The Stig drives the Hyundai Veloster Turbo

2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo

As you may remember in last week's episode of Top Gear Korea Season 2, the 2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo, for the first time, appeared on Top Gear Korea in the flesh. The racing driver, Kim Jin Pyo, test drove the Veloster Turbo and this is somewhat too different to the one that Jeremy Clarkson wrote on his column. The Veloster Turbo even had a drag race against the Mini Cooper S.

After Kim Jin Pyo's test drive of the Veloster Turbo, it was the turn of The Stig to lap the Veloster Turbo round the Top Gear Korea Test Track. 

The Hyundai Veloster Turbo did it in 1:46.05, faster than the Mini Countryman and the Chevrolet Camaro but a few seconds slower than the Kia K5 T-GDi.

For full Top Gear Korea Power Lap Times: http://series.lifestyler.co.kr/Program/416/11/Contents/View

I think the Tulfo brothers are losing the fight!!!

Thrilla in NAIA

While most Filipinos are getting a bit head-scratching about the whole THRILLA IN NAIA story where Mon Tulfo, Raymart Santiago and Claudine Barretto are involved in a fistfight, there is still a bit of a news here and I think the Tulfos are losing thanks to MTRCB...

MTRCB placed TV5's T3 program on a 20-day suspension over threatening comments made on air by brothers Ben, Raffy and Erwin Tulfo against showbiz couple Raymart Santiago and Claudine Barreto.

Guess the suspension of the T3 show really meant to say that the Tulfos are losing to the fight against the Santiagos in the THRILLA IN NAIA fight!!!

Scoop: http://www.interaksyon.com/article/31537/mtrcb-slaps-20-day-suspension-on--t3

Toyota Pixis Epoch

2013 Toyota Pixis Epoch

2013 Toyota Pixis Epoch

This is the fourth member of Toyota's new PIXIS kei car range. The first Toyota Pixis, the Pixis Space, is much more of a Toyota equivalent of the Daihatsu Move Conte. Pixis number 2 and 3 were the Pixis Truck and Pixis Van which are essentially a rebadged version of the Daihatsu Hijet Truck and Hijet Van. And now we have this, the fourth Pixis, which is essentially a rebadged version of Daihatsu's most fuel efficient car on the market today which is more fuel efficient than the Mazda Demio 13-SKYACTIV but now overshadowed by the Suzuki Alto Eco, the Daihatsu Mira e:S.

It has the special KF engine that accumulates 52PS/6800rpm of power output and 60Nm/5200rpm of torque output. It even comes with a CVT for optimized fuel economy and smooth driving. The fuel economy of the Pixis Epoch (ピクシス エポック) is 30.0km/L based on Japan's JC08 Mode test cycle thanks to the Eco Idle (Idle Stop and Go) system, newly developed i-EGR (ion controlled Exhaust Gas Recirculation) system (that applies the ion current combustion control, in which ions in the combustion chamber are used to identify the state of combustion, to EGR control), lighter bodywork, thermal management, and Eco power generation control (with regenerative braking functions).

Available colors are Sky Blue, Shell Rose, Cotton Ivory, Plum Brown Crystal Mica, Black Mica Metallic, Bright Silver Metallic, Pearl White III, and White.

My comment:

In essence then, the all new 2013 Toyota Pixis Epoch is just a rebadged version of the kei car that Bruce Willis endorses...

Photo: Toyota Motor Corporation

New Generation Daihatsu Altis (AVV50N)

After a two year hiatus, the Daihatsu equivalent of the Toyota Camry, the Altis, is back and this time, it was based on the all new, hybrid-only Toyota Camry that was launched in Autumn last year. If you never heard about the Daihatsu Altis, you're not alone. Toyota owns Daihatsu, right? The Daihatsu Altis was launched in March 2000 and what Daihatsu do is throwing away Toyota badges in the 6th generation Camry. Same thing happened when the Altis went full model changes from 2001 and 2006 until in 2010, Daihatsu won't be selling the Altis because they fed up with this until now...

2013 Daihatsu Altis

2013 Daihatsu Altis

2013 Daihatsu Altis interior

This is still the current-generation hybrid-only Toyota Camry but replaced with Daihatsu badges on it. You still have the 2AR-FXE (2.5L DOHC Dual VVT-i) engine loaded with Toyota Hybrid System II, which produces a standard 160PS/6,000rpm of power output, 213Nm(21.7kg-m)/4,000rpm of torque output, and the fuel economy of 23.4km/L on JC08 Mode scale (26.5km/L on 10-15 Mode scale). One trivia that the 160PS power output can be increased up to 206PS once the 105kW 2JM electric motor is active. Like any other hybrids, the new Altis has EV Mode that keeps only the 2JM electric motor active rather than the 2AR-FXE engine for zero-emission driving. The CVT is the standard transmission offered for the new Camry for enhanced fuel economy and comfortable driving on winding roads.

