Hot Import Nights return to the Philippines

Listen up, import punks and speedo boys in the Philippines because Hot Import Nights, America's largest lifestyle custom car show, is returning to the Philippines! Yes, you heard it right! Hot Import Nights 2: Manila brings back the largest custom car show from America to the Philppine capital with more noise, more fun, more custom cars, and everything else in store for this event! Joining the fun were four international models that will make HIN2: MANILA even more hotter than ever. From Taiwan - Eva Skye. From USA and Philippines - Jeri Lee. From USA and Canada - Danielle Riel. And from Europe - Nicole Duminie. What's even more interesting that the president and vice president of HIN and Xtreme Drift Circuit will be participating at this venue as judges for the carshow in search for the best custom car.

HIN2: MANILA is fully loaded with custom car show, drift battles, concert, r/c drifting, VIP part, and much much more. It's on April 20-21, 2013 at the World Trade Center, Pasay City. This was organized from the producers of Bumper to Bumper Carshow and Metro Rides.

See you there!

Facebook page: facebook.com/b2bcarshow
Email: ladderevents@yahoo.com
Website: b2bcarshow.com/hinmanila

Ruby Rodriguez, IHAW NA!

On April 15, 2013's Banana Nite's IHAW NA segment, in a different way, we see Tito Bhoy interviews Ruby Rodriguez from another network. Now that's a different approach...interviewing someone who came from a different network but hey! It's worth a try!

Meanwhile. Melai Cantiveros gave us three tips just in case you got tripped over in front of a crowd in Laugh Three.

1) When being tripped over, try laughing yourself louder

2) Pretend you're taking a workout

3) Pretend you're injured!!!

Let's Do The News! (April 16, 2013)

River's Diary

Right, what's the news today you spoiler-laden TARDIS journal?

Boston Marathon Explosions

At least three people (including an eight-year old boy) were killed and over 144 victims were woundend in a twin explosions happened at the finish line of the world-famous Boston Marathon race. No one knows who's behind this terror happened in Boston while police are searching for the whereabouts of the explosion. This is a very tragic moment for those who are fallen from a terrible tragedy. I know, it's very tragic but who's to blame? No one knows. No one really knows who's behind it.
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If you have any info, here's one of the following hotlines;


Boston Mayor's Hotline for families of victims: 617-635-4500
Boston Police line for witnesses who may have information: 800-494-8477

EA to close The Sims Social, SimCity Social, and Pet Society in mid-June

The cause of declining players of the social games from EA such as SimCity Social, The Sims Social, and Pet Society pushed the American video game maker to retire those social games on the 14th of June, 2013 as part of "sharpening its focus to provide games for new platforms and mobile". Such decision is not an easy task to make but it's for reallocation of servers and resources to popular social games. Those who still had a balance of in-game currency are encouraged to spend it before these games were shut down on June 14 and no longer available to play.

Details: http://forum.playfish.com/showthread.php?t=2968220

The Forza Horizon 1000 Club

Available tomorrow for free, the 1000 Club expansion for Forza Horizon features over a thousand challenges that test your cars' limits such as sending a Ford Raptor crushing as many objects, send a LanEvo flying at the Carson Golf Course, and more challenges that add longevity to Horizon. Also, it comes with ten new achievements to hunt and two new cars to own such as the RUF CTR2 and the Ford F100 pickup truck.

Are you ready?

Bugatti's world record reinstated by Guinness World Records

Bugatti Veyron Super Sport

Following the sudden announcement that the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport stripped off its world record title due to mechanical issues and being kicked by the Hennessey Venom GT from America, there's a good news that the "fastest production car in the world" title has been returned to the Veyron SS. Good news! A spokesperson said that after several evaluations, Guinness World Records is satisfied that the change to the speed limiter does not affect the fundamental design of the car or its engine. Happy now?

