The 15th Doctor's maiden voyage kicked off in the 2023 Christmas Special of BBC's Doctor Who, where he and his new companion, Ruby Sunday, are dealing with a group of mischievous creatures wreaking havoc over the Christmas season.
 |
| Doctor Who 2023 Christmas Special |
HOLD IT! Ensure you have already watched the episode before my quick review. Come back here when you have already watched it.
The Winter Wonderland series update on Forza Horizon 5 challenged players to send as many gift cars as possible to hit two desired targets containing two "New to Horizon" cars such as the Gordon Murray T.50 and a Super Secret Car that is Secret...until now.
This is the Gordon Murray T.50 given to players after hitting the 50% mark at the series update's Secret Santa campaign.
With only 100 units made and sold, the T.50 is the true spiritual successor to the legendary McLaren F1. It features a signature 3.9L natural aspiration V12 engine made in cooperation with Cosworth, producing 663PS power and 467Nm of torque while mated to a 6-speed MT. Because it weighs 986kg, the T.50 has a weight-to-power ratio of 207kg/100PS.
Aerodynamics aside, the GMA T.50 features a controversial rear-mounted 400mm fan that actively manages the body's airflow, balancing drag and downforce at various speeds. It also interacts with a pair of active rear spoilers, generating more downforce when needed.
Lastly, after hitting the 100% mark in the Secret Santa campaign, the secret car is revealed as the Aston Martin Valkyrie, the hypercar that is as close as you can get to a Formula 1 car.
Spawned from the collaboration between Aston Martin and Red Bull Racing as the AM-RB-001 project, the Valkyrie is a hybrid engine-wielding hypercar that features F1-inspired, space-age aerodynamics that makes it capable of taking corners at over 3.3G, as well as carbon blade designed by space shuttle engineers made it capable of impossible performance even at 220mph, Apache-inspired hydraulics, extensive use of lightweight materials, and a naturally-aspirated 6.5L V12 engine developed by Cosworth mated to an F1-derived KERS, producing a total power output of a whopping 1139HP, making it the most powerful Aston Martin road car ever made.
Only 150 of these units were made and sold.
These Secret Santa prize cars are like the past and the future because if the T.50 is a celebration of the past, thanks to the theory that this is the spiritual successor to the McLaren F1, the Valkyrie is what the future of hypercars will be; advanced, fast, and space-age witchcraft straight from sci-fi. Either way, they're fast enough to blow your head off at such intimidating speeds, and always ready for the climax.
Speaking of climax, let's find out which of these Secret Santa prize cars is superior, the celebration of the past or the shape of future hypercars. Because this is the Winter Wonderland series update, the clash between the T.50 and the Valkyrie takes place at the time-limited Winter Wonderland Circuit for a one-lap time attack. As always, the fastest time wins.
Let's roll the tape.
And now the results...
T.50 - 0m59.860s
Valkyrie - 0m58.425s
It's a razor-thin result! Although the futuristic F1-inspired Aston Martin Valkyrie is more powerful than the neo-classic GMA T.50, the gap between them is nearly a second apart, probably because of the technical segments the Winter Wonderland Circuit possesses. Still, it's a win for the Valkyrie, the prize car gifted to all FH5 players after hitting the 100% mark at the Winter Wonderland Secret Santa campaign. Yay.
The GMA T.50 and the Aston Martin Valkyrie are two incredible supercars that have been making headlines for quite some time. Although the Valkyrie is slightly faster than the T.50, the choice between these two supercars comes down to personal preference and which feature set resonates with you the most.
I hope you enjoy driving the two Winter Wonderland Secret Santa prize cars as much as enjoying the holidays in Horizon Mexico.
FELIZ NAVIDAD!
Whenever I compare the Aston Martin DBX and the Cupra Formentor VZ5, it reminds me of a match between England and Spain in a certain finals match where one point will determine the winner, minus the post-game you-know-what.
