Let's Do The News! (December 3, 2013)

The big scoop today...

1) DuPont Refinish now renamed as Cromax

Cromax logo

Started in life as DuPont Refinish, the company behind great products such as Cromax Pro around the world and Centari in Europe and Asia; Cromax in Europe; and ChromaPremier and ChromaBase in the Americas but thanks to new parent company Axalta Coating Systems, Dupont Refinish has a new lease in life as CROMAX and this new brand promises to help customers in “driving productivity from the front of the body shop to the back”.

Report: http://www.autoindustriya.com/auto-industry-news/dupont-refinish-now-known-as-cromax.html
URL: http://www.cromax.com/

2) Top Gear Furai death detailed

Top Gear destroyed the Furai Concept

In case you haven't picked up the TG 20th Anniversary issue, Top Gear broke silence about how the Mazda Furai concept died in a Topgear.com exclusive.

Read more at: http://www.topgear.com/uk/photos/mazda-furai-concept-fire-2013-11-29

3) Ssangyong releases 9-seater model of Turismo MPV

9-seater model for Ssangyong Korando Turismo

Aside from the 11-seater model for the recently-launched Ssangyong Korando Turismo MPV, they've now launched the new 9-seater model which starts at 27.05 million Won. Although it comes with the same e-XDi200 LET engine as before, the 9-seater model features a 4-row seating which can now fit up to nine passengers.

Report: http://www.megaauto.com/newcar/carinfo_body.php3?carinfoid=49414&family_id=icomes&menu_id=472&val=&Nstep=2&beforeyear=&frame_id=5&frame_url=list/drive.php3?id=60901

4) Train derailment in NYC

So far, four people have been confirmed dead and at least 63 people hurt in the deadliest train derailment in New York City. 11 survivors remained critical after a Metro-North commuter, heading to Manhattan, spun out of control early Sunday in the Bronx, as it was heading towards a sharp curve after 7:00AM

Report: http://kickerdaily.com/train-derailment-in-new-york-city-leaves-four-dead-dozens-injured/

5) Panoz and DeltaWing suing Nissan over BladeGlider concept

Nissan Blade Glider Concept

Here we go again. After the whole DeltaWing scandal, perhaps the main reason why it pulled out on GT6 in the last minute, it seems that Panoz filed a lawsuit against Nissan over the ZEOD RC and BladeGlider projects, naming Nissan motorsport chief Darren Cox and Ben Bowlby (who defected to Nissan from the DeltaWing program) as part of the suit.

Report: http://www.autoblog.com/2013/12/02/panoz-deltawing-suing-nissan-bladeglider-report/

Cars GT6 Should Put (Volume 19)

In a galaxy far far away, just off our backyard, lies Leopaul's Blog; boldly pushing the boundaries of car culture because there's some CARS GT6 SHOULD PUT.



Cars like...

1) Hyundai Genesis G380 Prestige '13

Hyundai launched the second-generation Genesis luxury premium saloon in South Korea earlier and it was promised to be a world-class competitor against Europe's best, judging by the fact that is available exclusively to select left-hand drive markets, mainly the USA, the Middle East, or China. The top-of-the-line model is powered by a 3.8L V6 GDi engine produces 315PS of power, 40.5kg-m of torque, and fuel economy of 9.0km/L. This car was honed to the Nurburgring for calibration and this is the first time a Korean car company has ever done this judging by the fact that Hyundai has their own Nurburgring faclity. Let's hope PD should feature the new Genesis on GT6, no matter what it takes.



2) Nissan GT-R NISMO '14

Dubbed the ultimate GT-R, the GT-R NISMO is powered by the 3.8 VR38DETT engine, which is now uprooted to 591HP of power and 652Nm of torque. It even packs a host of aerodynamic updates inspired by the GT3 racer. It set a Nurburgring lap time of 7:08.679, making this the ultimate Nissan ever made. We want to be the first to try out the ultimate GT-R on Gran Turismo 6, since the fact that Nissan and Gran Turismo are heavily involved in the GT-R since 2007.



3) Nissan Juke 16GT Four '10

The turbocharged version of the Nissan Juke is armed with the high-performance MR16DDT (1.6L Direct Injection Petrol Engine) DIG Turbo engine and the optional All-Mode 4X4-i system.. The CVT gearbox is a downside but I just wanna see how does this turbocharged Juke work when GT6 featured this ROCK 'N SMALL crossover that is a bit of a head turner since its debut.



4) Nissan Teana XV '14

The 2013 Tokyo Motor Show sees the arrival of the new Nissan Teana, which will be on sale in Japan this February, and for the third-generation model, the new model focused on balancing the luxury of a premium sedan with the fuel economy of a city car because now, the new Teana only offers the 2.5L 4-cylinder engine mated with Nissan's next-generation XTRONIC CVT which makes it...a bit...well, if GT6 featured the new Teana, we'll be the judge. Don't care because Gran Turismo features a few cars with CVT gearboxes like the Fit, the Prius, and the Insight.