Story: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/car-manufacturers/bugatti/9995355/Bugatti-Veyron-gets-its-fastest-car-title-reinstated.html

F1 2013 Chinese GP

Fernando Alonso wins the Chinese GP

It's the first win for Ferrari on this season's Chinese GP race at Shanghai and such a cunning strategy really led Ferrari's Fernando Alonso to victory while leaving Lotus' Kimi Raikkonen in 2nd place and Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton in 3rd place. It seems that everyone's predictions about who's going to win the Chinese GP were right and wrong but never mind about that.

This race was bad luck for Red Bull's Mark Webber because on the practice days, he ran out of gas. Then on race day, he lost control on his F1 machine after a collision with Red Bull Junior Eric Vergne.

PRESS RELEASE:


Race - Alonso storms to superb China victory 14 Apr 2013
        
Fernando Alonso delivered the perfect race for Ferrari in China on Sunday afternoon, to catapult himself back into the title hunt on a day when points-leader Sebastian Vettel could only manage fourth for Red Bull behind runner-up Kimi Raikkonen in the Lotus and third-placed Lewis Hamilton.

Hamilton led from the start for Mercedes, but could not contain Alonso’s challenge by the fifth lap as first the Spaniard's red car swept by on the left-hand side and then his team mate Felipe Massa's F138 snatched second place on the right-hand side.

The leaders quickly ditched their fragile soft-compound Pirelli tyres - Hamilton and Nico Rosberg on the fifth lap, Alonso and Raikkonen on the sixth, Massa on the seventh. That left all of them to run to the flag on varying sets of mediums, whereas Vettel, McLaren’s Jenson Button and Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg were amongst those to start on mediums and would thus have to make very late stops to switch to softs.

These out-of-kilter circumstances put Hulkenberg into the lead from laps seven to 14, but when he encountered a delay with the right-rear tyre at his pit stop it put him behind Vettel, who had been chasing the Sauber and had stopped at the same time.

By the 15th lap Button, yet to stop, led Alonso and Sergio Perez in the second McLaren, who also had yet to pit. Hamilton at that stage was fourth under pressure from Raikkonen, with Vettel sixth.

Alonso, however, caught and passed Button on the 21st lap, before pitting again on the 23rd. That temporarily put Vettel back into the lead from Hulkenberg between laps 24 and 28, when Alonso sliced confidently back in front of Vettel to set up his 31st career triumph.

As Vettel stopped for more medium tyres on the 31st lap, Hamilton and Raikkonen moved back into second and third. The Finn had collided with Perez on the 16th lap, sustaining some damage to his front wing, but over the remainder of the race the Lotus had the edge over the Mercedes despite increased understeer, and after Hamilton’s final pit stop on the 37th lap Raikkonen had the advantage.

Out front, Alonso was never really troubled, nursing his tyres yet maintaining a fierce pace. Raikkonen and Hamilton battled to keep Vettel and Button in sight, and moved ahead of them when they duly pitted for their soft tyres. Button did so first, on lap 49, followed by Vettel on 51. The German was ever so slightly delayed, and that cost him his podium chance.

Raikkonen clearly wasn’t going to catch Alonso, but he still had to keep an eye on Hamilton who was still pushing hard even though his tyres were all but finished. But it was Vettel who was really on the move as he slashed the gap mercilessly to Hamilton. It didn’t help that the Mercedes driver came across Caterham backmarker Giedo van der Garde on the last lap, and that enabled Vettel to get right on to the Mercedes’s tail. 

Hamilton finally sliced by the Dutchman, but as Vettel also lunged aggressively by he ran wide in the next corner, and that was enough to save Hamilton’s podium position. By the flag he was still just two-tenths of a second ahead of Vettel as Alonso led Raikkonen home by 10.1s with Hamilton a further 2.1s adrift.

Button kept going to take a respectable fifth for McLaren ahead of Massa, who lost his early pace when he got stuck in the midfield after having to make his first stop a lap later than Alonso. Daniel Ricciardo was in the fight for points right from the start, and took his Toro Rosso to an excellent seventh, ahead of a battle between Paul di Resta’s Force India (another to stop late for softs), Romain Grosjean’s Lotus and Hulkenberg. Di Resta was lucky to survive a brush at the end of the first lap with team mate Adrian Sutil, which momentarily pushed him off the track.

