Gran Turismo 6: The Subaru VIZIV GT

Normally, this looks a lot like the Subaru Viziv you've encountered from past car shows but it's not. What you're looking at is the Subaru Viziv GT, part of the Vision Gran Turismo concept cars you can drive in the world of Gran Turismo 6. And to explain what I'm on about, I'm taking on a special Seasonal Event challenge dedicated for this car. No matter what lap time you're setting at, one full lap is enough for the player to gain access to Subaru's entry to the Vision GT club but for me, I'm going on a Gold Target Time just to see how good is Subaru's high-performance concept car on the virtual world.




This concept racing machine started out in life as the Subaru Viziv 2 Concept from the 2014 Geneva Motor Show but the folks from Subaru incorporated some of their motorsport DNA and injected it to this concept. With its extensive aerodynamics and a sleek shooting brake design, the Viziv GT is a stand out among the rest in the game. Aside from its impressive aerodynamics, extensive use of carbon is part of the concept's lightweight body, resulting to the car's 1,380kg weight despite the extensive use of batteries and motors.

The engine is Subaru's two-liter direct-injected turbo engine but it's connected with batteries and motors, resulting to a power output of an impressive 591HP and 800Nm of torque. That's more than those production Subarus and thanks to the legendary AWD drivetrain, this car is still controllable and more enjoyable even when taken things seriously.



Even at the hands of beginners, the Viziv GT's grip is not quite bad at all and it still behaves like what a Subaru does. The only downside is the understeer which even the most serious cornering is not more than enough to do as exactly told. If you're acting aggressively, then you'll end up spiraling through the wrong places but with your calm driving style, it takes time until you've mastered this machine to its highest potential. After spending time with this machine, I'm starting to learn more and I managed to beat the Gold Target Time barely. I did it in 1:18.897, which is the best I can do but nevertheless, I think I'm glad to say that this car still has its Confidence In Motion, just like the Subaru slogan says.



Despite its flaws, the Viziv GT is the coup de grace Subaru has ever made for this game and even though it's a concept that is born in the world of Gran Turismo, it still behaves like a Subaru and I have to say, I am very pleased with it.



Oh man. I got pulled over by a specially-designed BMW M4 with some flashers at the top. Stay tuned as I'm going to drive this special M4 in GT6 very soon. Until then, be sure to take on the challenge while you can to get the Viziv GT!

Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate (S205)

2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate

There is now an estate version of the latest-generation Mercedes-Benz C-Class where it has the same features that you get from the normal saloon version only now, it has a bigger boot for your groceries plus an added feature that you can open the tailgate handsfree. Not only it's one of the good-looking estates that you can drive through the shops but it's one of the most technologically-advanced estates you can buy if you have enough cash in your wallets, but is it any good as the competition?

2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate interior

2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate interior

The first thing you'll need to know about the new Estate version is its space and thanks to its sportier rear end, we can expect more load capacity and more variability than the previous C-Class Estate. It's now 5 litres more than the old one but when the rear seats are folded, the maximum load capacity is now 1510 litres, 10 more than the old one. That's enough space to fit a single bed, a mattress, and a motor mower...as a theory.

The rear seats now comes with a 40:20:40 split rather than the traditional 60:40 split so it can accommodate wide range of possibilities depending on the situation. It can be turned into either a 3-seater or a 2-seater at the back, whatever floats your boat.

Stealing one of Ford Motor Company's ideas, the C-Class Estate features an available EASY-PACK tailgate and the HANDS-FREE ACCESS system. At a lift of your foot, the tailgate automatically opens and that's great when your hands are full of stuff you've shopped from the groceries. If I got tons of stuff because of the whole competing-for-the-longest-receipt thing, the C-Class Estate has no worries carrying record-breaking groceries in a pinch so job done.

2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate

Expect the same powertrain from the sedan variant such as the 1.6L turbo petrol on the C180, 2.0L turbo petrol on the C200, a 2.2L diesel engine on the C220 BlueTEC, and some more especially the high-performance 3.0L V6 BiTurbo engine developing 333PS of power and 480Nm of torque on the C400 model. Of course, most variants come with either a 6-speed manual or a 7G-TRONIC PLUS gearbox so you'll have so many choices to decide when buying your very own C-Class Estate.

As for driving feel, it's not quite bad for a sport tourer at this magnitude and it tries to be a serious player in the high stakes world of competition. It's well-balanced, it's poised, and it's much nicer to drive even at the bends. If this was your Sir Chief's choice, there's no better alternative to it and you can really make do with all the thingamabobs served in this sport tourer. Like the sedan version, the C-Class Estate features an innovative multi-link suspension which allows this car to handle sharply through the bends and its aluminium bodywork that makes it more rigid and lighter than the old one. Even if its a sports tourer, it's all business for us because with all the things that surrounds you while driving this car, this is like getting your hands full with the family business. if you know what I mean?

Safety-wise, this sport tourer features a wide range of safety features as well as driver-assist systems which takes good use of its radar, stereo camera and ultrasound to tell the driver what should do in various situations on the road ahead. It feels like the future is now thanks to science and science is amazing but don't overestimate those safety features because...it's only for emergencies when you need it.

