My FH5 Log: Lynk-ed Horizon

A long time ago, Forza Horizon 5 introduced us to the world of Lynk & Co. with the 03+ saloon and its TCR equivalent, proving that the Chinese invasion of the world of Forza is far from over.

Now, two new additions to the roster are further proving my point. What are these Lynk & Co. models joining the FH5 Chinese fleet? Let's find out.

You're looking at the Lynk & Co. 05+ from the game's Chinese Stars Car Pack and the 02 Hatchback that was obtained by hitting 20 points at the Lunar New Year Storm Season Playlist. Before taking a crack at these two fresh additions from Beijing, let's get to know them.

Unveiled in late 2019, the Lynk & Co. 05 is basically the coupe-crossover version of the 01 that runs on the same CMA platform as its 01 equivalent. At launch, it was powered by a 2.0L 4-cylinder engine with a mild hybrid powertrain mated to an 8-speed AT, followed by two 1.5L 3-cylinder petrol engines with the other being PHEV.

The + variant is the high-performance version of the 05 which uses the same 2.0 4-cylinder engine from the normal model but it's been boosted to produce 265hp and 380Nm of torque while mated to an Aisin 8-speed AT with paddle shifters and 4WD, giving it a top speed of 230kph.

First launched in 2018, the Lynk & Co. 02 crossover is the brand's third offering after the 01 SUV and the 03 sedan. Like most of its equivalents, it runs on the same CMA platform and it was offered with a choice of three different 1.5T configurations and a 2.0L four-cylinder engine, mated to either a 6-speed manual, a 7-speed DCT, or an 8-speed AT, depending on the variant. Three years later, the lower and city-oriented Hatchback version was added and it comes with a more powerful 2.0L engine with 254hp of power while mated only with an 8-speed AT.

Having gotten to know about these two, it's time to take them around the festival to which one stands out. Will it be the front-wheel-drive hatchback version of the 02 crossover or the 4WD high-performance version of the 05 coupe crossover? Only one way to find out...

And now the results...

05+ - 1m29.423s

02 HB - 1m26.003s

What a no-brainer. The front-wheel-drive 02 hatchback trumped the 4WD 05+ by nearly three seconds. That's common sense to you.

The arrival of the two new Lynk & Co. models in the world of Forza, the 02 and the 05, is undeniably proof that the Chinese invasion is far from over and we are absolutely right all along. Blame the producers for kowtowing to Beijing for such cars like these. Whatever the reason, it's hard to find such fun activities with Chinese cars we don't know from the start.

As always, enjoy your new rides.

My FH5 Log: WTF? WTCR?

Remember the Lynk & Co 03 that we obtained from the Horizon Road Trip a while back? Guess what? Its racing car version has arrived as a prize car from the Forza Horizon 5 Donut Media collaboration Wet Season Playlist. Having familiarized myself with the road car, it's time to get to know the racing version of the Lynk & Co 03.

Constructed by Geely Group Motorsport and raced by CYAN Racing. the Lynk & Co 03 TCR is powered by a 2.0L four-cylinder turbo engine that produces 350hp of power and 420Nm of torque, matching WTCR regulations. It is mated to a 6-speed sequential gearbox operated via paddle shifters. Apart from that, it features front MacPherson and rear multi-link suspensions with adjustable dampers, front 6-piston and rear 2-piston ventilated disc brakes, FIA-approved roll cage, race seats, and six-point harnesses, a fire extinguisher, and an FIA safety fuel cell.

The 03 TCR won three WTCR seasons from 2019 to 2021 as well as two drivers' titles including a 1-2 finish for Yann Ehrlacher and Yvan Muller in the 2020 season. However, in the 2022 season, CYAN Racing called it quits from the three final rounds of the season due to safety concerns. Following the cancellation of the 2022 WTCR season's Race of Germany due to the quality of the Goodyear tires the TCR machines have used, CYAN Racing withdrew the entire cars from the 2022 season's Race of Italy and will not continue throughout the season.

