4th Gen Ford Expedition vs. 4th Gen Lincoln Navigator

To the eyes of Americans, the Ford Expedition is part of everyday life much like every big SUVs in the neighborhood, especially if it feels at home in red states where everyone's free to wear their cowboy hats to express their Americanism. For third-world countries, especially the Philippines, an Expedition became a status symbol for the upperclassmen, especially if it was used to escort politicians from one government establishment after another. With this new version, the flagship SUV just got even more serious while reflecting the American values of today. So, what's it all about?

2018 Ford Expedition

After so many years, Ford's flagship full-size SUV, the Expedition, has been regenerated from the ground up and it's now an oversized Explorer made to cater to cowboys and billionaires alike, especially politicians like it always does in third-world countries. With prices start at $51,695. it's hard to face the fact that the all-new Expedition is about a grand more than its chief rival, the Chevrolet Suburban, but there's one thing the Expedition does that the Suburban does not; cleverness.

First and foremost, despite being a big SUV for the strongmen within them, the new Expedition is powered by the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 turbo engine, which is kinda small compared to the past Expeditions in history where V8s became mandatory but hey, tough times ahead. This turbocharged engine produces 375 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft. of torque, that's more than what you get from the Suburban and as a result, a class-leading towing capacity of up to 9,300lbs. That is a good mark for Ford and to help those who want to get the most of their towing needs, it's been given the necessary tools such as the 10-speed automatic with Tow/Haul mode, Pro Trailer Backup Assist, and integrated Trailer Brake Controller. With things like these, the new Expedition is for those who like to carry stuff with ease or go ballsy against the Suburban in the middle of a tug-of-war.

2018 Ford Expedition interior

2018 Ford Expedition interior

The interior is still typical Ford and it puts you into a reminder of the F-150 but because this is a big SUV for those who love to wear cowboys in weddings and carry rifles on a day-to-day basis, it's surprisingly comfortable for up to seven or eight passengers. Not only it work as a family car but also a limousine for the VIPs and in terms of boot space, it's big enough to fit most of the outdoorsy stuff and that's Ford standards to you. If you go to the long-wheelbase MAX variant, boot space is up to 121.5 cu. ft., which is annoyingly slightly shorter than the Suburban's, but unlike its rival, the new Expedition has an available Advanced Cargo Management System that will help owners stow their stuff securely in their place. Great for tailgating if you ask them and thanks to SYNC Connect, the Expedition becomes a wifi hotspot for your gadgets wherever you may go. There's even a wireless charging spot where you can charge your gadgets without sacrificing your cords to the chopper as well. With so many features, the Expedition works as either a family car or a VIP escort in so many ways and it's way beyond luxury in so many levels.

2018 Ford Expedition

I already mentioned the engine but what I didn't mention are the dynamics because it utilizes the same platform as the current F-150, handling is slightly improved compared to the old Expedition and because of its use of high-strength lightweight material construction with some aluminum involved in it, it's surprisingly lighter as well, although I'm a bit worried about the tug-of-war part against the Suburban.

To make sure it can handle like a proper SUV, it's been given an Independent Rear Suspension so it can handle road conditions in its own right and when given with the FX4 Off-road package, Continuously Controlled Damping,  and Terrain Management System, the new Expedition matches the same adaptability as the Land Cruiser or the Range Rover and coupled with a wide array of safety features, the Expedition is fit on almost any road conditions, be it rain or shine, come what may.

The new Expedition may have emerged from the red state with right-wing nutjobs who supported the fat man who controls our lives, but while it disappoints the Suburban in terms of pricing and spacing, it makes up with its towing capacity, creature comforts, and performance that sets the new standards to American full-size SUVs. I'm amazed that Ford finally made the Expedition even more luxurious than ever that will accommodate all kinds of people but if you are part of the billionaires' club and if you think the new Expedition is a bit too cheap for your exquisite tastes, perhaps consider this...

2018 Lincoln Navigator

This is the all-new Lincoln Navigator, the posher version of the Ford Expedition for those who think the new model is too Republican for its own right. Of course, it comes with the same choice of either short or long wheelbase, the same aluminum bodywork that lost almost 200lbs of weight, and the same EcoBoost V6 as the Expedition as well as its 10-speed gearbox, but unlike the Expedition, it can accommodate up to seven people, it's got more posh features than the Expedition, and more importantly, the V6 engine that powers it is more powerful than the Expedition, so powerful, its 450HP power output matches the same output as the old F-150 Raptor.

