Size and width does matters!

Pinto in the Top Gear Studio

Hello and welcome to the classic Ford Pinto. This car was featured on Car Town as a starter car, we drove it on Forza Motorsport 4 a couple of months ago, and Adam Ferrera drove one at the Top Gear USA's Dangerous Cars episode. The Ford Pinto is definitely not more of a classic but it is very rare to see a Ford Pinto driving around the streets of Seattle. Despite the fact that it produced over two million Pintos are sold, it's too rare to see one, making it a rare classic car you would find in Seattle.

The Pinto emblem

Burning rubber in my Pinto

The Ford Pinto was introduced to the market since September 1970 and it has a powertrain proven in Europe from the European Ford Escort. This is the Runabout model and some say, it competes with cars such as the AMC Gremlin and Chevrolet Vega as well as Volkswagen, Datsun, and Toyota. By January 1971, the Pinto sold over a hundred thousand units and on its last model year, Ford built almost 70,000 Pintos. During its 10-year tenure, over two million Pintos are sold.

Sadly, some media criticized the Ford Pinto not only as the worst car in America but also one of the most dangerous cars to drive, partly because of the fuel tank mounted and the back and rear-ending the Pinto's fuel tank will result in fires from spilled fuel. This resulted the conspiracy of THE PINTO MEMO, coined from a 1977 Mother Jones article where a cost-benefit analysis that it said Ford had used to compare the cost of an $11 repair against the monetary value of a human life. Ford was aware of the design flaw and they don't want to pay for a redesign but rather preparing for lawsuits from casualties.

Leave no asphalt burnt

No wonder the media called the Pinto not only it's one of the worst cars according to TIME Magazine but this is one of the most dangerous cars to drive because the gas tank is bolted to the back and crashing through it may cause flames. That's why there are only a few Pintos lurking around the Fast Food Nation. Something bugs me...this Ford Pinto somewhat do have an identical twin. Something more of a substitute for the Ford Pinto....

Hey! You're that last place from the Top Gear Olympics!

This might be a contender. It's called the AMC Pacer.

The AMC Pacer was been produced in 1975 in the wake of the energy crisis. The Pacer was supposed to be clean and frugal but it turned out to be dirty and very thirsty. In "old" Top Gear, Vicki Butler-Henderson reviewed the AMC Pacer. Several years later, the AMC Pacer took part in Top Gear's Carlympics Challenge episode. Sadly, the power-to-weight ratio of the Pacer didn't make this American compact jump high, 6.2 meters to be exact, sending this to the last place. The AMC Pacer made a movie appearance in Wayne's World. It inspired Cars 2 character, Acer, one of the baddies.

This is the X model of the AMC Pacer. It was available from 1975-1978 on the coupe version of the car until it renamed this variant as Sport in 1978 and later discontinued. It has vinyl bucket seats, sports steering wheel, custom trim, as well as a floor mounted gear shift and front sway bar.

The catchcopy for the AMC Pacer was "The first wide small car". Despite the AMC Pacer discontinued in the 80's, it still gained supporters, including stuntman Evel Knievel, country singer Conway Twitty, and Bridgitte Bardot.

This Pacer is all about charisma

Question...is the Pacer and the Pinto identical? Which is better? The Pinto or the Pacer. I pushed both the Pacer and the Pinto on the straight and the Pacer mullered the Pinto. What about Lap Times? Let's bring it to Le Chevalier D'Stig!

By personal best, the Ford Pinto did 1:48.275 while the AMC Pacer did it in 1:47.448, meaning that they're both very close by a second. That's unbelievable.

By general, I prefer the Pacer more than the Pinto because it has presence. Despite the Pacer is dying due to the oil crisis, it gained many supporters such as Evel Knievel, Conway Twitty, and Bridgitte Bardot. It made an appearance on a film WAYNE'S WORLD and it inspired Cars 2 character Acer. I think this Pacer is becoming more of a fan favorite than the utterly dangerous Pinto. I wouldn't blame anyone who drove the Pacer or the Pinto because they're both epic.

Three generations of the RX-7! (and a Spirit R for an extra)

Yes, with the very first generation of the Mazda RX-7 (designated as SA22C) arrived on Forza Motorsport 4 via the April Alpinestars Pack, all three generations of the Mazda RX-7, from SA22C to FD3S, are now complete. Those JDM fanatics in Forza 4 are pleased to getting to know more about three different generations of the Mazda RX-7, from Savanna to Efini, all the way to the final Spirit R model that commemorates the end of the RX-7 since summer 2002. We still kinda prefer this more than the least successful RX-8, which was scheduled to end in the summer of this year.

SA22C at the Top Gear Test Track

Now, if you were a Filipino who remembered some classic Japanese super sentai when you were a kid, you would remember that this car was featured on a very classic Japanese super sentai titled SHAIDER. It was driven by Annie, Alexis' companion. Alexis, who was Shaider, drove a Suzuki Jimny/Samurai by the way while patrolling around Japan against incoming alien invaders. This car made me feel like I went for some "TIME SPACE WARP" but no. We're not talking about Shaider, I went DOCTOR WHO-ing with the TARDIS back to the Shaider years. He he he... TARDIS...He he he...Back on the SA22C. When I drive this first generation RX-7, it feels like I'm Annie but no, I'm not playing as Shaider's trusty companion. This car is all about the finesse and an average driver's childhood memories won't be the same.

