REMEMBERING 2013 - Part One

Hello, and welcome to the first part of my year-ender called Remembering 2013. Starting now up until New Year's Eve (that's December 31, 2013 to you), I'll be randomly listing stuff that came throughout 2013. From good things, bad things, best things, worst things, whatever you name it, that year-ender list is on me. It's on my head so let's get cracking!

Seventh-generation Chevrolet Corvette

The seventh-generation Chevrolet Corvette made a world premiere at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, and the crowd stirred a massive attention over the latest Vette. The new Corvette sees the return of the familiar "Stingray" name, a famed Corvette from the last century. Not only it was revealed in real world but Gran Turismo 5 gets its first access to this car in game. Because of the C7 Corvette's ties with Gran Turismo, it became the cover car for PS3's Gran Turismo 6.

The end of X-Play and Attack of the Show

After 10 years, 1,378 episodes, 6 different sets over 2 cities, and several Morgan Webb hairstyles, X-Play, a popular video game review show with some wit and humor as seen on G4 bids farewell and sign off. Also, Matt Mira, Candace Bailey, and the others open up the studio to their crew and staff for one final episode in the Attack Of The Show studio. Both X-Play and AOTS ended since late January 2013.

Sofia The First

What started is a Disney Junior original movie since 2012 under the "Once Upon A Princess" banner, now a full-fledged Disney Junior TV series. Sofia the First aired on Disney Junior since January 11, 2013 and then aired globally moments after. She's the new girl in crown. What surprised us is the episodes where Disney princesses making special appearances in the show courtesy of The Amulet of Avalor. Sofia's magical amulet lets her talk to animals and in rare circumstances...summon classic Disney Princesses and let me explain...

• In the Once Upon A Princess TV movie, which is the first for Sofia the First, when everyone fall asleep by a spell, her amulet summoned Cinderella.
• Then, in the "Two to Tangu" episode where Sofia and her stepsister Amber finding their way to Tangu Peak, and when the magic carpet they rode caused too much troubles for the princesses, Sofia's magical amulet summoned Princess Jasmine from Aladdin and teachers her how to "tame the wild carpet"
• In "The Amulet and The Anthem" episode when her amulet put a curse on her because of her bragging about singing for the anthem, her amulet summoned Belle from Beauty and the Beast and there's a moral lesson: The only thing you can undo the curse is you.
• Ariel from The Little Mermaid makes an appearance in "The Floating Palace" special
• Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty makes an appearance in the Christmas special titled Holiday in Enchancia

The Meteorite in Russia

The news that shocked me is somewhere in Russia when a meteorite blows itself just before it crash lands on it, causing a massive shockwave strong enough to shatter through glass windows. It's kinda scary but this celestial happening occurred and caught on dash-cam, which perhaps why most Russian drivers had those drive recorders these days.

Metal Gear Rising Revengeance

METAL GEAR RISING REVENGEANCE

Metal Gear fans waited four years for this new spin on the history of Metal Gear saga. With Kojima Productions did very well on the storyboard while PlatinumGames, the demented developed behind Bayonetta, Vanquish, and Max Anarchy (Anarchy Reigns), do some crazy bits on the action, this hack-and-slash game salivated me. It may not be the best Metal Gear game I have ever played and it may not be one of the best games of 2013 but since I played it several times, it is the BEST game I have ever played in ages. Many things are wrong with it but this is definitely THE BEST GAME I'VE EVER PLAYED. Best game ever played...end of discussion.

I even take advantage of the VR Missions DLC, Jetstream Sam DLC, and Blade Wolf DLC as well and it further ups the ante in MGR.


Attack On Titan

This is what I believed to be one of the most talked-about anime of 2013 since last year's SAO. In the hit anime series, Eren Jaeger and the heroic members of the Scouting Legion are on the mission to defend a fortified city against a horde of man-eating titans. It's kill or be devoured on this one. Everyone got hooked on this and I can't believe it's either the gross-looking Titans or the heroic Scouting Legion members are the ones to cosplay for in any conventions. Who cares about it?

THQ's bankruptcy

THQ, one of the most memorable video game companies situated in North America, is bankrupt and of their franchises has a new owner. SEGA accepts purchase to developer Relic, Koch Media now owns the Saints Row and Metro series, Crytek now has rights to the Homefront series, Take-Two now has rights to the WWE video games, and Ubisoft continues the upcoming South Park: The Stick of Truth game.

Threats from North Korea

Ever since the missile launch last year and the successful third nuclear test, which perhaps downsizing is now part of developing nuclear warheads, the whole world's gone haywire over the tyranny of Kim Jong-Un. What's frightening for us is that through the months, North Korea keeps threatening South Korea and the United States by launching a merciless nuclear attack. Not just that, it's the closure of the Kaesong Complex as well as cutting off the hotline that made us worried. With so much about threats from North Korea, we're waiting for their next move...

The Harlem Shake

Early 2013, a viral video craze called the Harlem Shake caused a massive stir to the netizens. First, one guy dances on the clip until "Do The Harlem Shake"...everyone joins the beat! Simple as that. The whole world has different versions of the Harlem Shake...even fictional ones like The Simpsons and Supernatural.

