colors: Nadeshiko Pink, Olive Gold, Crystal Lilac, Sunlight Orange, Night Bell Purple, Radiant Red, White Pearl, Brilliant Silver, and Pure Black.

Photo: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

Monday, June 24, 2013

DLC Catalog 18 for the PS3 iM@S 2

This just in because Bandai Namco Games announced DLC Catalog 18 for the PS3 version of THE iDOLM@STER 2 and I know what you're thinking that do you think there's going to be the Punkish Gothic outfit, which the XBOX 360 version had? The answer...a big loud NO!

Well, so much for my open letter. Turns out the PS3 version won't be getting the Punkish Gothic outfit at the moment because they're so focused on featuring PS3-exclusive DLC outfits, meaning they don't have time to feature the fan-favorite outfit. Anyway, what's new for this catalog is the addition of three new outfits available exclusively on the PS3 version such as POP Raindrop, Grand Prix Queen, and the outfit first seen on the Million Live mobile game, called Million Dreams. The first two I mentioned costs 1500 Japanese Yen while the third one costs 750 Yen at the PlayStation Store.

They've also added a song called  ポジティブ!, which was first heard in iM@S L4U and this song will boost the Visual Image of your idols. Yours for 1,200 Yen at the PlayStation Store. They'll be out this Friday.

Sad news folks. Catalog 18 will serve as the FINAL DLC Catalog in the PS3 version, which means, by utter disappointment for the PS3 fans many, that the Punkish Gothic from the XBOX 360 version won't be coming to the PS3 version as expected. Bummer and that makes me...sad.

Scoop: http://www.4gamer.net/games/137/G013714/20130618001/

URL: http://www.bandainamcogames.co.jp/cs/list/idolmaster/im2/ps3/dlc/catalog18.php


Let's Do The News! (June 24, 2013)

River's Diary


Right, what's the news today you spoiler-laden TARDIS journal?

The fall of Paula Deen

People who love cooking after spending hours of watching the Food Network had been quite worried about Southern celebrity chef, Paula Deen, got sacked by the Food Network last week following her racial slur scandal. Despite apologies from this celebrity chef, her contract with QVC, which markets and sells her cookware products, may be ending soon. A representative tells US Weekly that "QVC does not tolerate discriminatory behavior. We are closely monitoring these events and the ongoing litigation. We are reviewing our business relationship with Ms. Deen, and in the meantime, we have no immediate plans to have her appear on QVC."

Story: http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/paula-deens-qvc-deal-at-risk-following-racial-slur-scandal-2013236

Nissan electrifies next year's Le Mans

Nissan ZEOD RC
This is Nissan's Le Mans racer for next year's 24 Hours of Le Mans race and what's shocking that this is an all-electric LMP known as the ZEOD RC. ZEOD stans for Zero Emissions On Demand and this is the testbed for various combinations of batteries and small turbo engines according to Nissan Global Motorsport Director Darren Cox. He said "In the future, we want to build road cars that let you choose between electric power and petrol power yourself - Zero Emissions On Demand - and in motorsport development is so much faster."

What do you guys think about Nissan's contender for next year's Le Mans?

Story: http://www.topgear.com/uk/photos/welcome-to-nissan-stunning-zeod-racer-2013-06-20

Happy 110th birthday, Buick!

In 1903, the first Buick ever made was the Model B. The first unit was sold to Dr. Herbert H. Hills of Flint, Michigan, decades before the brand developed its reputation as a "doctor's car". 2013 marks the 110th anniversary of Buick and for over 11 decades, Buick made some of the finest cars in America from the "doctor's car", D-45 Touring which became Buick's best seller of 1916, 1936 Century which is the first to hit 100mph, 1949 Roadmaster that was featured in Rain Main, 1953 Skylark had Italian wire wheels and the owner's name engraved on the steering wheel, 1963 Riviera, the V6-powered 1975 Regal, and in 1987, the legendary GNX, up to the 2008 Enclave where it introduced Buick's signature design language and brand focus to the market.

