How's that for the Regal comeback?!

Don't call it a Regal Baby, nor a Regal Idol, like what Mother Lily Monteverde said to those fresh Philippine actors and actresses appeared in various Regal Entertainment movies. What you see is the new Buick Regal. Today's Regal is the OEM of the Opel/Vauxhall Insignia in Europe.

It seems the Regal comeback is truly a budget-friendly sedan, beating out the likes of the Acura TSX/Honda Accord Euro, Volkswagen Passat CC, or even the naughty Volvo S60. Thanks to its pricing, fuel economy, and performance (I love the Regal CXL Turbo 6MT variant), the return of the Buick Regal won the 2010-2011 NADAguides Car of the Year!

Full details:http://www.autoblog.com/2010/11/19/buick-regal-named-nadaguides-car-of-the-year/#continued

How's that for a fresh European-American sedan? A true fit for the Regal Babies and Regal Idols from across the North America may find the Regal a suitable value for money.

Thank You Mother Lily, I mean, General Motors for having your Regal Baby, I mean, Regal Idol, I mean, Buick Regal won the NADAguides COTY for 2010-2011!

The new A8's body is a true "Militaires Sans Frontieres"

Since the Audi A8 hit European showrooms since early 2010, this premium flagship sedan became the talk of the town. And yes, this was my all time favorite premium sedan of 2010 since the Hyundai Equus and the Toyota Crown Majesta of last year.

It seems now, the new, third-generation Audi A8 received an award for best body, or in other words, won the Euro Car Body Award during the 12th International Car-Body Benchmarking Conference. 

Scoop: http://germancarscene.com/2010/11/18/audi-a8-wins-euro-car-body-award/

Congrats to the Ingolstadt automaker for making the new A8 a true corporate mercenary fitted for the next generation of executive warriors from Europe. Hope PGA Cars grab the new A8 to the Philippines soon.

Mahou Sensei Negima ~Mouhitotsu no Sekai~ Theme Song Collection

Mahou Sensei Negima ~Mouhitotsu no Sekai~ Theme Song Collection

Mouhitotsu no Sekai (Japanese for Another World) is a made for DVD episodes included as a limited edition on manga volumes of Mahou Sensei Negima! (日本名: 魔法先生ネギま！), a manga and anime about a young wizard in training (Japanese Harry Potter?!) on an assignment as a teacher to an all-girl class in Mahoragakuen. As far as I know, this was my all-time favorite thanks to Asuna Kagurazaka, Konoka Konoe, Setsuna Sakurazaki, Nodoka Miyazaki, and the rest of the Negima girls from the anime and manga.

OK, no more hassles please. This here is a Theme Song Collection from the made-for-limited-edition DVD. It includes four songs based on the Mouhitotsu no Sekai DVD episodes included on limited-edition Negima comic books sold in Japan. It has songs like Love Drive, Get A Chance!, Magical Twinkle Sky, and Good Vibration!! Those songs are wild and cute to listen to.

World Soccer Winning Eleven 2011/Pro Evolution Soccer 2011

World Soccer Winning Eleven 2011 (PS3 Version)

Those who are a big fans of the once fabled and legendary UEFA Championship League can now enjoy the UEFA championships the way they want thanks to World Soccer Winning Eleven 2011 (日本名: ワールドサッカー ウイニングイレブン), known worldwide as Pro Evolution Soccer 2011.

With famed soccer star Lionel Messi in the cover, players can experience the high-intensity soccer battles ranging from your favorite soccer teams and clubs from across the globe, from solo-player, two-player, to online multiplayers!

The graphics on WE/PES 2011 are so realistic, its like you're in a hot seat on a heated soccer match! It takes strategy, timing, and skill to gain the edge against your rivals.

The new Master League Online mode allows players to take on other players from across the globe with the use of a well-trained soccer team of their choice. This is surely mark a legend in the history of Winning Eleven series!

What can I say, Winning Eleven/Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 is bound to be the best of the WE/PES series because of the online debut of the Master League mode that allows players to use their well-trained teams to take on the world, no matter what circumstances they take.

Toyota iQ Go 6MT or Honda Fit/Jazz RS 6MT

Toyota's sporty addition to the iQ compact, the iQ → (iQ Go)

and the recently facelifted Honda Fit/Jazz RS, now with the available 6-speed manual

Yes, I know. Both of these hot JDM hatches are armed with the sporty 6-speed manual. But which one's better in the eyes of a JDM hot hatch aficionado?

CASE ONE:

Launched at Japan in late August 2010, the iQ → (iQ Go) is the sportier side of the Toyota iQ micro car. In November 2010, a 6-speed manual transmission is offered on the iQ Go. The Toyota iQ Go 130G 6MT is powered with the 1.3 1NR-FE Dual VVT-i engine that produces a power output of 94PS and the fuel economy of 23.5km/L. Plus, the iQ Go 130G 6MT is equipped with the idling stop system and Toyota's Smart Stop technology.

CASE TWO: With the launch of the recently facelifted Honda Fit/Jazz and the addition of the new Fit/Jazz Hybrid, the Fit/Jazz RS is also facelifted and this time, not only comes with the CVT, but also a sporty 6-speed manual transmission. On the performance side, the Fit RS is armed with the L15A engine that produces 120 PS of power output and the fuel economy of 17.4km/L. Best of all, the Fit RS can fit up to 5 people. iQ Go can fit up to 4 people.

In the performance side, the Fit RS wins. The iQ Go outperforms the Fit RS because of the fuel economy. For seating and easy access, winner goes to the Fit RS thanks to the 5-doors while the iQ Go is only 3-doors. I would gladly prefer a Honda Fit RS 6MT rather than the Toyota iQ Go 130G 6MT because of its performance and easy access. Hot hatches never been this hot!

What to learn from the Kodo design...

When Mazda introduced the Shinari concept sedan to the public in Milan, Italy, this concept car gave birth of the brand's new design language, KODO.

Just what is a Kodo design? After the success of the Nagare design from concepts to production cars (Atenza, Biante, Axela, new Premacy), this new Kodo design implemented on the Shinari concept represents the "Soul of Motion".

Soul of motion? Everyone has a "Soul of motion" to keep themselves motivated. This concept car's new design philosophy "Soul of motion" depicts the way we, car enthusiasts, react.

Deciding which production car will wear the new face is a hard decision, but this new Kodo design philosophy is much more majestic than the previous Nagare design.

Imagine a Mazda car armed with the Kodo design and the future SKY engine. This results to a much greater purpose...

Ah...the soul of motion. Everyone has their own soul of motion.

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.