The New Pope

Ever since Pope Benedict XVI resigned from his position due to his old age, the whole world asks who will be the next pope to succeed where he left off. There has been numerous potentials gathered but some warned that the next pope will be replaced will go by the name of "Peter the Roman" according to the Malachy prophecy and if that "Peter the Roman" became pope, it will spell apocalypse. No wonder there was one candidate go by the name of Cardinal Peter Turkson from Ghana.

Good this that whole this is just a load of tosh as the pope who replaced Benedict XVI is an Argentinian cardinal. Once started as Cardinal Bergolio, hailed as POPE FRANCIS. The reason why the name Francis is chosen is because he's the bearer of the poor in biblical times, making him the right pope for the right people.

With Pope Francis' reign, the whole Catholic world respected him for his humble and simple ways and I love that. He truly understands who are we.

Karen Gillan shaved her hair off...

Karen Gillan at SDCC 2013

Not quite of a bigger deal but former Doctor Who actress Karen Gillan revealed her new look during the San Diego Comic Con 2013. Yep, she had her ginger hair shaved off! Reactions?

Clara Oswald...

Clara Oswald, played by Jenna Coleman, is now a full-fledged companion as the second-half of Doctor Who Series 7 is on full-swing with new episodes until it all leads to The Name of The Doctor, the one we find out the truth behind The Doctor and Clara until the cliffhanger ending that shocked the world.

THERE'S MORE TO COME ON PART 2 OF THIS VERY SPECIAL YEAR-ENDER! TTFN!!!

Suzuki Hustler

Crossovers are becoming hugely popular worldwide even for caravanners who are taking on a holiday. Even though they look tough on the outside, they behave like sissies because they have no off-road capabilities that large SUVs do, well some can. Crossovers like the Tiguan, the CX-5, the Forester, the Korando, the Captur, the Koleos, there are so many crossovers all over the place but why would the motoring industry keep on making those? To add to that problem, Suzuki's making a new spin on a crossover category in a form of a kei car...

2014 Suzuki Hustler

This is the first ever kei-crossover from Suzuki, the leader of fuel-efficient kei cars in Japan, and it's called the Hustler. Quite weird to call it the Hustler, eh? Does it do the hustle like the song Do The Hustle? Eh...nope. Not quite.

But first...remember the Daihatsu Terios Kid? 15 years ago, this kei car was made to go offroad but for me, it's not quite being tested for off-road enthusiasts many because it's too small and kei cars aren't made for the job. Well, you can take it on the gravel and the snow but on the rocks, that's a big no for me. Even though it's a small kei off-roader, it's still fit for the holidays. Sadly though the Daihatsu Terios Kid is gone. It was discontinued last year because of numerous theories like its age or its poor sales.

Anyway, let's move on to the Suzuki's so-called kei-crossover known as the Hustler. Does this new kei-car really remind me of the late Terios Kid?

2014 Suzuki Hustler

Well at first glance, the Hustler may have a manly name but its design wasn't quite toughie because just look at it. It feels like the Toyota FJ Cruiser has been shrunken down to bite-sized chunks and I mean look at it, there's some bits from the Daihatsu Mira Cocoa! Eh? A Suzuki wearing some of the Daihatsu's exterior parts?! Yes, really! Look at the headlamps, don't they look familiar?

Well, whatever you do, don't even laugh at this baby crossover sold only for the Japanese market but in the meantime, I'm starting to laugh now. This kei-crossover is too humorous for me! It's like manliness and girliness all wrapped up into one! Oh dear! Anyway, enough laughing for me now. I still get all in a good mood for this curiosity. Anyway, what's on the performance side?

2014 Suzuki Hustler

For a compact packaging, the Hustler's no fool to me. It still behaves like a proper kei car even though it's a crossover in its own right. If you're a daily driver, the Hustler still knows the value of fuel efficiency because it features the same 660cc engine complete with SUZUKI GREEN TECHNOLOGY in the form of ENE-CHARGE and ECO-COOL respectively. Combine these fuel-efficient technologies with the CVT and you'll get 29.2kmpl as calculated by JC08 Mode standards. All seems to be fine but is there some way to enjoy the Hustler? How about the 5-speed manual gearbox? Please note, having a kei-crossover with a manual gearbox can be a bit too corny for me especially when it comes with the turbocharged 660cc engine, again, with SUZUKI GREEN TECHNOLOGY.

A turbocharged engine mated with a 5-speed manual gearbox? Sounds fun to me but if you want a little fun with the Hustler using that configuration, try something more of a big space. How about an abandoned construction lot or a deserted warehouse? That's going to be more fun if you try to mess around with the Hustler.

2014 Suzuki Hustler interior

Aside from making a lot of trouble in deserted areas, the Hustler is still a compact made for the holidays. I know, it's still made for people spending their weekends on the beach or in the mountains or camping or whatever outdoorsmen would do. On the inside, it's still roomy and space for about four people. Not quite a family car but it's still a good car if you want to take your mates out on your day off. Depending on the color variation, the dashboard and the seat lining matches the exterior color regardless of which color you chose.

Also, you can also have an option of a smartphone-integrated sat-nav complete with a rear-view camera on it just to add conveniences while driving a Hustler.

