Dodge Grand Caravan Fifth Generation Minor Change

2011 Dodge Grand Caravan

2011 Dodge Grand Caravan interior

If the revised Mk.5 Chrysler Town and Country made it more like an Americanized Alphard, then the revised Mk.5 Dodge Grand Caravan made it more like an Americanized Vellfire for sure. The sporty character of the Dodge Grand Caravan appeals younger buyers looking for some stylish minivans and this latest minor change made it more aggressive to appeal more adventurous buyers.

Armed with the revised front face packed with the new Dodge signature grille, it is pretty much to say that the revised Mk.5 Dodge Grand Caravan packs a punch to bring out its true potential of being the most stylish minivan ever made for the American clients. Good thing the new grille got it more astonishing than the boring front from the previous pre-facelift model.

Four grades are offered on the 2011 Grand Caravan such as the Express grade that is the basic grade with introductory features, Mainstreet grade that is an advanced version of the Express grade, then the luxurious Crew grade packs with everything premium, and the sporty R/T grade that carries the same features from the Crew grade and adds more sportiness on the outside to inside.

No matter which grade you are on, you can still get the standardly new Pentastar V6 3.6L engine that delivers the fuel economy of 17/25mpg. Power output is 283hp/6400rpm and it comes with a 6-speed AT.

My thoughts about the Grand Caravan:
The powerful face of the facelifted Mk.5 Dodge Grand Caravan brings out the eye of the tiger to the young drivers, under the new Dodge concept of Never Neutral. I guess I can't tell which of the two minivans, the Chrysler Town and Country/Grand Voyager and the Dodge Grand Caravan, can capture more minivan buyers from North America. The Chrysler Town and Country is built for luxuriousness and the Dodge Grand Caravan is designed for sporty elegance. It's up to you to decide which of these two is your pick.

Photo: Chrysler Group, LLC.

Chrysler Town and Country/Grand Voyager Fifth Generation Minor Change

2011 Chrysler Town and Country

2011 Chrysler Town and Country interior

The revised fifth-generation Chrysler Town and Country (known in Europe as the Chrysler Grand Voyager) brings this American take of Hyundai Grand Starex to a completely new level of premium luxury. The exterior sports a new trademark Chrysler grille, complete with the new Chrysler logo that is truly "Imported from Detroit", despite this minivan was made in Ontario, Canada but it truly has the heart of its Motor City citizenship. The side view can be somewhat similar to the Jeep Grand Cherokee WK2 because of the silver side panels complete with the letters "CHRYSLER" spelled it out. The rear view is mildly revised complete with the new Chrysler badge on it and the letters "TOWN AND COUNTRY" spelled it out on the silver paneling. The new design makes it more luxurious and fit for a celebrity to get inside its charming minivan.

Judging from its VIP looks, the Mk.5 Town and Country minor change sports the only engine available in its range; the all-new Pentastar V6 3.6L engine, which boasts 283hp/6400rpm of power output and the EPA estimated fuel economy of 25mpg highway. It is available only with a 6-speed automatic transmission with Electronic Range Selection.

The interior was refreshed, making it more premium than the previous pre-MC model that is somewhat plain to look at it. Complete with the new redesigned analog clock, new optitron meters with information display, Two Overhead 9-Inch Video Screens (one in the 2nd row, and another one in the 3rd row), heated steering wheel, Super Stow 'n Go 2nd and 3rd row seats, Infinity Audio System, HDD Navigation System, Uconnect Voice Command, SIRIUS Satellite Radio and Backseat TV (plus one year subscription to SIRIUS), and Nappa leather-trimmed seats, rest assured that this is much more premium than the Hyundai Grand Starex Limousine, Toyota Alphard, and the Nissan Elgrand combined.

My thoughts about the TnC:

The refreshed Chrysler TnC Mk.5 is much more of an American Alphard because of the luxurious features offered. What we're going to miss is the Swivel 'n' Go seats but why the heck Chrysler Group, LLC dropped the Swivel 'n' Go for the revised Mk.5 Town and Country?

Anyway, the revised Mk.5 Chrysler Town and Country is much more better than the Hyundai Grand Starex, Toyota Alphard, and the Nissan Elgrand E52. The Koreans and Japanese are going to be upset when they encounter this. Thanks to the premium features, including two 9-inch rear monitors attached on the 2nd and 3rd row seats, needless to say that this fun to have someone watch two movies and enjoy their first-class flight to school, to work, or back home. Not only targeted for the soccer moms, but also the VIPs who are in need of luxury minivans. It should be arrived soon in Europe as the Lancia Grand Voyager soon.

