Let's Do The News! (October 10, 2024)

             

Your daily round-up of today's news...

- The Philippines, in cooperation with the PH Department of Energy, will host the Philippine Nuclear Supply Chain Forum from November 13 to 15, 2024.

- Cardinal-designate Pablo Virgilio David met with Pope Francis at the Vatican following his appointment.

- The repatriation of 152 Filipinos from Lebanon is being arranged by the Department of Migrant Workers.

- Copies of certificates of candidacy from different parts of the country have started arriving at the head office of the Commission on Elections in Intramuros, Manila.

- The PH Department of Agriculture found no active cases of Q-Fever in the Philippines.

- Hurricane Milton made landfall in the US state of Florida as thousands fled.

- James Cleverly was eliminated from the UK Conservatives leadership race with only Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenouch locked in for the duel.

- Indian tycoon Ratan Tata, whose group's global assets include JLR and Tetley Tea, passed away at the age of 86. Tata was one of India's most internationally recognized business leaders. The Tata Group is one of India's largest companies, with annual revenues of over $100bn.

- Acura teases the first-ever ADX compact crossover coming soon.

- The first-ever Dacia Bigster was unveiled.

2025 Dacia Bigster

- The Volkswagen Tayron was unveiled. It is the longer version of the third-generation Tiguan which is offered with a choice of a five-seater or a seven-seater.

2025 Volkswagen Tayron

- Nintendo unveiled their new Alarmo sound clock range which features alarm sounds from Nintendo games.

- Actress Amber Midthunder will star in the second season of Apple TV+ original series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.

TTFN.

Volkswagen Tiguan Mk3 v Skoda Kodiaq Mk2

A best-seller in Volkswagen's right, the Tiguan is now in its third generation and there's a lot to talk about the latest version of one of the best-selling crossovers in Europe...or so they said.

2024 Volkswagen Tiguan

Starting at 38,250 Euros plus additional costs, the all-new third-generation Volkswagen Tiguan is the latest evolution of Volkswagen's smash-hit crossover that loves to pick fights against the Japanese opposition, mainly the Mazda CX-5 that made the Tiguan taste defeat while towing caravans.

Beginning with the design, the third-generation Tiguan can be easily mistaken for the Touareg NF, so it's a hand-me-down from its big brother. Throwback aside, the use of the MQB evo platform resulted in a slightly increased dimension compared to its previous model. It's 3cm longer than the old model while the height and the width remain almost identical.

2024 Volkswagen Tiguan interior

As expected, the new interior employs the minimalist approach like most Volkswagens today. While the button-packed steering wheel is the tip of the iceberg, it also features a Digital Cockpit comprising a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a 15-inch central infotainment display touchscreen that controls the infotainment, air conditioning, and the show-off ambient lighting. It even comes with HUD, Driving Experience Control, and the annoying IDA voice assistant.

With the second-row seats present, the Tiguan can carry up to 652 liters of boot space, an improvement from the previous model. However, with the rear seats folded down, it has 1650 liters of boot space. Ah, the irony.

2024 Volkswagen Tiguan

Thanks to the MQB evo platform, the all-new Tiguan behaves slightly better than the previous model. With the available 4MOTION 4-wheel-drive system and Dynamic Chassis Control, it can do slightly more. Should the Mazda CX-5 take note of the Tiguan's latest improvements? Who knows?

While right-minded Europeans should shy away from the 2.0 TDi variant because dieselgate, of course, the Tiguan can be fitted with the 1.5 eTSi OPF, 1.5 eHYBRID OPF, and the 265PS 2.0 TSi OPF exclusive for the R-Line variant. With the entry-level variant having 6.2 l/100 km of fuel economy based on WLTP standards, the range-topper of the Tiguan is the plug-in hybrid 272PS 1.5 eHybrid OPF. Mated with the 6-speed DSG, it does 0-100kph in 7.2 seconds and has a top speed of 215kph. Running on electric power alone, it can go up to 112km of driving range.

As always, the all-new Tiguan is packed with numerous safety features such as a lane change system, autonomous emergency braking and a lane keeping system, rearview camera system, dynamic road sign display, available park assist pro with remote parking capability, and the available trailer assist.

