You heard it. Gentlemen are too old and boys are too young. The new Hyundai Accent is really targeted for real guys in their right age. As if, GUYS ONLY!
About last night, the new Hyundai Accent RB is finally in the Philippine market!
Two engines are offered; a 1.4L Gamma DOHC engine and a 1.6L Gamma DOHC engine. The 1.4L variant is armed with a 5-speed manual and a 1.6L variant comes with a 4-speed auto. Suggested Retail Price starts at 588,000 to 808,000 Pesos. Sounds cheap! Can be a perfect taxi!
I just really hope for the 1.6L GDi variant or the CRDi variant. But anyway, time to play the song Cold Rock the Mic by Apollo 440! As you may know, the song Cold Rock the Mic by Apollo 440 was the song played on the new Hyundai Accent Korean commercial.
Both are JDM, both are kei cars, and both are targeted for the young and fashionable women. In my feminine side, I wonder which of these are the best?
CASE ONE:
The Suzuki Alto Lapin is a spin-off of the world-famous Suzuki Alto and it doesn't share the Alto's mainframe. This car was launched in 2002 and followed with a full model change in late 2008. There used to be a Mazda OEM of the Lapin, called the Spiano, but it was discontinued after the Lapin gained its second-generation. Two engine types are offered on the Lapin; a Natural Aspiration K6A engine and a Turbocharged K6A engine. Whoa! A turbocharged Lapin! Seems that someone would go for the Lapin rather than the Cocoa because of the turbo variant!
There is something cute about the Lapin, the interior... When you start the Lapin's engine, you will be greeted by some animated display on the Lapin's dashboard. How cute!
CASE TWO:
The Cocoa is a spin-off car from the Daihatsu Mira. Although it replaces the Mira Gino and the Move Latte, feminine side is always go first for the Mira Cocoa. Unlike the Lapin, the Cocoa is equipped with just only one engine, the KF-VE engine. No turbocharger included. On the bright side, this engine has more power output than the Lapin's Natural Aspiration K6A engine, but not quite fuel efficient than its rival even when both of them have CVT. There is one feature that the Lapin didn't have; the back monitor equipped on the Cocoa's room mirror.
For styling, I think I'll go for the Daihatsu Cocoa, but for performance-wise women, the Suzuki Lapin takes the bet. It depends on how Japanese women think about these two super-cute kei cars targeted for a certain young Japanese woman.
After years of extensive R&D, Intel, and testing through world famous racetracks, including the Nurburgring, the Lexus LFA revealed its true self after years of being a concept car several times. It was unveiled at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show and production for the LFA starts at the end of 2010 to 2012, limited to just 500 copies worldwide (with 165 available in Japan).
This LFA faced many struggles, including the death of its own Godfather, Hiromu Naruse, at a car accident, driving an LFA Nurburgring Prototype, then crashed with some BMW test vehicle face to face. It seems this will take some time for the LFA to heal its own wounds after the loss of its creator.
This LFA project began in 2000 under the supervision of Mr. Haruhiko Tanahashi, chief engineer, during the Sugo Test Drive. It took 10 years, and a process of trial and error to create an ultimate masterpiece only Toyota Motor Corporation has to offer. In 2005, at the North American International Auto Show at Detroit, the first Lexus LFA was unveiled, following with the sculptured LFA concept at the 2005 Design Week Milan. After showing the concept, the team continues for another trial and error process, and right until 2007, an LFA Concept Type-II is shown at the 2007 North American International Auto Show at Detroit, showing its work in progress. After times of showing its concept form, the LFA prototype joined the legendary Nurburgring 24-Hour Endurance in 2008 and 2009. After prototype testing, the true LFA was unveiled at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show.
Powered with the new 1LR-GUE engine, this 4.8L V10 masterpiece can go to about 560PS/8,700r.p.m. and the torque output of 48.9kg-m/6,800r.p.m. It's armed with the 6-speed Automated Sequential Gearbox. Judging with this new engine, this LFA is truly a Japanese masterpiece under Toyota's right. It's biggest rival was the Nissan R35 GT-R. At first, the LFA defeated the GT-R barely, but this was just the beginning. With the newly facelifted GT-R armed with the improved VR engine, will this rematch between the LFA and Godzilla became a reality? I think I hope so because I can't wait to see this kind of rematch very soon.