SA22C at the Top Gear Test Track

About the SA22C, this was launched in Japan since March 1978 under the name "SAVANNA RX-7". It was made using Mazda's SA Platform and it was powered by a 12A 2-rotor engine. During the oil crisis in the 1970's, Mazda developed a combustion exhaust gas thermal reactor system called REAPS, which provided 40% fuel efficiency than others but however, in 1979, that thermal reactor has been ditched and the 12A 2-rotor engine comes with lean-burn mechanisim, and the design of the front skirt and tail lights has been changed. Then, in 1982, changes occurred on the engine that provides fuel economy of 10.2km/L based on Japan's 10 mode.

What's surprisingly about the SA22C is the design because it looks more like the Porsche 924, hence dubbing this car as "Poor Man's Porsche". You wouldn't believe that the Japanese copied the design derived from the Germans but hey! It was worth it!

And now, let's meet the other RX-7's that you would normally get on Forza 4. Now, let's advance it to the FC3S, which is more of a working man's RX-7. However, this was one of my favorites.

Here comes the FC3S!!!!

Fans of the INITIAL D franchise will remember the FC3S as Ryosuke Takahashi's car of choice. In Wangan Midnight, this car referred to as "THE LEGENDARY FC", which became the car of choice of Koichi Kijima upon his sudden encounter with the FC3S on the highway. Anyway, the FC3S is more of a working man's RX-7. It still retains the Savanna RX-7 naming but now, it was utilized using Mazda's FC platform. It was launched in Japan since 1985 and later went a minor change in 1989. It's still a "Poor Man's Porsche" because it looks more reminiscent of the Porsche 944. Firstly in 1985, the FC3S comes with a 2-rotor 13B turbocharged engine that produces 185PS of power, then in the 1989 minor change, that engine now produces 215PS of power. In 1987, a Cabriolet version was launched in commemoration of the rotary engine's 20th anniversary. The production know-how of the FC3C was adopted for the first car under Mazda's Eunos brand, the Eunos Roadster.

In 1991, the FC3S underwent a full model change and now referred as FD3S, the best and last RX-7 ever made for the hardcore enthusiasts...

Say hello to the FD3S!

The Savanna naming is gone and it's now referred to as "Efini RX-7", part of Mazda's Efini brand. The FD3S comes with a 13B sequential turbo rotary engine that churns out 255PS of power and the power to weight ratio is 5kg/ps.

In August 1993, the FD3S was updated with enhanced body rigidity, larger damper and revised suspension settings. 

In January 1996, the Ẽfini RX-7 name has been renamed as "Mazda RX-7". The car's CPU has been upgraded from 8-bit to 16-bit, providing 265PS of power for the MT model and 255PS for the AT model.

There are more updates occured on the FD3S right until 2002 when the RX-7 production was ended, with 68,589 units produced.

Road & Track magazine said "The ace in Mazda's sleeve is the RX-7, a car once touted as the purest, most exhilarating sports car in the world."

In Initial D, this FD3S served as Keisuke Takahashi's car of choice.

So, 2002 was the final year of the RX-7 but to commemorate its last days of a rotary legend, Mazda launched a special final edition model dubbed as SPIRIT R.

You deserve this spot!

Among other cars, the RX-7 Spirit R is a unicorn car on Forza Motorsport 4. Doesn't matter because you might obtain it via Profile Import when this is the first time you're playing Forza Motorsport 4. Anyway, the Spirit R is the last special edition RX-7 made and only 1000 units are available. There are three types of Spirit R; the Type A features a 5-speed MT and red Recaro seats. Type B is a 2+2 seater that comes with a 5MT. The Type C is also a 2+2 seater but comes with a 4AT. One of three types is probably the best type and that is none other than the TYPE A. Mazda said that the Spirit R Type A is the ultimate RX-7, boasting the most outstanding driving performance in its history.

And there we are. All three generations of the Mazda RX-7 and the special Spirit R that marks the rotary sports car's end in 2002, what would you ask for? We kinda prefer those more than the crappy RX-8 and those packed more respect to the JDM enthusiasts. So, if you have the devil's gift, which three generations of the RX-7 is your pick?

Time to give these RX-7's a run at the Top Gear Test Track!

In the end, turns out that the Spirit R is the best RX-7 ever made...

The origin of the supercar - The Lamborghini Miura

It's rare to see a Miura in Tokyo, Japan

This is the origin of Lamborghini as we know it today but it's more than that. This is where the modern supercar begins. The first of its kind. The Lamborghini Miura. It was 1963 when Lamborghini was founded by Ferrucio Lamborghini and they've created earlier models such as the 350GT and the 400GT. Then in 1965, they've announced the TP400 platform at the 1965 Torino Motor Show and then the Miura was born at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show. The Miura wasn't really an official project name, but a lesson learned from Top Gear knows that seven people were behind the creation of the Miura and they were at their 20's. One of them who's aged 22 back then was Marcello Gandini the then-chief designer of Bertone. Imagine what are you doing at the age of 22, you wouldn't realize that you have to give birth to the supercar that sparked a revolution.

