Gran Turismo 6: Mitsubishi's XR-PHEV Evo

After Mercedes-Benz and BMW revealed their Vision Gran Turismo concepts, and while we're still waiting for the VW GTi Roadster concept to arrive by mid-June, it seems that Japanese carmaker, Mitsubishi Motors, revealed their entry to the list Vision Gran Turismo cars you can find on Gran Turismo 6. What could that be? Let's find out...



This Concept XR-PHEV Evolution Vision Gran Turismo incorporates Mitsubishi Motors' involvement in the world of motorsports while utilizing their PHEV know-how to create a rally monster that has its performance and efficiency in perfect harmony. Well, that's Mitsubishi's claim by the way.



This Vision GT concept is heavily based on the XR-PHEV concept car as seen from the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show. The XR-PHEV is Mitsubishi's prediction to what is rumored to be the next-generation RVR compact SUV and it incorporates Mitsubishi's PHEV breakthrough with a downsized 1.1 GDi MIVEC turbo engine. For this Evo version, you can't really tell what improvements this compact rally mongrel had but based on the preliminary sketches...it's powered by a 3.0L V6 Twin Turbo MIVEC engine connected to a high-powered electric motor and an 8-speed DCT. It comes with Mitsubishi's Super All Wheel Control system as applied on the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X as well as its ultra-light and aerodynamic body that weighs to a featherweight 1,350kg, over 200kg lighter than the LanEvo X.

To find out how good this XR-PHEV Evo is, I took on a special challenge where you can keep Mitsubishi's Vision GT concept as a prize just by participating and set a lap time regardless of whether the lap time was valid or not. The venue is Matterhorn Rotenboden and what I am going to do is aim for the Gold target time of 1:34.000.



The Rotenboden segment of the Matterhorn is by no means one of the most challenging tracks in GT6 because of its terrifying elevation where in the downhill part of the track requires an adequate footwork to survive the downfall or face a messy consequence. Upon driving the XR-PHEV Evo, it feels like it's a mashup between a rally-car and a track toy thanks to its 4WD powertrain and its incredibly light bodywork. I believe that this is one of the best handling concept cars I have ever tried on GT6 and I have to say, such lightness comes with a price if you're not paying attention.

As I spent numerous laps round and round this challenging track, I finally managed to beat the Gold target time and I did it in 1:32.721. Not the best so far but this is how I demonstrated how good the XR-PHEV Evo is.



Now for my impressions; although this is more of a hyper crossover that is shaped like a running shoe, the athletic stance of the XR-PHEV Evo really behaves like any other Mitsubishi rally machines from the past and even though Mitsubishi no longer part of the rally community, not to mention that RALLIART scaled down their operations four years ago, this machine still evokes the "Spirit of Competition" both on and off the road. Speaking of offroad...



Yes, the XR-PHEV Evo still making the rounds on dirt courses because this concept car still has the roots from Mitsubishi's rallying past from WRC to Paris-Dakar. You can have so much fun playing dirty in such a very compact car just like playing a game of Snap with a shaolin monk and you win. Like a shaolin monk, the XR-PHEV Evo's reaction times are second to none but it's up to the skill of the driver to brave through its uncanny agility of this bite-sized chunk.

The Mitsubishi XR-PHEV Evo VGT is available on the Version 1.08 Update of Gran Turismo 6 on the Playstation3 so best to update now to get this machine!

MITSUBISHI CONCEPT XR-PHEV EVOLUTION VISION GRAN TURISMO

Make: Mitsubishi Motors
Country of Origin: Japan

Drivetrain: 4WD
Max Power: ???
Max Torque: ???
Weight: 1,350kg

Corporate General Manager Executive Officer Design Office:
Tsunehiro Kunimoto

General Manager/Styline Director Design Department:
Masaki Matsuhara

Senior Expert Public Relations Department:
Hiroshi Masuoka

General Manager Public Relations Department:
Manabu Yamanishi

Expert Public Relations Department:
Takashi Kiuchi

Manager Strategic Management Office:
Shigeru Tsuyuki

Expert Technology Policy Planning Department:
Yasuo Tanaka

Expert Aerodynamic Engineering Development Group:
Masahiro Yoshida

Assistant Manager Strategic Management Office:
Kunitoshi Itagaki

Public Relations Department:
Nobuhiro Kudo

Expert Design Department:
Norihiko Yoshimine

Expert Styling CAD Design Department:
Yuichi Ishikawa
Keiji Takebayashi

Assistant Manager Design Department:
Shusaku Kumagai

Assistant Manager Modeling Design Promotion Department:
Taichi Kawasaki
Junji Nakajima

Design Department:
Shuichiro Yamamoto
Yuichiro Ishizuka

Styling CAD Design Promotion Department:
Atsushi Osada
Masataka Nakamura
Hiroyuki Mashima

Coloring Design Department:
Nozomi Ohkubo



Stay tuned on GT6 for the visit of another Vision GT concept!

