Volt is Green Car of the Year

Remember when the soon-to-be-on-sale Chevrolet Volt won two COTY awards from Motor Trend and Automobile Magazine?

At the Los Angeles Auto Show, the Chevrolet Volt is awarded as "Green Car of the Year"! Not bad for America's true eco car!

Scoop: http://www.freep.com/article/20101118/BUSINESS0101/101118055/Chevrolet-Volt-named-Green-Car-of-the-Year

Too bad we. Philippine Chevy fans, can't get the Volt unless the government has yet to approve sale of electric cars in the Philippines.

Ah...America runs on eco cars...

The next Impreza?!

Could this be the next Impreza?! As I know, this is a 2010 Subaru Impreza Concept as seen in this year's Los Angeles Auto Show.

This is kinda awkward that this could be the next Impreza in the future, but AFAIK, Subaru tries to implement its new design philosophy under the  Confidence in Motion strategy.

It is a concept, but with that new trademark design, what production car will Subaru strike first with this?!

Possible targets:

Honda Life Fifth-Generation Minor Facelift

2011 Honda Life

2011 Honda Life Diva

The latest facelift of the fifth-generation JDM Kei Car from Honda, the Life makes it more of a welcome treat to please a bunch of compact lovers from across Japan. Now, only two types of Life, the standard Life and the sporty Life Diva, remained and both gained a new aggressive face. This facelifted Life can be an aggressive Life, but the facelifted Life Diva is the most aggressive Life made because the grille is similar to the Honda RK5/RK6 StepWGN Spada.

The oddity of the recent facelift is the interior. Now, the standard Life is offered with the light beige interior while the Life Diva's interior gets even darker and now armed with the ice blue instrumental cluster. There is no way the enthusiasts' choice was the Life Diva because of its sharp looks.

Also on the oddball side, the engines remain stale, even offered with the 658cc P07A SOHC engine (in Natural Aspiration and Turbo for Diva). They're all armed with the 4-speed automatic transmission, so there's nothing special about the performance.

My thoughts about the Life:
Life's good as we know it. For the Life's latest nip/tuck, everything's remain the same even with the new face, new interior, and something to wish for. Just what happened to the Life Pastel?! Never mind, well the truth is, both the Life and the Life Diva's refreshed to take on the best-selling Suzuki Wagon R and the upcoming fifth-generation Daihatsu Move and Move Custom.

Photo: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Volt can kill two birds in one stone...in an COTY kind of way...

Chevrolet Volt

While not yet on sale (available only in selected U.S. cities, including Los Angeles), the Chevrolet Volt really "kills two birds in one stone", that is, won two COTY awards. One is from Motor Trend, and another one from Automobile Magazine.

Full scoop:

From Motor Trend:http://www.motortrend.com/oftheyear/car/1101_2011_motor_trend_car_of_the_year_chevrolet_volt/index.html

From Automobile Magazine: http://www.automobilemag.com/features/awards/1101_2011_automobile_of_the_year_chevrolet_volt/index.html

So much for Chevrolet's full-fledged eco-car. Not yet in selected dealers yet, but the Volt gained a lot of reputation. And yes, Chevy runs deep, just like the new TV ads in celebration of 100 years of Chevrolet next year.

Kudos to General Motors for receiving a lot of praise about Chevrolet's true eco car. And yes, no Chevy Volt for you, Pinoy Chevrolet fans, yet.

What will the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) react about the Chevy Volt? Yes, it is an eco car fit for environmentalists. However there could be an anatomy of a disaster on the Volt if things not met our eco car satisfactory.

The new Swift is 2010-2011 RJC Car of the Year?!

A few weeks earlier, the Honda CR-Z hailed as 2010-2011 Japan Car of the Year. Anyone got the memo?!

Later, in the 2010 RJC (Automotive Researchers' and Journalists' Conference of Japan) Car of the Year, the winner goes to the all-new Suzuki Swift.

Scoop (Japanese only):

http://www.nikkei.com/news/latest/article/g=96958A9C93819696E3E4E296E38DE3E4E3E3E0E2E3E28698E3E2E2E2

Revenge is a dish best served cold. And since the global Suzuki Swift became this year's RJC Car of the Year, maybe this car can do a bragging against its competitors.

I just really hope that this latest Suzuki Swift will arrive in the Philippines next year. If it hits, it will bring the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, Hyundai Getz, and the Kia Picanto a run for their performance.

When safety meets style...

2011 Subaru Legacy B4 EyeSight Sport Selection

2011 Subaru Legacy Touring Wagon EyeSight Sport Selection

2011 Subaru Legacy Outback EyeSight Sport Selection

In November 16, 2010, Fuji Heavy Industries, the mastermind behind Subaru vehicles,just unveiled a special edition Legacy Eyesight Sport Selection series for Japan only. For those Scooby fans who don't know what is EyeSight, then EyeSight is a technology that detects objects while driving. It was been available previously on Japan-spec Legacy and in Exiga last year. In 2nd quarter, 2010, the Eyesight is improved and its equipped with a special braking system and henceforth called "Eyesight Ver. 2", Subaru's take on Volvo's City Safety technology.

Ads showing how Eyesight Ver. 2 works:

See what I mean?

This special edition Legacy variants come with the standard Eyesight Ver. 2, Silver Alcantara and Black Leather seats, and a choice of four exterior colors; Satin White Pearl, Steel Silver Metallic, Graphite Gray Metallic, and Crystal Black Silica.

Full details (Japanese only):

http://www.fhi.co.jp/news/10_10_12/10_11_16.html

We are unclear if MotorImage Pilipinas has to announce if Eyesight will be on Legacy variants, but in the meantime, the Eyesight Ver. 2 is for Japan-spec Legacy variants only.

Spanish in Tongue Tarang Tongue and Melai's tips to escape "usapang lasing"

Earlier in Banana Split Daily Servings, aside from plane jokes, today's Tongue Tarang Tongue showcased crazy sentences offered by a Pinoy (Ryan Bang), a Japanese (Pooh), and now Spanish (John Prats)

Here's the joke:

1) Pinoy: Judy Ann Santos
Spanish: Esperanza

2) Pinoy: Simot ang wallet
Japanese: Wanakopera

3) Pinoy: Baboy
Spanish: Porque

4) Pinoy: Sa akin lahat ang gastos
Japanese: Puro Abono

5) Pinoy: Sikat na sira ulo
Spanish: La Bida Loca

6) Pinoy: Para kang bago ng bago
Japanese: Dikana Nasenai

7) Pinoy: Hubad na babae
Spanish: Por no Mujer

8) Pinoy: Umiyak si Lea Salonga
Japanese: Saigono Iyaki

Also, Melai Cantiveros, everyone's favorite problem solver, is here for some tips for you, drunkards, to escape the usapang lasing on M3: Melai Mo Magwork.

5) Grow beards, and let the beards do the beer drinking

4) Pretend there's a cockroach in a glass of beer

3) Use camouflage to hide your way from the lasenggeros

2) Pretend you're drunk and GO NUTS!

1) Have your clothes stained in blood and tell them you killed the drunk men.

These are the "escape from usapang lasing" tips courtesy from Melai.