5) Nissan Elgrand Highway Star Premium '10

Would that be necessary for Gran Turismo to have another minivan? If so, how about the king of minivan? The Nissan Elgrand. With the E52 model, the Elgrand is by no means the most luxurious Elgrand ever made, despite it's now a front-wheel drive model and shares its underpinnings from the Murano and the Teana.  It maybe more of a bulk and more of a slug because of its CVT gearbox but the engine that powers it is a 3.5L V6 VQ engine generating about 280PS of power. Sounds reasonable but is the king of minivan worthy to be...well, forget about that question. I want GT6 to feature the king of minivan and if some of the minivans make it, there should be a challenge to decide which minivan rules.





The results please? So when one of these cars showed up in future updates on GT6, you can't say I have a little bit to do with that.

Take that to Kaz Yamauchi!

2015 BMW M4 to be a Gran Turismo-exclusive

2013 BMW M4 Concept

Word of warning, video gamers who love car racing games, because as announced on the GT6 launch party at Ronda and Ascari Race Resort, the 2015 BMW M4, will go on sale in 2014, will be a Gran Turismo exclusive. I repeat, GRAN TURISMO EXCLUSIVE, because...well, here's the excerpt from the official Gran Turismo website, just to let you know why the upcoming BMW M4 Coupe will be a Gran Turismo exclusive...

BMW M4 Coupé to come to life in Gran Turismo®6

Present at Ronda and Ascari Race Resort for the launch of Gran Turismo 6 was a camouflaged version of the yet-to-be-launched BMW M4 Coupé. The stunning new car – shown publicly only as a concept until now - will go on sale in 2014. Thanks to an innovative collaboration with BMW "M" GmbH, Polyphony Digital enjoyed unprecedented early access to the car during its development phase in order to meticulously recreate the M4 Coupé for Gran Turismo 6. It will be made available through a free update shortly after the release of GT6, allowing car enthusiasts around the world to drive it before it arrives in BMW showrooms. More news on the unveiling is expected soon!

Over the course of GT6, when it launches on the PS3 this week, there's going to be an upcoming update shortly post-release. Will it going to be a camouflaged test prototype? Think so but stay tuned for more details regarding this GT6-exclusive Bimmer.

Report: http://www.gran-turismo.com/us/news/00_1155354.html

Subway Kids collaborates with Disney's Frozen

Once again, fast food chain Subway collaborates with Disney but this time, it's the turn of the latest Disney movie, Frozen, in theaters now.

For a limited time, when you order a SUBWAY FRESH FIT FOR KIDS meal, you'll get a free Disney Frozen meal bags. There are six variations of them but still, it's worth the fun for the winter holidays.

URL: http://subwaykids.com/Default.aspx

Let's Do The News! (December 2, 2013)

The big scoop today...

Last known photo of Paul Walker goes viral

Paul Walker's last photo

This is the pic in question. The photo which some say to be the last known photo taken of Paul Walker has gone viral and it was captured moments before his untimely death alongside his pal and business associate Roger Rodas, who reportedly owned the car and also a racing driver. They co-owned a tuning shop called Always Evolving.

Reports said that the Fast and Furious lead actor attended a fundraising event organized by AE and his charity organization Reach Out Worldwide. Some say that most of the beneficiaries of this event were the Superstorm Yolanda/Haiyan victims.

Report: http://www.topgear.com.ph/news/industry-news/last-known-photo-of-paul-walker-goes-viral-on-social-media

Celebs remembering Paul Walker

While in the middle of the death of the Fast and Furious star, most of the celebs working with him pay respects to him via Twitter.

Vin Diesel, who played Dom in the franchise, twitted:

My brother and I.....we aimed for the stars together....and achieved more than we ever hoped we could with f&f pic.twitter.com/TWWdoaEX1D

- Vin Diesel (@REAL_VinDiesel) December 1, 2013


Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, former wrestler turned actor and notable for playing FBI Agent Luke Hobbs from Fast Five since 2011 and Fast and Furious 6 since earlier this year is present for paying respect to the late actor. He twitted:

All my strength, love & faith to the Walker family during this heartbreaking time. We find our strength.. in his light. Love you brother.

- Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) December 1, 2013

Actress Jordana Brewster (@JordanaBrewster) twitted:

Paul was pure light. I cannot believe he is gone.


Rapper Ludacris, who played Tej in the FnF movies, twitted:

Your humble spirit was felt from the start, wherever you blessed your presence you always left a mark,... http://t.co/nUiPPIU9Bb

- Ludacris (@Ludacris) December 1, 2013

Actor Tyson Beckford, who worked alongside Paul Walker in the thriller Into The Blue, tweeted:

RIP Paul Walker,loved working with you on "Into the Blue". I Will miss you.

- Tyson Beckford (@TysonCBeckford) December 1, 2013


US advices airlines to give China flight plans over new defense zone

Back in the reports regarding China's new flight zone at one of its disputed territories at the South China Sea, the United States advised most of its commercial airlines to notify Chinese authorities of flight plans when travelling through an air defense zone over the East China Sea, raising tensions between the big nations including South Korea and Japan.