Being a SU-LEV (Super Low Emission Vehicle) needs to be the safest, and the new Altis has the memo for that. It includes the finest safety features available such as Steering-assisted Vehicle Stability Control, Traction Control, Electronic Brake force Distribution, Pedestrian Warning system that emits noise on some pedestrians, including the blind, Hill Start Assist Control, Discharge Headlamps, 7 SRS airbags, and Global Outstanding Assessment (GOA) for a reinforced bodywork.

Available in seven exterior colors such as White Pearl Crystal Shine, Silver Metallic, Gray Metallic, Dark Steel Mica, Attitude Black Mica, Olive Mica Metallic, and True Blue Mica Metallic. It's available only in "HYBRID G PACKAGE" trim.

My comment:

What is the difference between Toyota Camry and Daihatsu Altis? Well, the only difference I can expect was the badges and that's it. Nothing. The same current Toyota Camry Hybrid, the same luxurious interior, the same 2AR-FXE engine, that's what I expect. Don't start asking what's the difference of these two because this Daihatsu Altis can only be find at your nearest Daihatsu dealer.

Photo: Daihatsu Motor Co, Ltd.

Welcome Back: 2009 Seat Ibiza Cupra

Are you the Ibiza Bocanegra?

This is one of my favorite cars returned on Forza Motorsport 4. It's a 2009 SEAT Ibiza Cupra and even though it comes from Spain, it's still comes from Volkswagen, which is German. The Ibiza Cupra has a striking exterior design, sporty on-board atmosphere, twin charger 180 hp 1.4 TSI engine, excellent traction capacity, and top-notch equipment that what makes it so special for a car made by the Spanish arm of the Volkswagen Group.

Stories told that SEAT made an Ibiza Bocanegra model and here in Forza 4, the front face of the Seat Ibiza Cupra may just be perfect enough to shade it black to replicate the Ibiza Bocanegra, which is a bit too easy for a geek. If you show it to your friends, they might be saying "Ooh! A Bocanegra!" and this trick can fool even the stringent of the aristocrats. Wow indeed and the SEAT Ibiza Cupra is just one of the hot hatches offered on Forza 4. I never knew that there are joys of driving a hot hatch because they're more fun to drive as supercars and you could get someone in the boot and somewhat reasonable to maintain than supercars. They really are that nimble on the racetracks.

Red Bull gives you wings for the Filipinos...eh wait a minute...

Ever since Rhys Millen arrived in the Philippines for some drifting, that signaled the launch of the Red Bull energy drink in the Philippines...no wait. No, that's not right. We already have Red Bull but why would they launch an energy drink that was already in the Philippines for years?!

A spokesperson said "We’re launching Red Bull in the Philippines for the first time, and for us it's the 165th country that we're going to be in," but there was already a Red Bull in the Philippines for years. We even bought these at 7-Eleven stores so why would they launch Red Bull in the country where Red Bull's already been there?

"We'd like to clear up that the other Red Bull is a different company from ours,"

"Ours are in blue-and-silver cans and every single one is produced in Austria and exported out. The other one is of Thai origin. We're the brand that Rhys and all the other famous athletes work with."

The spokesperson said that but wait. Thai origin? The Red Bull in blue-and-silver cans are made in Austria? There were two Red Bull companies in this world? Austria and Thailand? A Red Bull that was made in Austria and a Red Bull made in Thailand? Those history lessons about Red Bull will be somewhat an argument. Some say, it was invented by an Austrian named Dietrich Mateschitz. Others said it was made by a wealthy Thai named Chaleo Yoovidhya, who died a few months ago.

Never mind, while we're in deep history hell right now, the pricing of this canned Red Bull is somewhat much more expensive than the bottled Red Bull. 98 pesos to be exact.

Scoop: http://www.topgear.com.ph/news/red-bull-kicks-off-philippine-market-launch

Next season of Top Gear will be next year, says Jezza

Top Gear Series 18 DVD

"There's a rumour in internet land that there will be no more Top Gears this year. I'm afraid that apart from the Xmas special, it's true" Those are the words said by Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson via his newly made Twitter account, jcrclarksonesq, and it's true. There won't be a new Top Gear in the second half of 2012. That's the bad news for TG fans worldwide but on the upper side, next season of Top Gear will be in early 2013.

A South African radio station interviewed Jezza about Hot Hatchbacks in Monte Carlo, the upcoming Ron Howard movie titled Rush, a 1976 F1 duel between Niki Lauda and James Hunt, and an upcoming Top Gear Live 2012 event. Guess this guy's having a break from destruction, except for Hammond where he's in the USA, mastering the toughest machines on BBC America's show, Richard Hammond's Crash Course. James May, on the other hand, has his hands full as a commentator for the Grade One Grand National from Aintree. Yep, both of them have very hectic skeds and the reason why Sundays at BBC are fully booked up is because of something like X Factor or The Voice UK. "Sunday nights will be full of fat people singing," "Top Gear is a medium size van. Cowell is a juggernaut. When he has finished his singing competition, our new series will start."

Just because a new season of Top Gear won't be coming until early next year does not mean you should be readying your paintball to hit Jezza's testicles just like what ex-F1 driver David Coulthard did during the Car Art episode.