Story: http://www.autoblog.com/2013/06/23/buick-celebrates-110-years-by-naming-most-significant-model-of-e/#continued

The Disrupted Neptunia Event

It was Saturday afternoon and somewhere in Cinema Sunshine Ikebukuro, Tokyo, held an advance screening of the upcoming anime adaptation of the Hyperdimension Neptunia video game franchise when suddenly, it ended abruptly after a man wielding a knife allegedly disrupted the event. The police arrested the man who disrupted the Saturday screening of the Neptunia anime, which was set to be aired on TV this July after some of the staff dialed 110 at around 1:40PM Japan Time, saying "There's a man acting violently on stage."

After the incident, a statement was posted on the official website, saying that the anime's production committee apologized to the audience members and asked them to save their ticket stubs and notify of any updates regarding the event on the website while the president of MAGES. (5pb.) and the man behind numerous game/anime franchises such as Steins;Gate, Chiyomaru Shikura, said that he and his staff need to rethink how evens will be held.

Story: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-06-22/man-who-disrupted-neptunia-event-charged-with-carrying-knife

also...

Voice actress Rie Tanaka, who will be playing the role of Neptune/Purple Heart in the series, suffered a bruised knee and other minor injuries at Saturday's disrupted screening. That was reported by her agency. Although while her injuries were minor, the staff said that she is suffering from emotional distress after a man wielding a knife at the event. Despite they're declined for comments, her staff members were deeply concerned about the incident and asking her fans for continuous support as the voice actress will recover back to her normal self.

Story: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-06-22/man-who-disrupted-neptunia-event-charged-with-carrying-knife

New name of Volkswagen PH distributor

The name says it all...VOLKSWAGEN RETURNS TO PHILIPPINES. Automobile Central Enterprise, Inc. or ACEI, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ayala Corporation, served as the new distributor of Volkswagen in the Philippines. The deal was inked a month ago in Hong Kong where Weiming Soh, President for Commercial Operations in Greater China and ASEAN, signed the Importeur Agreement with Fernando Zobel de Ayala, President and Chief Operating Officer of Ayala Corporation, and John Philip S. Orbeta, Chairman and President of Ayala Automotive Holdings Corporation (Ayala Auto) and Managing Director of Ayala Corporation.

Although, ACEI (now VW Philippines) didn't provide any details about which models will be arriving soon, they will take some time before selling VW cars in the Philippines because of the supply issues. As promised, the new distributor will provide user-friendly pricing, something that matches between Japanese and Korean cars.

Story: http://kotse.com/home/index.php/news/industry-update/item/1452-volkswagen-ph-ayala-corporation

Subaru XV Hybrid (GPE)

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. If you had the time to read Jalopnik's top 10 most boring carmakers (at this moment in time), you'll be surprised that Subaru's was on the list. The brand that was once famed for its rally-born 4WD machines has now been ruined because not only their cars got succumbed into getting themselves CVT-ed, especially turbocharged versions of Legacy and Forester, it's because of this...

2014 Subaru XV Hybrid
This is just another one of the reasons the JDM industry got themselves the ritalin treatment. It's Subaru's first ever hybrid model and it's based on the Subaru XV crossover that was launched last year and it is essentially a crossover version of the fourth generation Impreza.

Manufacturers claimed that the new XV Hybrid provides the same capability and versatility of the gasoline XV with the added hybrid benefits such as the fuel economy of 20km/L based on Japan's JC08 Mode standards. So what's the difference, anyway? First of all, while in the process of developing Subaru's first ever hybrid crossover, Subaru re-worked the XV's fundamentals to handle an extra hundred kilos of weight via the battery system, reworked its handling, steering and ride. It even comes with an extra sound insulation, a start/stop feature, revised HVAC, new gauge cluster, keyless start and numerous other changes to make the XV Hybrid distinguishable from its petrol brother. Oh, and to make it easy for you, the HYBRID badging was on the side view. Don't forget that when you're out there.

2014 Subaru XV Hybrid interior
Here's one thing about the XV Hybrid. When accelerated gently, the newly developed MA1 electric motor kicks in and only 10kW of power is developed but let's just say when you're driving in a freeway or at the open road, that's when the FB20 boxer engine kicks in, producing 150PS of power output on engine alone. The Subaru-developed MA1 electric motor provides motor assist for acceleration in parallel with the gasoline engine, and an EV mode will operate the vehicle in certain low-speed situations. Oh yeah, like any other hybrids, regenerative braking is stationary for the XV Hybrid.