It's a real shame that CYAN couldn't pull a four-peat due to safety and tire concerns with this car but for a Chinese touring car with three WTCR wins on the trot, that sounds pretty impressive. It made Lynk & Co and CYAN Racing a force to be reckoned with.

Okay, time to experience what's like to drive a three-time WTCR champion, and before you can say WTF, it really is because being a TCR, it's front-wheel-drive, meaning there's a lot of drama and grip involved while driving a TCR. Anyway, let's roll the freaking tape.

TCR FTW indeed but only just.

Now that we fully understand the Lynk & Co 03, in a road car and race car guises, it's no wonder why the Forza producers began kowtowing to Beijing just to get our hands on this impressive midsize sedan from a brand that knows all about mobility for the Gen Z yuppies. For a Chinese car with a Volvo connection, it's hard, to sum this car up but there's one obvious word that sums the Lynk & Co 03 really well; catharsis.

Cyan-nara, boys. Enjoy your new ride.

My FH5 Log: Lynk'n Loud

You guessed it, another Chinese car has descended into Forza Horizon 5 via the Horizon Road Trip's Dry Season Playlist.

Care to guess what that is? Here's a hint: it belongs to the same parent company that controls Lotus and Volvo. Also, it rhymes with Lincoln if you catch my drift.

If your answer is the Lynk & Co 03, then you're almost right because this is the Lynk & Co 03+, the sleek and sporty version of Lynk & Co's first four-door saloon.

If you're unfamiliar with the Lynk & Co brand, then you're not alone. This was spawned by Geely, the Chinese motoring giant that owned Lotus and Volvo, among many others. Launched in 2016, their first product was the Lynk & Co 01 compact crossover which runs on the same bits and bobs as the Volvo XC40.

The Lynk & Co 03, the brand's first 4-door saloon, was unveiled at the 2018 Chengdu Motor Show. Running on the same platform as the 01, the Lynk & Co 03 compact saloon features styling similar to its crossover derivatives as well as a futuristic interior fit to be called a "smartphone on wheels" like the rest of the lineup. It's powered by a choice of a 1.5L 3-cylinder turbo or a 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. 

The 03+ is considered to be the road-legal equivalent of the touring car used in the FIA WTCR. It's powered by a 2-liter Drive-E turbocharged engine from Volvo, producing 254PS of power and 350Nm of torque. With the standard 8-speed AT and all-wheel-drive, it's capable of going from 0-100kph in 5.9 seconds.

Despite being made in China, the 03+ has the impression of a European hot hatch when you get a hold of it. Sure, it feels mild to drive but it's downright menacing for a Chinese sports sedan with European know-how. It somewhat reminded us of the Volvo S60 Polestar from several years ago and to them, this could be the spiritual successor if you know what I mean.

Let's give this road-legal touring car some challenge and with that, I went to the Hot Wheels park for a little torture test with this Chinese sports sedan I never asked for. Will the Swedish connection work with this Beijing Beef? Let's roll the tape.

Ended up messy but the final strike's worth it.

For a Chinese sports sedan with a Swedish connection, I'd say the Lynk & Co 03+ did come through with flying colors. With its touring car know-how combined with the all-wheel-drive capability, the Lynk & Co 03+ truly is the spiritual successor to a very hot Volvo sedan that time forgot. Paint it with cyan colors and this car's on the roll, just like the touring car that crushed the competition by surprise.

Enjoy your new ride!

My FH5 Log: Oh great, another Chinese car...

Look closely at this mysterious car approaching at high speed. What do you see?

Can't see what that car is? Probably because it's too fast for your eyes to see this mysterious car.

Now it's standing still. Do you see it clearly now? If so, do you know the name of this car? Here's a hint; it's not European, it's not a Tesla, it's not even Japanese. It's Asian and it's a communist car just like the Nio and the Wuling.

XPeng? What is XPeng? What you're looking at is another Chinese car. It's called the XPeng P7 that I just won from FH5's Rami's Racing History Hot Season Playlist. With the latest Chinese car entering the FH5 block party, it's time to have a word with the XPeng P7.

