Thursday, November 28, 2024

Winners of the Top Gear Awards 2024

No Top Gear, no life, you say? Relax, Top Gear is still around with digital content for the fans, and the 2024 Top Gear Awards is one of them. 

Winners of the Top Gear Awards 2024
Image: BBC

The Top Gear Awards features questionable but unique titles, which is nonsense to some, to be given to the cars as featured by Top Gear. Unlike most automotive awards, the folks from Top Gear went to a more unscripted approach to determine which is the best car of the year. And now, the winners...

SUV OF THE YEAR - Hyundai Santa Fe MX5

MPV OF THE YEAR - Volkswagen ID.Buzz 7-seater

CROSSOVER OF THE YEAR - Kia EV3

CAR WE"RE MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO DRIVING IN 2025: Lamborghini Temerario

PERFORMANCE CAR OF THE YEAR: McLaren 750S

MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR: Toyota

SUPER GT OF THE YEAR: Aston Martin Vanquish

PERFORMANCE SUV OF THE YEAR: Porsche Macan

TRACK WEAPON OF THE YEAR: McMurty Speirling

LUXURY FAMILY CAR OF THE YEAR: Volvo EX90

SMALL CAR OF THE YEAR: Suzuki Swift

RETRO HERO OF THE YEAR: Electrogenic Mini

DESIGN OF THE YEAR: Rivian R3

ALL THE CAR YOU'LL EVER NEED OF THE YEAR: Dacia Duster

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Gordon Murray

CAR OF THE YEAR: Renault 5

URL: https://www.topgear.com/car-news/2024-topgearcom-awards/best-cars-year-meet-winners-2024-topgearcom-awards

Congratulations to the winners of this year's Top Gear Awards!

Let's Do The News! (November 28, 2024)

                   

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

- Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino advocates that the study of the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act and the Maritime Zones Act be included in the curriculum of law schools.

- Next year, Senator JV Ejercito will hold a hearing to review PhilHealth's use of funds.

- The PH Department of Justice clarified that Vice-President Sara Duterte will not be classified as a "terrorist".

- Police are investigating more than five individuals who may have assisted or facilitated Mohamed Al Fayed’s sexual offenses.

- The FBI says "numerous bomb threats" were made against some of US President-Elect Donald Trump's cabinet nominees and picks for his White House return.

- Mishal Husain announced she will leave the BBC next year after 27 years.

- Six people were arrested by the UK counter-terrorism force in the investigation into the banned rebel group, the PKK.

- Maserati becomes the fifth Formula E competitor to commit to GEN4.

- Tennessee state's school districts remove multiple manga series from libraries such as Attack on Titan, Jujutsu Kaisen, Akira, Detective Conan, and more.

- Seo In Young confirms divorce rumors.

- Brandon Crawford retires from baseball after 14 major league seasons.

- Scott O'Neil is set to replace Greg Norman as the CEO and commissioner of LIV, according to reports.

- GMA-7's morning news program Unang Hirit will celebrate its 25th anniversary this December.

TTFN.

Disney's Moana 2

Explorers of Moana, rejoice as our favorite...well...explorers of Moana are back for their newest adventure!

Disney's Moana 2
Disney's Moana 2

Auli'i Cravalho and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson are back to reprise the roles of Moana and Maui in their newest expedition in this long-awaited sequel just in time for the Thanksgiving weekend. In this sequel, Moana continues her adventure through Oceania following a message from her ancestors. The seas are getting rougher in her newest escapades, testing her bravery as an explorer of the seas.

This sequel pushes beyond the limits of what Moana and Maui can do as the adventure progresses. The test of friendship, bravery, and self-discovery made this sequel a must-watch of the Autumn movie season, not to mention the new moments to remember and the songs to get our heads stuck. Trust them, if the first one got one of the memorable songs stuck in their heads, then this sequel promises more.

Nothing beats a cruise back to Oceania as viewers welcome back Moana and Maui and enjoy the waves, the stories, and all the sights - from the hidden wonders and dangers throughout the seas. The classic Moana moments and musical numbers are all in this sequel and there is never a dull moment to return and enjoy until the very end.

Welcome back, explorers of Moana!

Wednesday, November 27, 2024

Let's Do The News! (November 27, 2024)

                  

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

- Leaders of social security from 10 Southeast Asian nations gathered for the 41st ASEAN Social Security Association Conference, emphasizing their increasing influence in global capital markets and their dedication to improved social protection.

- Soldiers assigned to provide security for Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte will be temporarily replaced by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

- Philippine President Bongbong Marcos urged establishing the Inter-agency Committee on International Humanitarian Law.

- The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah began after an agreement brokered by the United States. US President Joe Biden welcomed a US and French-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, believing that peace was possible.

- Alfa Romeo's new 33 Stradale has a confirmed top speed of 333kph after a high-speed run in the Nardo track.

- BMW created a replica of the M3-GTR featured in the 2005 Need For Speed Most Wanted video game to celebrate the franchise's 30th anniversary and the release of NFS Unbound's Volume 9 update.

- Stellantis plans to shut down Vauxhall's Luton factory as part of turning Ellesmere Port into its UK production hub.

- Shuhei Yoshida will leave Sony after over three decades. Yoshida was the first non-engineer on the PlayStation team who headed SIE Worldwide Studios and Indies Initiative.

- Sony confirmed the PlayStation2 has sold over 160 million consoles worldwide.

- The mother of T-ara member Ham Eun Jung passed away.

- Jung Ho Yeon and Lee Dong Hwi confirmed their breakup after nine years of dating.

