Showing posts with label video game. Show all posts
Showing posts with label video game. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

My FM Log: The ultimate 718

The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS is the ultimate 718 that knows no bounds when it comes to its serious performance and dynamics, and having won this car from the Ringer Tour until the final Thursday of March, Forza Motorsport allowed me to drive one.


So, what's it all about the ultimate 718? Unveiled at the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show, the 718 Cayman GT4 RS is the ultimate version of Porsche's mid-engined sports car that pushes beyond its limits on the road and the track.

Using the same 4.0L flat-six naturally aspirated engine from the 992 911 GT3, the 718 GT4 RS produces 500PS of power output, and while mated exclusively with a 7-speed PDK, it does 0-100kph in 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 315km/h, faster than the normal 718 Cayman GT4.

Performance aside, the 718 GT4 RS features numerous chassis upgrades such as 30mm lower ride height, ball-jointed suspension mountings, stiffer springs, and anti-roll balls, as well as adaptive Bilstein dampers, 20-inch forged aluminum centre-locking wheels, and the available Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake carbon-ceramic discs.

Thanks to such improvements, it lapped the Nurburgring Nordschleife in 7:04.511, faster than the base 718 Cayman GT4, with river Jörg Bergmeister behind the wheel.


Because the Nordschleife made its appearance in Forza Motorsport, I decided to take on a merciless punishment with this car as I tried to match the real-world lap time set by this car on this track.

SPOILER ALERT: I failed.


Although I didn't beat the real-world lap time, I had fun trying out the ultimate 718 in the Green Hell. I am extremely grateful to experience the ultimate expression of Porsche's mid-engined masterpiece that tries hard to be the 911's anti-thesis.


Although nearly as good as a 911 GT3, the 718 Cayman GT4 RS is unique and spartan as every Porsche should be. The more you know.

Enjoy your new ride.

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

My FH5 Log: Glänzende Nova & Frischer Himmel

Although they both share the same four-liter vessel, the 911 GT3, and the 718 Cayman GT4 RS are two different sides of the same coin. Differences aside, these two are born to make bold statements on the road and the track.


Both the 911 GT3 and the 718 Cayman GT4 RS share the same 4.0L flat-six naturally aspirated engine as well as the seven-speed PDK but what separates them is the power output as the 718 Cayman GT4 RS is 10PS less compared to the 911 GT3. 500PS for the 718's vs. 510PS for the 911's. However, despite being less powerful than the 911 GT3, the 718 GT4 RS is 20kg lighter than the 911 GT3, 1415kg vs. 1435kg.


Both the 911 GT3 and the 718 GT4 RS lapped the Nurburgring Nordschleife with the former at 6:59.927 and the latter at 7:04.511, meaning for Porsche fanatics, being RR is the way to go for a Porsche, not MR.



Since this is Forza Horizon 5, the 911 GT3 and the 718 Cayman GT4 RS deserved some quiet time on party grounds because, despite their sibling strife, they sure know how to entertain the festival goers with their unique race-inspired aerodynamics and performance that will keep them longing for more. 

There are too many variables between them but it's time to find out which is the best. In genuine Porsche fashion, I went to the streets of Guanajuato to give the 911 GT3 and the 718 GT4 RS their every day "need for speed "they deserve while figuring out which of these hardcore versions is pure alpha. Let's roll the tape.


And now, the results...

992 911 GT3 - 1m33.994s

718 GT4 RS - 1m34.361s

It may be a one-sided brawl but in the end, the 911 GT3 is still Code Alpha compared to its mid-engined sibling by nearly half a second. Close shave but touche.


No doubt about it, the 911 GT3, and the 718 Cayman GT4 RS are two different sides of the same coin but when you experience them both, their unique race-inspired aerodynamics and performance make you drive faster and harder for longer. It's the new taste for peanuts, the Porsche way.

EPILOGUE

Having grown my interest in the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS, which is one of the DLC cars in Forza Horizon 5, it's time for me to give this hardcore 718 a much-needed makeover before setting off for its one-car showtime.





Yes, I know. If Dorothy gets my 911 GT3 like last time, my 718 GT4 RS gets Reona. Get it? It's the new meaning for Fortune Party, and good things happen when you light up their fortunes.


Anyway, it's showtime for our Reona-chan as my 718 GT4 RS takes on a re-enactment of the famous Sydney Opera House by a certain FH5 player named China4567690. Shoutout to the master of this creation. Anyway, let's get the show rolling.


Man, the race-tuned suspension wasn't built for this but at least it had fun exploring the underbelly of the Sydney Opera House re-enactment.


On the road and track, you will forever be thankful that the GT4 RS is the ultimate version of the 718 that knows all asphalt. With its 4.0L naturally-aspirated engine, 7-speed PDK, and race-inspired aerodynamics, the 718 Cayman GT4 RS is "perfectly irrational" in every way. When you pair this car with the 911 GT3, this is what the Glänzende Nova & Frischer Himmel looks like to you, the speedo boy.