The Miura turning the tides at Tsukuba

Most exotics come with big powerful engines but the Miura set a centerstage when it comes with a 4.0L V12 engine that produces 345HP of power and 271.2lb-ft of torque. This V12 engine was placed at the rear, setting the template of midship rear-wheel drive supercars. They also mounted the V12 engine sideways rather than lenghtways to keep it compact and oh, they got that idea from the Mini but we're not talking about that. What they didn't put was a three-seater layout like the McLaren F1 and the glass engine cover like the Ferrari but the surprising fact that when the Miura's doors are opened, the doors really shaped like the horns of the bull. Nice touch, that. Because this was made in the 1960's where traction control and ABS hasn't invented yet, the Lamborghini Miura isn't an easy car HARD TO DRIVE! WOOOH! But who cares? It's still a great car! The engine sounds so great especially the engine start up noise. Now that's classic!

Hope he's not late for the show...

However, the Lamborghini Miura has a very small lifespan, produced from 1966 to 1972, with over 760 units built but the Miura is the exotic that established the birth of Lamborghini in style. If that wasn't enough, it became the first car to win the first ever Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance Polyphony Digital Trophy in 2008. That's right. The Lamborghini Miura P400 Bertone Prototype CN.0706 was handpicked by Gran Turismo creator, Kazunori Yamauchi at the first ever Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance Polyphony Digital Trophy in 2008, setting the standards of classic cars.

An instant classic

My journey with the Miura is somewhat very difficult at the beginning. For a car that costs 15,000,000 Cr, that car is definitely the most expensive Lamborghini in Gran Turismo 5 but when I had my hands on it, I am highly impressed about the Miura's heritage and styling but when it comes to driving, IT'S HARD TO DRIVE! HOO HOO! Although I might be scared to drive the Miura, I felt more mature as I'm driving this classic car that gave birth to the exotic car scene.

"Concorde did it for planes. The Miura did it for supercars. As a car, it was floored but as a concept, it was truly a masterpiece" - Richard Hammond, Top Gear 

GetBackers vs. Lupin the Third...sort of

The scene of the ultimate showdown.
A straight fight between GetBackers and Lupin III

Sorry folks. We're not comparing two anime shows that you know. We're comparing the two cars that were seen in anime shows. The original Fiat 500 which was Lupin the Third's car of choice while the memorable Subaru 360 was the car of choice for the Getbackers. How can we settle those classic minis? Let's find out, "Top Gear at the Movies" style.

Firstly, let's start with the Subaru 360. Ah yes. The little Subaru...The little Subaru 360....It maybe the first Subaru kei car ever built but undeniably, this car is the brainchild of the Subaru brand. This is the pride and joy of Fuji Heavy Industries when they're starting the Subaru brand in the 1950's. Even in today's standards, the Subaru 360 is still unique in the eyes of car enthusiasts. The Subaru 360 is powered by the 356cc engine, which was the standard kei car displacement in the 50's, that produces about 16HP of power and it was positioned at the (wait for it) back! Nope, the 360 is not a midship but it is the first and only rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive production car from Subaru. I have no wonder why did Ban Mido and Ginji Amano prefer that machine so much on their missions but still a great car for many. That model was launched in 1958, two years after the post war period was declared over, and production ended in 1971, replaced by the Subaru R-2. There is just one fact that this car is nicknamed the "ladybug", just when the original Volkswagen 1100 was called, and once approved, Beetle. So, are there any Subaru 360 owners clubs around the world? If there's any, well, count me in because I want to see how people love their Subaru 360 so much, they retain it in their garages even by today's standards.

Okay, we've done about the GetBackers' ride, how about the ride of our favorite master thief and a misfit that is Lupin the Third? If you were the kind of dashing debonair who spends most of the time at the heist of the world's most precious artifacts and treasures, be sure that your heists are not complete without this nippy little Italian rascal, the original Fiat 500. It looks similar to the ride Lupin III and the gang rode on The Castle of Cagliostro, which is a Hayao Miyazaki masterpiece but due to constraints, we can't show you the film, perhaps if Hammond and May didn't feature it on 2011's Top Gear at the Movies DVD. If that was featured, imagine if Hammond or May recreate the scene after the Monaco casino robbery from The Castle of Cagliostro film.

Anyway, for a quick history lesson, the original Cinquecento was launched in 1957 and it was heavily inspired from the Topolino compact but this compact car can accommodate up to four people, two more than the Topolino. Like the Subaru 360, the original Fiat 500 is a rear engine, rear wheel drive compact, meaning that its 479cc engine was at the back of it. As for the 479cc engine, it produces 15HP of power and it has a top speed of just 90kph. Not quite good for the highway trip but it looks perfect on the city streets. The one I featured here is the 1968 Fiat 500 F, it has a 499.5cc engine that produces 17HP of power and 22.4ft-lb of torque. This car weighs 520kg, which is somewhat heavier than the Subaru 360.