Perez was 11th, leading home Jean-Eric Vergne’s Toro Rosso and the Williams’ of Valtteri Bottas and Pastor Maldonado. Jules Bianchi took 15th for Marussia after a race-long fight with Charles Pic, which saw the red and black car finish just two seconds ahead of the Caterham. Further back, Max Chilton beat Van der Garde for 17th.

Sutil was one of four drivers to retire from the race after his Force India was assaulted by Esteban Gutierrez’s Sauber under braking for Turn 14 early on, an incident that will see the Mexican rookie drop five places on the grid in Bahrain as a penalty. 

Mercedes’ Rosberg retired with a broken rear anti-roll bar, and Mark Webber retired when his Red Bull lost its right-rear wheel as he tried to creep back to the pits - an incident for which Red Bull were fined 5000 Euros. 

Webber had started from the pit lane with a heavily readjusted car after his fuelling problem in qualifying, but after a strong showing in the opening laps he was delayed in a clash with Vergne which damaged his front wing.

The stewards investigated several drivers after the race for possible use of DRS under yellow flags - notably Vettel, Webber, Raikkonen, Bottas, Ricciardo and Chilton - but decided not to issue any penalties. 

After three rounds, Vettel still leads the title chase with 52 points, from Raikkonen on 49, Alonso on 43, Hamilton on 40, Massa on 30 and Webber on 26. In the constructors’ stakes, Red Bull have 78, Ferrari 73, Lotus 60, Mercedes 52, and McLaren and Force India 14.

Source: http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2013/4/14459.html

So far, on the driver's standings, Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel was still in the lead by 52 points while Lotus' Kimi Raikkonen is three points behind him and Ferrari's Alonso is now 9 points behind Vettel. Okay, good. So, will they highly criticized Bahrain GP happen in April 21? Stay tuned!

Let's Do The News! (April 14, 2013)

(cheers and applause)

2014 Acura RLX

JC: Really don't like this...really don't like this...

JM: Anyway, let's do the news!

JC: Anyway, Bugatti, a couple of weeks ago, they had lost the crown for the fastest car in the world because of technical reasons. Now, they've launched a new version of the Grand Sport Vitesse, it's called the WRC. Here it is...

Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse WRC

JC: This is the car that set standards as the fastest open-top car in the world with a top speed of 408.84kph, which was set at VW's top secret facility at Ehra-Lessien.

JM: 408? Kph? That's about...

JC: 254 miles per hour.

JM: That's about less than the Supersport Veyron but to be honest, that was worth of try for Bugatti to claim the record as the world's fastest convertible ever made.

JC: Exactly. And, it will make appearances at the 2013 Shanghai Motor Show this April and it will be limited to 8 units, each costs 1.99 million euros, which sounds eye-watering if you know what I mean. And if you have that one and drove one of these at the German Autobahn, rest assured your face will peel off...

(audience laughing)

RH: Yeah, getting peeled off more than driving an Ariel Atom by yourself without an helmet...

(audience laughing)

JC: Anyway, last year's Fighter of the Year, Nonito Donaire, as I heard, he took a fight against Guillermo "Chacal" Rigondeaux.

RH: Okay...

JC: And he lost. Donaire lost the title to Rigondeaux. I know, very sad news for the Filipino boxer but at least the fight was fair and I think let's congratulate Donaire no mater what the result is...

(cheers and applause)

JC: Anyway, tomorrow's the celebration of North Korea's founder, Kim Il-Sing who was the father of Kim Jong-Il and the grandfather of current leader Kim Jong-Un. I was on alert on some ridiculous activity going on, regarding test firing missles at the sea and the threat that war occurs when Japan shoot down missles.

RH: On alert? How do you keep making tabs regarding tensions at the Korean peninsula?

JC: I told you...it's the North Korea threat detector-inator!

(audience laughing)

RH: THe NoKor threat detector-inator?

