Initial D-Rifter

Hachi-Roku Drift

This is what I'm on about. This is the AE86 Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT-APEX, the tail-happy, tire burning, star of Initial D. This is what we think of the AE86! The base car, pumped up! You ever wonder why did Takumi Fujiwara never spoke during a race in that anime? It's because...we wouldn't have our own words!

This is just like Mt. Akina!

Now, the thing about this car though, it's called the S. SHIGENO Version, and this owner though that is Shuichi Shigeno, the author of Initial D, he had its engine improved so it's producing about 207HP of power. It even comes with familiar looks that are familiar to Initial D fans many but however, there's no Fujiwara Tofu insignia at the right side. That doesn't matter though because this pumped up AE86 has the qualities of the car Takumi Fujiwara drove so it's all about being bonkers on the corners. As I said bonkers, I do mean it because it takes a Takumi to master the skill of the AE86 because this car's a bit twitchy and a bit difficult because the power steering's a bit vague. Also, this car's a bit too slow on the straight lines. You can drive though the corners and you can drift through the corners and that's it. Don't get me wrong though, this car is fantastic. It's brilliant when it comes to its noise.

Probably, we're sad that we don't have Toyotas like these anymore....

Welcome Back: 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Coupe

In the 1950's the Mercedes-Benz 300SL was the fastest production car of its day. Codenamed W198, it was introduced in 1954 as a coupe with fascinating gullwing doors and later an open roadster. 

This car is a softened road-legal version based on the company's successful 1952 race car, the W194. It comes with the 3.0L M198 SOHC I6 engine fitted with a Bosch mechanical gasoline direct injection system that generates about 212-222 hp. It was mated with the 4-speed manual transmission.

As of now, the classic 300SL with the gullwing doors became a collectible with prices in the US$700,000-1,000,000 range. Sports Car International ranked this car as the number 5 sports car of all time. The present day SLS AMG inspired the Gullwing doors from the 300SL.

Can't Take My Eyes of You is the title of the new Hayate anime

Hayate the Combat Butler! CAN'T TAKE
MY EYES OF YOU

A couple of months ago, we heard that there's going to be an all new Hayate no Gotoku coming this year and it's not a continuation but rather a completely new Hayate no Gotoku anime complete with new artwork as seen from the Heaven is a Place on Earth movie last year. This new Hayate anime though...picks up where Heaven is a Place on Earth left off and they called it...CAN'T TAKE MY EYES OF YOU. Weird title, got that name from a song I've know but anyway, casting still remains with...

Ryoko Shiraish as Hayate, Rie Kugimiya as Nagi, Rie Tanaka as Maria, Shizuka Ito as Hinagiku, Mikako Takahashi as Nishizawa, Ayumi Fujimura as Chiharu and of course, Haruka Yamazaki as Ruka Suirenji (you'd remember her from the film, right?!)

Original music score will be once again by Wataru Maeguchi, Sound effects by Toshiki Kameyama, character designs by Masashi Kudo, directed by Yoichi Ueda and the studio Manglobe will be producing that new series. It's going to premiere this October.

Scoop: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2012-07-31/hayate-the-combat-butler-new-anime-cast-staff-revealed

Talk about this anime's getting regenerated to a completely new one and it's not a new season.

Welcome Back: 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe

Taking a summer break....

The Genesis Coupe is the first rear-wheel drive sports coupe from the South Korean automaker, Hyundai, and this car was launched in South Korea since October 2008. It was available in two engines; a 2.0L Theta turbocharged 4-cylinder producing 210 hp (157 kW; 213 PS) and 223 lb·ft (302 N·m) torque, with an optional 3.8L Lambda V6 engine producing 306 hp (228 kW; 310 PS) and 266 lb·ft (361 N·m) torque. It was mated with either a 6-speed manual transmission or an optional 5- or ZF 6-speed automatic (depending on engine choice).

Hyundai took some serious PPL for the Genesis Coupe. This was appeared in the TV shows like Leverage (driven by the main characters), Burn Notice (Fiona's new car), and on the final season of 24 (as one of the pursuit vehicles driven by main character Jack Bauer).

Even though it was sold worldwide, the Genesis Coupe is NOT AVAILABLE (and NEVER WILL) in right hand drive markets, especially UK, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, South Africa, etc.