Unveiled during the early stages of the COVID pandemic, the XPeng P7 is an electric compact sedan that is built on three characteristics; Sleek, Intelligent, and Adventurous. Apart from its sleek profile and its high-tech interior, the P7 is powered by a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Reluctance Motor and an 80.87 kWh li-ion battery that produces 266PS of power on rear-wheel-drive variants up to 430PS on 4WD variants. It is capable of hitting 0-100kph in four and a half seconds and has an NEDC range of 706km. In terms of dynamics, the P7 features chassis adjustment, a front double wishbone, a rear multi-link suspension, and a Brembo brake system. It runs on a highly intelligent SEPA platform with a built-in neural network backed by a dual-chip computing system.

Leaving the smartness to the real world, the XPeng P7 feels somewhat easy to drive for a compact midsize electric saloon made in the People's Republic of China. It may not be as wild to drive as a German super saloon but its instant acceleration and mild dynamics made the XPeng P7 an electric saloon that is nice to drive without the drama.

Speaking of drama, it's time to give the XPeng P7 the ultimate torture test no carmaker has ever attempted and with that, I've called on the gods of Hot Wheels to give the P7 the ultimate challenge with a little chance of survival. Let's find out if the P7 can survive the ultimate challenge that will leave it scared for life. Roll the VTR.

Looks like China's beginning to build cars like the P7 that is cool enough to survive through hellish perils. Gotta give 'em credit for this.

Having enjoyed driving the XPeng P7 on FH5, it kinda feels like the producers won't stop featuring Chinese cars in the game because there will be more made-in-China cars in the future. Anyway, with its sleek design, intelligent technology, and its adventurous spirit, the XPeng P7 truly has limitless potential in store for the drivers.

Expect more Chinese cars to flock to your Horizon Mexico adventure soon. Don't say I didn't warn you.

My FH5 Log: Chinese foods for thought (PART 2)

The second of the three Chinese-made cars that arrived on Forza Horizon 5's Series 4 update marks another debut of a Chinese car company and it's obviously a sensible one.

Care to guess what that Chinese car is? Yes, it's a Wuling but what is it?

If you said the Wuling Sunshine, then yes. It is. It's the microvan built by the SAIC-GM-Wuling joint venture and it's known to be one of the best-selling cars sold in China. Having accumulated 25 points from the Storm Season Playlist and gained the keys to this Chinese best-seller, it's time for quick storytelling.

The second-generation Wuling Sunshine was unveiled in 2012 and gained numerous revisions. It was powered by a choice of either a 1.0L, a 1.1L, or a 1.2L petrol engine mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox, the only gearbox available for a microvan like this. The latter produces 82HP of power and 115Nm of torque. The Wuling Sunshine is known as the third best-selling car in the world and it was known to be China's best-seller from 2010 to 2013. It's priced around five grand and does over 40 miles to the gallon.

I know what you're thinking but having a slow and tiny van in the roster of super-fast cars in the game is like having the anti-thesis doing the work of a thesis but hey, this is Horizon, and there are no limits to your imagination. It may be slow, small, and Chinese, but with a little creative thinking, you can come up with something unique, something that will upset almost every Horizon fanatic you met.

Do whatever you like but since I'm in the interest of trying out the cars in the game, no matter how good or bad I am, I decided to give the Chinese best-seller a dirty race it will never forget. Let's do it!

Dirty work done. I guess this is how typical Chinese motorists drove this van while adapting through whatever road conditions they felt through. That's adaptability, the Chinese way.

On its own or with a little imagination, the tiny Wuling Sunshine microvan truly packed some Chinese charms into the Mexican scenery in this game and you can truly thank the Chinese overlords for this.

My FH5 Log: Chinese foods for thought (PART 1)

With February the month of the Winter Olympics that take place in Beijing, China, amid the oppositions and criticisms, the Series 4 update of Forza Horizon 5 is in tune with the times as the latest series update features three Chinese-made cars, two are from Chinese carmakers featured for the first time in the Forza franchise. The first is the electric track-only masterpiece from NIO known as the EP9.