The speedometer kinda took the idea from the girls-only Alto Lapin because why? The speedo comes with some animation in the bottom. They put this just to make it look cute for the Hustler and it has four different animations such as HELLO!!, GO!, I'm READY, and GATE. I could imagine if that little green video game machine could be in that car making some cutesy stuff but no way. This is the real world and four cutesy animation stuff on the Hustler's speedo makes me...bored and annoyed.

So, what's the verdict? It depends on what people react on the Hustler but in case you're looking for the answer to my original question above, I'm afraid that's a terrible no because even though it's made for the weekends, the new Hustler will never going to make the grade similar to the late Daihatsu Terios Kid. It maybe deceased last year but I would rather go for it rather than the Hustler because...it's a bit too cutesy for its tough image. You know what I mean? But as a daily driver's car, the Hustler is not that bad after all even though its fuel economy surpassed the normal Spacia's by about 0.2kmpl.

The Hustler maybe a bit too cutie-patootie for it's image but it's still a likable car. It still has lots of character on it and it's more affordable than any other crossovers because the base model starts at around ¥1,048,950 respectively.

Available colors: Passion Orange White 2 Tone Roof, Summer Blue Metallic White 2 Tone Roof, Candy Pink Metallic White 2 Tone Roof, Phoenix Red Pearl Black 2 Tone Roof, Pearl White Black 2 Tone Roof, Steel Silver Metallic Black 2 Tone Roof, Cool Khaki Pearl Metallic, Urban Brown Pearl Metallic, Pearl White, and Bluish Black Pearl 3.

Photo: Suzuki Motor Corporation

Ejay Falcon, IHAW NA!

On the December 23, 2013's Banana Nite's IHAW NA segment, the guest of the day is none other than Ejay Falcon. From model to actor, Ejay's been one of the products of the Pinoy Big Brother show ever since he began his role as a housemate. He's been featured in TV shows like Momay and Dugong Buhay.

Let's Do The News! (December 23, 2013)

The big scoop today,

Police complete sketch the NAIA 3 gunman

The National Capital Region Police Office completed the facial sketch of the gunman responsible for the shootout at the NAIA Terminal 3 last week and it will be out soon. The facial composite was made based on the descriptions given by at least 10 witnesses and scheduled to be released today.

Report source: https://www.facebook.com/Bandila.OFFICIAL

A phone charger with the size of a credit card?!

Another news from the world of science and technology as in America, there's an incredible invention called the "Charge Card", a phone charge which has the size of a credit card. Isn't it cool?

Report: http://n5e.interaksyon.com/videos/FFA917EB7B4C44A/charger-kasinlaki-lang-ng-credit-card

LPA spotted in the southern Philippines.

Stay alert folks, because there's an LPA spotted over the southern Philippines and  is bringing the threat of isolated flooding through Christmas Eve. This is really the only area of active weather today and dominates the bulk of the update. Otherwise the Siberian high and the northeast monsoon is keeping things quite across Eastern Asia.

Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=uORqmN3z3zY

Firecrackers...

Last week, there was a child who got blown by a piccolo firework somewhere at Tondo, Manila. It happened moments while the Department of Health is on a stringent campaign against the use of fireworks this Yuletide season. Here's the clip...



Hats banned at malls?

The Philippine National Police are targeting against people wearing hats or caps while in the mall for security measures. What is it about and why? Here's the clip...

 

China-exclusive Citroen DS 5LS revealed

Dongfeng-Citroen DS 5LS

It maybe a stretched version of the uber-luxury Citroen DS5 but this sedan version, the DS 5LS, is available exclusively for the Chinese market courtesy of Dongfeng-Citroen. It's 17cm longer than the DS5, measuring 470cm from nose to tail, and because of the fact that the Chinese prefer space at the back more than everything else, the DS5LS fits to that liking.

Report: http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/citroen-stretches-ds5-2013-12-20

FnF7 to be in theaters this April 2015

Announced by actor Vin Diesel, the seventh installment of The Fast and The Furious film will be pushed to the April of 2015. He told from his Facebook page...

"The last scene we filmed together...

There was a unique sense of completion, of pride we shared...in the film we were now completing...the magic captured...and in just how far we've come...

Fast & Furious 7 will be released...

April 10th, 2015!

P.S. He'd want you to know first..."

Report: http://www.topgear.com.ph/features/lifestyle/art/movies/vin-diesel-announces-new-release-date-of-fast-furious-7#

The Powerpuff Girls return in an all-new special

It's been 15 years since The Powerpuff Girls first aired on Cartoon Network since 1998. It's been the crowning glory of Craig McCracken, who's currently busy with Disney's Wander Over Yonder. Good news, though, the girls are back and they're ready to save the world before bedtime...one more time!

The TV special airs on January 20, 2014 on Cartoon Network. Check local listings.



Bravest Warriors S02E04

Jelly Kid dies but who killed Jelly Kid? Find out on the latest episode of the second season of Cartoon Hangover's Bravest Warriors, titled Jelly Kid Forever...if you're a Cold Blooded Dickens.

 

TTFN!!!

Austin & Ally: Turn it Up

Austin & Ally: Turn it Up

With the latest season of Disney Channel's Austin & Ally still turn things up for our favorite singer-songwriter duo of Austin Moon (played by Ross Lynch) and Ally Dawson (played by Laura Marano) along with their pals Dez (played by Calum Worthy) and Austin's personal manager and Ally's best pal Trish De La Rosa (played by Raini Rodriguez) in their cross-country trip to fame and sometimes mischief, not to mention the feels most "Raura" shippers are experiencing ever since...well, you know what I mean but anyway, thanks to Season 3 of Austin & Ally, the second soundtrack of the hit TV series has arrived, jam packed with some tunes you'll be sure to like as much as the first soundtrack of the show.