Mitsubishi Mirage (A05A)

There are so many eco cars sold around Japan such as the Nissan March K13, which can do 23km/L. Then there was the Toyota Vitz that goes about 20.8km/L. And then, there was the Daihatsu Move which has the reputation of TNP27. 27km/L to be exact. Now however, there's a new eco car that works and...made in Thailand like the March...

2013 Mitsubishi Mirage

Here it is. It's called the Mitsubishi Mirage (三菱・ミラージュ). As if some you may know, the Mirage naming is back as the direct rival to the Nissan March K13 even though both of them are made in Thailand. Like the March K13, the Mirage features a very simple design which is a bit too bland for us, and um....well like the March K13, the new Mirage comes with the idling stop function that shuts off the engine when stopped and then start again when mobilized. Unlike the March K13, the new Mirage has a fuel economy of 27.2km/L based on the JC08 test cycle. That's about a Suzuki MR Wagon territory because....well, yeah, both the MR Wagon and the new Mirage can do about 27.2km/L, .2km/L more than the TNP27 Daihatsu Move. Because the new Mirage weighs 870kg, it's lighter than the Nissan March K13! Don't forget that.

It's probably thanks to the newly-developed 3A90 MIVEC 1.0L engine mated with the new generation INVECS-III CVT for smoother ride and low fuel consumption. The 3A90 engine though, this produces 69 PS (51 kW; 68 hp) of power and 8.8 kg·m (86 N·m; 64 lb·ft) of torque. That's about less than the Nissan March K13 so....not good. INVECS-III CVT...not good. Handling....not good. Performance...not good. Interior...not good.

2013 Mitsubishi Mirage interior

Yes, I know, the interior's a bit too plain and cheap. About as bland as the Toyota Passo I've examined two years ago. Once opted with the more expensive version, I might get a satellite navigation or a radio because a Mirage without an audio is a bit too....dull. How can I listen to my favorite radio stations if I don't have it? I mean, it's unlawful to have headphones while driving. As for the seating comfort, well, these seats is as comfortable as a...well, a Nissan March K13 of some sorts! This is about the same experience as I can imagine to Thai-made Japanese cars but that's fine by me because the price for the new Mirage, imported from Thailand, is 998,000 Japanese Yen for the basic E grade, 1,188,000 Japanese Yen for the mid-range M grade, and 1,288,000 Japanese Yen for the top of the line G grade.

Available colors are: Lemonade Yellow Metallic, Pop Green Metallic, Cassis Purple Metallic, Cerulean Blue Mica, Red Metallic, White Pearl, Black Mica, and Cool Silver Metallic.

My comment:

You can forget the Nissan March K13. If I have to keep one fuel-efficient car in my garage, this would be it. This one with the new 3A90 MIVEC 1.0L engine mated with the new generation INVECS-III CVT. This one that promises 27.2km/L of fuel economy. Sure, the Mirage is about as practical as a Philippine taxi but as an everyday car, you can do better. It maybe cheap because of the 998,000 Japanese Yen pricing but I'm afraid like the others, it isn't cheerful. You can give it to your girlfriend because she likes it.

Photo: Mitsubishi Motors Corporation

Let's Do The News (August 1, 2012)

So, is it not good?

No, it's better. The Spark's a better alternative to the Fiat 500 and the Scion iQ because it has two extra doors, more space at the back, and it has the Chevrolet MyLink that made me addicted to touch screens. SPOILERS!

(audience laughing)

Sp...Sp....Hey! I didn't spoil you!

Nah, just kidding yah.

Now anyway, we've just heard that there's a new DLC coming at THE IDOLM@STER 2 this August 2 but only for the PS3 version. There's a bit of an issue here....

What?

As you can see on the list, there's the Colorful Ballerina outfit as seen from the XBOX 360 version, which is good news but for the bad news is, oh there it goes again!!!

What?

Namco Bandai told that they've put PS3 exclusive outfits on the DLC catalog, such as the White School Swimsuit as seen from THE IDOLM@STER G4U Vol. 5. Then, there was Weeping Wisteria, Burning Performer, and Stratos Butterfly.

Weeping Angel?

(audience laughing)

No, silly Whovian. Weeping Wisteria. WEEPING...WISTERIA. Care not to blink? Well better blink because this is a big flop. I thought that the DLC from the original XBOX 360 version of IM@S 2 and the DLC from the PS3 of the same title has to be the same but it isn't. Those outfits and accessories, that's what set them apart!

