AKB48's Atsuko Maeda in latest Toyota Doraemon ReBORN Advert

AKB48's Atsuko Maeda
in latest Toyota Doraemon ReBORN Advert

In the 4th installment of the Toyota Doraemon ReBORN advert, we saw AKB48's Atsuko Maeda as the 28-year-old Jaiko, Nobita's former childhood friend who might have been his wife. Wow, now there's a twist going on this ad. This ad also featured Toyota's most fuel efficient hybrid compact, the Aqua (known worldwide as the Prius C), which is proven to be more fuel efficient than the normal Prius because of 35.4km/L fuel economy based on Japan's JC08 test cycle. I have no idea about this Jaiko character but I'm sorry. That could have been a trending topic in the mouths of Japanese car enthusiasts...

2013 Lexus GS makes its TV Commercial debut

2013 Lexus GS

With the 2013 Lexus GS released yesterday, Toyota Motor Corporation streams its 30-second advert of the new 2013 Lexus GS. Check it out!

Lexus starts orders for the GS350, GS250, GS350 F-Sport, and GS250 F-Sport now as well as its 4WD counterparts while the GS450h will be on sale this March 2012. Don't forget that, for those who are living in Japan.

Omake:

Nissan releases NV100 Clipper and NT100 Clipper

2013 Nissan NV100 Clipper

2013 Nissan NT100 Clipper

Remember last year when Toyota launched the Pixis Truck and Van that was based on the Daihatsu Hijet Van and Hijet Truck? Watch out because Nissan is not alone because they've launched the NV100 Clipper van and the NT100 Clipper truck, all based on the Mitsubishi Minicab Truck and Minicab Van. It's their debutants and served as a replacement to the "Clipper Van" and "Clipper Truck" although they were facelifted versions of those I've mentioned.

Scoop: http://autoc-one.jp/news/971945/

Lexus New GS (GRL10/GRL11/GRL15) and New GS Hybrid (GWL10)

The all new Lexus GS begins the chapter of the evolution of L-Finesse thanks to the all new corporate look called "Spindle Grille". Although it may look similar from last year's CT 200h, the new GS achieves a much sportier design it deserves. This is Japan's BMW 5-Series, reloaded.

2013 Lexus GS

2013 Lexus GS Hybrid

Three variants available for the new GS; the new entry-level GS250, the GS350, and the GS450h (to be on sale this March). Gone is the V8 variant which just like what happened to the Nissan Fuga three years ago. This is a whole new twist because they want to make the new GS in the same level as the Fuga. The New GS is truly inspired from the LF-Gh Concept car, making this a concept car into reality, and this is the first to carry the new corporate look that marks a new chapter in Lexus' L-Finesse philosophy. This is known as the Spindle Grille and what based on Katsuhiko Inatomi, chief designer of the New GS, said that this new look is closely related to the "Time in Design" concept, which is part of the L-Finesse philosophy. That hourglass-shaped grille really made it a timeless masterpiece.

2013 Lexus GS interior

The interior of the New GS is now heavily refined, recharged, and reloaded. Gone is the touch screen and it was replaced by the Lexus Remote Touch first applied on the Lexus RX (scheduled for facelift this year). The new 12.3-inch wide display features a split-screen that allows the driver to check maps while listening to music, watch TV while adjusting the aircon, and various multi-tasking features at the touch of the Remote Touch. To complete the New GS interior experience, the available Mark Levinsion Premium Surround Sound System brings out the best sound quality you won't hear it anywhere else.

2013 Lexus GS F-Sport

Time now for the performance side. On the entry-level GS250, it is powered by a 4GR-FSE engine, producing 215PS of power and 260Nm of torque. With a 6-speed paddle-shift transmission, the GS250 gets a fuel economy of 10.8km/L based on Japan's JC08 mode test cycle. On the GS350, it is equipped with a 2GR-FSE engine that produces 318PS of power and 380Nm of torque. For RWD variants, the GS350 will get about 9.9km/L while 4WD variants get about 9.4km/L, all based on Japan's JC08 mode test cycle. Now, on the GS450h, the 2GR-FXE engine produces 295PS of power and 356Nm of torque. When set to EV Mode, the 1KM electric motor kicks in, producing 200PS of power and 275Nm of torque. Bear that in mind that the GS450h still uses the traditional Nickel Metal Hydride Battery that recharges when stationary or via Regenerative Braking. With the CVT equipped, the GS450h promises about 18.2km/L of fuel economy, based on Japan's JC08 Mode test cycle. A new Drive Mode Selector is added to take advantage of its economy, balance, and agility within four modes; ECO, Normal, Sport S and Sport S+.

There's an available F-Sport for the first time on the new GS. The F-Sport variant features Lexus Dynamic Handling System with Dynamic Rear Steering for better cornering while taking advantage of Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management and Variable Gear Ratio Steering. 

The New GS comes with numerous safety systems such as Pre-Crash Safety System, Night View, Intelligent AFS, Automatic High Beam and Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management. 

Available in 11 colors; White Pearl Crystal Shine, Mercury Grey Mica, Sonic Silver, Black, Black Opal Mica, Starlight Black Glass Flake, Crimson Crystal Shine Glass Flake, Sleek Ecru Metallic, Fire Agate Mica Metallic, Lapis Lazuli Mica, and Meteor Blue Metallic. 