The all-new Tiguan may have bore the looks of its big brother from the previous decade but with the most advanced features offered and a wide array of powertrains available, including the range-topping PHEV variant with up to 272PS of power, looks it like it has the fighting chance to take down the aging Mazda CX-5 by a long shot...or perhaps some other crossover bearing similar nooks and crannies from this?

2024 Skoda Kodiaq

2024 Skoda Kodiaq

Hailing from Czechia, this is the all-new second-generation Skoda Kodiaq. Priced at 980,000 Kč, which in Euro terms, is more expensive than its Tiguan relative, the all-new Kodiaq eschews the sharp looks from the previous model in favor of a rounder one with the rearview easily mistaken for a Volkswagen ID.5 or certain Lincoln crossovers from the past decade.

2024 Skoda Kodiaq interior

Unlike the Tiguan, which is offered in five-seater only, the all-new Kodiaq is offered with the choice of a five-seater or a seven-seater with up to 2105 liters of boot space with the passenger seats folded down. Not only it's more spacious than the previous Kodiaq, but it's even more spacious than its Tiguan cousin.

Under the hood, the all-new Kodiaq is powered by a choice of a 1.5L TSi engine with mild-hybrid and 7-speed AT, a 2.0L TDi engine with the same gearbox, and the 204PS 1.5L TSi PHEV with 6-speed AT. It's their range-topper, of course, and with the PHEV powertrain mentioned, it does 0-100kph in 8.4 seconds and a top speed of 210kph, which is 5kph less than the most powerful Tiguan mentioned above.

Like the Tiguan, the all-new Kodiaq is packed with numerous safety features such as a lane change system, autonomous emergency braking and a lane keeping system, rearview camera system, dynamic road sign display, and others.

There you have it, the latest versions of the crossovers that made huge gains in Mainland Europe. The all-new Tiguan and the all-new Kodiaq have several differences despite bearing the same platform but these crossovers prove that their journey continues. Like them or not, here they come.

Photo: Volkswagen/Skoda

Let's Do The News! (October 9, 2024)

            

Your daily round-up of today's news...

- Taal Volcano spewed plumes. According to PHIVOLCS, two volcanic quakes were detected along the 900m plume.

- DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla has officially been sworn in.

- South Korea's feasibility study related to the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant is expected to be completed by 2025, according to the PH Department of Energy Undersecretary Sharon Garin, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding on the BNPP feasibility study by the Philippines and South Korea.

- The 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits in Laos have officially kicked off,.

- US President Joe Biden warns Florida residents in the path of Hurricane Milton to evacuate now as "a matter of life and death".

- Tom Tugendhat was eliminated from the UK Conservatives leadership race, leaving three candidates remaining.

- MI5 warns that Russia is on a mission to bring "mayhem" on UK streets.

- Ella Lloyd will represent McLaren in the 2025 F1 Academy season with Rodin Motorsport.

- The new-generation MINI Cooper Convertible was unveiled.

2025 Mini Cooper Convertible

- The Rolls-Royce Ghost RRASF02 range received the Series II update.

2025 Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II

- A live-action adaptation of the Shinobi video game series is in the works.

- Max original cartoon Welma got axed after two seasons.

- Philippine gold medalist Carlos Yulo becomes a Philippine Navy reservist.

TTFN.

My GT7 Log: 10-cylinder Salute

The Dodge Viper is the first road car powered by a V10 engine, but the Lamborghini Huracan is the last to have one. With the V10 engine officially laid to rest, it's time for a ten-cylinder salute with the first and the last to have the glorious engine that made such a glorious noise.

Here they are, the first-generation Dodge Viper and the Lamborghini Huracan on Gran Turismo 7, two sports cars that made their mark in the history of the ten-cylinder engine. Before having our last words with these ten-cylinder marvels, let's get to know them first.

Let's begin with the first-generation Dodge Viper, the SR model. The Dodge Viper was first conceived as a concept car in 1989. It was intended to be a modern interpretation of the legendary Shelby Cobra. The first-generation Viper was introduced in 1991 as the RT/10 roadster and was later joined by the hardtop GTS variant.