Seems that this is how you get what you've paid for...

(audience laughing)

YEP! GOT WHAT YOU'VE PAID FOR! SORRY ABOUT THAT!!!

Scoop: http://www.bandainamcogames.co.jp/cs/list/idolmaster/im2/ps3/dlc/catalog10.php

Anyway, Mini planning a 3-door version of the MINI COUNTRYMAN CROSSOVER and no further details for now but what we've heard that the name of this 3-door Countryman is called the PACEMAN. Yep, Mini officially announced the PACEMAN name!

Scoop: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/31/mini-previews-paceman-with-new-spy-shots/

Ahem...

What?

For your information, I really hate the MINI Countryman.

Why? Is it because only your PS3 can drive you that car?

(audience laughing)

Yes, I mean no, I mean yes. That Mini Countryman though, this is definitely the car I really hate because look what it brought to this, some Stratos Butterfly, Burning Performer, White School Swimsuit, Cutie Insect, Rainy Suzuran, Dressy Alice, Random Color Beauty, Digital Spacecraft, that's what's everything that irritates me.

(audience laughing)

Anyway, let's cool you down because...

Forza Motorsport 4 did featured the New Lexus GS! Are you happy?

Yes! I am happy. I am glad that I've been dying to drive one of these. Thankfully they didn't put the old Aristos here because I really didn't care about those old Toyota Aristos, no matter if these saloons got tuned by men in sheds. This New GS though, that's on my list. That is everything.

Good luck with that. When this guy's coming here, be prepared to say ALLONS-Y!

(audience laughing)

ALLONS-Y?! What's ALLONS-Y?!

That's a Doctor Who term. Allons-y! David Tennant said that.

Oh....

And speaking of which, it's a greeting....ALLONS-Y! ALLONS-Y!!!

ALLONS-Y!!!

(audience laughing)

Bet every Whovian in the Whoniversity known that kind of Doctor Who word. ALLONS-Y!!! I wanna said that to anyone. ALLONS-Y everybody!

Allons-y to you to, man!

Allons-y also!

(audience laughing)

Anyway, enough and I've just picked up something from the internet...

"A 90 second trailer offering viewers a sneak peek of the new series of Doctor Who will be hitting BBC ONE on the evening of Thursday, 2nd August."

Yep, another trailer for the upcoming season of Doctor Who is coming on BBC One tomorrow. As we know, this new series is coming this fall and this season bids farewell to the couple Amelia Jessica "Amy" Pond and Rory Williams as they passed the torch to a new yet-to-be-named companion played by Jenna Louise Coleman. I heard there's going to be dinosaurs in here.

We heard that and we're really impressed to see a new trailer for this new season of BBC's flagship TV series. Speaking of which, I saw something that Karen Gillan, who is Amy Pond on the series, is on the set for the new movie NOT ANOTHER HAPPY ENDING, here's the pic:

Oh...that really bothered me to see that. Karen Gillan's going to have a movie? That's brilliant!

Yeah! That's brilliant! I wanna see that!

Okay, enough of that Karen Gillan maniac and move on because...THE NEXT BIG THIHG IS HERE!!!

What?

I'm talking about the Audi A1! It's in the Philippines! For real! What we get is the four-cylinder Fuel Stratified Injection (FSI) turbocharged 1.4 TFSI engines mated to a seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission. They have nine of 12 different paint finishes available, four contrasting hues to pick, Attraction and Ambition are available trim levels, and everything to ask...

Scoop: http://kotse.com/home/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=881:audi-a1-hot-hatch&Itemid=197

Mmmm...About time Audi Global City brought this compact. They're two years late!

I know. Two years late. However, no word on the pricing yet so let's just wait...eventually...

Yeah, eventually....

(Sigh) Can't believe Roxas Boulevard's been flooded because of the rain.

Yeah, probably because of the Gener.

Right, and we went to the internet and look what's been done to the good road!

HOW BAD COULD THAT BE!

(audience laughing)

Yeah! It's bad! It's turning into Venice!

DPWH, if you're seeing this, better respond to this! This Roxas Blvd. Flood is getting badder as it seems! And on that bombshell, that's the news!

Chevrolet Spark (US-Spec)

Hmmm....we've already examined the Chevrolet Spark but however, the one we've examined was a Korean-spec one. The one we'll examine now is the USA-spec of the globally-acclaimed compact car that is now finally arrived where it belongs.