JC: Simple...when I'm noticing something fishy going around North Korea, this thing will trigger a device that says... (mimics Paw Pilot) SPECIAL ALERT! SPECIAL ALERT!

(audience laughing)

JM: So, when North Korea's making provocations, it would say (mimics Paw Pilot) SPECIAL ALERT! SPECIAL ALERT!

(audience laughing)

JM: You're going to make tabs on what's what. Kinda brilliant but rubbish idea though. We have BBC to cover up the North Korean crisis. We don't need your NoKor threat detector-inator thingy that you made up.

JC: Okay, okay...But...I had something interesting for me to tell you...

JM: What?

JC: Anyway, I went on the internet and I found this...

(audience laughing hysterically)

RH: Uh...okay. That's seem to be peculiar...

JC: I know, right? I know... Anyway, I found this, okay? There's an upcoming Date A Live PS3 video game coming up and what I heard that on this game, players can go beyond the “date,” and even see their love interest as a pregnant wife in the future after marriage. Wha...what's that?

(audience laughing)

JC: This is utter nonsense! A PS3 game based on an anime series and then it will feature "pregnancy endings?"

(audience laughing)

JM: Well, actually, it's going to be as weirder than other dating sim games I've encountered...

(audience laughing)

RH: Thanks for notifying, you jerk...

JC: Anyway, while I'm not interested on that game, why don't you try it for a chance and see which pregnancy ending fits you...

(audience laughing)

JM: Huh? Why would I do that?

JC: You said you like dating sims so I think you might be interested on it.

JM: No, I'm not!

(audience laughing)

JC: Well, never mind about that. Anyway, that is the end of the news and by tomorrow, I shall be on duty on North Korea's celebratory suspicion.

RH: And then...let Paw Pilot tell you "Special Alert" when noticed...

(audience laughing)

Acura RLX

As we all know, last year, Honda killed off the unsuccessful Legend flagship sedan leaving the brand only one sedan left in its lineup and that's the Honda Accord, which will be converted into a hybrid-only sedan as well as it will spawn a plug-in hybrid model as well. If you are in North America, there's more sedans offered in the lineup and for its America-only Acura brand, what was once known as the RL has changed.

2014 Acura RLX

This is the Acura RLX. Hideous, isn't it? It's about as boring as watching a romantic drama that is fitting for late bloomers. It's a kind of car only fitting to someone whose friends and employees called him Sir Chief. (laughing) It's a Sir Chief's car! That's what is!

2014 Acura RLX interior

Look at the outside, this car would be fine if this one is sold and badged as a Honda in Japan but that won't happen because Honda killed off the Legend. Like many Acuras, the front view's been stuck with this ghastly looking front grille which feels like the eagle's beak has been flattened by a roller. That's odd but forget about the grille because the overall look for the RLX is about as bland as your Sir Chief in his stripey jumper. I hate stripey jumpers so that's why I don't like the RLX's looks.

As for the interior, this is a bit complicating because on the dashboard, I can see two screens; one on the top and one on the middle which slots above the car's air-conditioning...Huh? What's the purpose of a car having two screens on the dashboard? This is like you're watching a TV show on the same screens! That would be so duling if you know what I mean? So those two screens on its dashboard, the top screen is where it displays maps, song currently playing, and other stuff, while the second screen is where your fingers go. That's right, it was made for touching.

Now under the bonnet is an all-new 3.5-liter Direct Injection SOHC i-VTEC V-6 engine matched to a Sequential SportShift 6-speed automatic with paddle shifters. That car produces about 310HP of power and  272lb-ft of torque. Because it is a first model to implement Earth Dreams Technology, it reaches an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 31MPG highway. Really? Earth Dreams Technology? Perhaps introduce it first in Japan but oh well. That won't happen for Honda to introduce a V6 sedan with some Earth Dreams Technology.

