Fifth generation Chevrolet Camaro Convertible

2011 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible

When the Chevrolet Camaro returned in the North American market for 2009 as a 2010 model, we believed that Bumblebee is more iconic than Eleanor thanks to Camaro sales higher than the Ford Mustang. Thanks to the Camaro's sales reached to the higher point, General Motors is now ready to give Bumblebee a haircut and call it the Camaro Convertible. The new Chevrolet Camaro Convertible is Bumblebee's new hot haircut, which means this is the soft-top version of the hit American muscle car.

Upon its launch, customers are ready to place orders on the new Camaro Convertible, with initial delivery starts at Spring 2011, the same season that Bumblebee's new haircut will hit showrooms soon. Despite Bumblebee's new soft-top haircut, Bumblebee can still experience the same goodness from its coupe counterpart.

The new Camaro Convertible is offered with two engine types; a 3.6L 312-hp V6 engine and the legendary 6.2L 426-hp V8 engine. Most variants are offered with a Six-Speed Manual Transmission but an optional Six-Speed Automatic Transmission with TAPshift controls is available for those who are not hungry over manual transmissions but whatever, most Bumblebee fans would go over the six-speed manual variant for sure.

Other main features include Four-Piston Brembo Brakes, StabiliTrak Electronic Stability Control System with Traction Control, Tire Pressure Monitor, and OnStar for reliable service offered throughout North America and it's free for six months. If you got bored over the normal Camaro look, don't worry, an RS Appearance Package made optional for those looking for style.

My thoughts about the Camaro Convertible:
With Bumblebee's new soft-top haircut, the new Chevrolet Camaro Convertible has the same Camaro goodness now in a soft-top convertible. This car is now available for pre-orders and to be delivered in the 1st or 2nd quarter of 2011. I just hope that The Covenant Car Company, Inc. (the official Chevrolet distributor from the Philippines) will bring the Camaro Convertible soon and if it does, what would Ryan Agoncillo think? If our favorite celebrity (since Ryan Agoncillo's the brand ambassador of Chevrolet in the Philippines) gets behind the wheel of the new Camaro Convertible, I am sure his hair will blown from the open air goodness of the Camaro Convertible.

Photo: General Motors

The Morning/Picanto's full model change

Kia Picanto/Morning '12

Ahead for Geneva debut this March, this must be how the full model change of the Kia Picanto (Morning) looks like.

In the tradition of the Peter Schreyer design language, the new Picanto or Morning now made even more aggressive. This looks like the Euro-only Kia Venga and it looks much better than the 2011 Toyota Vitz/Yaris!

Kia Venga 

Toyota Vitz RS '11

Expect more details about the Picanto/Morning's full model change soon!

Scoop:

http://www.topgear.com.ph/news/kia-releases-first-official-photos-of-next-gen-picanto

Nissan Fuga Y51 will be the Malaysian government officials' choice, replacing the Proton Perdana

2010 Nissan Fuga

Check out the article by Paul Tan:

http://paultan.org/2011/01/03/proton-perdana-replacement-is-the-nissan-fuga-only-for-top-level-government-use-no-private-sales-planned/

According to that article, the Nissan Fuga Y51 (launched in 4th quarter, 2009, following with the Fuga Hybrid since 4th quarter, 2010) will be in Malaysia, only for use with the Malaysian politicians. It would replace the aging Proton Perdana (based on the Mitsubishi Eterna) and it will be equipped with the VQ25HR (2.5L V6) engine.

The Nissan Fuga, when it arrives in Malaysia soon, will be used only for Malaysian politicians. No word on private ownership yet, but I just pray to the Philippine automotive Gods that either NMPI or Universal Motors Corporation will bring the Nissan Fuga Y51 as the Infiniti M37, but in my product of fantasy, this will be used by Philippine politicians.

What Banana Split went wrong since 2010?

On the January 4, 2011 episode of Banana Split, there was a portion titled "Nobody's Perfect", the portion where the outtakes of Banana Split occurred in 2010 (about last year). Some bloopers include from NNNN, Brod Bro Bru, the jokes, Sosyal Pasosyal Wasosyal, Melai Mo Magwork, and other outtakes occurred last year.

In case someone forgot about The Amazing Microwave Pandesal Rangers, Banana Split takes them back to the beginning with the recap of this Banana Split mini-series and it goes all the way this week. It recaps how Noli (Jayson Gainza), Ted (Jason Francisco), Julius (Badji Mortiz), and Kuring (Nina Jose) (these four were named after famous ABS-CBN News anchors), the four ordinary siblings became Pandesal Rangers.

Team Stressed vs. Team Relaxed once again on Show It, where the category is "segments of Banana Split from the past and present".

CTS-V Coupe Commercial...

2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe

Just before the Holy Grail of American Football, Super Bowl, hits this February 2011 (and yes, the Super Bowl has lots of unique commercials), Cadillac debuted a Super Bowl commercial for the new Cadillac CTS-V Coupe starring Laurence Fishburne.

An amazing approach that the CTS-V Coupe has an inspiration of an archer drawing his bone.

Pretty good to debut this good commercial before Super Bowl XLV!

The Cadillac CTS-V Coupe is a work of art and most enthusiasts love the way the CTS-V Coupe behaves from real-life to video games (thanks to Forza Motorsport 3).

CTS-V Coupe in Forza Motorsport 3

Guess that the luxury brand of General Motors is evolved from ordinary to EXTRAORDINARY

BOO! Cadillac ends production of the turbocharged SRX!

Cadillac SRX '10

Sad news! It seems that the turbocharged V6 engine variant for the Cadillac SRX crossover will be gone for good, leaving only the 3.0-litre V6 engine available for the 2012 model!

Scoop: http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/03/report-cadillac-srx-turbo-axed-after-one-year/

This is somewhat a bad news since the turbocharged version of the 2nd generation Cadillac SRX crossover suffered from bad sales (the 3.0-litrre V6 variant sales were good).

This is surely leave a tear for Caddy fans...

X-(

A Very Special "ONE" for the Honda CR-Z

Honda CR-Z Car of the Year Japan
Special Model

In late December 2010, Honda launched a very special edition of the sport hybrid car, the CR-Z, in celebration of its victory at the 2010-2011 Japan Car of the Year.

Dubbed as the "Car of the Year Japan Special Model", this very special CR-Z comes with a very special color; Deep Sapphire Blue Pearl. Not only this car is painted with a special color, the rims are colored in dark Pewter Gray Metallic. A special Premium Pedal is equipped on the inside to give the CR-Z's interior some winning touches. To top it all, there was a sticker on it to commemorate the CR-Z's crowning victory as the 2010-2011 Japan Car of the Year.

Needless to say, Mr. Kazunori Yamauchi, the godfather of Gran Turismo series, really approved the CR-Z because of its sporty character and that's why it was featured on Gran Turismo 5.

Blue CR-Z

CR-Z in Gion, Kyoto

CR-Z in Gion, Kyoto

CR-Z in Gion, Kyoto

Honda CR-Z in Special Stage Route 5

On the scale of 1 to 10, the Godfather of Gran Turismo gave the Honda CR-Z a perfect 10!

Because of such appearance of the COTY special model of the CR-Z, I could go buy another CR-Z on Gran Turismo 5, and painted it with a blue color familiar to that special model.

This Special "ONE" will be on sale this January 14 to March 31, 2011 all over Honda Cars dealerships in Japan. Price for this special model is 2,794,000 Yen (3.5 million Philippine Pesos).