England and Spain are itching for a rematch, this time as crossovers at Horizon Mexico. The Aston Martin DBX and the Cupra Formentor are ready to play ball and determine which crossover is the winner. But first, some introductions...
The DBX is Aston Martin's first-ever sports utility vehicle that competes with the Porsche Cayenne and the Lamborghini Urus. With styling heavily inspired by the Vantage sports car, this luxury five-seater SUV is powered by an AMG-derived 4.0L V8 BiTurbo engine mated to a 9-speed automatic gearbox. With a power output of 542BHP and 700Nm of torque, it goes 0-60mph in 4.3 seconds and a top speed of 181mph. The DBX was produced in Aston Martin's Wales plant.
The Cupra Formentor VZ5 is a limited-edition model, limited to 7000 units worldwide. Under the hood, the VZ5 is powered by a 2.5L 5-cylinder turbocharged engine with a power output of 390PS. Mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch DSG and 4Drive all-wheel-drive, the Formentor VZ5 goes 0-100kph in 4.2 seconds and has an electronically limited top speed of 250kph.
Shucks, the DBX is Welsh-made, and England and Wales are different even though they're part of the UK. But anyway, with their quick introduction done, both the DBX and the Formentor VZ5 are ready for a one-lap duel worthy of being called a rematch between England and Spain.
This should be interesting because, like the teams themselves, the DBX takes pride in its raw power while the lightness of the Formentor VZ5 is its trump card. Yes, the DBX is more powerful than the Formentor VZ5 but the latter is lighter and easy to get through than the bulky British crossover. Anyway, no time for jibber-jabber because as the whistle blows, the action begins.
Roll the tape.
Professor Gordon Murray CBE, famously known as the "father" of the McLaren F1, established his own sportscar company called Gordon Murray Automotive (GMA), in the hopes of creating proper sports cars that are deemed fit and worthy for purists who are shying away from the establishment.
With the advent of the newly established Gordon Murray Automotive, the company unleashed its maiden masterpiece, the first to bear the siren's mark; the GMA T.50.
Gordon Murray Automotive made its Forza franchise debut with its first vehicle, the T.50, a chance to experience the newest masterpiece orchestrated by the "father" of the McLaren F1. So, what's it all about the GMA T.50?
With only 100 units made and sold, the T.50 is the true spiritual successor to the legendary McLaren F1. It features a signature 3.9L natural aspiration V12 engine made in cooperation with Cosworth, producing 663PS power and 467Nm of torque while mated to a 6-speed MT. Because it weighs 986kg, the T.50 has a weight-to-power ratio of 207kg/100PS.
Aerodynamics aside, the GMA T.50 features a controversial rear-mounted 400mm fan that actively manages the body's airflow, balancing drag and downforce at various speeds. It also interacts with a pair of active rear spoilers, generating more downforce when needed.
I know a rear fan is deemed illegal in motorsports, but little did they know that the McLaren F1, the 90s speed king it draws inspiration from, had two smaller fans hidden beneath its haunches to pull air below the car. The T.50's rear fan works just like the F1's.
Although controversial, the fan power gave the T.50 better dynamics thanks to its balanced drag and downforce at various speeds. Well played for a supercar with no flashy aero kits to emphasize its performance capabilities.
Having satisfied with its controversial fan power, simple design, and old-school performance, it's time to let the T.50 splash through the challenging corners of Spa, a chance to prove its worth as the spiritual successor to the McLaren F1. Nothing beats a spa day than this, get it? Anyway, let's roll the tape.
Not my best work yet but the T.50 proved its worth on a spa day.
The GMA T.50 is more than just the spiritual successor to the legendary McLaren F1. It's the definition of a purist's supercar that performs like nothing else. Its rear-wheel-drive layout, naturally-aspirated V12 engine, six-speed manual gearbox, and rear fan made the T.50 the definition of a genre-defying masterpiece that shatters beyond expectations.