Wow Mali Pa Rin - June 1, 2014

On the June 1, 2014 episode of Wow Mali Pa Rin...

- ANO BA YAN CENTER - If your water bill's too expensive, we pay you with a gallon of water!

- THE VOICE...OVER! - Interested on applying for a job? Don't let someone's voiceover know you're lying!

- MYNAH-KAKULONG - Parrot's telling you some crazy things!

- SADAKO PAROON - Something's scary going on in the ladies' restroom!

- INVISIBLE ROPE - Can you get through the rope that is really invisible?

- MYNAH-MIMILOSOPO - The parrot from the veterinary is back...and this time, he's making a mess on the exams!

- HORNY CHAIR - Behold! The chair that honks when you seat!

Sewol Tragedy: SoKor's wanted fugitive - where is he?

Yoo Byung Eun, South Korea's most wanted fugitive who was allegedly to have ties to the operator of the sunken Sewol ferry, has eluded arrest for several weeks, leaving authorities having their head scratching where are the possible whereabouts of the wealthy Korean now targeted by the law. Because of his reluctance to appear in public; Byung-Eun is labeled as the "millionaire without a face". His children's whereabouts were also unknown.

Earlier this week, South Korean authorities put a bounty on Byung Eun's head, saying that the reward for information for the capture of this fugitive businessman has been raised by almost half a million dollars and about a hundred thousand dollars for the whereabouts of his eldest son.

Will justice prevail? It's a long road until South Koreans, mostly victims of the deadly maritime disaster, will speak up for the truth.

Story: http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/28/world/asia/sewol-yoo-manhunt/

Super GT 2014 - Autopolis

Looks like with summer officially starts in Japan and in the third round of the Super GT 2014 season, summer doesn't get even hotter than this! With 24,400 spectators arrived at Autopolis for this round, the racers' tension never felt even more suspense than ever.

HIGHLIGHTS:

In the end of round 3, the winner of the GT500-class race is the #23 MOTUL AUTECH GT-R driven by Tsugio Matsuda and Ronnie Quintarelli while in the GT300-class race, it's a win for the #55 ARTA CR-Z GT driven by Shinichi Takagi and Takashi Kobayashi.

Now, it's time for the overall driver rankings and on the GT300-class, looks like GOODSMILE HATSUNE MIKU Z4 driven by Nobuteru Taniguchi and Tatsuya Kataoka were in the lead by 40 points while in the GT500-class, it's the #12 CALSONIC IMPUL GT-R driven by Hironobu Yasuda and J.P.L. De Oliveira that sits in the top of the leaderboard by around 42.

Next time, can summer racing get even hotter on Sugo on the 20th of July?

Honda Stream discontinued - last 1.8L engine-powered JDM Honda dies

Farewell to the Honda Stream (2000-2014)

The last of the 1.8L engine-powered Hondas to be offered in Japan, the Honda Stream, is sadly extinct. The Japanese automaker pulled the plug on Honda's Civic-based compact MPV and in addition to the discontinuation of the Stream, it signals the end of the era of 1.8L engine-powered Hondas offered for the Japanese market.

R18A engine

Of course, you can have a 1.8L Honda in countries outside of Japan but in this blog, remember; if there's a car not offered on its home country, I don't tackle it. So anyway, it's a sad farewell to the R18A engine from Honda. It has been around since it was launched at the final-generation JDM Honda Civic since late 2005, for 9 years. Our Japanese Honda fans will surely going to miss this 1.8L i-VTEC engine.