Okay, if I was going to be more like "Clarkson Duel", let's just say...Who is better? GetBackers or Lupin the Third? To find out, I've fully tuned both of my Subaru 360 and the 1968 Fiat 500 F and I chose "The Top Gear Test Track" as the venue. Both are fitted with Comfort Medium Tires and let's find out which of these two anime shows are better.

I started with the Subaru 360, which is the GetBackers' car of choice, and it did it in...

2:03.8

...then, it was the turn of Lupin the III's car, the 1968 Fiat 500 F. Guess my tuned 500 F has more power than my tuned Subaru 360, which makes it a bit more painful to ask. So then, same track, same driver. Lupin III's car is underway and it did it in...

1:47.1

...which means, the oldies anime was proven better than the anime that was aired in the 2000's! It was proven that Lupin the Third was better than GetBackers! The 1968 Fiat 500 F was proven to be quicker than the Subaru 360! No wonder! A very old anime that was beaten by a very very very old anime! Oh bugger! If only Top Gear made a DVD about the anime cars with Richard Hammond and James May on it, this would be it and this would be called TOP GEAR AT THE ANIMES! I hope Andy Wilman, executive producer of Top Gear, got that memo!

2012 is Jaguar XJ220's 20th Anniversary

1992 Jaguar XJ220

Last year, we said happy 50th anniversary to the groovy Jaguary E-Type. Now, in 2012, we say 20th anniversary to Jaguar's first and memorable supercar, the XJ220. This car was produced in 1992 and it ended in 1994, about 281 units were produced, which sounds pretty rare to see Jaguar's memorable midship exotic roaring around in the streets of Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, Barcelona, Dubai, Moscow, and others. Numerous video games featured this car and this one's an icon. This car set the Nurburgring lap time of 7:47:37, making it the fastest Jaguar ever built.

Scoop: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20120131/CARNEWS/120139973 

Hammond's Cheap Alfa RELOADED

This is the enhanced version of the Spider
Richard Hammond should be getting instead!!!!

An Alfa Romeo Series 3 Spider appeared on a certain Top Gear episode and this was Richard Hammond's cheap Alfa. We poke fun at him when his cheap Alfa suffered from a broken water pump, and he was left behind when being towed by James May's Alfa wasn't became a good idea.

 

To add consideration for Hamster's Alfa, it was included at Forza Motorsport 4 via the December IGN DLC pack but this is not the normal Series 3 Spider. This here is the 1986 Alfa Romeo Spider Quadrifoglio Verde. This is Hammond's cheap Alfa, reloaded.

Take note, the seats were made from
Jeremy Clarkson's jacket!!

With such tweaks such as side skirts, mirrors, front and rear spoilers, hard rubber trunk spoilers, and 15-inch rims, I'm sure Richard Hammond would be happy to know about..THIS IS WHAT HAMMO'S SUPPOSED TO GET BEFORE THE ALFA ROMEO CHALLENGE!!! Anyway, because it was included at Forza Motorsport 4 via the December IGN DLC pack, players are going to get Alfa-ritis, what Top Gear said, when they get their hands on the Alfa Spider. Oh, just don't get involved in the overtaking massacre and driving it on "Track Days" races, this wasn't such a good idea. You won't overtake even the fastest with this one and yes, you will suffer more like Richard Hammond.

Forza Motorsport 4 meets SUPER POTENTIAL

Making a milestone in Indy!

Before the Mitsubishi GTO (3000GT) emerged in the 1990's, there was this, the Mitsubishi Starion. Built in Nagoya, Japan, the Mitsubishi Starion is the brand's "Turbo Specialty Sports" that became a direct competitor to the Toyota Supra, Mazda RX-7, or even the Nissan Fairlady Z. It is said that this car was exported in the United States as this or as an OEM for the three Chrysler brands; namely Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth, as the Conquest.

The Starion's interior

Aside for being a memorable JDM Legend, the Mitsubishi Starion is proven to be a worthy contender in the motorsports world. It even tackled the Australian Production Car Championship, SCCA, Silverstone, Dutch National Touring Car Championship, Race de Nippon Tsukuba, All Japan Touring Car Race, and GHiland Touring Car 300 km Race.

Spirit of '80s

This JDM Legend is new on Forza Motorsport 4 and you are free to make a milestone out of this classic "Turbo Specialty Sports" that even in 29 years, the Star of Orion still looks good to drive as the other Mitsubishi cars, especially the Lancer Evolution models.

Aluminum Mustang!

"The first all-aluminum body Mustang in the world and it was made by a Filipino craftsman"

Top Gear Philippines visited media personality and classic-car collection, Cito Beltran, who fashioned an iconic old-fashioned Mustang with, and if you're sitting down, aluminum body. He claims that this is the world's first all-aluminum Mustang in the world and wow, that made me smiled to see a resurrected muscle car made of something precious.