Ask yourself, adventurers. Since summer is already in Japan (amidst the monsoon season), do you know any good stuff to during during the long vacation? Most of you said that you want to travel through different provinces throughout Japan rather than doing some big stuff that kills your boredom. Well, I'd suggest you want to do some P&F stuff at your background (if you had one) because with all of those DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME stuff, who cares about it? It's summer! Summer's short, you got to make it count. Reason why because driving the XV Hybrid on your summer trips would rather feel like your parents will sing some oldies during the road trip, which is boring. Which would be better? Road trip with your friends or with your family? If you choose friends, then you finally found the reason why the XV HYBRID was made because it's made for 104 days of summer vacation with school just along to end it. But...if you choose driving with your family, then your whole 104 days of summer vacation...became a BUMMER VACATION. Your choice, pal. Your choice...

2014 Subaru XV Hybrid
Anyway, whether it was made to be a crossover for the road trips ahead or for the boring family trips thanks to your parents listening to oldies music, the XV HYBRID is also a responsive one. The suspension's reworked to make it sharper, the inclusion of thicker floor sections, under-floor covers and additional sound insulation makes it quieter, the Lineartronic CVT is smoother on the road, the trademark SYMMETRICAL AWD keeps this car altogether even while it was made to be a softroader, everything you need to know about XV HYBRID is here...sort of.

Positive thoughts about the XV includes about the 20km/L of fuel economy, the not so shabby handling, and it's good for the long weekends. Negative thoughts about being heavier than the hybrid, not quite sporty, interior's too bland, and doesn't have Scooby genes as expected from the past Imprezas. While this isn't quite an enjoyable feat for a Subaru, it's still a good choice for the summer and if you are willing to drive to the beach or to a ski resort or to the mall, the XV HYBRID's not that bad but as a concept, it's a bit bland and as for the pricing, it starts at 2,499,000 Japanese yen, over 300,000 more than the petrol-powered XV.

Available colors: Satin White Pearl, Ice Silver Metallic, Dark Gray Metallic, Crystal Black Silica, Venetian Red Pearl, Tangerine Orange Pearl, Desert Khaki, Plasma Green Pearl, and Deep Sea Blue Pearl.

Photo: Fuji Heavy Industries

Mazda Flair Wagon Custom Style

2014 Mazda Flair Wagon Custom Style

The Spacia Custom from Suzuki attracted so much attention for those who want a Spacia but the normal design's too vanilla-ish. So attention-grabbing, it seems that Mazda decided to sell their own version of the Suzuki Spacia Custom as the 2014 Mazda Flair Wagon Custom Style. This is the first time they're doing this because last year, the old Palette-based Flair Wagon doesn't have a Custom Style version in a form of a now-extinct Palette SW because it's too late to do so.

With the current Flair Wagon is the Mazda version of the Spacia, then the new Custom Style variant of the Flair Wagon really sums it up as the Mazda version of the Spacia Custom. You still have the SPARKLING LED EYES, the black interior which matches the Custom Style's personality, the optional smartphone-integrated navigation system, and the concessions for convenience that this kei tall wagon can offer.

2014 Mazda Flair Wagon Custom Style interior
Also, you can still expect the Ene-Charge, the Idling Stop, and the Eco-Cool and with this kind of green technology and the CVT as standard, fuel economy is about 27.8kmpl for the naturally aspirated model while the turbocharged model has a fuel economy of 26kmpl.

Prices start at 1,512,000 Japanese Yen.

24 heures du Mans 2013

Le Mans 2013

This year's 24 heures du Mans endurance race has come to an epic conclusion after the remaining drivers survived 24 hours of complete torture at the Le Mans Circuit de la Sarthe while some didn't make it or there's some few fatalities on it.

Anyway, Audi done it again with its 4th consecutive and 12th overall win thanks to drivers Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish and Loic Duval, who crossed the line one lap ahead of the #8 Toyota TS030 Hybrid race car where Sebastien Buemi and the others were behind the wheel. This win serves as the 9th career win for Kristensen while Buemi finished 2nd overall and 3rd place goes to the No. 3 Audi driven by Lucas Di Grassi, Marc Gene and Oliver Jarvis.