Nothing in the world of motoring can give you this much adrenaline as driving this. That's Good Morning to you...and you're welcome.
The finale of the three-part Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials saw The Doctor face off against the return of the most powerful enemy he ever faced, The Celestial Toymaker. The final showdown that will truly wrap up the DoctorDonna saga before The Doctor achieves his true regeneration.
 |
| Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Special 3 |
The end of the first part of the Doctor Who 60th anniversary special saw Donna accidentally spilled coffee at the controls of the newly revamped TARDIS, causing it to go haywire. What happens next?
The second part of the 60th-anniversary special trilogy sees The 14th Doctor and Donna get stranded in a deserted spaceship, dealing with a faceless enemy from within.
 |
| Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Special 2 |
HOLD IT! Ensure you have already watched the episode before coming back here for my quick review. Come back here when you have already watched it.
The Rossion Q1 and the Noble M400 are basically two sides of the same coin but when you drive these two noble works, the differences proved their worth.
Having obtained the Rossion Q1 from Forza Horizon 5's American Automotive series update's Hot Season playlist, it's now time to explain what's all about the Q1's connection with the M400.
Beginning with the M400, one of the DLC cars in the game, it picks up where its M12 predecessor left off. While most components are 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.
Now, let's talk about the Rossion Q1, which I recently won at the American Automotive update Hot Season Playlist. The Q1 is basically a re-skinned version of the Noble M400 but with a few alterations occurring inside and out. Using a South African-made Noble chassis before assembly in Florida, the Q1 features a new fiberglass body, a concealed roll cage where the M400 was previously exposed, new suspension, and a turbocharged V6 3.0L engine sourced from Ford, producing 450hp of power and capable of going 0-60mph in almost three and a half seconds.
Having familiarized with the two visually similar noble works, it's time to find out which side of the same coin is superior. Could it be the M400 or its Q1 carbon copy? Let's roll the tape and find out.
And now the results...
Q1 - 2m24.461s
M400 - 2m22.943s
Wow, the gap between the two nobles is around two seconds, a noble feat for the two nobles but as stated, the superior one is the Noble M400. Nothing beats the original.
Yes, the Americanized Noble, the Rossion Q1, is inferior compared to the "original" Noble M400 but they've showcased the noble works they've done on the road and on the track, even in Horizon Mexico. They may be two sides of the same coin but they've proved their worth as noblesses.
Noble Works!
The January 2024 issue of BBC's Top Gear Magazine unveiled this year's TG Awards winners, the first time since the Top Gear TV series went dark "for the unforeseeable future" following Freddie Flintoff's on-set accident late last year.
 |
| Winners of the Top Gear Awards 2023 Image: BBC |
Disruptor of the Year: Tesla Cybertruck
Manufacturer of the Year: Lamborghini
Bargain of the Year: Dacia Spring
Luxury Car of the Year: Rolls-Royce Spectre
Hypercar of the Year: GMA T.50
All The Car You'll Ever Need: BMW M3 Touring
Design of the Year: Toyota Land Cruiser 250
Track Car of the Year: Porsche 911 GT3 RS (992)
GT of the Year: Aston Martin DB12
Family Car of the Year: Kia EV9
Car We're Most Looking Forward to Driving in 2024: Ford Mustang GTD
Performance Car of the Year: Honda Civic Type R (FL5)
Innovation of the Year: Koenigsegg CC850 Engage Shift System
Eco Warrior of the Year: Volvo EX30
Lifetime Achievement Award: Adrian Newey
Retro Hero of the Year: Tamiya Wild One Max
Car of the Year: Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
Since the end of The Power of The Doctor last year, The 13th Doctor regenerated back into The 10th Doctor. Why did The Doctor gain an old face from a long time ago? Was it because of his loose ends regarding Donna Noble?