The legend will never die...

Friday, March 22, 2024

My FH5 Log: Euro Trash

Would you look at that? The European Automotive update of Forza Horizon 5 is constantly littered with European junk cars out from the junkyard and into the ever-growing FH5 car roster. The cesspool of junk cars keeps on growing.


First up is the Lancia Fulvia from the Hot Season Playlist. Powered by a 1.3L V4 engine, it's the car that made Lancia win its first World Rally Championship. Not bad for a front-wheel-drive coupe that costs more than the Jaguar E-Type when it was new.


Next up is the Citroen DS 23 from the Storm Season Playlist. This is the iconic hatchback that first introduced Citroen's signature hydropneumatic self-leveling suspension system which uses liquid hydraulic and gas-pressured suspension instead of springs, giving it a comfy ride on all kinds of road surfaces. It was the first to use disc brakes.


Fresh from the Dry Season Playlist is the Series 4 Lotus Esprit, the last V8-powered Lotus ever made and one of the last production cars with pop-up headlights.


The Hot Season Playlist featured a double bill of German garbage; the Volkswagen Double Cab Pick-up and the Mercedes-Benz 500 E. The Doka is basically the pickup variant of the Volkswagen Type 2 minibus while the 500 E is the V8-powered variant of the W124 E-Class made from a Porsche factory.






Let's give the quintuplet of European garbage a good dirty driving just showcase just how good these rusty beaters from the Old Continent were. Roll the tapes.






These rusty beaters proved their point but as it turned out, they were nothing compared to the worst European toxic waste of the pack; the AMG Hammer Wagon from the European Automotive DLC Pack.


The AMG Hammer Wagon is a one-off W214 wagon built for a client from the USA. Started out in life as a diesel-powered W214 wagon until the original owner commissioned AMG to convert it into a super wagon, armed with a 6.0L V8 engine producing 375hp of power while mated to a 4-speed AT. It even comes with a locking differential to help the rear axle endure the punishment from the V8 engine, among others.

Want to see how the AMG Hammer Wagon roars? You're in luck because let's get the tape rolling.



The latest batch of toxic waste dump proves that the cesspool of rusty beaters never stops growing, giving Gen Z players uncontrollable anxiety, complaining about why the Forza producers keep dumping junk cars in such a wonderful racing game.

Are we seeing more junk cars in the next FH5 series update next week? Yes, there will be junk cars next week so brace yourselves for more rusty beaters ruining your FH5 experience.

Thursday, March 21, 2024

My FH5 Log: THE STAR IS REBORN

The SL-Class rewrote the rules of what a grand tourer should be in terms of elegance and performance. It's known to be one of the longest-running names in Mercedes's history.

The age of the new normal deserves a new SL for this generation and here it is.


You're looking at the Mercedes-AMG SL, the latest chapter of the SL-Class lineage and I got one from Forza Horizon 5's European Automotive Dry Season Playlist.


So, what's it all about the Mercedes-AMG SL?


No longer called the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class, the first-ever Mercedes-AMG SL continues the SL lineage in a whole new approach.  Sized and styled to AMG GT standards, the Mercedes-AMG SL is powered by the same 4.0L V8 Twin Turbo engine as the said model. In the SL63, it produces 585PS of power and while mated to an AMG Speedshift 9G and 4MATIC+, it does 0-100kph time of 3.6 seconds and 315kph of top speed.



Is the Mercedes-AMG SL a revolution or a sacrilege to the SL lineage? To prove my point, I've pitted against the most powerful SL from the distant past, the Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series. V8 vs. V12. Which one is superior? Let's roll the tape.


And now the results...

SL65 Black Series - 1m16.093s

SL63 (R232) - 1m15.626s

It's a close result! Despite being less powerful than the SL65 Black, the all-new Mercedes-AMG SL63 barely defeated it close-shave!


Undoubtedly, the Mercedes-AMG SL is the pinnacle of the SL lineage, and with its elegance and performance inherited from its ancestors, the star is reborn after all.

Man, I would like to end my impression with the Mercedes-AMG SL but...my brain just hatched an idea. What role will the Mercedes-AMG SL63 4MATIC+ play in Horizon Mexico?

Watch this space...

Thursday, March 14, 2024

My FH5 Log: The World Standard

The Volkswagen ID.4 is the winner of the 2021 World Car of the Year award, proving that Volkswagen's electrification gamble paid off with big dividends and now that it made its Forza Horizon 5 appearance, it's time to have a word with the new world standard.


Having won this electric crossover at the European Automotive Storm Season Playlist, it's time to get to know about the Volkswagen ID.4.

The ID.4 is Volkswagen's first crossover SUV from the ID range of electric vehicles. Launched in 2020, the ID.4 runs on the same mechanicals as the ID.3 hatchback. It also bears the same shape as well. Running on the MEB platform, the ID.4 is powered by a choice of three battery sizes at launch with the largest being 77kWh (delivering 204PS of power output through the rear axle) and a range of 511km driving range. Top speed is 160kph.