Scoop: http://www.topgear.com.ph/features/feature-articles/filipino-classic-car-enthusiast-makes-an-aluminum-ford-mustang 

The Berlinetta Boxer

Song played on my Personal BGM: NAKED GENIUS by Haqua (CV: Saori Hayami)

From the album: Kaminomi Character CD.00 Haqua starring SAORI HAYAMI

Nighttime driving with the Berlinetta Boxer

The "BB" in the Ferrari 512BB naming stands for "Berlinetta Boxer" and this 512BB was the updated version of the 365 GT4 BB, which dates back in the 1970's. The Ferrari 512BB was produced from 1976 to 1981 with 929 units built and it was replaced by a much updated version called the 512i BB, which lasted from 1981 to 1984 with 1007 units produced. However, we're talking about the Berlinetta Boxer featured on GT5, which is the Ferrari 512BB, the lowest priced Ferrari you can get on GT5 for just 102,500 credits (Level 8 required).

We can see the 512BB hanging out in Kyoto

When you talk about "Berlinetta Boxer", this is bound to be Ferrari's first to be equipped with a Boxer engine, meaning that this engine has its pistons positioned horizontally, but the "512" naming in the 512BB refers to its 5.0-litre, 12-cylinder engine. Perhaps there is such thing as a boxer-12 engine and this was the kind of Ferrari your dad drove it back to his highschool days. This 5-litre boxer-12 engine is capable of releasing 355HP/6800rpm of power output, 332.71ft-lb/4600rpm of torque, and it weighs 1400kg because of its steel tube space frame. It was designed by both Pininfarina and Scagletti and this car had a top speed of 302kph, meaning that's 2kph faster than the Lamborghini Countach.

When Berlinetta Boxers attack

A proud owner of this legendary supercar nostalgia could tune this car to as much as 540HP/7600rpm of power, 448ft-lb/5400rpm of torque and 1166kg of weight. However, if you tone it down to meet its 550PP regulations at the Supercar Nostalgia Cup, the Ferrari 512BB is highly "not recommended". Why? You may think that this Supercar Nostalgia is faster than the Countach but no, it will get its back kicked by the 1960's pre-production Lamborghini Miura P400. Honestly, it was lived in an era where Traction Control and anti-lock brakes hasn't been invented yet and mastering the 512BB takes a lot of effort because of the braking. Of course, because the 512BB in real life doesn't have TCS and ABS, this is going to be a bit difficult to master and it requires a few tricks to figure this out.

Ferrari 512BB attacks the Shutokou

The Ferrari 512BB is all about Supercar Nostalgia at its best. Like most Ferraris, it was listed as a Premium Tier car, allowing owners to change its rims or take them to a Photo Travel. It may not be a good "bragging right" that you own this car on this game but the Ferrari 512BB is focused to be somewhat a good part of your collection.

Ferrari 512BB relaxing in Kyoto again

Saying farewell to the Daihatsu Esse

2006 Daihatsu Esse (2005-2011)

The launch of the 2012 Daihatsu Mira e:S, since September 20, also sparked a big farewell to the cutest Daihatsu ever made, the Daihatsu Esse. In fact, the Daihatsu Mira e:S already served as the replacement of the Daihatsu Esse because the "e:S (イース)" naming was carried from the "Esse" name.

For those who didn't know, the Daihatsu Esse was the kei car launched at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show and later went on sale since December 20, 2005 as a 2006 Model Year. The Esse was a favorite among Japanese women because of its cute looks and it was powered by a KF-VE 658cc 3-cylinder DOHC DVVT engine that releases 58ps of power, 6.6kg-m of torque, and its available in either FF or 4WD layouts.

Later on, in December 25, 2006, a new variant is added under the name "Esse Custom" and it comes with sporty aero parts, 14-inch aluminum wheels, and a different tachometer what you would expect on this model.

Production of the Daihatsu Esse has been ended on September 20, 2011 and the Daihatsu Mira e:S will serve as the replacement of this outgoing model.

More about Esse:

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ダイハツ・エッセ

Final words: At its first year, we think the Esse was cute but as the years pass by, we think that the Esse is a little bit more prime and old, and Daihatsu decided to axe this model to give way for the world's most fuel efficient vehicle, the Daihatsu Mira e:S, the 3RD ECO CAR.

マクラーレンF1のすべて

"I've always dreamt about doing a really high performance sports car on the road" - Gordon Murray

Back in the 1990's a decade before the rise of the Bugatti Veyron, a car company called McLaren created the world's most fastest supercar back then, under the name of McLaren F1. Just like the Bugatti Veyron, the McLaren F1 is one of the most exciting vehicles to drive for an elite driver. Just imagine, if you drive it on the streets of Tokyo, New York, Rome, Paris, London, especially Dubai, Geneva, and other exotic locations, it's no surprise that the McLaren F1 is highly seductive, even after a few decades have passed since its introduction to the world in May 1992, it still looks good enough. From its inception up until its demise in 1998, about 106 McLaren F1 models have been made and it costs half-a-million pounds back in 1993, making it the most expensive car to own back then.