Report: http://www.interaksyon.com/article/75942/us-advises-airlines-to-give-china-flight-plans-over-new-defense-zone

The end of Winamp

Winamp

Remember the Winamp? Yes, it's one of the most popular and best media player available for Windows. Users love to use Winamp to play music in Windows XP. Since AOL took over Winamp, it became less user friendly than the old one and even with upgraded versions, it seems people stopped using this software for good.

Reports told that Winamp will face the axe at December 20, 2013 and here's the announcement by the company behind this memorable app:

Winamp.com and associated web services will no longer be available past December 20, 2013. Additionally, Winamp Media players will no longer be available for download. Please download the latest version before that date. See release notes for latest improvements to this last release. Thanks for supporting the Winamp community for over 15 years.

Report: http://www.askvg.com/end-of-an-era-winamp-is-shutting-down-on-december-20-2013/

Veteran actress Boots Anson-Roa marrying again

Six years as a widow, veteran actress Boots Anson-Roa considers marrying a lawyer named Francisco "King" Rodrigo Jr., the eldest son of the late Senator "Soc" Rodrigo. Boot's husband, Pete Roa, died of cancer. Boots planned that they will get married by June of 2014.

Report: http://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2013/12/02/1263106/boots-marrying-again-june-bride-2014

Picky taxi drivers will face the 6,000Php fine

As the Yuletide season draws near, taxi drivers are getting more pickier with the passengers they transport and guess what? Here's a warning to those kind of taxi drivers. Based on the Certificate of Public Conveyance, no taxi driver has the right to be picky and the first offense is a 6,000Php fine while the second offense results to a 3-month suspension of the franchise and third offense results to a cancellation.

Report: http://manila.coconuts.co/2013/12/01/taxi-driver-wont-take-you-make-him-pay-php6000

TTFN!!!

What's in our Car Town garage today? (December 2, 2013)

What's in our Car Town garage today?

1999 Nissan Silvia Spec-R

Possibly the final-generation of Nissan's cult-favorite FR drift tuner, the S15 Silvia is quite a better-looking Silvia even by modern standards. It may have the same 2.0L engine as the other predecessors, famously the S13 and the S14 Silvias of yesteryears, but thanks to the improved mechanism, the S15 is by no means the sportiest Silvia ever made. The S15 was launched in early 1999, which is coincidentally the same year as the R34 Skyline GT-R was launched.

1999 Nissan Silvia Spec-R

1968 Ford GT40

In the 1960's, Ford originally planned to buy Italian sportscar maker Ferrari but when Enzo Ferrari rejected Ford's plan to buy it, the American carmaker is plotting revenge against Ferrari over the rejected transaction and what would Ford do? Make their own Le Mans racer to take on the likes of the Ferrari. The GT40 was the response to take on Le Mans' finest and this is the first car in history to win the race more than once with the same chassis. This is the road-legal version of Ford's Le Mans winner and only seven of these were made. Although it's identical to the Mk.I GT40, the 4.7L engine was detuned to 335HP of power while the mechanism has been calibrated to road use.

1968 Ford GT40

2006 Hummer H1 Alpha

A Humvee for everyone, that's what best describes the Hummer H1 not only because it resembles like the Humvee that the US military troops used in their missions but it remains one of the favorite among high-profile personalities, especially actor turned politician Arnold Schwarzenegger. Thanks to new emission law for diesel engines, 2006 is the last model year for the H1 and that seems to be quite a shame even though Hummer is gone in 2010. The Alpha model was more of a revised H1 with the 6.6L Duramax V8 diesel engine mated with a 5-speed gearbox.

2006 Hummer H1 Alpha

FnF actor Paul Walker killed in car accident

Brian's GT-R from Fast and Furious 6

It is with a truly heavy heart that we must confirm that Paul Walker passed away today in a tragic car accident while attending a charity event for his organization Reach Out Worldwide. He was a passenger in a friend's car, in which both lost their lives. We appreciate your patience as we too are stunned and saddened beyond belief by this news. Thank you for keeping his family and friends in your prayers during this very difficult time. We will do our best to keep you apprised on where to send condolences. - #TeamPW

This message was confirmed by the official Paul Walker Facebook page as The Fast and the Furious lead actor died earlier in a car crash occurred in Santa Clarita, California. Paul Walker was famous for being the former cop turned street racer Brian O'Connor from the Fast and Furious franchise. His recent FnF appearance was in Fast and Furious 6 since the summer of 2013.

Reports said, he was involved in a fiery crash when a Porsche Carrera GT he was riding hit a telegraph pole.

Report: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2516303/Fast--Furious-star-Paul-Walker-dead-fiery-car-wreck-Actor-killed-Porsche-GT-driven-friend-crashed-pole.html

With Paul Walker's death, it seems what will the next FNF movie, set for next year debut, be without him and as of now, the fate of the franchise remains unknown for now.