Now, let's get to know the Lamborghini Huracan, the last V10-powered road car. Launched in 2014, the Lamborghini Huracan is the successor of the Gallardo. It was named after a Mayan god. It was powered by a 5.2L V10 engine developing 602HP of power and when mated to a double-clutch gearbox derived from the Audi R8 as well as its 4WD system, it has a top speed of 202mph. The Lamborghini Huracan has gone through numerous updates over its near-decade lifespan and the STJ is in its final form with only 10 built and sold.

With their quick introduction done, it's time to drive these V10-powered road cars around Tsukuba Circuit just like the good old days. Obviously, the Viper came at a time when cars were fitted with ABS and Traction Control but being an all-American sports car, it eschews such driving aids in favor of total control from the driver. The Huracan, meanwhile, is all about relying on 2010s technology derived from its big brother, the V12-powered Aventador, but with a double-clutch gearbox to match its V10 performance.

Anyway, no time to mince more words. It's time to have a quick time attack with these two ten-cylinder legends. Roll the tape.

And now, the results...

Viper GTS '02 - 1m06.025s

Huracan - 1m02.212s

Even though the Huracan trumped the Viper by around four seconds, the results didn't matter because what mattered was that they'd fulfilled the V10 engine's dying wish, giving these two the biggest send-off to the greatest high-performance engine of all time.

From the Dodge Viper to the Lamborghini Huracan, the V10 engine powered some of the most iconic cars of our time. Now that it's permanently gone, nothing will ever be the same.

GOODBYE FOREVER, V10 ENGINE. You made us proud and loud.

Let's Do The News! (October 8, 2024)

            

Your daily round-up of today's news...

- Former PH President Rodrigo Duterte has withdrawn his certificate of candidacy for mayorship in Davao City, according to reports.

- A magnitude 5 quake with a depth of 10km has hit Caraga, Davao Oriental.

- A Chinese ship waterbombed a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources or BFAR ship stationed at Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

- PH Vice-President Sara Duterte will not serve as the caretaker while President Bongbong Marcos is in Laos, attending the latest ASEAN Summits.

- The PBBM administration named Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla as the new DILG secretary.

- Hurricane Milton has intensified into a Category 5 hurricane with 180mph winds, prompting evacuation orders in the US state of Florida following Milton wreaks havoc in Mexico.

- Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu vows to keep fighting as Israel remembers the 1st anniversary of the October 7 attacks. Israel held ceremonies to remember the victims, amid further fighting. 

- The FIA World RX Championship 2024 season finale will be held in Turkiye instead of China this next month.

- The NTT IndyCar Series will add an Arlington, TX street race in the 2026 season.

- Former Andretti Global team leader Michael Andretti released an open letter to the team's followers. It comes in the wake of his recent standing down as team principal and the transition of power to Daniel Towriss.

- SM Entertainment briefly comments regarding a new report on Taeil's case.

- Orlando Magic player Wendell Carter Jr. re-signs on a 3-year $59M extension contract.

TTFN.

Leopaul's Column: Don't ask me, ask the AI

The segment that I made "Heaven and Hell" is all about me talking about the world's most interesting topics from my perspective. I made this so I can have a little mindfulness, turning my everyday stress into interesting columns every internet user should put on his or her water supply. Sadly, that segment name wasn't my type anymore so I decided to rename this segment as...

Welcome to my newly titled segment, "Leopaul's Column," where I will transform my daily stress into engaging editorials, just like the Opinion section of your regular newspaper. For my first post in this newly renamed segment, let's talk more about the use of AI in your everyday life.

*This is an AI-generated illustration

Since the so-called twilight of the COVID pandemic, artificial intelligence has become a booming trend. While popular AI assistants such as Apple's Siri and Amazon's Alexa became the early adopters of the AI craze, it was the big ones such as ChatGPT and Stable Diffusion that saw a spike in popularity. Call it beneficial, controversial, or horrifying (probably because the AI art you've requested looks more distorted than you wanted it to be), but in the end, artificial intelligence has the upper hand but not always.