- Companies removed Conor McGregor's endorsements after a sexual assault verdict last week in Dublin. This includes IOI removing content featuring McGregor in the Hitman: World of Assassination games.

TTFN.

Tuesday, November 26, 2024

Let's Do The News! (November 26, 2024)

                 

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

- About 23 people were killed when a bus plunged into a ravine, on a remote mountain road in the state of Alagoas, Brazil.

- The Manila City LGU appealed for the cooperation of the nearly 2,000 families affected by the fire in Isla Puting Bato and Sampaloc last weekend so that their names can be immediately listed among those to be helped.

- During the seventh hearing of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, it was revealed that Vice President Sara Duterte allegedly instructed former Department of Education (DepEd) Special Disbursing Officer Edward Fajarda to allocate additional funds to certain school superintendents.

- The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) insisted that there is no need for a loyalty check in their ranks.

- Special counsel Jack Smith drops case against US President-Elect Donald Trump over interference during the 2020 election which he lost.

- Japan and the US are planning to develop a joint military plan for a possible emergency in Taiwan, which includes the deployment of missiles.

- Israel and Hezbollah are said to be close to the Lebanon ceasefire deal.

- Formula 1 confirms the agreement in principle for General Motors/Cadillac to enter in the 2026 season.

- Robert Wickens will race at the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with DXDT.

- JLR announced it will compete in the 2026 Dakar Rally with Defender as part of its multi-year partnership.

- Los Angeles Rams player Demarcus Robinson was arrested on suspicion of DUI, according to the California Highway Patrol.

- Famed novelist and author of A Woman of Substance, Barbara Taylor Bradford, passed away at the age of 91.

TTFN.

Kia EV6 GT - 2025MY Minor Change

Following the arrival of the minor change to the normal Kia EV6, the range-topping high-performance version, the Kia EV6 GT, is now following suit, better and more stylish than before.

Kia EV6 GT - 2025MY Minor Change
2025 Kia EV6 GT

Kia EV6 GT - 2025MY Minor Change
2025 Kia EV6 GT interior

The new Kia EV6 GT is yours for 76,050,000 Korean Won plus additional costs, which is more expensive than the previous model. Despite the price hike, the latest improvements will make you fall in love with it even more, even those who regret driving the pre-facelift model a few moments ago.

Like the normal EV6, it features new G-shaped headlamps conjoined to the return of the signature Kia Tiger Nose grille, refreshed taillights, new wheel designs, not to mention the Civic Type R-styled rear bumper. To differentiate the EV6 GT from the vanilla EV6 GT-Line model, it's been fitted with lime-colored brakes, which became Kia's signature color for electric GT models.

The same goes for the interior. It features a new steering wheel, a revised 12.3-inch display panel, a revised dashboard, ambient lighting, and a revised Qi wireless charging pad. In addition to a new software update, it has a walk-away auto lock, powered steering wheel adjustment, a 12-inch head-up display, photocatalytic sterilization for the air conditioning, a digital rear-view mirror, and a built-in dash cam. Adding the GT button on the steering wheel and the lime accents on the seats sums it up.

The EV6 GT's high-performance electric drivetrain has been recalibrated with the use of the 84kWh battery pack. Thanks to its improved electric drivetrain, at the push of the GT button, it now produces 650PS of power and 770Nm of torque, capable of a 0-100kph sprint of 3.5 seconds. That's IONIQ 5N territory in the performance figures. As for the driving range, it's now good for a combined 355km in one full charge, depending on road conditions.

The increased power enhances the driving experience thanks to its sport-tuned dynamics, e-LSD (electronic limited-slip differential), and electronically controlled suspension. The e-diff lock actively manages the distribution of power to all wheels, improving handling performance and compensating for loss of traction when turning at high speeds. Meanwhile, the electronically controlled suspension ensures a stable ride and exceptional handling based on the selected driving mode.

As always, The New Kia EV6 GT comes with new safety features such as the revamped remote parking assist, lane keeping assist, and low-speed autonomous braking.

The harbinger of the silent movement is still cloaked in silence but promises to be the best EV6 GT ever made. Those who had the old EV6 GT, your time is up. Make the switch to the improved version. Modernization rules.

Available Colors: Snow White Pearl, Aurora Black Pearl, Runway Red, Wolf Gray, and Yacht Matte Blue.

Photo: Kia

Monday, November 25, 2024

Let's Do The News! (November 25, 2024)

                

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

- The PH Department of Justice considers Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte as the "mastermind" behind the threat and attempted assassination of President Bongbong Marcos. Because of this, the NBI will reportedly issue a subpoena against the Vice President. "The premeditated plot to assassinate the President as declared by the self-confessed mastermind will now face legal consequences," says Undersecretary Jesse Andres.

- The National Security Council calls Vice-President Sara Duterte's threat to President Bongbong Marcos a "national security concern".

- Number of casualties from the encounter between the government troops vs. the New People's Army in Negros Occidental reaches 8.

- The body of the missing rabbi Zvi Rogan was found dead in the UAE after what Israel says was an "anti-Semitic terrorist incident". Three suspects have been arrested in connection with the killing of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi.

- Nissan could reportedly scale back manufacturing operations in Thailand but no plants will be closed.

- The North Carolina school district removes the Unico: Awakening manga, a move similar to other districts to remove series such as Assassination Classroom, and Sasaki and Miyano.

- Love Live's Nijigasaki High School Idol Club visual novel game also coming to PC via Steam, on the same day as the Switch version comes out in April 2025.

- NFL hall-of-famer Michael Stahan is named honorary Pace Car driver for the 2025 Indy 500 race.

TTFN.