2013 Chevrolet Spark

Before explaining this, we found something at the internet about the Chevrolet Spark story and how does this mini Chevy became the darling of the yuppie generation. It started back in mid 2009 when the Chevrolet Spark was launched in South Korea (where it was previously called a Daewoo Matiz until 2011 where the Daewoo brand is gone for good). For Asians, they prefer Sparks which are colored Red, Beige, White, and Silver but for South Koreans, they like the pink color because its cute. In 2010, the Spark arrived in India as the new Beat and it was the most popular Chevy in India where it is the best selling vehicle in their lineup.

Well, let's move on to South America where their favorite colors are silver, black, and Cocktail Green. The Spark was mainly used for city driving and it served as a status symbol for up and corners. In Columbia, the Spark is the most popular Chevy ever sold.

Here in Europe, the Italians prefer the Chevy Spark more than anything else and this car was used for daily driving in Eastern and Western Europe. This car was introduced in 2010 as a replacement to the old Chevy Matiz.

Now, we blow our vuvuzelas to Africans, sorry, in which in South Africa, the Spark is most popular and it was used for daily driving in larger cities, especially Johannesburg, the country where comedians love to take a vacation. Last year, the Spark was launched in the African continent as the Spark M300 and the colors Red, Cocktail Green, and Atomic Blue are their picks.

On the upside down country, that is Australia, the Spark was available only in manual transmissions and it is one of the few markets where the Spark is driven from the right side of the vehicle.

In the war torn Middle East, the Spark represents almost 40% of all GM vehicle sales in Lebanon and the Arabs used them for city driving and for company fleet vehicles. Probably some Filipino workers in the Middle East drove one of these as work vehicles.

Source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2012/07/gm-infographic-tells-global-tale-of-new.html

Now the Spark has arrived in North America for the very first time and it is targeted towards young city dwellers. This car was reengineered to the United States to add technology and safety equipment as well as better ride and handling in city and highway driving. To differentiate the American Spark to the global Spark, it has a different front face, different rear lamps, brighter colors to mention later, a 15-inch 5-spoke Silver-painted wheel which comes standard and a 15-inch machined-face aluminum wheel with gray-painted pockets.

2013 Chevrolet Spark interior

The interior is a bit different from the global model and as you can see, the motorcycle-inspired dynamic meter cluster has been altered so now, it has a crisp, easy-to-read display. Sounds great and then there was 31.2 cubic feet of maximum cargo space or room for three passengers, makes it a perfect "barkada" car if you want to go out for some Los Angeles shopping trip. We bet that is and if you feel comfortable inside, it's like Karen Gillan firmly hugging the Adipose stuff toy for about an hour. Oh wait, sorry, that was a dreadful metaphor, she doesn't have the Adipose stuff toy. He he he.....Or maybe some gal with the Adipose stuff toy wanna use it as an accessory. Oops....

Speaking of the tortured metaphor I came up, there was this ECOTEC 1.2L DOHC 4-cylinder MFI engine that promises an EPA-estimated fuel consumption of about 38MPG, that's the same you'll get from the Fiat 500 but more than what you get from the Scion iQ! This engine though, it produces about 84HP of power it can be mated with a 5-speed manual transmission or an optional 4-speed automatic transmission.

Oh wait, hang on. There's one more thing....You thought I forgot about this, don't you? The new Spark comes with Chevrolet MyLink allows you to initiate phone calls, hands-free, while on the go, enjoy music, Navigation, watch movies, and so on. MyLink may also provide you with this addicting touch screen, Bluetooth connectivity, USB connectivity, and pairing up your device. There, I said it. Happy now?

Anyway, Spark's available colors are Salsa Red, Jalapeno, Denim, Lemonade, Techno Pink, Summit White, Silver Ice, and Black Granite.

My comment:
So, the Spark's North American arrival may have been a bit too late for the party but for this one, this one gets even started. Don't be fool to such small size because this is one heck of a party crasher I would wanna have if I pass my driving test....just sketching....sorry.

Anyway, it does look identical to its big brother, the Sonic, and when you put them both, I might be surprised to see that this little fella has found himself a relative with a bowtie on it. Let's just say that bowties are cool and this little boy is the coolest, even cooler than the Scion iQ and the Fiat 500. I just wanna have one!

Scoop: General Motors