The beginning of the 60th-anniversary special trilogy sees The 14th Doctor reunite with Donna Noble as they're dealing with a terrifying threat on a larger scale.
 |
| Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Special 1 |
HOLD IT! Ensure that you have already watched the episode before coming back here for my quick review. Come back here when you have already watched it.
The 23rd of November, 2023, marks the 60th anniversary of BBC's flagship TV series, Doctor Who. From Classic Who to Modern Who, from William Hartnell to Jodie Whitaker, the megahit TV series became the hallmark of the sci-fi genre since its 1963 airing and evolved into a mixed media project that served as one of the BBC's success stories.
With only two days left before the first part of the Doctor Who 60th-anniversary specials airing on BBC in the UK and on the Disney+ streaming service globally, how did we go from here? The past, present, and future of the Doctor Who series?
 |
| 60 years of Doctor Who |
Classic Who - Aired on the BBC on November 23rd, 1963, William Hartnell is the very first actor to play The Doctor in the said series, forever laying the foundation of the Doctor Who series. The Classic Who era welcomed the most iconic Doctors in TV history from Hartnell to Sylvester McCoy, a memorable cast of characters, monsters, and a rogue gallery of villains ranging from Daleks, Cybermen, and even his arch nemesis, The Master. Seven classic Doctors (William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, and Sylvester McCoy) are forever known as legends not just in the franchise but in the entire TV sci-fi genre.
16 years of void - The Sylvester McCoy era became the final era of the Classic Who and when the TV show was laid to rest in 1989, it left a 16-year void before its 2005 comeback. Of course, the whole Doctor Who team tried bringing it back on May 27, 1996, with a TV movie aired on FOX, starring Paul McGann as The Doctor, but feels like the comeback didn't work as expected.
2005 return - On March 26, 2005, Doctor Who is back on the telly after a 16-year absence. With Russell T Davies serving as the showrunner and actor Christopher Eccleston playing the role of The Doctor, the 2005 revival signaled the start of the Modern Who era. Joining Eccleston is Billie Piper who plays the role of his companion, Rose Tyler, the two witnessed how the world ended, facing off against the Daleks, preventing world catastrophe, and uncovering the truth.
Greatest Doctor of All Time? - Christopher Eccleston's reign as The Doctor lasted for 13 episodes, the entire first season of the reborn Doctor Who TV series, and got replaced by actor David Tennant at the season finale. Making his first moves at the 2005 Christmas Special, David Tennant cemented his status as the GOAT in the Modern Who times. In fact, Tennant's making a comeback in the 60th anniversary special as the 14th Doctor! This marks the first in the Doctor Who franchise a Doctor actor doing two non-consecutive terms.
Teaming alongside Piper as Rose, Freema Agyeman as Martha, and John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness aside, the most popular companion in the David Tennant years is none other than Donna Noble, played by comedienne Catherine Tate. First met at the 2006 Christmas special, the two reunite at the beginning of the fourth season and with past companions collide, including the late Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith, a legend companion from the Classic Who times, it showcased the show's exploding popularity.
New Decade, New Who - David Tennant's time ended at the beginning of 2010, and with Russell T Davies stepped down from his showrunner duties, Steven Moffat took over and actor Matt Smith filled in the shoes of The Doctor, signaling the new era of Doctor Who. From The Eleventh Hour to The Time of The Doctor, the Matt Smith years shifted the Doctor Who era to a more family-friendly approach.
During his tenure, the Matt Smith years of Doctor Who introduced companions such as Karen Gillan as Amy Pond, Arthur Darvill as Rory Williams, and Jenna Coleman as Clara Oswald. Actress Alex Kingston, who showed up in the David Tennant years as River Song, popped up as well, showing her origin story and her shocking relationship with Amy and Rory.
After the 2013 Christmas Special, Smith was replaced by Peter Capaldi, showing off his darker undertones while keeping the mantra of protecting the universe by all means. Apart from teaming up with Jenna Coleman as Clara, the Peter Capaldi years welcomed Pearl Mackie as Bill Potts and comedian Matt Lucas as Nardole, who first appeared in the 2015 Christmas Special.