The C-Class Estate starts at 35,224 Euros which is a few more than the sedan version and more expensive than its rivals from BMW and Audi but if its practicality, science, and individuality you want, this estate is for you because like that saloon, it feels like it's a class apart from its opposition.

Photo: Daimler AG

Let's Do The News! (November 28, 2014)

Welcome back. Here is your current sitrep:

- A Maserati Ghibli sedan driven by the motorist who beaten up an MMDA officer has been spotted by an homeowner who took pictures on this car that doesn't have license plate. It has a conduction sticker QQ0057.



- The DPWH will once again commence road repairs in Quezon City from today to December 1st. Expect heavy traffic when you're out there.

- The Japan Self Defense Force will transport aid to contain the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Defense Minister Akinori Eto issued this order at a meeting with senior officials as the international community is working hard to stop the outbreak from spreading worldwide. The JASDF will transport about 20,000 sets of protective clothing to Ghana.

- The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency postpones the launch of their asteroid probe due to bad weather.

- DILG Secretary Mar Roxas told that cellphone jammers would be used to prevent illegal drug operations and carjacking in the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.

- F1 driver Jean-Eric Vergne will not be part of the Toro Rosso F1 team for next year's season.

- Mercedes-Benz will launch a brand new "AMG Sport" model on next year's Detroit Auto Show. This new lineup bridges the gap between normal Mercedes models and high-performance AMG models and it could be their answer to BMW's M Performance Automobiles. The first AMG Sport model will be based on the recently-launched C-Class while the other one will be a crossover model that will be the replacement for the M-Class due to Mercedes-Benz's new naming strategy.

Mercedes-AMG Sport teaser

- Lexus received over 2,600 orders for their new RC sport coupe models in Japan on its first month.

2015 Lexus RC

- Nissan issues a recall on most Serena, X-Trail, and Juke models with direct-injected petrol engines over two separate problems in the engines' fuel system.

- Following the Pokemon XY Mega Evolution TV Special Act II that was aired earlier this month, The Pokemon Company announced Act III of the Mega Evolution TV Special airing on TV Tokyo this Spring 2015!

TTFN!!!

Doctor Who: The Day of The Doctor/The Time of The Doctor OST

Doctor Who:
The Day of The Doctor/The Time of The Doctor OST

2013 was a big year for Doctor Who because right after the end of the seventh season, there has been not one but two TV specials that made the Whovians squealed for joy. First, there was the 50th anniversary special titled The Day of The Doctor where the Tenth Doctor and the Eleventh Doctor joined forces with a mysterious Doctor and work together to save history. Then, the 2013 Christmas Special, The Time of The Doctor, sees a fond farewell to Matt Smith as he inherits his Doctor role to Peter Capaldi.

To commemorate last year's double specials, there's an original soundtrack which covers both TV specials and once again, Murray Gold, the person in charge of the show's BGMs, was very pleased by this as you can now listen the background musics as heard from the twin specials. The first disc covers the 50th anniversary special while the second disc covers the 2013 Christmas Special, which is known as the Eleventh Doctor's final journey. As with the others, these DW songs heard from the specials are a work of art by Ben Foster, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, and Crouch End Festival Chorus so take time to listen to those BGMs and you can be very sure that this two-disc compilation can make an excellent addition to your DW soundtrack collection.

DISC ONE - The Day of The Doctor:

1) I.M Foreman

2) Will There be Cocktails?

3) It's Him (The Majestic Tale)

4) He Was There

5) No More

6) The War Room

7) Footprints in the Sand

8) Who Are You?

9) England 1562

10) Nice Horse

11) The Fez and Portal

12) Two Doctors

13) Three Doctors

14) Somewhere to Hide

15) Rescue the Doctor

16) 2.47 Billion

17) Zygon in the Painting

18) Man and Wife

19) We Don't Need to Land

20) We are the Doctors

21) The Moment Has Come

22) This Time There's Three of Us

23) Song for Four / Home

DISC TWO - The Time of The Doctor

1) The Message

2) Handles

3) The Dance of the Naked Doctor

4) You Saved It

5) Papal Mainframe

6) Tasha Lemm

7) Bedroom Talk

8) The Mission

9) Christmas

10) The Crack

11) Rhapsody of War

12) Back to Christmas

13) Snow Over Trenzalore

14) Beginning of the End

15) This is How it Ends

16) Never Tell Me the Rules

17) Trenzalore / The Long Song

18) Hello Twelve

Let's Do The News! (November 27, 2014)

Welcome back. Here is your current sitrep:

- The top safety regulators from the USA have ordered a nationwide recall of Takata airbags. NHTSA officials want car companies like Honda, Mazda, Ford, Chrysler, and BMW, to initiate a nationwide recall next week or charge them that fail to comply.

- A Japanese journalist, Tatsuya Kato (who is the ex-Seoul bureau chief of Sankei Shimbun) who is indicted for the libel of South Korean president Park Geun-hye is facing his first trial hearing held at a district court in Seoul today. He denied charges of defaming the SoKor president.

