Super GT's 30th-anniversary celebrations have officially begun with the opening salvo of the 2024 season held in Okayama.
The 2024 season of the Autobacs Super GT Series marked the debut of the Honda Civic Type R Super GT machines that replaced the now-discontinued NSX Super GT predecessors as it prepares to clash against GT500-class machines based on the Toyota Supra and the Nissan Fairlady Z.
The clash between the Civic Type R, the GR Supra, and the Fairlady Z became known as the most unexpected Super GT season in its 3-decade history.
Screengrab from Super GT
The #36 au TOM'S GR Supra drew of Sho Tsuboi and Kenta Yamashita drew first blood with a win in Okayama while the #39 DENSO KOBELCO SARD GR Supra finished 2nd and the #100 STANLEY CIVIC TYPE R-GT finished 3rd. In the GT300 class, meanwhile, the #2 muta Racing GR86 GT is the winner while the #65 LEON PYRAMID AMG GT3 finished 2nd and the #7 Studie BMW M4 GT3 finished 3rd.
The next round of the Autobacs Super GT 2024 Series will be in Fuji Speedway this May 4th.
The streets of Long Beach, California, served as the opening salvo for the 2024 Formula Drift championship, which saw some drastic changes such as dropping single qualifying runs in favor of a reimagined tandem-only format. Not only that, they picked up new sponsors such as South Korea's Kumho Tire, hand cleaner brand Fast Orange, and Alpinestars, among others. The 2024 season is going to be the turning point in Formula Drift history.
Screengrab from Formula Drift
James Deane in his #130 AutoZone Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-FD and Simen Olsen in his #707 Feal Suspension Nissan S14.9 are the drivers who advanced to the finals and amid wet weather, they put in a good opening salvo with their crowd-pleasing drifts.
By unanimous decision in a rain-soaked final round, James Deane drew first blood with a win against Olsen. Aurimas Bakchis in his #723 Feal Suspension / GT Radial Nissan S15 finished in 3rd place.
The next event is at Atlanta for the Road to the Championship this May 9-11.
- Transport group PISTON is holding a transport strike this April 15 and 16 followed by a rally. PISTON National President Mody Floranda warned there will be major action before the end of the month. Floranda expects the majority of PISTON members will participate in the transport strike as well as others from the Manibela group and other local associations that are members of the local federation.
- Iran launched drone and missile attacks towards Israel as a reprisal for the Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria on April 1st, which Israel has not officially acknowledged. Over 200 drones and missiles launched by Iran were intercepted by Israeli forces and its allies. Some were hit such as an IDF base in southern Israel.
- A 40-year-old male killed six people in a stabbing attack at a mall in Sydney, Australia, before he was killed by police. The attacker "acted alone" and police say it's too early to speculate on the suspect's motivations. Australian PM Anthony Albanese says "hearts go out to those injured" in this "horrific act of violence". The police urged people to avoid the area and advised that the mall was closed.
- The Link! Like! Love Live! app welcomed three new additions to the Hasu no Sora Jogakuin School Idol Club such as Hina Sakurai as Ginko Momose, Fuuka Hayama as Kosuzu Kachimachi, and Rin Kurasu as Hime Anyoji. They'll be joining alongside existing members Nozomi Nirei as Kaho Hinoshita, Kokona Nokana as Sayaka Murano, Niina Hanamiya as Kozue Otomune, Kotoko Sasaki as Tsuzuri Yugiri, Kanna Kan as Rurino Osawa, and Kona Tsukine as Megumi Fujishima.
- Denver beats Boston to win its 10th NCAA men's Frozen Four championship title.
- Alex Pereira knocked Jamahal Hill down in the first round of their UFC 300 match, retaining his light heavyweight title.
- Dave Bautista and Eric Nam are joining the cast of the movie adaptation of the Nickelodeon cartoon Avatar: The Last Airbender.
The first-ever Volvo EX30 is undeniable proof that the Swedish carmaker's going big on its electrification gamble as plans to become an electric car maker going full circle.
2024 Volvo EX30
Priced at 429,000 Swedish Krona plus additional costs, the first-ever Volvo EX30 is the baby EV crossover that showcases the Swedish carmaker's commitment to going all-electric since the moment they announced it. Like it or not, this is the new normal for the new Volvo.
2024 Volvo EX30
Beginning with the styling, the EX30 dons Volvo's new-era design that prefers subtlety over obviousness, and being subtle is a good thing for an all-electric crossover made for the new normal. From the new-era Thor's Hammer headlamps, wheel arch creases, clamshell bonnet, and two-piece taillights, the EX30 is "new normal" material.
2024 Volvo EX30 interior
2024 Volvo EX30 interior
Inside, the EX30 prefers minimalism, which spells trouble for speedo boys behind the wheel but hey, this is the new normal after all, and cars with large touchscreens are a big deal. The 12.3-inch touchscreen with Snapdragon Cockpit Platform and Android AOS takes control of not just infotainment, but also navigation, room temperature, and other important bits and bobs surrounding it.