2018 Lincoln Navigator

As a result, the new Navigator will eat the Cadillac Escalade for breakfast, lunch, and tea, although not as powerful as the Range Rover and it has lesser towing capacity than the Expedition because of so many posh features that emphasize luxury over practicality. It may not be suitable for family trips because of its $72,055 price tag but it's a grand less than the Escalade rival it's targeting, so it's the perfect heavyweight SUV for barons, industrialists, moguls, even politicians.

It's great to say that with its lightweight aluminum body, adaptive suspension, and available four-wheel drive, the new Navigator no longer feels like the old one. In fact, it's slightly better than the old model in so many ways in terms of comfort, drivability, spacing, and convenience that makes it on par against the European opposition. Looks like the Q7, the GLS-Class, and the X5 would be shaking their underbodies right now every time they see this Navigator parking alongside them. Now that's America being, oops. Sorry. Shouldn't say that term because everybody's reading.

2018 Lincoln Navigator interior

2018 Lincoln Navigator interior

For the super wealthy with exquisite tastes, they can spec out their Navigator with the new Black Label experience featuring bespoke interior treatments as well as membership privileges such as trips to five-star restaurants, a stay at a posh hotel, or a trip to a country club. Now there's your "out on a limo" feeling that will make your inferior siblings mad over your newly found behavior after your recent stay with the billionaires' club, don't you think?

And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. These new full-size SUVs may have emerged from a state famed for their fried chicken but the new Expedition and the new Navigator will showcase just how hospitable they really are for their occupants. The new Expedition is all about showing its cowboy charm to almost everyone while the Navigator has some Golden State charm to the big shots who want to stand out from the rest. You have to give them credit though that even if America is in a state of decay, they sure know how to make big SUVs like these. The more we know...

Photo: Ford Motor Company

2017 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup - AAA Texas 500

Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, the venue for the AAA Texas 500 leg of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup where the playoffs are in full swing as drivers are throwing everything they got to get through the Championship 4 as with only three races left in the season, things are really heating up.

At the early phases of the race, things are getting ugly when the #18 car has some fender bender damage while the #2 car of Keselowski's had a cut tire. In Lap 85, Kevin Harvick won the first stage of the match. In Lap 93, caution has thrown as Daniel Suarez and Kasey Kahne got slip through the track. In Lap 170, Kyle Larson wins Stage 2 until the inevitable spinout occurred, bursting his car into flames.

Kevin Harvick wins the AAA Texas 500 race of the season, sealing his spot to the Championship 4 alongside Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch.

Who's going to be the last driver to complete the Championship 4 and make it to the finals? Find out when the race continues at Phoenix, Arizona, this 12th of November for the Can-Am 500.

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: Leaders of US and Japan reaffirm alliance

US President Donald Trump has opened his second day in Tokyo by giving a speech to American and Japanese leaders. In the afternoon, Trump and Japanese PM Shinzo Abe will meet over lunch with their staff.

Topping the North Korea agenda -- the two leaders are expected to see eye-to-eye on upping pressure against Pyongyang and discuss measures to deal with ongoing threats.

President Trump may bring up redesignating North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism. The two leaders are also expected to touch upon some economic issues. Abe is likely to propose a strategic dialogue among the leaders of US, Japan, Australia, and India, which aims to counteract China's expansion in the region.

US President Trump is expect to visit South Korea for his next leg of the Asia trip.

Source: Arirang News

Forza Motorsport 7: 911 GT2 RS - then and now

Continuing on getting to know more about Forza Motorsport 7's hero car, the all-new 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS, let's compare how much the 911 GT2 RS has grown from the previous 997-spec model to the current 991.2-spec model. It's the past meets the present and I'm very excited to see the evolution of the king of 911s.





What better way to compare these two cutting cheeses than driving them to my favorite proving ground, the Top Gear Test Track? After my failed attempt to break the real-world record the 911 GT2 RS set at the Nurburgring yesterday, I think it will be the ideal time for me to take a stroll around the Top Gear track with the new king of Porsches while comparing against the old 911 GT2 RS to see how much it evolved since I first encounter it a few years ago.