Yes, more of tunes courtesy of our favorite singer-songwriter tandem, Austin Moon and Ally Dawson, as heard over the course of Season 3 and there's even a track titled Unstoppable sung by Chloe & Halle. Don't tell about that but still, 13 new songs in one unique music CD are sure enough to spend so much fun with your mates listening to the songs heard through the second season of the hit Disney Channel TV series.

Austin & Ally airs on Disney Channel. Check local listings.

TRACK LISTINGS:
1) Upside Down
2) Me and You
3) Who U R
4) Superhero
5) Parachute
6) What We're About
7) Chasin' the Beat of My Heart
8) Stuck on You
9) Redial
10) Steal Your Heart
11) Better Than This
12) I Think About You
13) Unstoppable

What's in our Car Town garage today? (December 22, 2013)

What's in our Car Town garage today?

1970 Pontiac GTO Convertible

For the 1970 model year GTO, the hidden headlamps have been replaced by four round headlamps exposed on the front view and the grille openings are now narrower. It even comes with an updated suspension courtesy of a rear anti-roll bar used on the Oldsmobile 442 and the Buick Gran Sport. This model features a new optional 455 HO engine, moments after General Motors lifted the ban on engines larger than 400. The convertible version still offers the same updates as the hardtop version but with the roof open, it's worth an enjoyable cruiser on the road ahead.



1968 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona

The reason why some people called the Ferrari the Daytona, although it's an unofficial name Ferrari never used on this classic sports car, is theoretically it's because of Ferrari's 1-2-3 finish in the February 1967 24 Hours of Daytona with the 330 P4. This classic sports car isn't related to the 330 P4 but still one of the top sports cars of the 1970's as voted by Sports Car International. It's powered by a 4.4L V12 engine produces 357PS of power, propels from 0-60mph in 5.4 seconds, and a top speed of 174mph. That's quicker even by today's standards but still impressive. Richard Hammond drove this in the Series 12 episode of Top Gear against James May in an XSR 48 boat in a race through Monaco.



2008 Citroen GT Concept

Citroen, one of the most notable French carmakers in the history well known for their "creative technology", and Gran Turismo, a multi-million selling Playstation series of all time. What happens when you combine the two? The result is the eye-popping Citroen GT Concept. Premiered at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, this concept is the first ever car to be specifically designed to bring the virtual and real worlds together.

"Asahan Mo" #bubblegang

On the December 20, 2013 episode of Bubble Gang...

- Noche buena gags

- Mr. Assimo hosts a Christmas party.

- IKAW AT ANG INA acknowledges...your status updates about your donations!

- Santa Claus gets a makeover!

- Bubble Gang does Skyflakes by spoofing this commercial as SPYFLAKES. Asahan mo.

- Istambay, Istambay sa Looban, mga carolling uso na naman, lahat natutuwa sa kantahan, pwera ang matandang mayabang...

- Antonietta meets her match against special guest Chanda Romero!

- Junior reveals his parents' dirty secret.

- Hitting up the right note with the carollers.

- Santa Bully bullies the department store Santa Claus.

Gran Turismo 6: The Shelby GT500 story

Ever since the Mustang's inception in the 1960's it became well known as the king of muscle cars and with fierce competition from the Chevrolet Camaro and the Dodge Charger, the Ford Mustang still stacks up the competition. The Mustang has been widely known to be starred in different movies and shows. It was once famously appeared in Bullitt starring Steve McQueen, Gone in 60 Seconds, Fast and Furious Tokyo Drift, Drive, Getaway, next year's NFS movie, the unsuccessful TV reboot of Knight Rider, and oh, it was once appeared in an episode of Alcatraz.



If someone complains about a Mustang, then it's got to be Europeans and Asians doing the complaining over the Mustang because even though Mustangs love to prefer the straight line enjoyment, having one in countries outside the USA makes you feel like you're a spokening dollar wearing a stetson, some cowboy boots, drinking too much fizzy pops, wasting some cash on a holiday in Disneyland, eating too much fast foods like McDonald's, Burger King, or Subway, and you're the sort of person occasionally living the fancy life. That's how a Mustang guy best describes himself.

If you're in the land of anime, K-Pop, baguettes, kebabs, tom yum, or Right Honorable Gentlemen, you might think that the Mustang is nothing but a pet peeve. A cog piece for the shorter chap. An equivalent of The Rich Texan from The Simpsons.

This particular Mustang, however, is not like that. This is the Shelby GT500, the pinnacle of the Mustang range. The king of Mustangs. In the US, this car costs $54,995 so it's cheaper than any other supercars five times the price. What surprises me is the engine that powers it, a 5.8L DOHC 32-valve supercharged V8 engine, produces 662HP. That's about a hundred more than a Ferrari 458 or a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. Ford says it's the most powerful production V8 ever made. Yummy.