- Australian batsman Phil Hughes died at the age of 25. He was carried off on a stretcher at the Sydney Cricket Ground after a short-pitched delivery stroke his head with his helmet missing.

- The governor of Missouri denied calls for another grand jury to decide whether to charge policeman Darren Wilson for the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown. But violent protests begin to wind down two days later.

- Tropical Depression Queenie crossed the landmass of Negros provinces and it's now heading straight to the Panay Gulf on midday.

- An owner of a certain luxury car reportedly beaten up an MMDA traffic enforcer for taking a picture of him making an illegal turn in the streets of Quezon City.

- LET IT GO. Queen Elsa from Disney's Frozen gets her very own Nendoroid courtesy of Good Smile Company. She's ready to freeze your hearts on May 2015 and she's priced at 3,889 Japanese Yen plus tax.

Nendoroid Elsa

- The F56 Mini Cooper is named as Car Awards Group Inc. 2014-2015 Car of the Year in the Philippines.

2015 Mini hatch

- Honda revealed their upcoming addition to the N-BOX family called the N-BOX Slash. Set for its debut next month, the N-BOX Slash is a chopped-top version of the N-BOX tall kei car which features a lower roof line than the normal N-BOX.

2015 Honda N-BOX Slash

TTFN!!!

Subaru Impreza Sport and G4 - 2015 minor change

2015 Subaru Impreza G4

2015 Subaru Impreza Sport

The Subaru Impreza, currently on its fourth-generation state, has been mildly facelifted for the 2015 model year and for this minor change, both the Sport hatchback and the G4 sedan are now more technologically advanced than ever thanks to the application of Subaru's Eyesight Ver. 3 first seen on the Levorg tourer, which is based on this model. Let's explain about what's new for this 2015 minor change.

2015 Subaru Impreza G4

2015 Subaru Impreza Sport

The first thing you'll notice about this latest facelift is the front end that has been refreshed with a new lower fascia while we can expect good-looking foglamps for high-end models. There's not much change occurred on the back though. On the inside, it's now heavily revised with an available infotainment system with a seven-inch color touchscreen. On the instrumental panel. there's a new LCD color display in the middle as well as updated dials.

2015 Subaru Impreza G4 interior

2015 Subaru Impreza Sport interior

For 2015, both the Impreza Sport and G4 now come with Subaru's breakthrough Eyesight Ver. 3 found in the Levorg. Eyesight Ver. 3 integrates Adaptive Cruise Control, Pre-Collision Braking and Vehicle Lane Departure Warning, among many others. You can also expect heavily revised interiors as well, slightly enhanced powertrain, and some of it.

Under the hood, they still come with the same 2.0L and 1.6L boxer four-cylinder engine as before. The 1.6L engine develops 115PS of power, 148NM of torque, and can be mated with either a 5-speed manual or a Lineartronic CVT gearbox. With the CVT gearbox and idling stop at hand, fuel economy is 17.6 km/L based on Japan's JC08 Mode standards. The 2.0L engine, on the other hand, produces 150PS of power, 196Nm of torque, and it's available only with the CVT gearbox. As for fuel economy, Subaru states that it can achieve the same 17.6km/L fuel economy as the smaller 1.6L one although your actual fuel mileage can vary so don't ask.

The Sport model starts at 1,958,400 Japanese Yen (around $20,000) while the G4 model starts at the same price as the Sport hatch so it's a fair value for money if you were given a choice to buy one of these.

Photo: Fuji Heavy Industries

Let's Do The News! (November 26, 2014)

Welcome back. Here is your current sitrep:

- Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, revealed his €315bn investment plan that will stabilize the European economy as part of his five-year agenda.

- Meanwhile in Hong Kong, police officers arrested student leaders who are involved at pro-democracy protests.

- Japan's Supreme Court has ruled that last year's Upper House elections were unconstitutional due to disparities in the value of individual votes. About the summer of last year, a vote in the least populated constituency was worth 4.77 times more than a vote from a populous one. Despite disparity, general elections will go ahead next month.

- Tropical Depression Queenie makes landfall in Surigao del Sur Wednesday afternoon.

- About 12,245 out of 28,187 examinees passed the October 2014 Criminologist Licensure Examination.

- Lack of evidence prompted the government prosecutors to drop charges against 60 suspects involved last year's Zamboanga siege.

- The first trailer of the upcoming Jurassic World movie hits the interwebs! Check out the first look of the latest installment of the Jurassic Park franchise!



- The folks from Top Gear showcased their first teaser image of their upcoming two-part Patagonia Special coming soon to BBC Two and BBC Two HD.

Top Gear Patagonia Special

- Here we go again. Your first look at the upcoming KanColle KAI PSVita game that will hit Japanese game stores this Spring.

- Teen actress Kathryn Bernardo will launch her own self-titled debut album which one of the songs will feature her own song "Nasa 'Yo Din Pala", which is kinda more of a response to Daniel Padilla's hit song "Nasa 'Yo Na Ang Lahat".

TTFN!!!