LFA customers can choose which color of the LFA suits their taste. There are normal colors and special colors (available in early 2012) available to mix and match for their own personal preference. There are dozens of interior color combination offered which is mostly like the Lexus LS' L-Select customization program offered for Japanese customers or the Godzilla (Nissan GT-R) version of the Lexus L-Select offered from its EGOIST variant. For me, the LFA's car color would be "Whitest White" and the interior should have contained black paneling and red leather seats.
My thoughts about the LFA:
In the Philippines, Toyota Motor Philippines and Lexus Manila will bring the LFA in just one WHITE copy at the cost of over forty million Philippine Pesos. Who would buy that rare item, but they'll have to leave it on display at Lexus Manila. Those who are dreaming to try the Lexus LFA can also try Forza 3 Ultimate Collection (with Stig's Garage Pack DLC) for the XBOX 360 and Gran Turismo 5 for the Playstation3 to test out the capability of the Lexus LFA. It's hard buying the limited-production LFA but thanks to racing video games, they had their first taste.
The Lexus LFA is limited to just 500 models worldwide and remember the saying, first come, first served. But most customers already served their orders since the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show. Anyway, my impression about the LFA is its remarkable 1LR-GUE engine that has a remarkable power that can blow away the likes of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG!
Guess I already had my taste on the Lexus LFA courtesy of video games such as Forza 3 Ultimate Collection and Gran Turismo 5, so there is nothing to worry about how the Lexus LFA feels like. Besides, the starting sound of the Lexus LFA sounds awesome, I just want to record that sound and be my cellphone's ringtone all day!
Honestly, it's Japanese. But how did one Japanese electric car beat against Europe's finest such as the Alfa Romeo new Giulietta, Citroen C3 and DS3, or even the Opel/Vauxhall Meriva?
I don't know, but anyway, congrats to Nissan for winning the holy grail for European cars. The Japanese car that won the Europe Car of the Year made it the biggest competitor in the new age of electric cars.
Sadly, we can't get the Nissan Leaf to the Philippines yet unless the PH Government has to approve the law that allows sale of Electric Cars to our country.
Toyota's new Ractis (soon in Europe as the Verso-S)
and the Subaru version of the new Toyota Ractis, the Trezia
Wait a minute, both of them have the same engine, same interior, and same platform. Why would I compare them if both have the same traits? Don't worry, it's the style I'm comparing...
CASE ONE:
With Yui Aragaki leading the commercial for the new, second-generation, Toyota Ractis, this is truly every Japanese families' answer to the question "Korette, Ari?" (これって、あり, does that mean, there?) The answers on the new Ractis include, but not limited to; a choice of a 1.3L and 1.5L engine, three types (Standard, L'epice, and Sporty Type), and convenient tax cuts due to Japan's "Eco Car Genzei" system. The new Ractis is built as an everyday compact hatchback for the everyday Japanese, and soon Europeans. Take note, the new Ractis arrived in Hong Kong as the Ractis Verso.
CASE TWO:
The commercial from the new Subaru Trezia pits Japanese male actor, Tetsuji Tamayama, ala, Top Gun. It feels like you're in a jet fighter. But let me explain about the Trezia. With the same engine offerings from the new Ractis, convenient tax cuts from the Eco-Car Genzei, and the special specification Trezia dubbed the Type Euro, it seems both the Trezia and the new Ractis are the same. The main difference is the face. The Trezia has an Impreza-like face that looks like a photoshopped Ractis, but it is a reality.
I would really go for the looks of the new Ractis because it strikes a pose more than the Trezia. The Trezia's face seems decent because of its chubby Impreza face. I observed why most Japanese prefer the Trezia rather than the new second-generation Ractis. Is it because of the face? The commercial? The marketing? Doesn't matter. I hope both of these come to the Philippines with different names. The Ractis will be on Europe as the Verso-S while the Trezia, there's a rumor that it may come as the replacement of the Toyota Passo/Daihatsu Boon-based Justy.
Officially official! The spin-off from the hit 2009 Korean action drama IRIS, titled Athena: Goddess of War, will be exploding to SBS starting December 13!
December 13!!
Can't hardly wait! With Jeong Woo-seong returning on Korean TV after a decade and a half, will his comeback to Korean TV made this new Korean drama to topple off KBS's The Fugitive Plan B?
I'm sure Athena will topple off Fugitive, that's for true....