It maybe heralded as America's most powerful car but there are some downfalls to the GT500. Like all Mustangs, the GT500 is not good on the corners because unlike most modern cars that comes with multi-link, dual-rate dampers, and independent rear suspensions, this Mustang still comes with a live-axle, which is a bit old-school in the handling stakes but still, it's enjoyable as a drifting machine if you got some time to pass.

Reason why the Mustang GT500 didn't come with some modern suspension is because it would have added some pricing to each car. It maybe a ridiculous decision but you can't have a powerful car stuck with some suspension made of wood or a lamppost. What remains is a car that looks great and still performs on a straight line. That's it.







You can't add that much power on a car that still comes with an old suspension system, right? Most modern sports cars are not like the Mustang because even with the added power, they took some time beefing up the suspension to make it more handling-friendly. In the past, power is the top priority but with times changed, sports car makers rely on the handling as the top priority. The Mustang is...well always sticking to the power struggle.



Back in 2011, when Chevrolet launched the ultimate Camaro, the ZL1, Ford got alarmed that the ultimate Camaro got more power than their GT500 so they've responded and in the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show, Ford takes a stab on the Camaro ZL1 with their 2013 GT500, which produces more power than the rival Chevy. The Mustang loves playing catch-up since the advent of the fifth-generation Camaro in 2009 and while the Camaro has been America's best seller, Ford wanted to keep up by giving the 2013 Mustang range a 100-horsepower increase. The previous GT500 has about 550-ish horsepower, don't know but I keep forgetting maths but since it was rated at around 662HP, the 2013 GT500 is once again king of American muscle cars. Not only it outwit the ZL1 but also the Corvette ZR1 in the horsepower stakes. It's kinda shame that even with the 100HP increase, nothing can match the technology and sophistication of its Chevy rivals.

Hmmm...



Unlike most any traditional American V8 engines, this 5.8L DOHC 32-valve supercharged V8 engine is quite sophisticated. The block is German-made, perhaps they all know what they're doing, the crank shaft is made of carbon fiber and hopefully it won't blow in the hands of whatever Brainiacs introduce it to SPEED. 0-60 takes 3.7 seconds and top speed is over 202mph.

What shocks us the most is the 2013 GT500's fuel tank because of its 50L capacity. A 50-litre fuel tank takes about 14MPG, which means at 140 miles, this car has to stop for fuel. Ouch. Well that's a theory worth proving but your actual mileage, both GT6 and reality, may vary.



As the Mustang GT500 continues to chew off the miles, I was wondering how come this immensely powerful car feels so...cheap.



Well, it's not what you called luxurious for a car that some people would call it a luxury car because of its outrageous pricing and it's not quite as refined as sportscars from Europe and Japan.



Despite all this, it's still worth addicting. When you put your foot on the pedal hard, your life gets drunk with speed. Once you're in the GT500, you'll never ever get away with it, it enslaves you for the fun of it. It's a likeable car, a good looking car, and no wonder why I got hooked on this car probably because it's so powerful enough to take on the sophisticated supercars five times the price.



And then, apart from being a likable, you can also expect one thing that stands out: HERITAGE.



This car owes its existence to a legend named Carroll Shelby. He was born in 1923 with a heart condition, meaning that he has to spend the rest of his life fighting for a living so one day, he decided to become a racer. While his racing career never cut the mustard, he heard that somewhere in England, a small company called AC was struggling to find a Ford-sourced engine for its sportscar. Carroll Shelby brokered a deal with Ford Motor Company to supply big V8s and the Cobra was born.



The Sunday Times reported that the coupe version of the Cobra, the Daytona Coupe, reached 190mph on the M1 highway and that sparked an enormous outrage over the safety of motorworks. Because of that, the 70mph speed limit was introduced.

In the USA, the Cobra christened a collaboration between Shelby and Ford, which spawned numerous creations until in 2012, Carroll Shelby died at the age of 89.



Just before his passing, he had to see this and apparently, he liked it. I also like the fact that this Mustang bears some menacing Cobra badges and his name on the back as a tribute to the motoring legend himself. I was going to say this but Mr. Shelby, no matter where you are, even if you are in the Great Racetrack in the Sky, my tribute goes to you but because I am so busy playing Gran Turismo 6 with the 2013 Shelby GT500, I just can't bring myself to say it.



Even though the Mustang GT500 has some ups and downs in terms on how does this car behaves, this car is definitely one of my favorites in the game. Not good on cornering, good on the straights, 50-litre fuel tank, heritage, these traits what best describe this car.









It looks great, tons of character, and goes like a train...well, almost. However, there is a problem regarding this car because the biggest advance on cars in the last century is refinement. You could drive an old banger at around 70mph but it feels like you've been shaken, rattled, and rolled. A present-day Ford Focus makes you feel like sitting in a bathtub while your hands and feet get lubed into something oily when you reach 70 mph.

The GT500 feels like an old banger to us because of the noise, vibration, and the harshness. Perhaps no wonder why American cars are so cheap. They're so cheap, they couldn't pay attention to the details and they simply aren't as sophisticated as the European rivals.

Don't get me wrong. Even though this is no Mustang, this is the exact Mustang that Jeremy Clarkson drove in the Series 19 episode from Top Gear in a Pan-European race from Wembley to San Siro and he lost just after Hammond and May arrived at the bar near the stadium.

Let's Do The News! (December 20, 2013)

The big scoop today...