The LMP2 class sees a win for Oak Racing's Nissan-powered Morgan racers where they did a 1-2 finish while at the LMGTE class sees a win for the #92 911 RSR followed by the No. 91 Porsche and No. 97 Aston Martin Vantage V8. The #73 C6 ZR1 racer by Corvette Racing placed fourth while the new SRT Viper GTS-R race car finished 8th and 9th.



Anyway, about the whole fatality stuff at this year's Le Mans 24 hour race, Allan Simonsen, who drove a #95 Vantage race car, died in a tragic accident 10 minutes after the start of the race. Here's Aston Martin's press release which sums everything up...

PRESS RELEASE:

ASTON MARTIN TAKES THIRD IN THE 24 HOURS OF LE MANS  Aston Martin Racing finished third in the highly competitive GTE Pro class in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with its #97 Vantage GTE, a result dedicated by the team to its driver Allan Simonsen (DN), who was involved in a tragic accident in the #95 car shortly after the start of the race.


David Richards, Chairman of Aston Martin comments: “Following the wishes of Allan’s family, the team continued its participation in the race which was obviously very emotional and difficult for everyone. Both the #97 and #99 cars led for long periods of time but, ultimately, it was the changing weather conditions in the last hours that cost us the victory we all longed for. I’d like to thank everyone who has shown us such support over the weekend and sent the messages of condolence to Allan’s family.”


The #97 Vantage GTE, liveried with the design chosen in Gulf’s online competition, started from second on the grid – sharing the front row with the mechanically identical #99 car which qualified on pole. Darren Turner (GB) was quick off the start line taking the lead from Rob Bell (GB) and the pair continued together through the night, leading the race while trying to keep the #92 Porsche at bay.


As the sun rose over the Circuit de la Sarthe, the #99 car was leading the way with the #97 in third. However a wet track caused driver Frédéric Makowiecki (FR) to spin and collide with the barrier. The #97, now in second place, continued the team’s charge. In the lead up to the final two hours, the #97 took the lead from the #92 Porsche but heavy rain showers and unfortunate safety car timings hampered its campaign and, thus, the team crossed the finish line in third place.


Meanwhile the third Pro car, #98, having run strongly through the night succumbed to a technical issue and retired from the race. In the GTE Am class, the team’s #96 car finished eighth in a competitive class after 24-hours of consistent racing.
#97 driver Darren Turner: “It’s been an emotional weekend. No one could have ever thought it would start as it did. Our thoughts are with Allan, his family and all the mates he made around the world during his racing career.”


Team Principal of Aston Martin Racing John Gaw comments: “Le Mans 2013 will be remembered by the team for the tragic circumstances that surrounded the team’s participation, but everyone performed their tasks with the dignity that the circumstances demanded. Ultimately, the outcome did not achieve our objectives but we look forward to taking the lessons learned to the remaining rounds of the WEC this year.”
The ambitious five-car campaign marked the centenary year of Aston Martin and, to celebrate the anniversary, a parade of almost 100 Aston Martins took part in the Centenary Parade, a lap of the Circuit de la Sarthe. Aston Martin CEO, Dr Bez, led the lap in the company’s latest concept car, the CC100.


Dr Bez commented: “The tragedy in the opening hours of the race overshadowed the great performance of the Aston Martin Racing team. I am proud of everybody for demonstrating great speed, professionalism and competitiveness right up to the end of 24th hour. This achievement is a truly fitting tribute to Allan Simonsen.”

Danish-born racer Allan Simonsen started his Le Mans career in 2007 and what he was hoping for is to become one of the most successful part of an all-Danish team racing an Aston Martin Vantage in the GTE-Am category. Thoughts go for his family and friends and so sorry for his loss...

What's in our Car Town garage today? (June 24, 2013)

What's in our Car Town garage today?

1970 Dodge Coronet HEMI Super Bee

The Super Bee variant of the Dodge Cornet is proven to be one of the most popular muscle cars of that decade and it was made to be a big car with a big performance thanks to its 383-cubic inch V8 engine that develops 335HP of power while mated with a 3-speed gearbox. A more powerful 426 HEMI engine was offered and it delivers 425HP of power while mated with a 3-speed TorqueFlite auto gearbox. If all goes well, think of the Coronet Super Bee as a musclecar that feels like an Italian supercar with the buyer-friendly pricing.

