Mercedes-AMG C63 (W205)

As AMG saloons are getting turbocharged, it seems that the C63 has been the only saloon left behind because of its natural aspiration 6.2L V8 engine that deserves no explanation. Sure, most saloons got stuck with the soon-to-be-replaced 5.5L V8 BiTurbo or V12 BiTurbo for the S65 but for the C63, it just like a boy who is the only boy in the sibling of girls. Happily, however, there's a brand new version and it's going to be more promising than ever...sorta.

2015 Mercedes-AMG C63

2015 Mercedes-AMG C63 Estate

For starters, the V8 engine is now turbocharged but due to the trends of downsizing, it's now a 4.0L V8 BiTurbo engine like you get in the Mercedes-AMG GT sportscar. The old C63 AMG can do 0-100kph in 4.5 seconds but in the range-topping S model, the 0-100kph is now four seconds! The top speed is electronically limited to 250kph but if you opt for the AMG Driver's Package, you can have the limit raised to 290kph. That's more than what the old C63 would do.

So, how did they managed to get that much speed at so little engine of that size? Like we studied from the AMG GT, it's all about science and determination and for the conservative few, the new model has transformed from the whole "what a lovely day" insanity to a "what a nice day" sublimeness and it's now becoming more mature as what teenagers get during puberty.

On the normal roads, it feels as civilized as what a luxury car do in a day-to-day basis. It's nicer to drive, it's comfortable, and it's less showy than the old one. On the open roads, it works well like a gran tourer with four doors. And on the track, this car really wants to play idol with its dynamic character that wows the crowd on the stage. It's all thanks to its AMG RIDE CONTROL sports suspension and the AMG DYNAMIC SELECT which allows the driver to select different driving modes depending on the situation and when in its max attack mode or RACE mode, you can really make this car dance like a superstar on stage but it can be as thrilling as seeing disturbing images and videos shared on Facebook for no reason. It's like when you start Facebook, all you can start seeing is posts that are too boring to read and then when you keep digging deeper, you are encountering the most disturbing ones that posters want to share it to almost everyone. That sounds creepy but you can really feel your heart pumping faster than you think.

It is a very thrilling ride but since it's a four-door saloon (or a five-door estate should you choose the more spacious C63 Estate), it feels more lively to drive with on the normal roads. It's even great to drive one at your nearest groceries but most people will think you're more of a blockhead rather than being an ordinary salaryman. On the inside, it's like you're in charge of the office with everything at your disposal.

The base version of the AMG C63 starts at 76,101 Euros for the saloon and 77,767 Euros for the Estate version but the S version begins with 84,371 Euros for the saloon and 86,037 Euros for the Estate version. Yes, that sounds a lot of money and they're more expensive than the BMW M3 sedan or the Audi RS4 Avant but the performance for the new versions are well-balanced and that's something that these rivals clenching their teeth on and thanks to science, the new C63 is more of a gentlemen's feast served by a serial killer with his killer looks. Tasty...

Photo: Mercedes-Benz AG

Let's Do The News! (May 14, 2015)

- Attempts for the return of Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza, despite the ongoing Burundi coup, has failed and he has returned to Tanzania where he was attending a summit.

- Investigations on the derailed Amtrak train in Philadelphia yesterday, which killed seven people, revealed that the train travelled at twice the speed limit by about 106mph and the driver applied the emergency brakes in the event it came too fast. The speed was recorded on the train's black box recovered from the wreckage.

- Hostiles shot down five people, including an American citizen, at a guesthouse located in Kabul, the capital city of Afghanistan. The shootout between hostiles and security forces lasted for five hours and then three hostiles are killed.

- 31 people are killed on a fire at a slipper factory located in Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. The fire broke out on Wednesday and spread through the entire factory where over 200 workers were inside the building and welding work was going on near the entrance.

- Two patrol planes from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force have made a brief landing in Vietnam on their way back from an anti-piracy mission off Somalia.

- Sony announced that the movie adaptation on the Ratchet & Clank video game franchise hits US theaters this 29th of April, 2016, with Focus Features handling the US distribution of the film. Numerous celebrities are joining the cast for the new movie including Paul Giamatti, Monsters Inc's John Goodman, Shake It Up's Bella Thorne, Rosario Dawson, and action star Sylvester Stallone.

- The PS3-exclusive free-to-play flight shooting game Ace Combat Infinity has reached its first year in service and to commemorate their first anniversary, a new update has implemented. In addition to the new "Adriatic Sea Landing Operation" online co-op mission, three fan-favorite aircrafts are added such as the MiG-31B Foxhound, the very unique and very expensive X-49 Night Raven from Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere, and the ultra-powerful Fenrir which comes with the signature Long Range Shockwave Missile (LSWM).