Meccano motorcycle on James May's Toy Stories next month



In case you missed it, James May's Toy Stories returns on BBC Two and BBC Two HD on Friday, January 3, 2014, at 21:00 GMT and for this season, James May will be riding a motorcycle made out of Meccano. Meccano is a French-made construction game in plastic or in metal for children from 5 years old. It's been loved by kids in Britain but with the advent of Lego blocks, Meccano's popularity is slowly fading. With Meccano still around us, James May is up to the challenge to travel with a motorcycle made out of Meccano but by how far? Find out on an all new James May's Toy Stories returning on January 3, 2014, on BBC Two and BBC Two HD.

NAIA shootout killed Zambo mayor and others

A Zamboanga del Sur town mayor and three others, including a baby, were killed and four more people were hurt in a shootout at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City before noon earlier. Labangan town Mayor Ukol Talumpa, his wife, and two others; including a one-year-old baby, were killed outside NAIA Terminal 3's arrival area at around 11:15AM Philippine Standard Time. They were arrived on board a Cebu Pacific flight from Zamboanga by somewhat two hours before the attack.

Report: http://www.philstar.com/nation/2013/12/20/1270326/mayor-baby-2-others-dead-naia-shooting

Netizens complaining about NAIA's poor security after an ambush

Moments after Labangan mayor Talumpa, his wife, and two others including a baby got killed in a middle of an ambush, it seems that netizens exploded some comments regarding NAIA's poor security. Well, so much to say about one of the world's worst airports but for this case, it's on the security concerns. Ouch... NAIA and No CCTV were among the trending topics in Twitter and the netizens are enraged by this latest incident.

Report: http://www.philstar.com/nation/2013/12/20/1270349/filipinos-slam-naias-poor-security-after-daring-ambush

Huracan unleashed

2015 Lamborghini Huracan LP610-4

The successor of the Gallardo has finally revealed under the pseudonym of Lamborghini Huracan LP610-4. Huracan is Spanish for hurricane, named after a Mayan God of fire and part of continuing the Lamborghini tradition of naming cars after bulls, it's all Earth, Wind, and Fire for the newest baby Lambo that was heavily inspired by the flagship Aventador. The newly developed 5.2L V10 engine develops 610PS of power, scaling that up, that's 5PS more than the hardcore Ferrari 458 Speciale. 0-100kph in 3.2 seconds and top speed of over 325kph, as similar to the 458 Speciale.

The Huracan will be making a world premiere at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show but next month, the Huracan will be featured in 130 private preview events in more than 60 cities globally.

Report: http://www.autoblog.com/2013/12/20/lamborghini-huracan-lp-610-4-revealed-official-photos/

Celebs taking public transport

With heavy traffic in Metro Manila, there are some Philippine celebs opted to travel via public transportation. Cristine Reyes, for example, will be riding a bus going to a taping for an episode of Honesto. Gerald Anderson, meanwhile, will be riding the MRT because he was rushing for an appointment.

Report: http://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2013/12/20/1270340/traffic-forces-celebrities-take-bus-mrt

TTFN!!!

Gran Turismo 6: Mario Andretti's First Love

This is not just any other Hudson Hornet you know, this is the particular Hudson Hornet where racing legend Mario Andretti began his career. This is Mario Andretti's "first love", and with the help from the Gran Turismo community, the "First Love" of the legendary driver has been restored to its former glory and we now had the chance to try it out in Gran Turismo 6.



Back in 1957, when Andretti was just 17 years old, he, his twin brother Aldo, and his pals began building his first race car based on a 1948 Hudson Hornet. The reason why he picked the Hudson because of its legendary reputation of being...well, legendary in the world of NASCAR.

Just what is a Hudson Hornet? Simple really, this legendary machine raked 40 out of 48 wins because of its straight-six Twin-H power engine, making it truly an innovator and race champion. If you're under 12, then to you, this car is Doc Hudson from the Disney Pixar movie, Cars.

Anyway, back to the story. They got the parts, a new engine, and rebuilt the car from scratch and then, two years later, the #7 Hudson stock car was born and the Andretti brothers won their first two races.

This engine was bought from Whitney & Company, a company specializes in race-spec engines for Hudson stock cars and it was engineered with a single carbureted straight-six design. With the combination of this engine as well as its sleek aerodynamics of the Hudson stock car, it became the foreground to Mario Andretti's legendary career that blessed him several motorsports such as F1, Indycar, NASCAR, and the World Sportscar Championship. Because of his longevity and success, the Associated Press and RACER Magazine named him "Driver of the Century". Today, Mario Andretti's living at the age of 73.



Sony Computer Entertainment America started Gran Turismo 6's FIRST LOVE campaign where the producers and the help of the GT community restore Mario Andretti's 1948 Hudson stock car to its former glory. Oh yeah, if you want to relive the "First Love" story, go to http://playstation.gt6firstlove.com/ and look back at the story of Mario Andretti and the car that started it all.

From restoration, recreation, 3D scanning, sound recording, the producers spend most of the day doing their best to resurrect the legendary Hudson stock car to its former glory and a week after its complete restoration, Andretti and his "First Love", the car that started his career, have finally been reunited at last and as a reward for all the hard work we've done, his car is ours in GT6 via an update. We even had a chance to try out a Special Event where we can drive Mario Andretti's 1948 Hudson round the "Streets of Willow" segment of Willow Springs International Raceway. This legend served as a courtesy car and if whoever reaches the Bronze trophy target or better will be rewarded with Mario Andretti's 1948 Hudson as a prize.