McLaren F1 at Circuit de la Sarthe

The McLaren F1 is powered with the 6.1L V12 engine sourced from BMW, providing 627HP of power and 480.26ft-lb of torque. Fast fact that the McLaren F1's engine bay is lined with gold because gold is the best, it reflects, and a special 6-speed manual was developed because there is no existing gearbox that can survive the torque of the 6.1L BMW engine. The McLaren F1 is the world's first carbon fiber bodied car because most of the components are made of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic. With such idea, the McLaren F1 weighs about 1140kg. What's so special is the interior because the driver's seat was positioned at the middle for some racing driver sensation. What a cool idea that Mr. Gordon Murray made it and I thank him for that. For a trivia: did you know that the McLaren F1's preferred audio system is Kenwood?

What will The Stig reacts to this one? Some say,
The Stig was impressed to drive the McLaren F1 or not

In Gran Turismo 5, the McLaren F1 costs about 1,000,000 credits and you need to be at Level 17 (A-spec or B-spec) to purchase this wonderful machine Gordon Murray created. Once you own it, you can tune it as far as about 840HP of power and 970kg of weight. That's lighter than a fully tuned Bugatti Veyron that weighs about 1424kg. If you've already watched a drag race between the McLaren F1 and the Bugatti Veyron in Dubai on a certain Top Gear episode, you should know that the McLaren F1 is ahead against the Veyron on a 0-100kph run but by 240kph, the Bugatti Veyron's spoiler kicks in, giving much speed to overtake the F1 and obliterate it. If the real-life McLaren F1 has no ABS and no Traction Control, I think you might apply it on GT5 as well, but without these driving aids, the McLaren F1 is hard to master because of the traction and the braking but once you'll get a hang of it, you'll get used to it.

Looks like Top Gun

Not exactly as good as a Bugatti Veyron but the McLaren F1 is finely the most elegant exotic GT5 players can try not only because of its heritage or its power but it can be a perfect car to take it on a Photo Travel. It seems that Mr. Gordon Murray created this machine just so to become the ultimate driving machine ever remembered by many. I'm sure most owners of the legendary McLaren F1 are very happy about the way this car should be thanks to its seamless reputation. It's something that made me smiled.

Lantis Appeal

Lantis drifts to Tsukuba

In 1993, Mazda launched the Lantis in a form of a 4-door sedan and 5-door coupe. It was produced since 1993 to 1997 and it was essentially used Mazda's CB Platform which was close to the Eunos 500 (Xedos 6). It was also known as the Mazda 323F in other countries and the Lantis was sold in the Philippines back in the 90's when Mazda is part of Columbian Autocar Corporation along with Daihatsu, Kia, and Subaru.

Nighttime driving with Lantis

The Lantis featured in the Gran Turismo series, especially Gran Turismo 5, is the Lantis Coupe 2.0 Type R mated with a 5-speed transmission. In Gran Turismo 5, chances of finding either the Lantis Coupe or the 323F are in the medium basis and you'll have decent chances to add this to your garage full of GT5 cars. It was listed as a Standard Tier car.

This Lantis Coupe is equipped with Mazda's KF-ZE (V6 2.0L DOHC) engine that has the normal power output of 170PS/7000RPM, 18.3kg-m/5500RPM of torque output, and weighs 1200kg.

Playing at the snowfield

It is possible to make upgrades for the Mazda Lantis Coupe Type R but trust me, the handling made me disappointing and frustrating even with its FF drive-train. The Lantis Coupe (323F) might not be a good car for your collection but a little practice goes a long way. This car is definitely a hard-to-master machine not only because it is old, it is because of its poor response to the driver while tacking various corners, from tarmac, gravel, and snow.

Racing in the rain

In the eyes of a seasoned GT driver, he/she may regard that the Lantis Coupe is somewhat underwhelming, not good, boring, dull, or whatever they think about it, but if whoever made the rules at the online races, you may consider it a huge lack of enthusiasm about the Lantis not only because of its turtle-like styling but also the disappointing performance. When I got the wheel on the Lantis Coupe, it's strictly hard to describe how does the "Lantis Appeal" affect the outcome but it can be a good FF car to polish your skills at, if you're a rookie.

The days of being an AMBUSH VEHICLE

Song played on my Personal BGM: The Man With The Harmonica by Ennio Morricone

From the Album: Once Upon A Time In The West OST

The hunter becomes the hunted...

I first laid my eyes on the Lotus Carlton by a Playstation2 game titled The Getaway: Black Monday, where the Lotus Carlton was used as a gang car by Viktor Skobel's goons for ambushing main protagonist Eddie O'Connor wherever he goes. I see, this Lotus Carlton was the most murdered-out rides I have ever saw on Black Monday but this gang car used by Skobel's henchmen carried on to some video games, especially Gran Turismo 5 where I am talking about it. So what's a Lotus Carlton?

