My FH5 Log: Bronco v Defender

The Ford Bronco and the Land Rover Defender are the two reborn offroaders of the decade that showcase their legendary capabilities in their newest forms in a way never seen before.

Loyalists from both sides have been arguing about which one is the best. Some say it's the Defender because although it's far-fetched compared to the old one, it's still the best offroader full-stop and it's more powerful than the Bronco. Others say it's the Bronco because it is the most off-road capable vehicle known to them, although the Jeep Wrangler can mince them both like pork grinds. For the Bronco Nation, it's E Pluribus Unum because they will go for the Bronco more than any other offroader in the world.

Before the duel begins, it's time for the reborn offroaders of the decade to identify themselves.

The second-generation Defender is a modern take on the most iconic offroader in history. Half a century of adventures has led to this evolution the world has witnessed. Although the styling is too posh for a reborn Defender, it still has the legendary offroad capability from its ancestors. Armed with the all-aluminum D7x architecture, monocoque body construction, offroad-focused suspension setup, Adaptive Dynamics with available Electronic Air Suspension, and the next-gen Terrain Response, the new Defender really works and feels just like the original despite its posh looks. 

The one that appeared in Forza Horizon 5 comes with a 3.0L petrol engine producing 400HP of power and 550Nm of torque. Mated to an 8-speed AT with low gear ratios suitable for offroading, it does 0-60mph in around six seconds and has a top speed of 119mph.

What about the Ford Bronco? Well, when Ford decided to revive the Bronco, they wanted their revival to trace its roots back to the first model. With styling inspired by the first-generation model, the reborn Bronco runs on the same mechanical bits and bobs as the Ford Ranger, meaning there are two kinds of 4x4 systems at bay such as the one with the Part-Time Selectable Engagement or the more advanced 4x4 with Automatic On-Demand Engagement. Staying true to its Built Wild mantra, the Bronco features a Terrain Management System with G.O.A.T. Modes. As the name implies, these modes made the Bronco go over any type of terrain, and with the right mode switched on, drivers can traverse through the harshest road conditions without worry, and with Baja mode (exclusive on the Wildtrak variant) switched on, the Bronco shows its trump card, putting its Built Wild theory into action.

The one featured on the game's cover alongside the Mercedes-AMG Project One is the Badlands version with the 2.7L EcoBoost engine with 330HP of power and 415lb-ft of torque. It's mated to a class-first 10-speed AT.

With their quick introductions done, it's time for the two reborn offroaders to trade jabs at a deserted runway.

Based on the specifications, the Defender is more powerful than the Bronco but because the Bronco is lighter and more off-road capable than the Defender, it's going to be a one-sided MMA match between them. The question is, who will win the cross-country MMA duel? Let's roll the tape.

After an epic fight on a deserted runway, here are the results;

Defender - 1m15.309s

Bronco - 1m14.007s

...and the winner by a 1.3-second gap goes to...the Ford Bronco!

It seems the so-called Bronco Nation was right after all. It seems the powerful Defender got beaten by a lighter and more off-road capable Bronco. Guess the revived Bronco truly is E Pluribus Unum after all. Out of many, one. No matter which offroader you're gunning for, it's always the Ford Bronco that stands out from the rest because it was born to Go On Any Terrain and there's your GOAT for you.

Surely I was going to wrap up this decisive battle but something decisive came up to me. Looks like these two offroaders are onto something decisive; tackling the dirtiest challenges in Horizon Mexico such as The Gauntlet and The Titan. The Bronco will take on The Titan with its GOAT capabilities while the Defender, well, it lost the fight against the Bronco, will handle the longest dirt sprint in all of Horizon. Because of its herculean status, both offroaders need to be prepped up for the longest fight ahead.

My special Defender is ready to take on The Gauntlet with its specifications tweaked to almost match both the Defender V8 and the Bowler Defender Rally Series raid car. I even added some "lick of love" if you know what I mean. Oh, Pepper...

The Bronco, meanwhile, likes to stay it this way, albeit with a minor weight loss to make it slightly more capable on the rough while tackling through the most challenging obstacles The Titan will throw at it. Besides, would a Vivid Star back out from a challenge? Definitely not.

With their assigned targets set, it's time for the reborn offroaders to give it their all, survive, and win. Roll the tapes!

Battered and bent but our wounded warriors showcased the stuff legends are made of.