Also, the SH-AWD that the previous model favored for has been thrown away and replaced with a rather hopeless front-wheel drive powertrain and come equipped with something called P-AWS or Precision All Wheel Steer. Some say, this is the industry's first left/right independent rear-wheel toe angle control which uses an all-electric system that enhances driving dynamics. So how's that affect the RLX's driving feel? Not so much, it feels exactly the same as an ordinary FF flagship sedan. It doesn't handle very well than the SH-AWD and it lacks sporty character on it. I'm afraid that P-AWS needs more enhancement because I think this is about as dull as an ordinary pencil sharpener. It doesn't give you better results than a pencil that was once sharpened by a power sharpener.

And then there's the pricing...It starts at $48,450 minus the destination charges while the navigation system would be a $2,500 extra. If you want a full-optioned RLX, you'll need more than $60,450 to have one. That's a bit pricey and that's costlier than the Cadillac XTS or a Buick LaCrosse. So, such pricing would add some rubbishness to the RLX, I'm afraid.

2014 Acura RLX

So, the Acura RLX, the replacement to the RL (known in Japan as the Honda Legend) can be a possible contender for the worst car of 2013 because it's not that nice to drive, it's not that nice to look at, it has two screens that doesn't make any sense, it's not that more fun to drive because of its rubbish P-AWS, it's made by a car company that should have known better, it's not Japanese and worst of all, when will Honda make and sell sedans in Japan?

Photo: Acura

Doctor Who S07E08

Cold War

Brrr....is it cold out here or what? Nope, that's just the Cold War episode of Doctor Who Series 7 where The Doctor and Clara are on a race against time to stop an Ice Warrior from destoying a submerged Russian nuclear submarine along with the crew on it.

One thing I didn't understand is...does The Doctor had a doll? Uh oh...

Also, the old man just said to Clara about time travelling... "Ultravox, do they split up?". That line made me smiled a bit...

Anyway, never mind about that but that Ice Warrior...it's good that a classic Who monster has returned in a modern Who series. (Which also makes it a good collectible if Underground Toys got that memo...)

Next week...HIDE. The one where Jessica Raine from Call the Midwife guests stars! It's also the one where...well, you know... "I'm The Doctor, and I'm afraid"

See you next week...

Forza Horizon: Barn Find: Shelby Daytona

The Brotherhood

By the moment you found the Shelby Daytona Coupe as a barn find, you are wielding a legendary machine that several class wins at Sebring and Le Mans, GT-class wins at Monza, Nurburgring, and Reims, and 23 land speed records at the Bonneville Salt Flats.

This car is perfect for such a Colorado landscape because the Daytona Coupe truly feels at home in the open road goodness in Horizon and no matter how long you've been driving with this timeless and priceless classic, the Daytona Coupe sure loves to play around in Colorado as long as you're not fiddling with its pristine inspiration. You can either go nuts or go concours with it but the Daytona Coupe loves to do either ways.

"That's my AERIEL! What's yours?"

On the April 12, 2013 episode of Bubble Gang...

- Kitchen gags

- This new recruit from a notorious crime syndicate is a bit different than the usual goons...

- See a doctor who uses his psychic powers to his patients...

- Feel the wrath of Mayor Frankenstein! A politician to end all politicians!

- Bubble Gang does Ariel Color & Style by spoofing this commercial as AERIEL COLOR & STYLE! That's my AERIEL! What's yours?

- An epic story of a man who can't be accepted to the hospital until to the moment that heaven and hell can't accept him!

- Welcome to the Sleep Over Show, the talk show where guests are interviewed at the bed even when it's time to sleep!

- Meet the new lady boss..

- A couple blessened themselves with an...unano?

- The tambays are planning a protest

Threats from North Korea - A Week in Review (April 13, 2013)

Updates from the rising tensions from the Korean Peninsula? Here's a week in review to catch you up from North Korea's endless bellicose threats against the world...

- On April 7, 2013, The Pentagon has delayed an intercontinental ballistic missile test due to take place in California next week amid soaring nuclear tensions with North Korea, an official said Saturday.