Fast fact that both Gillan and Capaldi got their early stints in the DW Season 4 episode titled The Fires of Pompeii.
50 years of DW - November 23rd, 2013 marked the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who and to celebrate that occasion, a 50th-anniversary TV special, titled The Day of The Doctor, was aired. The Doctors, played by Matt Smith and David Tennant, joined forces with their mysterious predecessor known as The War Doctor, played by the late John Hurt, who popped up at the end of the 7th season. Racing against time, the three Doctors join forces to save the universe.
Long before the explosive 50th-anniversary special went on air, a biopic titled An Adventure of Space and Time was aired, starring David Bradley as William Hartnell, the 1st Doctor. Also, a Doctor Who web short was streamed, showcasing the 8th Doctor getting regenerated into The War Doctor, filling the void that was left after the 1996 TV movie.
Breaking the series' boundaries - The Peter Capaldi years signaled the final time Steven Moffat served as the showrunner and their time ended in the 2017 Christmas Special, Twice Upon A Time, which featured Bradley as The 1st Doctor, Broadchurch creator Chris Chibnall took over the series as the showrunner. Breaking the series' boundaries, the 11th season of Doctor Who welcomed the series' first female Doctor, Jodie Whitaker. During her four-year tenure from 2018 to 2022, the 13th Doctor joined forces with Ryan Sinclair (Tosin Cole), Yaz Khan (Mandip Gill), Graham O'Brien (Bradley Walsh), and Dan Lewis (John Bishop). Together, they've faced numerous enemies, new and old, including the reborn Master (played by Sacha Dhawan), while learning the truth about The Doctor's origins.
Loose ends? - As the Jodie Whitaker years came to an end, it was announced that actor Ncuti Gatwa would take over the role of The Doctor, but first, David Tennant will reprise his Doctor role in the 60th-anniversary specials. Why bring Tennant back to Who? Unanswered questions between The Doctor and Donna Noble after the end of the Season 4 finale. With them returning in the three-part specials, they have one loose end to mend before The Doctor can attain his true regeneration, and that's what the world awaits.
Spin-offs and mixed media - The Whoniverse expands outside the world of Doctor Who with official spin-offs featuring iconic characters and settings such as the R-rated spin-off series, Torchwood, which stars John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness and Eve Myles as Gwen Cooper, among others, the kid-friendly The Sarah Jane Adventures where DW legend Elisabeth Sladen reprises her Sarah Jane Smith role and teams up with a group of kids battling alien threats, and then there's Class, which is set at Coal Hill High, the same school appeared in the world of Doctor Who. Word from the outside world is there was a TV show called K-9, which features The Doctor's robot ally K-9 in its entirely new form.
TV shows aside, the Whoniverse also expands outside the TV screens in the form of comic books, novels, audio dramas, and others. One such example is the Doom's Day project which features a mysterious character named Doom as she spreads across the Whoniverse from comic books to audio dramas, racing for her life to find The Doctor. The Doom's Day project is part of Doctor Who's six-decade celebrations.
Six decades of Doctor Who, no, the Whoniverse. The past, present, and future of the Whoniverse will never stop expanding and as the world prepares for the show's 60th-anniversary specials and the imminent arrival of the new Doctor, expect brilliant things to come in the Whoniverse.
Happy 60th anniversary to the Whoniverse!
Image: BBC
The McLaren 750S may be a minor change version of the old 720S but this will mark the last McLaren to run purely on an internal combustion engine before heading to its electrified future.
 |
| 2024 McLaren 750S |
 |
| 2024 McLaren 750S Spider |
Costing 250,000 pounds plus additional costs, the 750S, in coupe and Spider configurations, is the improved version of the 720S that crosses the line in terms of performance and dynamics fitting for McLaren's swansong for the pure internal combustion engine era as it's heading towards electrification soon.
 |
| 2024 McLaren 750S interior |
As the styling is broadly similar to its 720S predecessor, the 750S saw most of the black stuff from the 720S exterior design colored while featuring a new rear design that differentiates it. As for the interior, the instrumental display as well as the powertrain and handling mode controls have been repositioned for easy access behind the wheel. It even comes with a McLaren Control Launcher and a new Central Information Screen.