Despite their differences, both the new Defender and the new Bronco have showcased their legendary offroad performance in their newest forms. Although not pretty, they were meant to drive dirty because offroading is what they're built for. Modern SUVs cannot go off-road but for them, they still got it and it's about time to give these reborn offroaders a huge respect for their hard work.

It's great to have them both in the line of duty in Horizon Mexico.

Land Rover Range Rover Sport III

The most capable Range Rover Sport has arrived and with prices starting at 84,530 Pounds plus additional cost, it's less expensive than the ultra-luxurious Range Rover. Made to tackle everything Mother Nature throws at it, it looks like the all-new Range Rover Sport is ready to make its first impression.

2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

Don't think of the Range Rover Sport as the athletic version of the Range Rover because they're both from a totally different league. While the ultra-expensive Range Rover is built to cater to elitists with grace and power, the Range Rover Sport is built to deliver the most dramatic performance everywhere.

Starting with the design, the all-new Range Rover Sport looks like an Evoque on steroids but thankfully, it's not as odd-looking as its superior because it's all in the name of subtlety with a chance of obviousness...until you opt-in for the Dynamic variant which features Satin Burnished Copper details, Matte Graphite lettering, and specially-made bumpers, making it half-subtle, half-obvious.

2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport interior

The new interior is broadly similar to the normal Range Rover, except for the specially-made steering wheel to differentiate it. As expected, the minimalist interior can spell bad news for speedo boys behind the wheel because of the touch screens some might find it challenging to poke the screen just like what they do with their smartphones. There's also a Cabin Air Purification Pro which keeps the interior away from mold and viruses alike, including the you-know-what, and the Pivi Pro with smartphone connectivity and Amazon Alexa. In terms of space, it's roomier than the previous Range Rover Sport despite the fact that it's offered as a five-seater as standard. Fair enough.

2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

Just like its upscale brother, the new Range Rover Sport is surprisingly livelier to drive and more comfortable than before, thanks to its MLA architecture, and it features the most sophisticated air suspension ever made. Called Dynamic Response Pro, it takes advantage of its sat-nav to read the road ahead and optimize it for better response. It even comes with All Wheel Steering and Terrain Response 2, which features a series of configurable programs suitable for almost every road condition.

Under the bonnet, the all-new Range Rover Sport features a powerhouse of six and eight-cylinder engines, both petrol, diesel, and PHEV for the first time. The most powerful of the range, the P530, features a BMW-sourced 4.4L V8 Twin Turbo engine that produces 530HP of power, 750Nm of torque, a 0-60mph time of 4.3 seconds, and an electronically-limited top speed of 150mph. There will be a fully electric variant coming soon.

As expected, the new Range Rover Sport possesses the most advanced driving aids offered in this luxury SUV such as Adaptive Cruise Control with Steering Assist, Power Assisted Doors, Clearisght Interior Rear View Mirror, 3D Surround Camera, and many others.

From the Arabian sands to the streets of London, it looks like the all-new Range Rover Sport showcased its true potential as one of the most dramatic luxury SUVs to drive. Despite its cheaper price tag, it managed to make its brother proud in every way, and looks like we are getting anxious to have one someday.

Photo: Jaguar Land Rover

MG MG4

The first-ever MG4 electric hatchback is by no means one of the most affordable electric vehicles on sale in Britain and with prices starting at 25,995 Pounds plus additional costs, it's cheaper to own than the Nissan Leaf by a razor-thin margin but there's a lot more to it than that...

2023 MG MG4

Fresh from the People's Republic of China, the MG4 electric hatchback is the biggest upset in the electric car market, probably because of the pricing that beats the Nissan Leaf by a knife edge. While the pricing is the MG4's top trump, there are plenty of reasons to buy one; starting with the design.

The MG4's design is by no means the sharpest-looking for a city car of such size judging by the front face that delivered its first impression, although the rear view can be visibly mistaken for a Kia EV6 when you squint your eyes further. Either way, the MG4's exterior design is nearly exceptional for an electric car made for the British masses.