Making amends at the Top Gear Test Track

The Lotus Carlton was a modified version of the Vauxhall Carlton (Great Britain equivalent of the Opel Omega) 3.0 Si 20V and since its arrival as a 1990 model, it was a huge sensation because this was the fastest super sedan ever made with the collaboration of Vauxhall and Lotus. On the front, you'll see the old Vauxhall logo on while on the side, you'll see some Lotus logos on it (one on the left side and one on the right side). At the back, the words "LOTUS" and "CARLTON" spelled it out. It uses a modified 3.6L 6-cylinder C36GET engine and a 6-speed manual ZF transmission sourced from the old Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. One majestic idea about the Lotus Carlton was it's powered with twin turbos and that makes it one of the most ultimate masterpieces in the past.

Absurdly the most fastest sports sedan ever made...

In the hands on owner, he/she can murder out with tuning parts and services to bring this murdered-out super saloon up to 700HP of power, 1347kg of weight, and 565 Performance Points. When Traction Control is not an issue, the Carlton is one heck of a wild ride. It's amazing that this was the most sinister-looking ride enthusiasts would ever indulge on it. I am glad when I sit inside the driver seat of the Lotus Carlton, I felt like I'm driving like Viktor Skobel's goons while gunning down Eddie O'Connor. Whoever owns it must have mattered it for some risk-taking procedures. It was the only 4-door sedan that exceeds the limits of the top speed of over 280km/h.

Ambushed by Viktor Skobel's henchmen driving
the Lotus Carlton! Watch out! They're heavily armed!

The Royal Society For The Prevention of Accidents called the Lotus Carlton a high speed safety hazard. The Association of Chief Police Officers said about the Lotus Carlton was an outrageous invitation to speed. It even caused a top speed outrage in the 1990's when BMW and Mercedes-Benz decided to limit their high-performance cars to 250km/h of top speed but the Carlton pushed against the barriers of the speed limit. No wonder the Russians on The Getaway: Black Monday, used the Lotus Carlton for ambush purposes against Eddie O'Connor, but enough what I said. The Lotus Carlton was one heck of a collector's item on GT5. You gonna love the way the Lotus Carlton reacts but the reality of being not equipped with TCS and ABS is one heck of a minor drawback but still it's worth a try to master the fastest super saloon that was preferred by the "Thieves In Law" for ambush purposes on Black Monday.

Toyota Chaser Tourer V in a Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin episode!

Yellow Toyota Belta cop car chases a white,
souped-up, JDM Toyota Chaser Tourer V on a
Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin episode!

I just notice something that a white, souped-up, Toyota Chaser 2.5 Tourer V has been spotted on last night's Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin episode.

This FR JDM Toyota sedan appeared when Javier (Coco Martin) and some punks at the bar escaping the cops driving yellow Toyota Belta cop cars. Wouldn't you believe all the drifting pulled by some bar punk?

Never seen that thing coming. How did that JDM Toyota Chaser Tourer V get there? What drifting techniques did this punk do? Whatever the heck it is, the old Chaser looks cool.

The car that fueled the Royal Couple...

Aston Martin DB6 Volante

The 1966 Aston Martin DB6 Volante is the vintage British sports car that fueled the Royal Couple Prince William and Kate Middleton.

After the Royal Wedding occurred in April 29, 2011 from Westminster Abbey to the Buckingham Palace, the Royal Couple Prince William and Kate Middleton went for a joyride with the Aston Martin DB6 Volante, the convertible version of the DB6 Coupe.

This car came from Prince William's father, Prince Charles, and he is glad that his Royal father generously lend the keys to his son because of he and Kate successfully tied the knot.

For interest, the plate number of the DB6 Volante the Prince and Kate rode was JU5T WED, which means JUST MARRIED.

I'm glad things turned out really really well for the Royal Couple. I wonder what will the Royal Couple's first honeymoon will be? For them, it's a secret. <_<

Flashback: The old Toyota Hilux was heroic after all...

This classic Toyota Hilux commercial in Thailand was aired in the 1980's and this pick-up truly is heroic after all, giving this old Hilux the name, Toyota Hilux Hero.

On that commercial, operators noticing that the fire is bursting on the refinery and what they don't know that the teacher and the students are crossing on the danger zone! To save them, the staff get inside the Toyota Hilux Hero to save them before they got barbecued. At the end, the main character turned off the fire from the pipeline. Everyone is saved by the Hilux Hero!

The Hilux truly was heroic after all...even in Thailand...

Rate Ko: 4.0/5.0

The Chaparral 2J Race Car is hard to find and hard to get at GT5 because of its expensiveness

2J Race Car spending its glory days

The Chaparral 2J Race Car is definitely a hard-to-get and hard-to-find vintage racer in GT5 because of its expensive pricing that is "a little more than 14 million credits" and finding it on the used car dealer can be very hard because it will take some time to appear and when you showed up at the used car dealer empty handed, you may not get this vintage fan car that was once banned in real life because of its unfairness.

The vintage fan car attacking the expressway

You may be familiar about the Chaparral 2J in the past Gran Turismo games but a few don't know what's with this classic race car. The Chaparral 2J is an orthodox racing machine created by Chaparral Cars. It is mated with a 700 HP engine and a 3-speed semi automatic transmission. What understands this race car is the fans on the back that provide some speed boost. It was once competed in the CanAm series but later banned because the other CanAm racers said this was unfair for a fan car. If they did not ban this car, this fan car would have been invincible and unstoppable in the CanAm races.