It's been quite an honor to drive a legendary car which served as the maiden voyage for the living legend. Although it maybe a stock car, it's still the fabulous Hudson Hornet. It's first love never dies especially when petrolheads showing their love for cars and for this car, it feels like I'm rekindling to my past selves. When racers driving legendary vintage racers like this, their instincts are reconnecting to their predecessors and in theory, that makes them motivated to the road ahead. Sadly for me, my past isn't quite perfect for me so...I'm not really more of a man I am but ever since I spent the last 15 years playing the Gran Turismo series, here I am now, continuing the legacy in a new era. Wow, looks like the irony is not lost from me but still worth entertaining.



This 1948 Hudson stock car that Mario Andretti started his racing career back then really does asked us a question that we all have answers. As a petrolhead, what car served us as our "first love"? A car isn't just more than just a piece of transportation or racing machines. It's made for storing up memories no matter how good or bad memories are. Recollection, that's what that is and when you look around people asking about what's their first car they drove when they got their driver's license, the good times, the bad times, they'll always response in a touching kind of way.

Just remember, when you're busy taking the wheel of Andretti's Hudson in GT6, you are worth remembering about how "First Love" never dies in a true spirit of car enthusiasm.

Let's Do The News! (December 19, 2013)

The big scoop today...

Dacia is one of EU’s fastest-growing car maker

2014 Dacia Duster

It maybe a Romanian low-cost car maker part of the Renault Nissan Alliance but Dacia is well recognized as one of the fastest growing European carmakers in history. Why? Reports from Top Gear told that Dacia is shifting 21.1% more cars in Europe in the first 11 months of 2013 than they did last year. They have also increased its share of the market from 1.9 % in 2012 to 2.4%. Thanks to Dacia, the Renault Nissan Alliance inspired them to revive the Datsun brand as, like the Dacia, a low-cost brand for the masses.

Report: http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/dacia-it-is-taking-over-the-world-2013-12-18

FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil will pollute as much as 560K cars a year?!

Study shows that over the course of the FIFA World Cup in Brazil, 2.72 million tons of CO2 emissions will be emitted from around 560,000 Cars in a year, unless your mode for transportation to the big stadium would be bikes or electric cars which sadly not one has ever been in the Brazilian market.

Report: http://www.carscoops.com/2013/12/report-says-month-long-2014-world-cup.html

Mazda Atenza is Top Gear Philippines COTY 2013

2013 Mazda Atenza

Having outwin against the Aston Martin Vanquish and the Jaguar F-Type in the World Car Design of the Year, once won the RJC Car of the Year, and now another accomplishment for the new third-generation Mazda Atenza or Mazda6 for the world market. The new model won Top Gear PH Car of the Year 2013 scoring a massive 103 points out of 150, defeating the Honda CR-Z and the new Lexus IS350.

Report: http://www.topgear.com.ph/news/industry-news/mazda-6-is-2013-top-gear-ph-car-of-the-year

Binay's Dasma gate clash gets a stab by netizens

Ever since the video of Dasmarinas Village security blocking the access from Makati Mayor Junjun Binay's convoy and caused 20 minutes of standoff, the netizens start asking...Ganito kami sa Makati? Most netizens hit Binay's abuse of power in Dasma gate clash.

For more: http://www.interaksyon.com/article/77121/ganito-kami-sa-makati--netizens-hit-binays-dasma-gate-clash

Willie Revillame willing to reconcile with ABS-CBN

Despite the controversy through the years, entertainer and businessman Willie Revillame said that he's more than welcome for possibility of reconciling and working again with his former home network ABS-CBN. Three years ago, there has been a feud between him and the network. He left ABS-CBN and moved to TV5. Two months ago, Willie's variety show in TV5, Wowowillie, went off air. So far, he still has no ongoing negotiations with any network but he believes that any negotiations may happen next year but right now, he's still managing other businesses such as the expansion of the Wil Tower mall in Mother Ignacia street, Quezon City, as well as the construction of his five-star hotel in Tagaytay.

Report: http://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2013/12/19/1269912/willie-revillame-willing-reconcile-abs-cbn

Honda Vezel

2014 Honda Vezel

Honda, once a car that makes the enthusiast-focused cars now a carmaker that makes cars that disappoint us...sort of. Once, they were cool, but now, they have lost their luster. The Integra is long gone and its name was used for their motorcycle, the Civic is long dead now three years ago, the Type R is dead and never come back in the JDM empire, and we have to wait until the next two years for their new NSX as well as their revival of the Beat kei roadster. Now, they've been focused on making too much eco-boxes but ever since the implementation of Honda's SPORT HYBRID powertrain, Honda tries to turn the tables around in the fast ever-changing world around us.

The Accord Hybrid was proven to be more efficient than the Insight, the latest Honda Fit Hybrid had a double clutch that is more responsive to drive than the CVT gearbox most hybrids had, they're really are a game changer in its own right...well, as a theory.