2023 MG MG4 interior

On the inside, the MG4 has plenty of toys to play around with such as its 10.25-inch touch screen with smartphone connectivity, the Rotary Gear Selector, the wireless charging pad available on the Trophy Long Range variant, and heated front seats and steering wheel, among many others. Talking about space, this five-seater's modest space feels just right when you step inside. In terms of boot space, with the rear seats present, it's less spacious than the Nissan Leaf...that is until you fold the rear seats down. With nearly 300 liters more than the Nissan Leaf of total boot space with the rear seats down, it's another top trump for the MG4.

2023 MG MG4

The MG4 features two kinds of battery capacities. The SE model features a 51kWh battery capacity that produces 170PS of power, 250Nm of torque, a 0-60mph time of 7.5 seconds, 100mph of top speed, and up to 218 miles of driving range combined. The Long Range variant runs on the 64kWh battery pack which bumps the power output to 203PS power, which is a tad less compared to the Nissan Leaf e+, and with 281 miles of driving range, a tad less efficient as well but whatever.

Because the MG4 weighs less than the Nissan Leaf and because it's rear-wheel-drive unlike the Nissan Leaf, which is front-wheel-drive, you will find that it's a lot more enjoyable to drive as well. Although spartan because it has the same layout as a Porsche 911, it feels rather unique to drive one even beyond city limits, not to mention the fact that it comes with MG Pilot Advanced Driver Assistance Systems for a safer driving experience.

With the first-ever MG4, it looks like the Nissan Leaf has completely lost it because of such pricing which made the MG4 the electric bargain of the new normal, not to mention the dynamics and the styling that delivered the biggest upset in the electric car market. Looks like this Sino-British marque is on the roll.

Photo: MG Motor UK

My FH5 Log: "WE WON JUNK CARS, WE DRIVE A LOT"

There's an old Donut Media saying that I've been reminded of, "WE BUY JUNK CARS, WE PAY A LOT. DEPENDING ON THE YEAR THO". Here in the Forza Horizon 5's Donut Media collaboration series update, I've won some "junk cars" and I've driven them a lot, depending on my style, tho. So, what are the "junk cars" I'm talking about?

There's the Morris Mini Traveller that I won from the Storm Season Playlist. Launched in 1961 and produced until 1969, this two-door estate derivative of the Mini features double "barn-door" style rear doors fit for utilitarian purposes. High-end models of the Traveller featured wood inserts of the rear body. Under the hood, the Morris Mini-Traveller is powered by an 850cc 4-cylinder engine producing a small 45hp of power and it is capable of reaching a top speed of just 70mph.

After that, there's the Ford Super Deluxe that I won from the Dry Season Playlist. Known as the last of the all-wood-bodied cars before the steel transition at the end of the 1940s, the Super Deluxe's V8 engine produces a small 90hp of power.

Lastly, obtained from the Hot Season Playlist, is the Morris Minor Series II Traveller. The estate version of the Series II Morris Minor features a varnished wood frame for the rear bodywork with double "barn-door" style rear doors.

These three "junk cars" were woody cars. When you take them for a joyride, you'll know that such wooden presence has never gone out of style if you catch my drift. Speaking of which, let's take this trio of woody cars for a joyride if it pleases me. Roll the tapes.

They may be wooden but they sure know how to party.

Man, judging by the mood from the producers, looks like another wave of "junk cars" coming to Forza Horizon 5 after this Donut Media collaboration. Lots of "junk cars" are incoming, so be prepared to want one if you really are.

Hit us up, producers. As the Donut boys would say, "WE BUY JUNK CARS, WE PAY A LOT. DEPENDING ON THE YEAR THO".

Top Gear S33E04

In the final episode of Top Gear Season 33...

Top Gear S33E04

The penultimate episode of the season saw the producers giving Paddy McGuinness the most difficult challenge; nurturing rookie drivers to earn a spot in professional motor racing in just eight weeks. Training a street-smart driver to a certified professional driver is an arduous task and there's a lot of drama involved in the process with Paddy around.

With Paddy busy with his arduous task, Chris Harris and Freddie Flintoff are at the Top Gear Test Track, showcasing and debating the world's best hot hatches in history.

That concludes Season 33 of Top Gear.

Top Gear S33E03

In the third episode of Top Gear Season 33, it's all about...The One.

Top Gear S33E03

This episode saw Freddie Flintoff taking on F1. No, it's not Formula 1. It's a different kind of F1. It's called F1 Stock Car Racing, an oval-racing series where asymmetrically designed, V8-powered, 90mph monster machines going all-out. It was coined as the world's toughest full-contact motorsport and for Flintoff, it's a risky challenge he'll remember forever.