The familiar 4.0L V8 biturbo engine inherited from the 720S has been boosted to the titular 750PS of power output and 800Nm of torque. When mated to a 7-speed gearbox, it sprints from 0 to 62mph in 2.8 seconds and has a top speed of 206mph, in coupe or Spider configurations. More than the 720S but less than the 765LT so it's a welcoming development for a rear-wheel-drive hypercar from the UK.
Apart from the performance, the 750S features a reworked suspension setup, revised signature valve stack, wider front track width, electro-hydraulic steering assistance system, available track brake upgrade, and the improved Proactive Chassis Control, giving it dynamics only Lando Norris can truly understand because it handles like every McLaren should and thanks to being rear-wheel-drive, you have to be brave enough to take advantage of its Variable Drift Control if you want to make it out alive.
The McLaren 750S may be a minor change version of the old 720S but for a swansong for the pure internal combustion engine era, this is the ultimate driver's car full-stop and if you're as good as either Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri, spark this. It's about as addictive as exotics can be.
Photo: McLaren Automotive
Lotus ushered the age of electrification by unveiling its all-new logo, signaling a new start for the British sports car maker now under the guardianship of the Chinese motoring giant Geely.
.png)
As Lotus enters the new generation, they've unveiled the first-ever all-electric hypercar, the Evija, and I got the chance to drive it in Forza Horizon 5.
.png)
So, what's it all about the Lotus Evija?
.png)
Developed under the "Type 130" project name, the Evija, mirrored by the word "alive", is Lotus' first-ever all-electric hypercar that spawned from the partnership with Williams Advanced Engineering. It is the first Lotus road car to feature a full carbon fiber chassis molded as a single piece and sculpted for better downforce. Aerodynamics plays a key role in the Evija so it's been given active aerodynamics in the form of a rear spoiler and an F1-style DRS, among many others.
The Evija's electric powertrain features a 2,000kW li-ion battery supplied with its management system by Williams Advanced Engineering and four electric motors producing 500HP each, giving the Evija a monstrous 2000HP of total power output, making it capable of a 0-60mph time in less than three seconds and a top speed of over 200mph.
The Evija is limited to 130 units, each costing £1.7 million plus additional costs, and production is done in Lotus' Hethel plant. All units are sold out prior to its unveiling.
.png)
I know seeing Lotus building a hypercar is total blasphemy to its tradition of making light and agile sports cars like the Elise and the Exige but for an all-electric hypercar with no door handles and a minimalist interior, the Evija is a challenging but mind-blowingly fun car that pushes you to the extremes. The harder you push the Evija, the more fun it gets, making it a zero-emission thrill ride you'll never forget.
.png)
Speaking of thrill rides, me and the Evija went for a ride in what's known to be a re-enactment of the Formula E Hong Kong E-Prix track created by a certain game master I can't tell you. Although this EventLab creation is 90% complete, I think, it's the ideal venue to experience the Evija's electrified performance that pushes beyond the limits of Lotus. Roll the tape.
What a challenge this is and although this creation's far from complete, I had a blast pushing the Evija to the extremes even when it gets through the narrow corners. It's still a Lotus. That's why.
.png)
The Evija demonstrated itself that despite its electric drivetrain that delivered a bulky treason to the Lotus heritage, it's a proven road and track weapon when used efficiently, making it the electrifying force to be reckoned with. This hypercar earned the right to don the new mark of Lotus and it's a sign of things to come.
Welcome to the new world order.
.png)