First-timers will find this gizmo complicated at first but they'll find it enjoyable the more they know it.
The EX30 has a complicated infotainment system, but other than that, it has a lot going for it. It comes with a Harman Kardon premium audio system that includes a soundbar located at the top of the dashboard.
In terms of comfort and spacing, despite its just-sizing dimensions, the EX30 is as cozy as most commoners' cars can be and with the rear seats folded down, you can store up to 904 liters of boot space, fit for all walks of life. Stealing the idea from the Hyundai Santa Fe, the EX30 comes with a door-opening safety feature that warns the driver when he or she is about to open the door in front of a cyclist, scooter, or runner, to prevent accidents.
2024 Volvo EX30
The EX30's electric powertrain consists of a rear-wheel-drive Single Motor layout with 272PS of power and a 4WD Twin Motor Performance layout with 428PS of power. The Single Motor variant comes with the 51kWh lithium iron phosphate battery while the Single Motor Extended and Twin Motor Performance variants get a 69kWh NiMC battery.
The Single Motor Extended Range variant has up to 476km of driving range while the Twin Motor Performance, with its 0-100kph time of 3.6 seconds, has up to 450km of driving range. Charging times? While charging at a 150kW charging station, it will take less than 30 minutes to hit 80% for most variants.
Running on Geely's SEA platform, the EX30 behaves well for a Swedish EV crossover. Although not as exciting as expected, it is civilized on various scapes from suburbia to the great outdoors. As for safety, the EX30 features various safety tech you would expect from a Volvo such as the new-generation Park Pilot Assist, 360-degree camera, Pilot Assist, Collision avoidance system, and driver warning system, among others.
Although not one of the best crossovers of the new normal, the Volvo EX30 is proof that the Swedish carmaker's electrification transition is going full circle. As one said, what you say is what you get. Volvo wanted to become fully electric because climate change is the real safety test, and this is what they've got. This is only the beginning...
Ferrari, Toyota, and Cadillac. Three carmakers took over the podium of the centennial anniversary running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans back in the summer of 2023 with Ferrari the victor. I've been asked if I can reimagine the Le Mans' centennial podium as road cars, which car per brand will it be standing in the now-legendary podium and why?
My obvious choices for my Le Mans centennial podium reimagined as road cars are; the Ferrari SF90 Stradale, the Toyota GR Supra, and the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing. When you do an improv on them, you'll know they had learnings from their now-legendary podium-standing equivalents in Le Mans.
The SF90 Stradale uses most of Scuderia Ferrari's motorsport know-how and the teachings from the LaFerrari to create the de-facto flagship PHEV hypercar that can dominate the road and track with surgical precision. Powering the SF90 Stradale is a plug-in hybrid setup, a first for Ferrari, where the turbocharged F154 4.0L V8 engine, producing 780PS of power, is connected to three electric motors, two on the front axle and one between the engine and the 8-speed double-clutch gearbox, resulting to a monstrous 1,000PS of total power output that pushes the SF90 to a 0-100kph time of 2.5 seconds and a top speed of 340kph.
The Toyota GR Supra is the first of the Reiwa-era JDM sportscars when it was launched in May 2019, a month after the beginning of the Reiwa era in Japan. Despite the BMW connection because it runs on the same mechanicals as the BMW Z4 G29, most speedo boys went for the Toyota rather than its BMW equivalent because, obviously, IT'S A TOYOTA. Powering the GR Supra is a choice of a 2.0L 4-cylinder turbo engine and the 3.0L BMW TwinPower Turbo engine for the range-topping RZ variant, seen here, producing 340PS of power and 500Nm of torque. All of the engines are mated to an 8-speed Steptronic gearbox. Later updates gave a power hike on the 3.0L turbo engine as well as the implementation of a 6-speed manual gearbox, which made it slightly lighter and more fun.
The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing transforms the sober American businessman's car into a WMD for the road and track. The 6.2L Supercharged V8 engine was a complete carryover from the old CTS-V but it has been boosted to produce 668HP of power and 659lb-ft of torque while mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 10-speed AT that propels this car from a 0-100kph time of 3.7 seconds and a top speed of over 200mph. It also comes with eLSD, advanced suspension refinements, Launch Control, Performance Traction Management, and MRC 4.0, among many others.
Judging by the performance the reimagined centennial podium possessed, there's no way I would have a three-way shootout between them because, truth be told, the SF90 will mince them both just as Ferrari crushed both Toyota and Cadillac in the Le Mans centennial anniversary race of 2023. I know, the CT5-V Blackwing's more powerful than the Supra but because the Supra is lighter, it slips through the American businessman's car gone mad at ease. Still, using the power of improv, I decided to give the reimagined Le Mans centennial podium a little talent show to demonstrate their native talents and with that, some makeovers.