- Getting ready for the 10th anniversary concert of THE iDOLM@STER this July? Looks like you will need some stuff to show some love from your favorite idols from this, Cinderella Girls, or Million Live. First, there's some light sticks which has a color representative to your favorite idol. There are total of 37 light sticks and it costs 1,200 yen each. If you bought a bountiful of light sticks as intended, you buy either a holstered belt for 2,500 yen or a more convenient bag for 6,000 yen.

- Luxury carmaker Rolls-Royce officially announced that they will name their upcoming convertible version of the Wraith as Dawn, after their legendary Silver Dawn convertible from the 1950's. It will be fully revealed this 2016.

- The brand new Seat Leon Cupra ST lapped the Nurburgring in 7:58 dead, making it the quickest estate to lap round the ring and it's quicker than the Audi RS4 Avant. It's even quicker than its 3-door cousin despite the added weight. We're super jealous for this ride!

TTFN!!!

Let's Do The News! (May 13, 2015)

- Rescue efforts in Nepal has resumed after yesterday's quake that killed over 80 people and injured almost 2,000 people, with fears of numbers expected to rise. A US aid helicopter with eight people aboard went missing during yesterday's quake and the search continues.

- According to Pakistani authorities, six gunmen on motorcycles are believed to be from a certain extremist group, killed 43 people and injured 20 others in a gun attack on a bus carrying Ismaili Shia Muslims in Karachi.

- A M6.8 quake struck the northeastern part of Japan on Wednesday morning. The focus of the quake, according to sources, was 46km deep in the Pacific Ocean off Miyagi Prefecture. However, no tsunami occurred.

- According to South Korean intelligence sources, Hyon Yong Choi, the Minister of the People's Armed Forces from North Korea, was executed by a firing squad in Pyongyang late last month for treason after not following orders from ruler Kim Jong Un.

- The Philippine military's top priority is to build a naval base near the disputed Spratly Island, despite the delays caused by funding bottlenecks. The planned naval base allows US, Japanese, and Vietnamese naval vessels to make port calls once the facility in Oyster Bay in Palawan was finished.

- House Bill 5572, which is a bill that prohibits matchmaking through the internet and seeking to outlaw the scheme related to mail-order bride activities, nears its final approval in the House of Representatives.

- Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May are reunited for their new motoring live show called Clarkson, Hammond, and May LIVE. Their live show will start at The Odyssey Arena, Belfast, Northern Ireland, on the 22nd of May, Sheffield, UK, on the 5th of June, Johannesburg, South Africa, on June 12, Stavanger, Norway, on June 19, Australia on July 18 and 25, Warsaw, Poland, on October 24 and will end in London, UK, on November 28.

- The Suzuki Hustler kei-crossover is now available with the S-ENE CHARGE system which allows the Hustler to have a fuel economy of 32.0kmpl.

2016 Suzuki Hustler

- Boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao has returned to the Philippines with a hero's welcome occurred near the Dusit Thani Hotel, Makati City, where the parade occurred. Despite his loss from Floyd Mayweather Jr., he's still welcomed by his fans many.

- Filipino music legend Mike Hanopol has embraced Judaism and he will be named as the first ever Jewish Filipino this next year. According to news, Mike Hanopol discovered his Jewish roots since the 70's after meeting with his dad in New York. Then, in 1995, he has grown interest with the Torah, the Jewish bible. Soon after, he teaches Judaism to people who want to change their spiritual life.

TTFN!!!

Another strong quake hits Nepal

Once again, the quake-struck Nepal has suffered another tremor as reports told that a M7.4 earthquake struck near Mount Everest in Nepal, just weeks after the more powerful quake destroyed numerous buildings in capital city Kathmandu and over eight thousand people died.

The USGS first reported that the quake, which struck 83km east of Kathmandu, had a magnitude of 7.1 before revising it to 7.4. The shockwaves from the quake felt across northern India, where buildings began swaying for over a minute and people began fleeing to the streets.

On April 25, 2015, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 struck parts of Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, and the city of Pokhara. It is known to be the deadliest of the Nepal earthquakes in over eight decades and it's not just Nepal that's affected. It's also parts of India, Bangladesh, Tibet, and Mount Everest, where avalanches were triggered.

Report: http://m.france24.com/en/20150512-nepal-strong-earthquake-strikes-near-mount-everest

Let's Do The News! (May 12, 2015)

- Tom Brady of the New England Patriots, the football team that defeated Seattle Seahawks at the Super Bowl three months ago, was suspended for the first four games of the season. Gets worse; the Patriots are fined with $1 million and took away two draft picks for deflating footballs used in the AFC title game.

- According to finance minister Yanis Varoufakis, Greece is just two weeks away from cash crisis as the nation's financial situation is "terribly urgent".