People like us starting to rely on AI because we're starting to feel either lazy or we're running out of time. We used AI to create video mashups in half the time (results not typical), create stunning artwork, generate important materials for your next office meeting, find answers to our homework problems, and so on. It has become part of our daily lives since AI became an exploding trend of this decade.

Although AI is proven to be beneficial for normal people, some bad actors abuse AI for malicious purposes. Most people blame AI for spreading malicious deepfake videos and the ever-spreading trend of "fake news" that separates people like us from the real truth. It's so intense, that even fact-checking experts are having a hard time clarifying things. The use of AI in spreading fake news is proven to be deadly for everyone who falls victim to it.

Let's be real, while most use AI for good and bad, others think they're better than AI or they're better off without AI. For instance, translators. AI-generated translators like Google Translate can translate different languages, eliminating the need for a human translator, but human translators think they're better than AI translators because, to them, AI translators are not as native as native speakers. I've seen a lot of videos proving that human native speakers are better than AI translators. They're like the resistance from the Terminator movies. Sadly, in today's reality, as the human translators are fighting, the AI translators are fighting back because of self-adaptability. It never stops evolving.

Another example is the use of AI artwork. Sure, everybody who is running out of time to do artworks rely on AI to create stunning artwork but, like human native speakers, some oppose the use of AI to generate artwork because it sometimes scoops up artwork belonging to someone else. It's like stealing but in an AI kind of way. That's why some don't rely on AI artworks to share with the world because of plagiarism concerns.

Whether it's an ultra-handy instrument for everyday life or a powerful weapon of mass destruction like Skynet from the world of Terminator if fell into the wrong hands, the use of Artificial Intelligence is here to stay. Will it help us or will it hurt us? That is an extremely divisive question when you talk about the use of AI daily.

Hey you. I've seen a lot of "questions" flooding the search query records from my Google Search Console. Haven't I told you already? "The search engine is made for searching keywords. Never put a question such as what, where, will there be, when, how, why, or any form of questions." You still turned a humble search engine like Google into a chatbox. Next time, post a comment on my blog for questions, or better yet, ChatGPT your silly questions. I don't care but I've warned you a million times; Please, don't use questions as search queries. I am asking for your cooperation because I don't want to see another "silly question" bombing my Google Search Console review.

THANK YOU.

Renault Scenic E-Tech v Symbioz v Rafale

Known as the Espace's little brother when it was a humble MPV, the all-new Renault Scenic has morphed into an all-electric crossover because we live in the new normal where crossovers dominate new car sales like superhero movies.

2024 Renault Scenic

Here it is, the all-new, all-electric, fifth-generation Renault Scenic. It's no longer the Scenic the world knows because it's now officially a crossover SUV that uses the same E-TECH all-electric powertrain from the Megane. It starts at 35,990 Euros plus additional costs, cheaper than its main rival, the Peugeot e-2008.

2024 Renault Scenic

Beginning with the styling, the all-new Scenic mimics the design from the Scenic Vision Concept two years ago, giving sharpness to this crossover people carrier. Its dimensions are 4.47m long, 1.86m wide, and 1.57m high, which promises to be more spacious than its predecessor despite being smaller in width and height.

2024 Renault Scenic interior

The all-new Scenic dons the familiar Renault dashboard that today's models have, meaning you will be greeted by the all-familiar 12.3-inch horizontal screen joined by the L-shaped 12-inch vertical touchscreen that controls the infotainment, climate control, and the MULTI-SENSE. It's powered by Google Android Auto just so you know. Concerning sustainability, the Scenic's interior is crafted from 90% of recyclable materials.

As a five-seater, the all-new Scenic allows passengers to turn the middle seat from the second row into an armrest with two cup holders. Ideal for VIP work if you're into that. Regarding boot space, the Scenic V can carry up to 545 liters, with the rear seats present up to 1,670 liters of boot space and the passenger seats folded.