Using Hana again? I'm starting to fall in love with my in-game GR Supra decorated with Aikatsu Planet's Hana because it has that "main character energy" on it, just like her. This is why I'm using her again for the little exhibition show I've run for her. A final encore, if you like.
The Wings on the Road, CT5-V Blackwing, is now peppered with a touch of Beat from Aikatsu Planet. Suits its personality well because driving the CT5-V Blackwing gives you the impression of pouring a bottle of cola into a teacup and sipping it in. I admire its level of sophistication as much as Beat herself. The CT5-V Blackwing is an awesome super saloon but today, the wings on the road's got Beat's name all over them, the equivalent of drinking cola out of a teacup. Classy, siddity, and elegance.
Lastly, Ferrari's de-facto flagship hypercar, the SF90, is now wrapped in the thorns of Rose from Aikatsu Planet. The toughest ones are always in the Ferrari and Ferrari is the alpha male of the supercar realm, making it the ideal role for the SF90 as Aikatsu Planet's toughest character, the final boss if you like. Up for a real challenge? You'll gonna have to take on her.
With my favorite cars mirrored in, it's time for the reimagined Le Mans centennial trio to have exhibition matches against Horizon's best drivers assembled including dummy drivers in reserve. Time to show these three what they're capable of and how Le Mans influenced sports cars like these. Send in the clips.
The trio put on a great show as if this was the last live show of their lives.
Ferrari, Toyota, and Cadillac took over the podium of the centennial anniversary running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the summer of 2023 with Ferrari the victor. When reimagined as road cars in the form of the SF90 Stradale, the GR Supra, and the CT5-V Blackwing, they really shine because of the learnings from their podium-standing equivalents, and when they're mirrored in, they can see their true colors.
Should the next Le Mans race come in, will Toyota mean revenge against Ferrari? Is Ferrari defending its Le Mans comeback? Or will there be another surprise in store? Only time will tell in the summer...
From the visionary mind of Alex Garland comes a thought-provoking master-class movie that paints a darker picture of America.
Civil War (2024 film)
Starring Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Jesse Plemons, Cailee Spaeny, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Nick Offerman, Civil War, the magnum opus masterpiece by Alex Garland, who is responsible for movies such as 28 Days Later, EX MACHINA, and Annihilation, is set in a dystopian future America when government and rebel forces clash throughout the entire nation. As the civil war intensifies, a group of journalists are racing against time to reach the capitol.
Although purely fictional, Civil War is a warning sign to American society because of the political tensions the country is facing today. Politics aside, this masterpiece is more than just a "war movie" because its dark and powerful storytelling is peppered with drama and values this movie possesses. Such storytelling earned Civil War the right to be called an "artisan pick" and the whole world got its attention.
A dark portrayal of America amid political turmoil is worth checking out in cinemas as Civil War ultimately proves its point that it might happen when politics in America spiraled out of control.
- Two Philippine Navy pilots were killed after a training helicopter crashed at Cavite City.
- Taal Volcano is experiencing phreatic eruption, according to PHIVOLCS.
- The Philippines, the US, and Japan vowed to strengthen their alliance in defense of the Indo-Pacific region after a three-way summit.
- OJ Simpson, the former American footballer who was controversially cleared of double murder charges, passed away at the age of 76. OJ, who was cleared of murdering his ex-wife in a court case that caused a global sensation, died of cancer.
- The Colombian capital Bogota begins rationing water to millions because of a prolonged drought that has left reservoirs exhausted
- Vietnamese billionaire Truong My Lan was sentenced to death for the $44bn fraud.
- A Japanese astronaut is set to become the first non-American astronaut to join the NASA Artemis mission. No one knows who but reports claimed a new agreement between the US and Japan was confirmed and a Japanese will join the Artemis crew.
- Fernando Alonso renewed his contract with the Aston Martin F1 team, keeping him for next season, 2026, and the sport's next regulatory cycle.
- Hyundai announced its return to the Pikes Peak Hill Climb with its IONIQ 5 N.
- Nickelodeon announced a new SpongeBob Squarepants movie coming at the end of 2025. The fourth SpongeBob movie is titled Search For SquarePants.
- Baldur's Gate 3 wins five awards at the BAFTA Games Awards, including the best game award.
- Korean singer Park Bo Ram dies at the age of 30. Before her death, Park Bo Ram was reportedly gearing up for a comeback.
- aespa member Winter is undergoing surgery for her collapsed lung, according to SM Entertainment.
- The list of performers for MBC's Music Core's Japan event at Belluna Dome this June 29-30 was announced.
- Kansas City Chiefs' Rashee Rice surrenders to police on charges from crash.