(Details on the R18A engine: http://asia.vtec.net/Engines/R18A/)

Anyway, there's going to be a replacement for the Honda Stream coming this year and even though there are rumors that it will be called "JADE" after the Jade Concept as seen on the 2012 Beijing Motor Show, this replacement is believed to come with the same 1.5L hybrid+7-speed DCT setup as seen from the latest-generation Fit and the Vezel. There's also rumors that Honda's newly developed 1.5L VTEC TURBO engine will be on the cards but about the rumored hybrid model, it's going to take a lot of work for Honda to rework the 7-speed DCT ever since it had problems with the owners of the new Fit Hybrid and Vezel Hybrid, prompting Honda to recall those models.

The first Stream was launched in late 2000 and uses the EP Civic as its basis. The second-generation model was launched in 2006 and it's based on the FD Civic (the last Civic to be offered in Japan).

Source: http://car-research.jp/honda/stream-10.html

Gran Turismo 6: AYRTON SENNA TRIBUTE

The man. The myth. The legend. From humble beginnings to his nightmarish death 20 years ago, the story of Ayrton Senna is by no means one of the most legendary stories in the world of motorsports. Here in Gran Turismo 6, we can retrace his rise to fame as the legendary racer once respected for his God-given talents in the world of motorsports in AYRTON SENNA TRIBUTE.

In Ayrton Senna Tribute, players can retrace the footsteps of the legendary Ayrton Senna from his humble beginnings as a kart racer at his youth to his first win at the Formula One Grand Prix since the 80's.



The Ayrton Senna Tribute features three memorable machines for players to feel what is like to be in Ayrton Senna's footsteps.

First, this is the DAP Racing Kart #17. This racing kart served as the first page of Senna's career. When Senna's a teenager, he started kart-racing at Interlagos, where he set himself a new lap record and then won the Sao Paulo junior karting championship a year later. He placed 2nd in the Brazilian karting championship in 1975 and two years later, he became the champion of the South American karting championships. After his success at his home turf, Senna participated at the World Karting Championship in 1978, driving for the factory DAP team, for three years. Even though he didn't win the World Karting Championship, Senna's involvement in karting was the happiest moment of his career.



Next is Ayrton Senna's British Formula 3 Champion machine when he was with West Surrey Racing. After his success at the 1982 European Formula Ford 2000, Senna took on the British Formula 3 series for 1983 with West Surrey Racing. This where the rivalry between Martin Brundle and Ayrton Senna took place. In the first half, Senna won nine races but in the 10th round, he crashed at Silverstone and several rounds later, Brundle stole Senna's lead in the points rankings until in the final round that took place in Thruxton where Senna took the lead five seconds ahead from a rival car, making him the 1983 British F3 champion having won 12 out of 20 races.



And finally, the legendary Lotus 97T, the Formula One car that made Ayrton Senna achieved his first Formula One victory. In 1985, the Formula One rules were more challenging than it was expecting because of the fuel capacity restrictions and a ban on refuelling. The 97T was Lotus' answer to these regulations and it features improved aerodynamics on the radiator to keep up with the high temperatures from its 1.5L V6 turbo sourced from Renault as well as deflectors behind the front tires for reduced drag at the front.

The famous demonstration of Senna's talent in that F1 season took place in Portugal, the second round of his rookie season, where not only he scored a pole position but he used the rainy weather as his advantage to lap quicker than almost any racer except second-placer Michele Alboreto from Ferrari. At the checkered flag, the gap between Senna and Alboreto was over a minute, making it his first ever GP win for Ayrton Senna thanks to its uncanny ability in wet conditions.



These three memorable machines during Senna's career will find players some inspiration about reminiscing the legendary racer's success during his lifetime but as told; to be like Ayrton Senna, first you must act like Ayrton Senna. But how? The Ayrton Senna Tribute Special Event. Three chapters will put players to the test to aim for the gold target time using nothing but machines that Ayrton Senna used in the world of motorsports.

In Chapter 1, which is held at The Stowe Circuit, players need to aim for the gold award to win the DAP Racing Kart #17 while a silver award will give you Senna's race suit from that period.

In Chapter 2, which is held in the 80's variant of the Brands Hatch Indy Circuit, you need to match Senna's pole position time of 43.14 seconds if you're aiming for a gold award but be warned...the odds are about 1 to 100 so practice makes perfect. It's okay though because's Ayrton Senna's F3 car will be awarded for those who finished on the silver award while a bronze award will give you Senna's racing suit that he wore in that period.