- North Korea may be preparing for a fourth nuclear test, with stepped up activity detected at its main test site, a senior South Korean government official said according to a report Monday.

- North Korea warns against Japan's sanctions extensions by targeting against major Japanese cities, including Tokyo and Osaka. To address against North Korea's missle launch, Japan readies anti-missile weapons on major cities to shoot down incoming missiles or debris. However, North Korea threatened Japan that it will ignite a war anytime if they shoot down an incoming missile or debris.

- North Korea pulled out all workers from the Kaesong complex.

- Previously, North Korea may launch several mid-range missiles by Wednesday but it is likely to launch those on April 15, the birthday of the nation's founder, Kim Il-Sung.

- Did you know that North Korea's weaponry is worth a three-year corn supply? Some say that Pyongyang has spent a total of 3.24 billion dollars, including 1.5 billion to build nuclear-related facilities and develop weapons, and 1.74 billion on missiles. Also, the ministry estimated the costs of developing short- and medium-range missiles including the Musudan at 840 million dollars. It said the North spent 600 million dollars to build launch sites. That was a report from the NHK...

- After a meeting between US President Barrack Obama and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon at the White House, Obama warns that the US will take all necessary actions to protect its people and allies against North Korea's bellicose threats.

- US Secretary of State John Kerry will meet up with Chinese president Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders to discuss about North Korea and the hope to tell China's ally to cool down. Meanwhile, North Korea will set up a nuclear ministry as part of Kim Jong Un's policy of stepping up the nation's nuclear program.

- Meanwhile, Pyongyang is preparing for the birthday of the country's late founder, Kim Il-Sung. Some festive decorations have been raised and flowers are planted. Events on this celebration are underway despite tensions as NoKor preparing their missles for test launch.

Forza Motorsport 4 - Shelby Daytona Coupe

Sebring Legend

While loosely based on the Cobra chassis and drivetrain, the Daytona Coupe from Shelby was made for motorsports purposes, mainly for GT-class racing where it targets the Ferrari and its other rivals of its class. Thanks to the Daytona Coupe, Shelby is the first American constructor to win a title at the FIA World Sportscar Championship in 1965.

Since Carroll Shelby's win in 1959 Le Mans, he wanted to return to this motorsport to defeat Enzo Ferarri again in his own game. Although, the Cobra is a successful GT racer, the open top looks is a problem when it reaches the Mulsanne Straight of Le Mans at the top speed of 157mph, almost 30 less than the Ferrari 250 GTO. Even with a special hard-tops, it wasn't quite enough to provide more aerodynamics than the Ferrari racers on the straights, so he enlisted former General Motors stylist, Pete Brock, to pen a low drag coupe body.

The Daytona Coupe is made out of aluminum body and tubular steel frame for its chassis so it weights about 1,043 kilos. Powering this is Ford's 289 90-degree V8 engine with OHV, which churns out 390BHP of power and 462Nm of torque while mated with a Borg-Warner T-10 M 4 speed Manual. It can do 0-60 in 4.4 seconds and top speed of 191mph.

During its tenure, the Shelby Daytona Coupe garnered several class wins at Sebring and Le Mans. It even garnered GT-class wins at Monza, Nurburgring, and Reims. In 1965, it garnered 23 land speed records at the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Gran Turismo 5: Two different Atenzas...

The first Atenza

Looking back on Gran Turismo 5, I have been given a chance to check out two different generations of Mazda Atenza in two different perspectives. It's just like Richard Hammond, driving the icons on the Top Gear Test Track for some nostalgic reasons or for some TG Magazine issues but anyway, both the first and the second generation Atenzas were really trying to itch their way through Mazda's Zoom-Zoom spectacle.

About the first generation Atenza, this car was first revealed at the 2001 Tokyo Motor Show and went on sale in the summer of 2002, replacing some of Mazda's mid-size sedan models such as the Capella, the Cronos, or the 5-door liftback called the Efini MS-6. It was available in three various body styles such as the Sedan, the Sport Wagon, and the Sport 5-door liftback (which Gran Turismo 5 has one).