Let's hope CATS Motors bring this latest minor change to the Philippines soon and I bet both the revised TnC and the Alphard go head to head on this category!

Photo: Chrysler Group, LLC.

SP1 - A very special Ferrari we wish to have

Ferrari SP1 meets Tsukuba

The special prancing horse gallops through Tokyo

Some Ferrari fans don't know what is the Ferrari SP1, but for those who didn't know how this car exists, the Ferrari SP1 is a special Ferrari F430 designed for the number one Ferrari enthusiast in Japan and also the chairman of some Ferrari Club in Japan, Mr. Junichiro Hiramatsu. Designed by Leonardo Fioravanti, former Pininfarina chief stylist, this one-off special has some of the characteristics a common Ferrari don't have according to Hiramatsu-san. Only one car exists and it belongs to Junichiro Hiramatsu himself because this is a tailor-made special F430 model that revives the tradition of creating special Ferrari cars for very special clients since 1958, and this special Ferrari was created in 2008.

Striking elegance of the SP1

Beauty in the beast

We, die-hard Ferrari fans, can't get our own SP1 in real-life (because this is the "only" Ferrari exists and it belongs to a Japanese client), but in Gran Turismo 5, we can sample the first Ferrari from the Special Projects programme, created to meet the demands of very special clients, mostly Ferrari collectors, to create one-of-a-kind Ferrari cars for them. The Ferrari SP1 is listed as a Premium Tier car and it costs 1,500,000 Credits.

Blitzing through Fuji Speedway

Upon getting behind the wheel of Junichiro Hiramatsu's special Ferrari, it felt like this is more like the 430 Scuderia I drove on this game. Upon tuning Mr. Hiramatsu's SP1, it reaches 630HP, weighs 1208kg, and its Performance Points is 589. I'm pretty sure its up to you to decide how to tune your own SP1 in GT5, from the LSD, Suspension, and Brakes. It pays to discover the SP1's true potential on your own perception and your own ideas.

Racing through the corners of Suzuka Circuit

The Ferrari SP1 may be a one-off special, but it's still a Ferrari included in the game. We can't have our own in real life but in GT5, we can. Since this is a Premium Tier car, you can swap its rims and colors and do a Photo Travel with this car. The reason why I pictured this car in Japanese locations such as Suzuka, Fuji Speedway, Tsukuba, Tokyo, and Kyoto, is because to show how Japanese is this Italian one-off special. A fitting take for Mr. Junichiro Hiramatsu's special Ferrari made me jealous to have one of these...

"96 calories, 100% sarap!"

Phew! Despite all the worldwide messes happened on our lives, we're glad that only the laughter from the March 11 episode of GMA's Bubble Gang saved us all, like;

a) Graduation gags sacrificed our togas for laughs

b) Tagalog-speaking news with English translation is more hilarious to see on the BALITANG NEWS sketch! "I'm Electronic Ignition reporting" LOL

c) Bubble Gang does Lucky Me Chicken Sotanghon Lite! They gagged this commercial as Lucky Vi Supreme Chicken Sotanghon Lite! 96 calories, 100% sarap!

Bubble Gang does Lucky Me Supreme!

d) A hold-up gone "Twenty Pesos" problem at the dark.

e) Do graduates suffer from superstitions? I don't think so...

f) Cheche and Bureche meets Chacha (Gwen Zamora), a softie but toughie.

Cheche and Bureche meets Chacha

g) We guess this woman is too choosy for something...

h) Before retiring a maid, something foul is happening...

i) A puppet on a court hearing? This looks crazy...

j) IyoTube with Moymoy Palaboy and Roadfill

k) SWEET! Another Misspelling Gee! Check out the words misspelled by the contestants!

1) Requirement - Requrremente

2) Specimen - Easepeecayman

3) Protein - Purootane

4) Choir - Tschooaireeye

5) Geometry - Idiometry

6) Amputate - Iamphoohtousetaremphthy or Ampte

Whose line is it anyhow?