Question now is...how come Honda came up with their own answer against Nissan's Juke? It all started back at the 2013 NAIAS in Detroit when Honda previews their answer to the Nissan Juke. It was the Urban SUV concept that spirals the critics into questioning about what would it be when this crossover was based on the new generation Honda Fit. Now that there's a new Honda Fit, it only took moments before Honda pulled out the wraps for their production version of the Urban SUV Concept and gave it the name...VEZEL.

What's in the name VEZEL? It's a portmanteau for the words "Vehicle" and "Bezel" and Honda says that this crossover's worth a charm and multi-faceted like a jewel that changes its looks depending on the angle. That's seems a bit dry to me but judging by the looks of it...it doesn't quite as bad as a Nissan Juke but if you managed to turn up in one of these, it won't win you friends.

2014 Honda Vezel

But still, even though it's not quite a head-turner, the Vezel's design does inherited from the concept model. Almost 90% of the looks were retained and from every angle, this city crossover should sure use some eau de pomme here should this crossover is ready to go wandering to the streets of Tokyo.

The Vezel offers two types of powertrain available such as a 1.5L L15B petrol engine which generates 132PS of power and 155Nm of torque while mated with a CVT gearbox and the main feature for this car is this...the same 1.5L petrol engine but this time connected to a 22kW electric motor and a Lithium-ion Battery, the same as what you expect from today's Fit Hybrid, which in my opinion, is the better hybrid car ever offered because of a certain gearbox I find it worth noticing...a 7-speed double clutch gearbox. Yummy.

Even though I find the 7-speed DCT to be quite too shabby, it's still more responsive than the CVT gearbox and because this 7-speed gearbox implemented on a hybrid car as part of the SPORT HYBRID powertrain, I can expect this to be a bit more fuel efficient than the competition...and it does. 27.0kmpl as calculated in Japan's JC08 Mode standards, scaling that up, that's almost 5kmpl more than the Toyota Harrier Hybrid. Quite surprising but not expecting for the most fuel-efficient hybrid SUV in the market.

2014 Honda Vezel

Because this is just a crossover that looks like a hatchback, the Vezel still handles like a hatchback rather than being an SUV. It feels fine on the city streets but when you show it to the corner, the Vezel's not quite in a mood for the handling department and oh, if you push the SPORT button, the dials have gone red and the suspension's gone harder but still you can expect a fair bit of understeer. No matter how hard you're cornering this, it won't cut a mustard. The theory is that when the suspension's getting harder, the more cornering cars would be but for the Vezel, even with the SPORT Mode on, it's just another theory bites the rust. You got to be more careful than that but if you give the Vezel the optional 4WD system, it's a little bit more promising than the FF model. Promising but still comes the understeer so you may want to watch out for that.

2014 Honda Vezel interior

2014 Honda Vezel interior

Well, even though the handling is just one of the complaints for the new Vezel, I still find the interior to be a bit more comfortable. It can seat up to five people, has 393-liters of max cargo if you're interested for space, and for some circumstances, I can have a sat-nav with smartphone integration. What makes me bizarre on the Vezel is the available Electronic Parking Brake which eliminates the handbrake for some reason, making driving tests a bit more confusing, and then the City Brake Active System which uses a radar to detect incoming vehicles at about 30kph or less and in some cases...brakes automatically but not at all. There's even an EMERGENCY STOP SIGNAL, which is now a norm for all Hondas, which triggers hazard lights when drivers behind you are approaching and in the case of sudden braking when the vehicle is moving.

Question is...would you go for this rather than the Nissan Juke? But first, the starting price for the Vezel is 1,870,000 Japanese Yen for the entry level 1.5 G model, a 180,550 Yen more than the entry-level Nissan Juke 1.5RS Type V. However, the normal petrol Vezel has a fuel economy of 20.6kmpl, so it's 2.6kmpl more than the Juke even though both of them come with an engine stop-start system.

Available Colors: White Orchid Pearl, Alabaster Silver Metallic, Tinted Silver Metallic, Rousset Black Metallic, Crystal Black Pearl, Morpho Blue Pearl. Premium Deep Rosso Pearl, and Misty Green Pearl.

Photo: Honda Motor Co. Ltd.

Gran Turismo 6: VERSION 1.02

In time for the holidays, Gran Turismo 6 gets a minor update with their Version 1.02 and here are some of the most interesting bits if you have an itch to progress further;

First, they've returned the Consecutive Login Bonus from GT5 to GT6. If you remember, when you logged in for several days, the payout will be increased and on the 5th day, your winnings will be multiplied up to 200% so keep playing everyday if you wanna rack up the cash. In Career Mode, the winning Credits will be increased. Then, players will now only require a National B licence to access Seasonal Events and over the course of the game, there will be events that will reward cars as prizes so beware and keep playing.

Also on Update 1.02, the first two new Red Bull cars are offered and the RED BULL X CHALLENGE is up and running. Players will have their first taste of the first two Red Bull cars such as the RED BULL Racing Kart 100 and the first of the Red Bull X2014 series, the Junior model.

The X2014 Junior may be more of a baby racer but don't let the size fool you because this is still a quick car but not at all when your facing this against the bigger ones. This racer served as a practice for when you're racing with Formula Cars and it takes a little bit of mastery to master the little monster racer.

They're available now via update while the more basic X2014 Standard Car and the ultimate X2014 Fan Car will be implemented on a future update.

So, have you tried the latest update?