The variant that GT5 featured was the Sport model with the 2.3L engine mated with a 5-speed manual gearbox. When I drove this kind of Atenza, there are some merits and demerits regarding about this car. What I like about this Atenza is its looks because it was the first Mazda to adopt its signature pentagonal grille that adorn most Mazdas from 2002 up to 2008 where the second-generation Atenza has some Nagare design on it. Bits of it, yes... But sadly though, I think I like this first generation better than the second-generation because it looks more of a civilized businessman who doesn't want to go on a meeting with a choppy formal wear that embarasses himself. Because this is the Sport model, I think its 5-door liftback looks really nods from its predecessor, the Efini MS-6.

One thing I didn't know that the Atenza was built on the same platform used on the Ford Mondeo. Of course, Mazda was partially owned by Ford at that time, so this Mondeo-derived platform used on the Atenza comes with sport-tuned double wishbone suspension on the front and a multilink at the rear, which some say, it was the best handling car in its class. Sadly though, it doesn't seem to be best-handling to me but it handles fine on generous corners where no violent turning is necessary but in some corners, like for instance, the Follow-Through on the Top Gear Track, the Atenza's starting to struggle. Mild but menacing if you know what I mean but because this is an everyday car, the Atenza's not a menacing saloon car. It's a well-mannered saloon built for the whole family.

Sure, I like the first-generation Atenza but there was just one Atenza I like the most...and it was the Mazdaspeed model...

The Mazdaspeed Atenza

You might remember that Jeremy Clarkson once reviewed the Mazdaspeed Atenza (or Mazdaspeed6 or Mazda 6 MPS) on Top Gear alongside the Ford Mondeo ST220 and the Vauxhall Vectra VXR and when The Stig drove it, the Mazdaspeed Atenza set a lap time of 01:32.2 at the Top Gear Track, which is faster than the lap times set from Renaultsport Megane 225 or the first-generation Audi TT V6. Quite an achievement here though but let's talk about this machine...

This high-performance version of the Atenza was revealed to the world at the 2004 Paris Motor Show and it uses the 4-door saloon version as its basis. It comes with a 2.3L DISI TURBO engine that sends its power in all four wheels. So, it's a 4WD hot Atenza eh? That sounds uncanny to me but when you take your foot on the pedal, it's as silent as a normal 4-door saloon so I was expecting to be as civilized as a normal Atenza. It's true, it is.

Also, the handling is more like it for me because what Mazda did to this hot Atenza is they put something they've called Active Torque Control Coupling system on its 4WD system, which manages the torque between all four wheels and it monitors the car's steering angle, yaw rate, lateral G-force and engine conditions in real time. It sure is sharper than the normal Atenza Sport though, although there's a hint of understeer, which is catastrophic to me.

If possible, I'm considering this Mazdaspeed Atenza to be a "future classic" because there are only a few models out there worldwide. If you spot one, you'd be lucky to drive a hotter midsize sedan that no other carmaker has anymore these days.

The second Atenza

Now, if you're talking about the second-generation Mazda that was built from 2008 to 2012, well, I have nothing else to say about it but I'll let myself slip through this story. Ever since the second-generation model broke cover in 2008, I was really amused by its looks because the design flow of the second-generation Atenza marks a huge departure from its old design flow and into the Nagare flow. Not sure if this is the first but the second-generation Atenza is becoming more athletic than its predecessor.

If I mean athletic, of course! The handling's more sharper than the first-generation Atenza but not as aggressive as the Mazdaspeed Atenza. That reminds me...

Did I said that I like the first model better than the second model? Oh dear...Perhaps, I should just rewrite my words and then I'd admit that the second-generation Atenza's my type than the first-generation Atenza, well the Mazdaspeed Atenza is my pick for me but never mind about that...

Never mind indeed, and while the Gran Turismo franchise has no plans to introduce the third-generation Atenza with the revolutionary SKYACTIV Technology, guess I had to make do with the previous two generations of the Mazda Atenza...and that makes me sad...