2024 Renault Scenic

The all-electric E-TECH powertrain features a 60kWH standard range or an 87kWh high-range battery pack. The latter produces a high-performance 220PS of power and 300Nm of torque. It does 0-100kph in less than eight seconds and is about ten kph slower than a standard Japanese car or a present-day Volvo. As for driving range, it's good for up to 625km on one full charge.

Asked about the driving experience, even with the MULTI-SENSE set to Sport Mode, the all-new Scenic feels regular to drive. Not an exciting experience as expected on an electric crossover but thanks to its CMF-EV platform and its electric drivetrain, it's about as comfortable as sleeping in a bed in a three-star hotel. Of course, being a new normal crossover, the Scenic features Safety Coach which assesses driving behavior and habits to provide tailored advice on driving style and ADAS use. Bossy, eh?

There you have it. The all-new Renault Scenic E-TECH made us forget about the Scenics of yesteryears because from now on, this is one we should stick to our heads. Sadly, it's not going to be easy because as today's customers are showing lukewarm interest in electric cars, they are better off with a crossover that looks just like it, except for every single detail.

2025 Renault Symbioz

2025 Renault Symbioz

This is the first-ever Renault Symbioz and don't let its name fool you. It may bear the name of a funky 2017 concept car but, in reality, it's just another hybrid crossover made to tackle the likes of the Peugeot 2008. Priced at 33,400 Euros plus additional costs, it's slightly more expensive than the 2008.

2025 Renault Symbioz interior

Although the Symbioz bears the same front face as today's Scenic, the rear and side view look like it came from today's Kia Sportage. Same Renault gadgetry aside, the spacing of the Symbioz is smaller than the Scenic because it's capable of carrying up to 1455 liters of boot space. Still, it can carry up to five people. No problem.

2025 Renault Symbioz

Front-wheel-drive only as expected, just like the Scenic, the Symbioz is powered by the same 1.6L E-TECH 145 hybrid powertrain as the Arkana. Mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox, it has a 0-100kph time of 10.6 seconds, slower than the Scenic, and it has the same top speed as the Scenic E-Tech. 170kph to be exact.

Sure, it still packs the nagging Safety Coach that tells your driving style as well as ADAS recommendations but because it uses the same platform as today's Clio, it's less bulky to drive than the Scenic. Mind you, this is straightforward compared to this...

2025 Renault Rafale

The 45,000 Euro Renault Rafale. Named after a multirole jet used by the French Navy, it's the exact opposite of its namesake. Despite the irony, this is the Top Gun of the Renault SUV lineup.

2025 Renault Rafale

2025 Renault Rafale interior

Despite being a coupe crossover just like its main rival, the Peugeot 408, the Rafale is the most spacious of the Renault crossovers with up to 1910 liters of boot space with the rear seats folded down. It still packs the usual Renault tech such as the OpenR Link, Safety Coach, and others, but because it has AI-powered capabilities, the Rafale is another one of the production cars that plunged into the dark side of AI connectivity.

In addition to the 1.2L Turbo E-TECH Hybrid powertrain with 200PS of power output mated to a 6-speed AT with 4.7L/100km of fuel economy, the Rafale features the 300PS 1.2L Turbo PHEV powertrain where the combination of the petrol engine and the electric motor powering all four wheels, making it the only 4WD in the Renault SUV lineup. Armed with the 6-speed AT, it does 0-100kph in 6.4 seconds and has the top speed of a standard Japanese car or a present-day Volvo. Fuel economy is around 0.5L/100km and running on electricity only, it can go up to 105km.

Coupled with MULTI-SENSE and the Megane-derived 4CONTROL system, the Rafale is about as close as enjoyable as the now-defunct Renaultsport Megane. Close but no baguette. The same goes for the 4x4 PHEV variant but good while feeling under the weather.

Three Renault crossovers of 2024 bear such ironies. The Scenic of today has nothing to do with the Scenics of the past, the Symbioz has nothing to do with the concept car namesake, and the Rafale is not as cool as its fighter jet namesake. Differences aside, these crossovers made such a statement and in the end, it's the Rafale that stands out not because...well, you get the idea. Case closed.

Photo: Renault