Despite the troubles happened, we are glad that we are saved by the laughs offered from the March 11 episode of Lokomoko U, such as;

1) Palengke gags

2) How the cave people created a statue in honor of their hero in another episode of B.C. Bisihan

3) Guess what, another round of "Use in a sentence" jokes in another Talentadong Family! \(^o^)/

a) Fortified: Twenty years ago, I was FORTIFIED years old

b) Lion: Iha, alam mo ba kahit hindi kayo tumatawa sa mga "use it in a sentence" ko, okey lang yon. LION!

c) Bulacan: Ikaw, puro kang kasinungalingan, BULACAN ng bola dito sa asawa mo!

d) Mistake: Nagugutom na ako, MISTAKE ka ba diyan?

e) Antipolo: Iba na talaga ang fashion statement ngayon. Si Uncle, naka-palda, si ANTIPOLO naman ang suot.

f) Caloocan: Kayo lahat kapag si Mare, mga bastos ang mga pinaguusapan, tawa kayo ng tawa lahat kapag ako nag u-use it in a sentence, hindi kayo tumatawa, sumasakit ang CALOOCAN ko. Itigil ang CALOOCAN ito!

4) Lokomoko U does Whose Line Is It Anyway! They spoofed the popular game show as "Whose Line Is It... Anyhow?" OK, WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYHOW?

a) Question: Pag Nagmahal Ako, Lahat Kayo Nagagalit! Wala ba akong karapatang magmahal?

Answer: Gasolina

b) Question: Hindi lahat nang hinog matamis!

Answer: Pigsa

c) Question: Sige kalimutan mo ako nang malaman ng lahat ang baho mo!

Answer: Deodorant

d) Question: Ako na lang lagi ang pinag iinitan nyo!

Answer: Takure

e) Question: The Filipino is worth dying for

Answer: Ninoy Aquino

f) Question: Hindi lahat ng nagbabato, adik!

Answer: Darna

g) Question: Balang araw, mapapasa-akin din ang katawan mo!

Answer: Sementeryo

h) Question: Wag kang mag-alala, nandito ako lagi sa likod mo!

Answer: Pwet

i) Anong kasalanan ko sa'yo? Iniwan mo na lang akong duguan?

Answer: Napkin

TALPAK!

TALPAK!

Oh great, here comes "Sinking of Japan"

No, I'm not referring to some Japanese disaster movie called "Sinking of Japan" or "Japan Sinks", this is how "Japan Sinks" gotten real since I noticed the news that Japan was struck by a 8.8 magnitude earthquake and tsunami in Japan! Oh my gosh, this is how the anime Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 gets real. (--------_____--------)

Check out the articles:

1) http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/11/us-japan-quake-idUSTRE72A0SS20110311

2) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12709598

3) http://ph.news.yahoo.com/japan-issues-top-tsunami-warning-big-quake-20110310-220927-348.html

4) http://www.gmanews.tv/story/215028/nation/tsunami-alert-up-over-19-phl-provinces-after-japan-quake

My gosh, I hope everyone in Japan are OK, especially the Filipinos reside in this earthquake-struck country. Uhhh.....

I hope nothing's wrong to the Land of the Rising Sun, otherwise, it may end up like in the movie The Sinking of Japan.

Tested by the Performance Points regulation

Ford GT40 Race Car in Monza

Since the "special" World Classic Car Series was here on the Seasonal Events section that lasts from 3/2/2011 19:00 EST to 3/16/2011 19:00 EST, I've checked it out for a while and unlike the past Seasonal Events that requires a right car with the right drivetrain but no tuning restrictions, I've been tested by the Performance Points regulation.

When I checked the Entry Requirements, not only I have to use cars from 1969 or earlier, the PP required is 550 or below. So how can I get a fast car under 550 Performance Points? My car of choice was the 1969 Ford GT40 Race Car, one of the most expensive Standard Tier cars on this game that you can get from either purchasing it at a very high price or win it in a B-Spec Endurance race. In default, this vintage racer has a Performance Points of 570, power output of 482HP, and weighs 998kg.

The problem was I cannot enter this race without the needed regulations so what I do was using the handy "Power Limiter" in the car's tuning section. I dropped the GT40 Race Car's power output to just 400 HP, giving me 547 Performance Points! With the dropped power met the PP regulations, I entered this race and I won all five races from Cape Ring, Laguna Seca, Monza, Tokyo, to the developer-generated Eifel Kart track.

My lesson was to find a car that is somewhat near 550, then use some power limiter to sacrifice power to decrease PP and the required PP should allow you to enter those strict races.

I'm sure most online players applied those strict regulations during online races.