You may remember that in one of the ID.4's commercials in the US, Tanner Foust drives the ID.4 while chasing the Golf Mk.8 R, its benchmark car, asking if an electric car can perform like a hot hatch. To test Foust's theory, let's give the rear-wheel-drive ID.4 a quick spin around the streets of Guanajuato while up against a pack of city cars. Let's roll the tape.


Guess Tanner Foust was right, just.


From winning the 2021 World COTY award to becoming the first production EV to complete the NORRA Mexican 1000 off-road race in the Baja peninsula, the Volkswagen ID.4 truly is the new world standard for electrics. Like it or not, this crossover is the real game-changer just like the Beetle and the Golf.

I wish I would end my first impression with the ID.4 in Forza Horizon 5 but I have other plans with this crossover so...watch this space.

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

My FM Log: The second 911 RSR

Having fought my way through Forza Motorsport's Update 5.0 Open Class Tour until the March 13th deadline, I got my hands on the 1974 Porsche #1 911 RSR, the second iteration of the racing version of the legendary Porsche 911.


Following the success of the 901-based 911 Carrera RSR that dominated Daytona and the Targa Florio, a 930-spec 911 RSR was unveiled in 1974 and it conquered Group 4 racing for the next 24 months at the hands of privateers.

Powering the 930 911 RSR is the same 2.8 flat-six engine that powered its 901 predecessor, producing 330hp of power and 231lb-ft of torque.

Apart from dominating Group 4 races, a 2.8/3.0 RSR hybrid version took part in the US IROC series during the 1973/74 winter season. A 2.1L turbo prototype took part in the 1974 24 Hours of Le Mans and finished 2nd.


I've selected the Nordschleife portion of the Nurburgring, which was included in the fifth Forza Motorsport series update, to demonstrate the legendary performance the 911 RSR possesses. Roll the tape.


Legendary, as some would say.

Enjoy your new ride!

Friday, March 8, 2024

My FH5 Log: Summit Assault

Let's face it. The world's gone mad these days and so has the motoring world, where three superpowers clash for supremacy. America, Europe, and Asia are all locked in for a motoring world war.


Like I said in the past, the Chevrolet Corvette, the Porsche 911, and the Nissan GT-R are the most dominant names in the world of sports cars because of their heritage, performance, and racing pedigree that made them the global superpowers feared and respected the world over. 





Here in Forza Horizon 5, I am already familiar with the motoring superpowers in their current state; the C8 Corvette Z06, the GT-R NISMO, and the 992 911 GT3.

The 911 GT3, in its 992 spec, is known for its race-inspired aerodynamics, performance, and the naturally-aspirated 4.0L flat-six engine that begs to be revved. The C8 Corvette Z06, meanwhile, is the Republican's answer to the 911 GT3 because of its naturally aspirated V8 engine, C8.R-inspired dynamics, and sleek aerodynamics. Lastly, the GT-R NISMO is no doubt the king of GT-Rs. Enough said.




To unleash their true worth in performance and dynamics, the three motoring superpowers have been gathered for a summit, a Summit Assault to the top of the caldera. Let's find out which of them is the real superpower here. Roll the tape.


And now the results...

C8 Z06 - 3m.04.101s
GT-R NISMO - 3m06.386s
992 GT3 - 3m03.333s


So, the Germans have won the battle, but the war continues because the motoring superpowers will keep improving and fighting until the endgame. The more you know.


EPILOGUE


Having satisfied with the motoring superpower trio, it's time to reward themselves for all the hard work they've done.




Our 992 911 GT3 had its tensions MAXED with Little Miss Dorothy West plastered over it. I still had the old 911 992 GT3 with Sala in it but for my Dorothy-fied 911 GT3, I've tinkered it to be mated with a 6-speed gearbox. Did you know that the 992 911 GT3 is offered with the choice of either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed PDK?




For the C8 Z06, well, you can't go wrong with it with a dash of Red Flash and Sophy Hojo in it. Fast and sexy, just like the car itself.




The Nissan GT-R NISMO is no doubt one of the most formidable 4WD supercars in ages but for now, it's got Sion Todo's name all over in the spirit of Let's ¡Go! Get it? Let's i-Go! That's Sion's line.




With their respective makeovers done, the legendary trio is setting off to EventLab re-enactments of fictional racetracks from famous racing games in history. Let's roll the tapes.




What a WonderPri World, they said.




Global superpowers are forever known for changing world history with influence, be it for better or worse, and it's the same thing for the world's best sportscars. The Corvette, the 911, and the GT-R fought themselves for true world domination but in the end, it was a stalemate because other global superpowers were trying to prove their worth just like them.

Yes, the United Nations of speed and power ain't really united just like the United Nations itself, and as long as the sources of power remain, the clash for world domination will continue.

GET READY FOR THE NEXT BATTLE!