- US Secretary of State John Kerry is scheduled to hold key talks in Russia with his counterpart Sergei Lavrov about the ongoing Ukraine Crisis. However, his talks with the Russian leader Vladimir Putin are to be determined.

- Volcanic activity in Mt. Hakone continues and an alert remains in place for a minor eruption at the water's source in Owakudani valley.

- Japanese authorities arrested the son of an organization which supports North Korea and two others on suspicion of smuggling mushrooms from the DPRK. Masamichi Kyo (known as Ho Jong Do) is the second son of Ho Jong Man, the chairman of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, which regarded as a de facto embassy of North Korea, which has no diplomatic ties with Japan.

- Famed boxing commentator Max Kellerman defends boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao, saying that he "manned up" during his fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. two weeks ago.

- Controversial ride-sharing app Uber is now legal in the Philippines, which is the first nation to develop nationwide ride-sharing regulations. The Department of Transportation and Communications will release more details this week regarding to its effort to modernize transportation services and brace for the conveniences provided by app-based transportation services.

- Some weird news; people selling PS4 with the demo of a recently-cancelled Silent Hill game for thousands of dollars. Isn't that something remind you of last year about iPhones with the app game Flappy Bird on it costs over ten thousand dollars?

- Chitoge Kirisaki and Kosaki Onodera from Nisekoi now spawned their own Nendoroid figures from Good Smile Company! They'll be avaialble for you this September for 3,704 Yen plus tax!

Nendoroid Kosaki Onodera

Nendoroid Chitoge Kirisaki

TTFN!!!

Forza Horizon 2: A slap on Europe's faces

The all-new and more powerful Chevrolet Corvette C7 Z06 is the highlight of Forza Horizon 2's Alpinestars Car Pack, on sale now, and now you have two kinds of C7 Corvettes to choose from in-game.



Based on the seventh-generation Corvette, the Z06 has now been helm as the most powerful car ever made by General Motors because of its new LT1 supercharged 6.2L V8 engine which produces 650HP of power and same amount for torque output, that's more than what you get from the old C6 ZR1 and that's about as similar as the McLaren 650S that I just tried a couple of months ago.

Apart from its added power, the new Z06 features most of the components from its C7.R racecar such as carbon fiber roof and hood, dry sump oiling system, hydroformed aluminum frame, adjustable rear spoiler wickerbill, composite floor panels, and titanium intake valves and connecting rods. With stuff like these, the C7 Z06 transforms the Corvette that is fully capable enough to take on Europe's finest sportscars into a Corvette that now behaves not just a muscle car but also a supercar or a hypercar at the same time.



Corvettes are always known to be the king of American sportscars and claiming that can take on Europe's finest but they are sometimes a letdown because of its American-ness. With the new Z06 though, that's a totally different story because while this is strictly an American-made car, it doesn't feel at all like an American car because it's been honed in the world's toughest racetracks including the Nurburgring and Le Mans, resulting to a half-decent supercar that deserves a slap on Europe's face and I do mean a big slap.

Anyway, enough chitchat because I am giving the new Z06 the run of its life on Forza Horizon 2 and because of my Horizon champion status, like everyone else, I can choose which location to start the championship of my choosing so I'd pick Nice Massena for a championship the new Z06 might like but first, some makeovers have to be done to keep it as race-prepped as possible.



Now, I know what you're thinking but please give them a chance because 2015 is not just Forza's 10th birthday, it's also The iDOLM@STER so I gave my C7 Z06 some iM@S credentials that suits its personality and look! Iori Minase!

Yes, I know, I was planning to made that design in time for Iori's birthday but I'm doing this to win back every petrolheads' hearts because they're starting to shy away from the once petrolhead-loving 765PRO ALL STARS from THE iDOLM@STER and migrated to μ's from Love Live. Because this new Vette is a match for anyone bearing the title of "Iori Minase's Producer", this should do the trick. Anyway, with the C7 Z06 ready to slap some opponents' faces, it's time for the road trip to Nice.



And there goes the championship the C7 Z06 had entered...



Success! Wait, there's another Horizon Finale coming up? Anyway, looks like the C7 Z06 has finally proven its point that it can slap on any opponents' faces without warning and I have strong belief that we are trying to win the spectators' hearts from seeing this design that I made.

So, what's my next move? Only time will tell as the journey continues...

F1 2015 - Spanish GP

Image: Getty Images

The continuing prominence of the Silver Arrows at the F1 2015 season still blazes on in the highly technical Circuit de Catalunya in Spain but this time, it's the German ace Nico Rosberg that steals the spotlight having managed to cross the line 16 seconds ahead of his teammate Lewis Hamilton while Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel was placed 3rd.

In the driver standings, Hamilton's still leading by 111 points while Rosberg's 20 points behind and Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel is 3rd place overall by 80 points.

The next race is at Monaco on the 24th of May, 2015.