Every time when I participate my B-Spec drivers on the Classic Car race, they got themselves beaten by the Chaparral 2J. No matter which car I chose for them, even the Jaguar XJ13 or the Toyota 7, they won't work because the Chaparral 2J is too fast. So I got the urge to save up and buy this Chaparral 2J car. With the Chaparral 2J Race Car, my B-Spec drivers won the Classic Racing Car championship and I got myself a prize car which is one of the most expensive GT5 Premium Tier cars that is the Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ2 carrozzata da Zagato. I'll cover up that car later.

The fan car of the past meets the fan car of the future

The 3-speed transmission serves as a draw back on the Chaparral 2J but if you modified its gears, it reaches to a mind-numbing over the 360km/h speed. When equipped with the Stage 3 turbo, the Chaparral 2J Race Car is truly a wrecking force to be reckoned with because of its 820 PS of power output. I'm sure some of you already has one of those on your collection but is it worth trying?

1970 Chaparral 2J Race Car

The race car of the 1970's looks cool to be but in real life, this 2J is an unwelcome racer because of the regulations and the fan car technology is relatively forbidden because of its unfairness according to the racers. Who cares? If they did not ban this car before, it will score more wins than any conventional race cars. Would I get kicked out if they saw my Chaparral 2J on Online Races? No, they recognized it and this race car is always welcome anytime when you want it.

Lion Man parked near Westfield South Center

First generation Toyota Harrier/Lexus RX 300

While we are looking to find some available parking spots at the Westfield South Center on a rainy Saturday afternoon at Seattle (since a lot of people visiting Westfield on Saturdays), I saw a parked Toyota Harrier/Lexus RX on the parking areas of Westfield.

I saw a lot of "lion men" roaming around Seattle...

Uh huh, no doubt that this first-generation Toyota Harrier/Lexus RX is truly the Harrier I will never forget because of the Japanese TV ads showing the "Lion Man" driving the first-gen Harrier, which is a pre-facelift model lasted from 1997 to 2000. The year 2000 marks the first-generation minor change with a new grille, new rear lamps, new interior. There was a Japanese TV commercial on that but instead of the "Lion Man", the commercial shows more on "Team Harrier", a group of elite people driving Harriers.

It's true that this car is "Wild but formal" indeed.

Japanese TV Commercial (1997):

PR Video:

Japanese TV Commercial (2000):

The Hours of Enzo Ferrari

Song played on my Personal BGM: Victory Drive (Magic Flute from The Queen's Aria) by Yucca
From the album: Prima donna

Explosive rivalry between Enzo and Viper ACR

Ever since the ultimate million dollar Ferrari, the Enzo Ferrari, launched in 2002 in celebration of the brand's 55th anniversary, it seems that most Ferrari fans love to call this the ultimate Ferrari ever made with the name paid tribute to the founder, Enzo Ferrari. Talk about namesake, huh? Sadly, this million dollar Ferrari made up to 399 units available and it produced from 2002 up to 2004. The first Enzo Ferrari was truly a collector's item.

Tearing down the tracks of Nurburgring GP Track

The Enzo Ferrari wasn't the first time to appeared on Gran Turismo 5. It was first appeared as a purchasable prize on Gran Turismo PSP with a price that will surely put a hole in your pockets. Despite the million credit pricing, the Enzo Ferrari is one of the coolest Ferrari models you can drive. One word of warning however that I think the Enzo is hard to control but this is the fastest Ferrari production cars in history. It can even be a fierce rival to the Ferrari 430 Scuderia.

Madrid will never be the same without Enzo

When I fully tuned this car, the Enzo Ferrari breaks to a mind-numbing 925 PS/8900 rpm of power output, weights 1044 kg, and it has a 644 Performance Points. Like I always said, its up to you to configure the LSD, Braking, and suspension. With results vary, the Enzo Ferrari can be the prancing horse with the force to be reckoned with.

Relaxing at the sunset

The Enzo Ferrari is branded as a Premium Tier car, meaning you can put some aero parts, change rims, and go out for a Photo Travel. I bring the Enzo out on a trip to Red Bull Hangar-7 and the Shoren-in temple in Kyoto and looks can be somewhat cool.

Japanese design is a fitting on the Enzo

Fast fact that the Enzo Ferrari's aggressive design was penned by a Japanese from Pininfarina, named Ken Okuyama. Italian performance with a Japanese design, what an impressive combination about this rare specimen! Anyways, I always love the tachometer because the numbers here are in a very sophisticated font.

Blaze through Monza

Since the car costs about 1,000,000 credits, it may take some races to win and snag this elusive Enzo Ferrari that is truly the ultimate prancing horse built for the elite drivers. If fully tuned, you can bring it in on some online races others allowing production cars only sans the Bugatti Veyron. Will they kick you out just by showing it your Enzo Ferrari at some online races? Who knows?