With Flintoff having the taste of stock car action, Paddy McGuinness samples the brand-new Range Rover and with Chris Harris alongside him, they are putting the newest model to the ultimate offroad test. Also, Chris Harris samples the ultimate AMG road car that is coined as a road-legal Formula 1 car, the Mercedes-AMG ONE.

Next time, hot hatchbacks and newbie racers.

My FH5 Log: Who is the ultimate Horizon Hero?

As the Forza Horizon 10th Anniversary celebration came to its bittersweet end, it's time to find out which of the Horizon hero cars is the ultimate Horizon Hero. Will it be the SRT Viper GTS? The Lamborghini Huracan? The Lamborghini Centenario? The McLaren Senna? Or the Mercedes-AMG Project One?

Five Horizon heroes are gathered at the Volcan Sprint and all they have to do is to set the fastest time, ultimately deciding once and for all who is the ultimate Horizon Hero. It's all or nothing now. It's do-or-die for these machines as they are giving this Forza Horizon 10th anniversary celebration the ideal sendoff I've envisioned.

Without further ado, let the battle commence. GO!

With their bravery tests done, here are the results;

Viper - 3m18.665s

Huracan - 3m08.155s

Centenario - 3m00.864s

Senna - 2m51.905s

One - 2m52.890s

So, after ten years of enjoying the Forza Horizon series since the first one up to now, this is the ultimate Horizon Hero. The McLaren Senna, the hero car of Forza Horizon 4, is the ultimate Horizon Hero.

FOREVER KING.

And that's a wrap! This is the end of the Forza Horizon 10th Anniversary celebration. The celebration has ended but our journey on Forza Horizon 5 continues because there will be more surprises in store, starting with tomorrow's Donut Media collaboration series update as well as December's holiday series update. There will be more to come this 2023 so stick around!

Here's to ten more years of the Horizon Festival! 

The party never ends...

My FH5 Log: The Aston Martin One-77

Obtained from the Forza Horizon 10th Anniversary Hot Season Playlist, the Aston Martin One-77 returns to Forza Horizon 5. The most exclusive Aston Martin ever made is back to showcase its beauty and brawns to Mexican partygoers.

The One-77 is the top-of-the-line Aston Martin sports car that is priced over a million pounds and it is limited to 77 units produced at Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom. Showcased at the 2008 Paris Motor Show and at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, the One-77 is the most powerful naturally aspirated car in the world thanks to its 7.3L V12 engine that produces 750HP of power and 750NM of torque. It can do 0 to 60 in under 3.7 seconds and it has a top speed of 220mph.

With the quick intro done, it's time for the One-77 to have a welcoming party at Horizon Mexico...with a twist. Donning the same colors as the certain antagonist from a certain racing game over a decade ago, the One-77 is preparing to terrorize the opposition on the run like a wolf preying on...other wolves. See what I just did? Start running, boys and girls, because this One-77's about to play Nemesis. Oh, wait...

Yeah, you can run away from it safely but if you see this one rolling through the streets, you can't run away from it. You'd better beat it at the very end of "the run."

Enjoy your new ride!

My FH5 Log: Horizon Heroes - McLaren Senna

Our Forza Horizon 10th anniversary celebration concludes with the showcasing of the hero car of Forza Horizon 4, the McLaren Senna.

Launched on October 2, 2018, Forza Horizon 4 made players experience Horizon UK in four seasons. Every week, the seasons have changed, giving players different ways to explore Britain while taking on weekly Festival Playlist challenges to win prizes as well as new cars. While exploring Britain, players can unlock Car Mastery perks on each car, experience unique challenges in Horizon Stories, purchase properties, and more. They can even create their own racetracks as well. 

Post-launch, Forza Horizon 4 was blessed with two expansions; the Fortune Island and LEGO Speed Champions. After that, the FH4 experience got powered up with the Eliminator battle royale mode and Horizon Super7. The latter pits players against seven player-made challenges to tackle. Clear them all, and you'll win a big prize. Forfeit, then it's game over.

With the launch of the Xbox Series X and S consoles in late 2020, FH4's been optimized for the latest consoles with higher fidelity graphics in 4K at 60fps as well as Quick Resume support.

