My GT7 Log: The star of GT SPORT

The next Gran Turismo star we'll be showcasing in Gran Turismo 7 is the Mercedes-AMG GT, the star of GT SPORT.

Premiered at the 2014 Paris Motor Show, the AMG GT doesn't count as a worthy successor to the SLS AMG because of the power output that separates these two but needless to say, the AMG GT's newly developed 4.0L V8 BiTurbo engine produces almost the same amount of torques as the defunct SLS AMG. The S version produces 502HP of power and 478.8ft-lb of torque while mated to a 7-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT. It does 0-60mph in less than four seconds and has a top speed of 193mph. Performance aside, the AMG GT features an aluminum spaceframe with an intelligent material mix on the body which sets the new standards for modern sportscars and resulted in lightweight but rigid sportscars that accommodate rather well with its drivetrain. Apart from that, the AMG GT comes with other key points that make it capable on the road and on the track such as an electronic rear-axle locking differential, race-derived double wishbone suspension, and electronically-controlled damping with AMG DYNAMIC PLUS package and ceramic high-performance composite brake system.

If memory serves me correctly, the AMG GT feels like a well-balanced sports car built for discerning drivers. It can be poised and elegant but it can be downright tricky when you stick its tail out. Looks like elegance is not excused in the making of such a fine sports car that can show off its wild side on the track. Guess it takes a considerable amount of skill to get this car right if you know what I mean.

Anyway, with being a sentimental waste of my time, it's time to give the AMG GT a quick lap around Interlagos, the famed venue of the Brazilian Grand Prix and one of the GT SPORT tracks returned to GT7. Let's roll the tape.

After a quick lap, the AMG GT did it in 1:53.219.

Balancing its elegant looks and wild behavior is what the AMG GT sums it up and to be honest, it's by no means one of the best sports cars to emerge from Germany. Not as powerful as the SLS but it still behaves like one.

What other Gran Turismo stars should I drive next? Stay tuned for more.

Let's Do The News! (March 26, 2022)

                        

Your daily round-up of today's news:

- Phivolcs raised the Alert Level status of the Taal Volcano to Level 3.

- US President Joe Biden had his first face-to-face meeting with the Polish president and Ukrainian officials in Warsaw, expressing support for Ukraine and holding Russia accountable in the conflict.

- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged the Gulf states to continue producing natural gas to stop Russia from weaponizing energy.

- Organizers of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix announced that this Sunday's race will proceed as planned despite threats.

- Voters in Zimbabwe are heading to the polls for the series of elections that are contested, for the first time, by the new opposition party, The Citizens' Coalition for Change. Bi-elections are held in 28 parliamentary constituencies.

- Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins died at the age of 50.

- Quezon City authorities are still investigating the cause of the death of singer Keith Martin, who died yesterday.

TTFN.

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: US announces new sanctions after North Korea ICBM test

 

The United States announced new sanctions Thursday on entities and people in Russia and North Korea after Pyongyang’s new ICBM missile test.

The targeted persons and organizations are accused of “transferring sensitive items to North Korea’s missile program,” the State Department said in a statement.

“These measures are part of our ongoing efforts to impede the DPRK’s ability to advance its missile program and they highlight the negative role Russia plays on the world stage as a proliferator to programs of concern,” the statement said, using the official acronym for North Korea.

Thursday’s launch was the first time Pyongyang has fired the country’s most powerful missiles at full range since 2017, and it appears to have travelled higher and further than any previous intercontinental ballistic missile tested by the nuclear-armed nation.

North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un personally oversaw the test-firing of the country’s “new type” of ICBM to boost its nuclear deterrent against the US “imperialists,” state media reported early Friday.

The State Department said Washington in response has sanctioned the Russian entities called Ardis Group, PFK Profpodshipnik, and a Russian man named Igor Aleksandrovich Michurin.

It also sanctioned North Korean citizen Ri Sung Chol and a North Korean entity called Second Academy of Natural Science Foreign Affairs Bureau.

The statement did not give details of the specific allegations against these people and entities.