When I tried my luck around the Nurburgring with the new 911 GT2 RS, this car unravels the balance between the things that are right with the things that are wrong. Sure, it's got that power steering that effing me out like wrestling a grizzly bear and the seven-speed PDK which remains a disdain among purists everywhere so it's not what you called a purist's 911 but with all that power, all that motorsport knowhow, and all the best bits from this generation, it comes full circle and it starting to become the king of 911s as I know it.

However, in terms of fun factor, I'm starting to think that the old, 997-spec GT2 RS is more fun to drive than the new 991.2-spec GT2 RS because like most purists, it has some character, some soul, and the rush that flows into your veins every time you drive it on the road and on the track. I know that this old GT2 RS has its faults such as the turbocharged engine's incapability to sustain high temperatures, a fault the new one resolved thanks to its additional cooling system, but when it comes to having fun, it still minces the new one in every single way because even though both these models are real drivers' cars, the 997-spec GT2 RS remains an all-time great and a real collectors item that will fetch a high price when it was auctioned in a couple of years.





Okay, enough with the sentimental steps because let's see how much the 911 GT2 RS evolved with a quick lap round the Top Gear Track. This will be the battle between the past and the present and an ideal opportunity to see if Porsche really pulled it off when it comes to create the 911 to end all 911s. Of course, both of these cars crushed the records of their hypercar siblings at the Nurburgring but right here, it's a different story because while these two machines have the potential to outclass their lesser siblings' lap times, it's the evolution that matters and it's time to get the film rolling to see if the 911 GT2 RS has grown from hypercar slayer to Nurburgring slayer, a feat that I failed to achieve yesterday.


And now the results...

997 GT2 RS - 1:17.495
991.2 GT2 RS - 1:15.989

Well, both of these cars barely beaten the lesser siblings' lap time set at the track in real life but in the end, despite being heavier than its predecessor and lacks the enjoyment from it, the 991.2 GT2 RS really has evolved. Guess what, if Top Gear's back, Mr. Chris Harris will have his word on this and I predict that this will be the fastest round the track, faster than the McLaren 675LT, so I have high hopes with it.



So, now that I have proof that the new model did evolved from the previous model, there's still more work to be done with the hero car because next time, I want to compare the new 911 GT2 RS against the world's best and this is going to be a continental clash of the titans. This is going to be epic, I can tell.

Let's Do The News! (November 6, 2017)

- According to reports, Malaysian terrorist Amin Baco was named head of Islamic State's Southeast Asian operations following the death of Ab Sayyaf sub-leader Isnilon Hapilon during the Marawi siege. Citing information from arrested suspected terrorist Muhammad Ilham Syahputra, Dela Rosa said that Baco is leading, "not only the remaining stragglers [from the Marawi siege], but the rest of the Southeast Asia ISIS group."

- The Indonesian wife of slain terrorist leader Omar Khayam Maute was arrested in Iligan City yesterday, with her six children taken into custody.

- President Rodrigo Duterte says he's excited to meet US President Donald Trump in next week's ASEAN Summit. Some say, Trump will stay for an extra day after the summit for bilateral meetings with Duterte and expected to exchange notes on the war on drugs.

- The Commission of Elections recently resumed voter registration for next year's Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.

- Actress Isabel Granada passed away due to aneurysm at the Hamad General Hospital in Doha, Qatar, 12 days after she suffered brain hemorrhage. On Nov. 1, All Saints’ Day, doctors declared Isabel brain dead. She died at around 1800. Qatar time on Nov. 4, or around 2300. Saturday Manila time.

- Felipe Massa announces his retirement from Formula 1 after the end of this season.

- Koenigsegg announced that their Agera RS has claimed the world's fastest car record of 447kph (284mph), trumps the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport's record as verified by Guinness World Records.



TTFN!!!

Forza Motorsport 7: The new king of Porsches

Say hello to the hero car of Forza Motorsport 7 that promises to become the hero car for all the heroes of the racetrack, the brand new 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS.



So, what's it all about the new one? The 991.2-spec Porsche 911 GT2 RS is built for one major purpose; to become the 911 to end all 911s.