About the hero car, the McLaren Senna is named in honor of the legendary three-time Formula 1 champion Ayrton Senna and it is the personification of McLaren's DNA at its most extreme, creating the purest connection between driver and car. The Senna is limited to 500 units and all have been already spoken for. As the ultimate McLaren designed to challenge the impossible, the Senna is a track-focused, road-legal hypercar that sets the new standard for McLaren. The 4.0L V8 Twin Turbo engine was sourced from the 720S but produces 800PS of power and 800Nm of torque, making it the most powerful internal combustion engine McLaren has ever built but it's not just the engine that powers it because with its outrageous weight savings as well as the lightweight carbon fiber core that forms it, it's the lightest McLaren ever made since the F1 with 1200kg of dry weight. This means that the Senna delivers a 668PS-per-tone power-to-weight ratio.

With the introduction done, it's time to take the Senna to the peak of the dormant volcano while battling against the most elite drivers. Let's see if it's still the king I'm familiar with since my Horizon UK shenanigans. Let battle commence.

Still the king.

Now that we get to know the hero cars of the Forza Horizon series, I think I had a brilliant idea with these machines and since I have found the ideal venue, it's time to bring all of the Horizon heroes for the ultimate showdown. The SRT Viper GTS, the Huracan, the Centenario, the Senna, and the AMG One will be clashing against one another on a sprint run at the Volcan, just to find out who is the ultimate Horizon hero.

Brace yourselves because this will be the decider that will end Forza Horizon's 10th-anniversary celebration. Who will be the ultimate Horizon hero? Stay tuned!

Land Rover Defender II 130

Is it possible for a Land Rover Defender to spawn a much longer variant? Judging by the design of the latest generation of the legendary offroader, they can and this is the result.

2023 Land Rover Defender 130

2023 Land Rover Defender 130 interior

Priced at 73,200 Pounds plus additional costs, the first-ever Land Rover Defender 130 delivers the same capability as the normal Defender but with the added wheelbase to make things interesting for everyone around you.

For starters, the styling and the interior are identical to today's Land Rover Defender. The boxy shape, the squarish headlights, and the ultra-high-tech gadgetry involved at the dashboard, but because this is the longest variant in the Defender family, the 130 is 340mm longer than the 110, meaning there's more space for passengers in the back. A longer wheelbase means longer legroom and this eight-seater nearly fits the bill. 

Still, like most three-row SUVs, getting to the third row is more of a drama, especially when the second-row seats are jammed with child seats, meaning you'll have to resort to using the rear to get in. There's your sweet spot gone and that's one minor weakness to the longest Defender variant in existence.

Under the hood, the 130 offers the same choice of petrol and diesel engines as the other variants, sans the V8 sadly, meaning the most powerful version you will find in the 130 at launch is the 3.0L petrol engine producing 400HP of power and 550Nm of torque. Mated to an 8-speed AT with low gear ratios suitable for offroading, it does 0-60mph in less than eight seconds and has a top speed of 119mph. 

Yes, the 0-60mph time got drastically rose due to the added weight caused by the extra wheelbase but because this is a Defender, it was built to tackle various roads, either on or off, on the tarmac, gravel, snow, whatever Mother Nature throws at it courtesy of its all-aluminum D7x architecture, monocoque body construction, offroad-focused suspension setup, Adaptive Dynamics with available Electronic Air Suspension, and the next-gen Terrain Response, not to mention the added offroad tech and safety tech involved.

Despite the ludicrous pricetag, it's surprisingly cheaper to own than the Range Rover, and the Defender 130 is proof that it has something that the Jeep Wrangler and the Ford Bronco doesn't; room for the whole family to take them to the countryside.

Photo: Jaguar Land Rover

Top Gear S33E02

The second episode of Top Gear Season 33 has a theme of "big and small". That is big fast cars on the Autobahn and small slow cars on city roads.

Top Gear S33E02

The big cars saw Freddie Flintoff, Chris Harris, and Paddy McGuinness sample three expensive sportscars towards the Autobahn in the brand-new Ferrari 296 GTB, Pagani Huayra BC Roadster, and the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS. 

The small cars, meanwhile, saw the boys are on a Parisian adventure in the Citroen Ami, the Carver Electric, and the rather unique City Transformer. It wasn't an easy task, though.

Next time, Flintoff does Formula 1, Harris in the AMG One, and Paddy in the brand-new Range Rover.