Last week the US Treasury announced sanctions against two Russian individuals and three entities over their support for North Korea’s weapons program.

Source: Agence-France-Presse

UKRAINE CONFLICT: 3/25/2022

                 

The latest in the ongoing Ukraine conflict:

• Ukraine urges halt to Russia’s assault as Biden heads to Poland
• West assails Russian ‘barbarism’ as Ukrainians shelter from bombardment
• Biden to visit near Ukraine border in show of solidarity
• Zelensky says 'real' threat Russia will use chemical weapons in Ukraine
• UN General Assembly demands Russia end Ukraine war

COVID-19 SITUATION: 3/25/2022

                       

The latest in the ongoing COVID-19 situation:

• 1628.9 million kids aged 12 -17 fully vaccinated vs. Covid-19—DOH
• PH allows fully vaxxed foreigners from all countries entry to PH
• Australia to give fourth Covid-19 jab to over 65s

Let's Do The News! (March 25, 2022)

                       

Your daily round-up of today's news:

- The Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City warns the public against scammers using Facebook accounts.

- The DSWD and the government of Butuan City signed an agreement for the establishment of the first disaster resource center in Mindanao.

- The PH House of Representatives approved the bill against child sexual abuse of all forms.

- PHIVOLCS monitors "small" phreatomagmatic burst in the Taal volcano.

- Queen Elizabeth is on the cover of the Vogue magazine to mark her Platinum Jubilee.

- Australia declares 'mass bleaching' at Great Barrier Reef

- The US and allies call on the Taliban to reopen girls' schools in Afghanistan.

- Proton unveils its solar power initiative at its Tanjung Malim plant, aiming to reduce CO2 by 11,536 tonnes per year.

- Nike to continue producing both footwear and apparel from the Zoom Kobe lineup.

- Newscaster Mike Enriquez returns to television after undergoing a medical procedure.

TTFN.

My FH5 Log: Noblesse

Once upon a time; there were two nobles arrived in Mexico in style. One is the veteran in the world of Forza and the other is a new face from the 2000s. One is a DLC car, the other is a Dry Season Playlist prize car. Who could those nobles be? Let's find out.

These are the nobles in question. The noble on the left is the M600, a Series 5 Dry Season Playlist prize car. The other noble on the right is the M400, a DLC car. These two nobles are real supercars built for real drivers and because they lack the driving aids that most modern supercars possess, they are real drivers' cars only a skillful can drive one of these.

The M400 picks up where its M12 predecessor left off. While most components derived from the M12, the M400's 3.0L V6 twin-turbo engine produces 21% more than the M12, delivering 425hp of power and 390ft-lb of torque. With its lightweight bodywork, it has a power-to-weight ratio of 400hp.

Forza fanatics are already familiar with the Noble M600. It's a no-nonsense supercar that is powered by a Volvo-derived, Yamaha-tuned 4.4L V8 Twin Turbo engine that produces, in RACE Mode, 650hp of power, which is less than today's supercar offerings from the Italians but because of its 1250kg of weight, the M600 has a stronger power-to-weight ratio than the Bugatti Veyron, making it capable of hitting a theoretical top speed of 225mph. Free from almost all of the electrical nannies, except for the unique Traction Control switch, the Noble M600 is a very manly supercar reserved for the bravest drivers who want to exploit the car's potential beyond the limit. Fun fact the M600 appeared F8 as the car Mrs. Shaw, played by Dame Helen Mirren, raced with.

Having gotten to know these two nobles, it's time to show these two the way with a quick race. Be warned. Because these nobles have no electronics, racing one of these is like wrestling with a grizzly bear in a dark alley. Here they come, roll the tape.

Didn't say I warned you...

It's true what the car enthusiasts say that the two nobles like the M400 and the M600 are true sportscars built by purists, for purists. With no electronics involved, these two serious machines love to rock out loud and old-school. Although becoming irrelevant in this age of the new normal, they're still a blast to drive 'till the last drop.

These are what we called...noble works.

Enjoy your new rides!