The first half of Chapter 3, held in 80's Monza, gives players a fighting chance to take on Senna's pole position time of 1:25.084. Score a silver award and his racing suit is yours. Then, on the final half of Chapter 3, the most difficult part of the Ayrton Senna Tribute challenge, held at 80's Brands Hatch GP Circuit, it takes a willpower to beat Senna's pole position time of a superhuman 1:07.169. The odds are 1 to 200 so try and try until you succeed. If you score a silver award, the Lotus 97T is all yours.

Becoming Ayrton Senna is a very hard act to follow but one day...we can all follow the inspirations from one of the greatest racing drivers in history, who still lives strong in our hearts today. The Ayrton Senna Tribute is part of Gran Turismo 6's Update 1.08 so be sure to update now to follow Senna's footsteps in this special challenge where you can experience what it's like to be...the legend.

What's in our Car Town garage today? (June 1, 2014)

What's in our Car Town garage today?

2015 Subaru WRX

"Pure Power in Your Control", that is the product concept established for Subaru when they've revealed the brand new WRX sports saloon complete with a brand new chassis, bodywork, and the new FA20 DIT engine that develops a maximum 268HP of power output. In addition of the 6-speed manual gearbox standard, there is an optional (and slightly casual but blunt) Sport Lineartronic CVT with a feature that switches to an 8-speed manual model when switched to S# on the SI-DRIVE.

2015 Subaru WRX

1993 Ford SVT Cobra

In a desperate attempt to put the highly forgettable third-generation Ford Mustang the recognition it truly deserves; Ford unleashed the SVT Cobra at the 1992 Chicago Auto Show. This car served as the maiden work of the then-established SVT division. Power comes from the 302 CID Windsor V8 engine that develops 235HP of power, 380Nm of torque, and a 0-60mph time of under six seconds.

1993 Ford SVT Cobra

1958 GM Firebird III

Of all the Firebird concepts displayed at the 1958 General Motors Motorama, this is by no means the most influential of all the Firebirds. It is the only Firebird concept to have its design influenced on production vehicles built from General Motors.

1958 GM Firebird III

"100% nourished kid"

On the May 30, 2014 episode of Bubble Gang...

- Gags in the family

- IKAW AT ANG INA takes on...taking pictures of your foot!

 - More BEKSINGERAs in the ring!

- A meeting with people who always think negative!

- Bubble Gang does Lactum by spoofing this commercial as LAFTUM! 100% Nourished Kid!

- Antonietta's back to mess up with some teleserye cliches...until she faces off with Maricel Soriano!

- More wise words from Tata Lino

- IyoTube

- A silent vote puts their dad's fate on the line!

- Starpok interview with Bob Umali and Gino Castaneda.

Forza Motorsport 5: Why I lost the fight against the C7 Corvette

It is with regret that with the addition of the all new 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray on Forza Motorsport 5 via The Bondurant Car Pack, my road to vengeance ended in failure. It seems most Forza Faithfuls are too strong enough to plead Turn 10 to bring the C7 Corvette to Forza 5 and looks like it's over for me. Looks like our Japanese players will really get upset by the time they saw this, right? He he he... That's it then...Justice for Punkish Gothic? I can forget about it until my issue has resolve itself.



Anyway, there's a good way Forza Faithfuls should be thankful for the arrival of the new 2014 Chevrolet Corvette C7 Stingray on Forza Motorsport 5 via The Bondurant Car Pack because what we have here is a showcase of a true technological masterpiece that combines performance with technology. Although quite a big departure from the previous six generations, the new Corvette C7 wants to be a capable fighter to take on against Europe's finest.



I'm thinking more of a one-sided fistfights, Mardi Gras style, except this isn't Mardi Gras and I'm not in a middle of a fistfight. This is Forza 5 and I'm here to get to know about the latest-generation Corvette Stingray so what is it?

 



Premiered at the 2013 North American International Auto Show, the seventh-generation Chevrolet Corvette sportscar resurrected the legendary Stingray moniker for the first time since 1963. With an all new aerodynamic design and aluminum bodywork, the C7 Corvette is powered by a brand new 6.2L LT1 V8 engine developing 455HP of power output and 460lb-ft of torque. It is the first American car to be fitted with a 7-speed manual gearbox with Active Rev Match.