Having accumulated 25 points from this series' Wet Season playlist, I've got the chance to experience NIO's electric masterpiece that once broke the Nurburgring Nordschleife record before Volkswagen's ID.R snagged it moments later.

Dubbed as "one of the fastest electric cars in the world", the NIO EP9 is the spearhead of the birth of NextEV's global brand that embodies the car company of the future. The signature electric powertrain consists of four inboard MGUs making the EP9 capable of unleashing 1MW (1,360PS) of power output. It hits 0-200kph in 7.1 seconds and has a top speed of 313kph. Apart from the performance, the NIO EP9's dynamics and aerodynamics are heavily inspired by NextEV's Formula E involvement since winning the inaugural season in 2015. Such engineering excellence made the NIO EP9 lapped around the Nurburgring Nordschleife in 6:45.900.

Think of the EP9 as a Formula E car with a different approach because while it incorporates most of the Formula E knowhow, the NIO EP9's performance is beyond comparison for an electric vehicle that shatters the rules of being a track weapon. It may look like a fancy hypercar built to park outside the casino in Monte Carlo but it's not road legal, which is a bummer for a hypercar that tries to outlast against the world's best hypercars. Despite being built for track use only, the NIO EP9 is a surprisingly mild and menacing electric hypercar that loves to show the world who's in charge. Such cynicism yields results and impressions. That's China for you.

To exploit the EP9's strengths and weaknesses, it's time to give this Chinese electric hypercar a race against the best hypercars that ever existed on the closed streets of Guanajuato. This should be exciting but anyway, let's roll the tape.

It truly is mild and menacing in every way and this NIO EP9 is no exception.

And there you have it. The NIO EP9 may be built for track use only but its shocking performance is something that should not be underestimated. The Chinese truly are on the road to world domination and this electric hypercar is a sign of things to come.

My time with the EP9 is done but the Chinese invasion on Forza Horizon 5's Series 4 update continues. Stay tuned for more.

There's no way you can't fit as much children in one van!

In weird news: someone from China was caught driving 64 kids inside the van! Wouldn't you believe it? One time, the police pulled over the driver of a small van because of the overloading law. When the cops saw what's inside this overloaded van, the cop saw that this van packs about 66 passengers - 64 kids and 2 adults. What an unbelievable attempt to fit so much kids inside the van and unfortunately, the driver of the van was quoted "punished" according to related laws and regulations.

We're not sure how the heck did he do that, especially when the seats passenger seats' been replaced with benches...

Scoop: http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2011/09/quiz-how-many-children-can-fit-into.html

Foton SUP/Blizzard on a Guns and Roses episode

Foton Blizzard pick-up on a Guns and Roses episode!

A Foton SUP/Blizzard has been spotted on a Guns and Roses episode last June 8, 2011.

This Blizzard pick-up was spotted on the scene where Abel (Robin Padilla) is helping an old lady crossing the street.

What's this Chinese pick-up truck doing here?

Chinese Top Gear is no bootleg, but remains true to the original version's roots

Chinese version of The Stig

Is this it? This is the Chinese version of BBC's ultra popular motoring magazine show, Top Gear?

Scoop: http://www.gtspirit.com/2011/03/21/video-first-15-minute-pilot-top-gear-china/

This claims to be their is the first 15-minute clip of the Chinese Top Gear, called Zui Gao Dang. As observed, there was the Cadillac SLS vs. the donkey, then there was the Chinese Stig!

What could it be? Well, even it is Chinese, it's still sticking true to the original version's roots.

There was a radio ad for the Blizzard?

2011 Foton Blizzard

During a commercial break on DZRH, I listened across a radio commercial for the Foton Blizzard (SUP) Pick-up...

Is it really "Pogi"?

Ang poging-poging na pick-up?

Hmm... fine for me about that radio ad for the Foton Blizzard