Powering the ultimate 911 is the turbocharged 3.8L flat-six engine sourced from the 911 Turbo S but was tuned to produce 700HP of power, making the most powerful 911 ever made, and 750Nm of torque. Mated to a 7-speed PDK, this rear-wheel drive machine can get from 0-100kph in 2.8 seconds and onwards to 340kph.

Along with its hierarchical power, the 911 GT2 RS features a racing chassis with rear-axle steering and Ultra High Performance tires for outstanding dynamic cornering and it features a specially made PSM with a Sport mode for better driving experience. There's even an optional Weissach package which drops 30kg of weight, courtesy of deletion of gadgets and additional elements made from carbon-fibre reinforced plastic and titanium. Thanks to this package, it lapped the Nurburgring Nordschleife in 6:47.25, the fastest car to lap in the legendary racetrack.

This car serves as the cover car of Forza Motorsport 7. Fun fact that Porsche teams up with Turn 10 Studios at the E3 2017 for the grand unveiling of the 911 GT2 RS, which is the game's cover car.



This is the first time a Forza game featured a Porsche as the cover car. Since Porsche is freed from its EA exclusivity, a handful of racing games bravely featured Porsche models in the games but for Forza Motorsport 7, it features the most number of Porsches than any other racing game I'm familiar with and it was spearheaded by Porsche's new hero, the hero that named the new king of Nurburgring of course.

First impressions may not be quite perfect on this car and because being a Porsche 911, it can be somewhat very tricky to get through the corner because of its rear-engine rear-wheel drive drivetrain that makes it mild and menacing in every single way. Yes, it's still as mild as a trip to the Executive Optical to get an eye exam but you should prepare for the worst in case this ultimate 911 gets twitchy or a real pain in the arm to steer. Understeer when its too slow, oversteer when its too fast, yep, it's those kind of things that can upset between you and the car but if you are hero material, the 911 GT2 RS really ticks all the right buttons in the pursuit of being the ultimate car that will break its limits and go beyond your senses.





To see how much of a hero I really am on FM7's hero car, I am dared to take on the Nurburgring Nordschleife using the new GT2 RS and attempt to beat the real-world time of 6:47.25, the lap time forever changed history because of Porsche.

It's hard to explain why I am doing this but since the new 911 GT2 RS is Forza Motorsport 7's hero car, I really want to do this in honor of a the first Porsche to become the cover car of a Forza game and no matter how good or bad I am, I will give everything I got to please this Porsche. It's time to give it my all to this car so here goes...



So, what do you think? I know, it's a little unrefined but I did it in...wait for it... 7:40.978 that's almost a minute slower than the real world record set by Porsche themselves at the Nurburgring so I'm a bit average. At least I tried my best and despite the result, I am honored to drive Forza Motorsport 7's hero car around the Green Hell.



The new Porsche 911 GT2 RS is all about breaking the limits of what a fast car will do and because of its Nurburgring lap time that trumps all the fastest cars in the planet, even hypercars from Ferrari and Lamborghini. Pushing to the limit, you need to be good, but for the fun of it, you don't have to because no matter how good or bad you might be, you will feel delighted every time you drive the ultimate 911 in the game because what it feels like is like you're driving one in real life because while this car is officially sold out, you can still join the bandwagon by driving Porsche's new hero in the ultimate Forza experience.

Filipina wins Miss Earth 2017

Photo: ABS-CBN News

At last night's Miss Earth 2017 coronation night held at the MOA Arena, Karen Ibasco representing the Philippines in this beauty pageant was named Miss Earth, eclipsing the likes of Australia's Nina Robertson, Russia's Lada Akimova, and Colombia's Juliana Franco.

Ibasco is a licensed physicist and her advocacy is conserving energy and embracing renewable and sustainable sources it it. In the Q&A portion, she stunned the audience with her powerful response saying it takes "recalibrating our minds" to start reversing the negative effects of climate change.

Karen Ibasco is joining the ranks of other Miss Earth winners representing the Philippines such as Angelia Ong since 2015, and Jamie Herrel since 2014. This is the third time a Filipina wins this pageant.

URL: http://news.abs-cbn.com/life/11/04/17/philippines-karen-ibasco-wins-miss-earth-2017