The Z51 Performance Package includes a dry-sump oil system, Electronic LSD, bigger front brakes, slotted rotors with black calipers, specific gear ratios, shocks springs and stabilizer bars, an optional Magnetic Ride Control and Performance Traction Management.





I have never driven an American car like this that doesn't really feel like an American car of yesteryears and for the folks of General Motors, they've really pulled it off completely. They've provided a world-class sportscar that not only looks good, it drives like it was in a middle of a one-sided fistfight in Mardi Gras. That's what I'm thinking about! One-sided fistfights, Mardi Gras-style! How amazing was that?





For my quick analysis about the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray on Forza 5; the provocative design of the exterior and the handcrafted interior really appealed the Visuals while the muscle car-esque sound of the new 6.2L LT1 V8 direct-injected engine performed well at the Vocals. As for Dance...well, I have one trick up on my sleeves.

You may remember one episode on Top Gear USA when Tanner Foust heads to Detroit to see if the C7 Corvette is better with or without traction control. In the end, old-school driving outsmarted the car's Performance Traction Management by a margin. Now, all I have to do the same thing on the Top Gear Test Track. The Stingray in Cyber Gray Metallic has its TCS/STM ON and the other Stingray in Torch Red has its TCS/STM OFF.

Ready set go!



The Performance Traction Management really pushed the C7 Corvette to a rocket start while the other with PTM OFF still on a messy wheelspin start. That's a no-brainer though. As for the corners, the PTM really corrects how the C7 Corvette corners but because this car now comes with electric power steering, it feels like it's not communicating with me everytime I turn the wheel. Same thing applies to the C7 Corvette with PTM OFF but its dynamic behavior will make things a lot messy in the corners when taken recklessly.

After a lap round the Top Gear Track, the results are in. A C7 Corvette with PTM ON lapped at 1:23.168 while a C7 Corvette with PTM OFF lapped in 1:22.992.



Hey! It feels like I'm feeling like Tanner Foust perhaps the main reason the Forza Motorsport x Tanner Foust partnership could theorize the reason the C7 Corvette showed up on FM5 but who cares about it? The C7 Corvette is the kind of Corvette that already has the guts to take on the world. Even though it's armed with technology, it's the skill that can outsmart its technology lurking behind America's finest.

Try it!

A Million Ways To Die In The West

When in 2012, Seth MacFarlane, the mastermind behind our favorite cartoon comedies aired on FOX such as Family Guy, American Dad, and The Cleveland Show, used all of his Peter Griffin know-hows to create a movie called Ted. Yes, it's the one that we can think of it as Stewie and his teddy bear Rupert...30 years later. Now, Seth MacFarlane's back and once again, further inspirations for some cutaway gags for next season's Family Guy would be necessary to make this offbeat western movie that tells us one question...Just how the wild west was wrong?

A Million Ways To Die In The West

Nothing as you expect to be in this offbeat wild west comedy movie made by the mastermind that brought you your favorite cartoon comedies as well as the movie about a foul-mouthed teddy bear two years ago. A Million Ways To Die In The West is all about bravery in all the wrong barrels while still delivers some potty-mouthed crude humor in true Seth MacFarlane fashion, something that you would expect from a certain Family Guy cutaway gag anytime soon.

Seth plays as a farmer named Albert. When Albert ran away from a gunfight, his girlfriend dumped him for another man. Suddenly, a mysterious and beautiful woman (played by Charlize Theron) approaches, Albert's life has changed forever and they fell in love. However, when a notorious criminal (played by Liam Neeson), who happens to be her husband, arrives unexpectedly and seeking vengeance, can Albert brave enough for the challenge or get killed on the wild west for his cowardliness?

Even though it's set on a Wild West age of America, A Million Ways To Die In The West is just plain offbeat for a comedy movie and in true Seth MacFarlane fashion, there's always random bits of gags you might spot especially when Albert's having a chat with the Indians. Is there something from the film that is worth a cutaway gag for Family Guy? I think so but even though it's all about crude humor on how the west was wrong, it seems a bit too corny for me, you know what I mean? It has the jokes, it has the gags, and it has Family Guy inspiration from it but I'm afraid I'm going to be as brain-dead as a...well, brain-dead horse for its catastrophic corniness.

Despite being too corny, A Million Ways To Die In The West is not a bad movie if you're in a mood to flex your funny bones with your mates.

My score? A 2.8 out of 5.