1970 Dodge Coronet HEMI Super Bee

1994 Nissan Skyline GT-R (R32)

In 1989, the GT-R name was returned after its 16 year absence and it was based on the eight-generation Skyline, the name that pushed Nissan ahead to the world of sports cars thanks to its unbiased performance and the thrills delivered for the earnest of car enthusiasts many. The RB26DETT engine that powers it develops 280PS of power output, the federalized maximum limit for Japanese sports cars at that time, while torque output is 260.3ft-lb of torque. Power was distributed to all fours thanks to its ATTESA E-TS that provided unbeatable traction and handling.

1994 Nissan Skyline GT-R (R32)

1995 Honda Civic Hatchback

Known by its slogan of "Sport Civic", the fifth-generation Honda Civic was known to be one of the most notable sport compact cars ever made and thus making Honda recognized as one of the foremost FWD makers in the world. The SiR model was the enthusiasts' choice because not only it was tuned for nimble performance, the 1.6L DOHC VTEC 4-cylinder produces more power than any previous generation SiR model.

1995 Honda Civic Hatchback

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Gran Turismo 5: The Dual Note

Well, I'll be honest that the Honda Motor Co., Ltd of today is not quite as good as the Honda Motor Co., Ltd. of the past that we all loved to. The Civic is dead when it pulled out from its lineup in the summer of 2010, their hybrid 3-door CR-Z is not quite as cheesy as its CR-X predecessor, and since there is no more Type R at the moment, the Honda of today can now be easily mocked because the one that was famed for making cars for "speedo boys"...gone and took too much ritalin to make their lineup free from their ADHD...and that makes them sad.



I once drove a futuristic Honda saloon car in the world of Gran Turismo 5, called the Honda Dual Note concept, and after much science abuse with this car, this concept car did raised a question on which direction did this Japanese carmaker went. In fact, this concept hybrid saloon doesn't feel like it's been taking too much ritalin nor is the 3.5L V6 hybrid powertrain suffered from autism that most Hondas of the past had.



Premiered at the 2001 Tokyo Auto Show and then in 2002 New York International Auto Show as the Acura DN-X Concept, the Honda Dual Note is a concept sports saloon that, true to its name, uses Honda's IMA system consisting with an electric motor paired with a 3.5L V6 engine mounted in the middle, an uncanny attempt for this 4-door saloon car built for the opulent green. It might seem obvious for a sedan to be mid-engined but let's not forget that this is a concept car so it's impossible to see it coming into reality. Anyway, the Dual Note's 3.5L V6 engine transmits its power to the back while two separate motors are powering the front. With the electric motor and the V6 engine combined forces, it develops under 400HP of power and an impressive fuel consumption of about 18kmpl.



Now, what seems to be uncanny for the Dual Note is they way it performs and because this is a 4WD saloon car, it's not quite as related as the Scooby Leggy B4 but it's nearly close. What's also uncanny was its powerplant because when I'm trying to unleash all 400HP to the Dual Note on the high-speed straights, the battery is depleting easily, and when I hit on the brakes, thanks to its regenerative braking feature that you get on most hybrids, it restores its batteries to its full self. This is like good news and bad news as going full speed ahead is bad news while braking is good news for the battery. Touche...

This is one of the most notable Honda concepts I have ever tried in the world of Gran Turismo and the blue window tint adds a nice touch to the Dual Note's fluidic styling, though. While this concept saloon proves that even the most uncanny tricks can be added on hybrid saloons, the Dual Note sure knows that it's refusing to take too much ritalin from the doctors and wants to go Braniac on the run. What this is, is a Braniac with two hearts and an unstoppable autism far beyond compare to the Type R Hondas of the yesteryear and in fact, this is the kind of car that Honda should have made a few years ago but thanks to the economic downturn, their hopes and dreams had been flourished and because of that, Honda lost their autism and their present lineup's been taking too much ritalin to keep themselves acting like a bunch of boring businessmen.





Pity and if there's such thing as an alternate universe, this hybrid sports saloon would have been a hit instead of a CR-Z...