My comment: The all new Lexus GS marks the beginning of the new design direction of Lexus' L-Finesse philosophy. Although it may look similar to the Lexus CT, the new GS is made be more sportier, more classier, more glamorous, and in the real world, attractive. There's no word from Lexus Manila when will the new Lexus GS be available in the Philippines yet but we do know is that the new GS will come, very very soon.

Welcome to the new direction of Lexus. 

 Photo: Toyota Motor Corporation

2013 Ford Fusion looks good in Stock Car Racing

2013 Ford Fusion NASCAR

When the 2013 Ford Fusion premiered at the 2012 NAIAS and it will go on sale at the end of the year, we were wondering what if the 2013 Ford Fusion will be if it participates NASCAR in the near future. This 2013 Ford Fusion Race Car looks perfect in the Daytona 500 race or at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. We can hardly imagine if this new racer is best fitted with Best Buy and Aflac livery like the ones AJ Allmendinger and Carl Edwards have.

This Ford Fusion stock car will join NASCAR this 2013.

Scoop: http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2012/01/this-is-new-2013-ford-fusion-nascar.html

RVR production in Indonesia is underway this year...

2011 Mitsubishi RVR

Mitsubishi Motors announces that it will start production of the RVR (ASX/Outlander Sport) crossover in Indonesia this year. This idea is all part of Mitsubishi Motors' plan to concentrate on emerging markets, part of the JUMP 2013 business plan announced last year. Guess the strong Yen currency really made Mitsubishi produce this crossover from another Asian country. Question is, will that work?

Scoop: http://paultan.org/2012/01/26/mitsubishi-to-produce-asx-in-indonesia-starting-this-year/

Honda Green Machine 003 in FM4

ECON Mode or Sport Mode? You guess...

As I'm sure you know, this is the Honda CR-Z, the world's first hybrid sports car created by Honda. When it came out in Japan since February 2010, this car changed the way hybrids meant to be. Unlike the dreary Toyota Prius, the CR-Z is more fun. Infusing the agility of a sportscar and the fuel economy of a hybrid, the CR-Z is proven to be the best of both worlds, or is it? When owners set it to ECON mode, the CR-Z is made to be fuel efficient and when they set it into Sport Mode, the CR-Z's handling response gets even more sharper, more than enough to make a bit more...uncomfortable. If I was driving the CR-Z on the mountain paths, I would had a slightly bad back.

Spoon CR-Z rattles through Suzuka

This car was a Pre-Order bonus for those who've pre-ordered Forza Motorsport 4 at Target. Again, I didn't pre-order there because I pre-ordered mine in GameStop. In fact, I was going to say that I don't need it because I am utterly familiar with the CR-Z from a rival video game but because there are rarely a few FM4 players decorating their CR-Z into something cool, something that replicates the Spoon CR-Z, Mugen CR-Z Concept, or even the CR-Z racecar from the 2011 Legend Cup, I am wasted with a blown opportunity. Not so because when they made the Launch Bonus DLC available worldwide, I had the chance to drive the world's first hybrid sports car in Forza Motorsport 4. It was great and there are Mugen parts available to give the CR-Z a complete makeover.

The annoying Stig in his annoying
orange-colored Honda CR-Z Mugen Concept!!

As some that found out when the Launch Bonus DLC made available to the public, the CR-Z wasn't on the same planet as the Toyota Prius. Even when they're both hybrids, they're highly different in any way. The Prius was a bit more rubbish while the CR-Z is more ambitious. I would gladly go bonkers when I drive the CR-Z because this is what happens when the engineers from Honda decided to give a modern twist to the classic CR-X. I thought the CR-Z would be a modern-day version of the fire-breathing Honda CR-X but it isn't. In fact, I'm back to where I'm started. If you want a better Honda hatchback, buy a standard FN2 Civic Type R Euro.

Murano Z51 Mode Bianco

2012 Nissan Murano 350XV Four Mode-Bianco

Meet the whiter side of the Nissan Murano Z51. Created by Autech Japan, the special edition "Mode-Bianco" puts the color "Bianco" on the Nissan Murano Z51. What's that you ask? White lights, white interior, Bose Sound System, and a choice of 20-inch or 18-inch rims all colored white. This special model is available only in Japan this February 9.

Scoop: http://autoc-one.jp/news/971539/

This is how Toyota returns to 2012 Le Mans in style...

Toyota TS030 Hybrid

Moments after Peugeot's withdrawal at the Le Mans, Toyota Motor Corporation unveiled its competitor at the 2012 Le Mans. This is the Toyota TS030 Hybrid. This Hybrid Le Mans Prototype is packed with a 3.4L V8 engine mated with one of two electric motors; one from Aisin and another one from Denso.

PRESS RELEASE:

TOYOTA RACING UNVEILS 2012 LE MANS CHALLENGER

Toyota Racing today announced more details of its forthcoming FIA World Endurance Championship participation, including an intention to race two cars in specific races.

The new team, which is based at Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG) in Cologne, Germany, will make its race debut on 5 May in the Six Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, the second round of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Toyota Racing intends to enter two TS030 HYBRID cars in the subsequent Le Mans 24 Hours (16-17 June. Participation in further rounds is yet to be confirmed.

A driver line-up of Alex Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre and Kazuki Nakajima has already been confirmed for one car while discussions are still ongoing to finalise the driver line-up for the other. Additionally, Andrea Caldarelli, from Pescara, Italy, has joined Toyota Racing as a junior driver.

The TS030 HYBRID is Toyota's successor to the iconic TS010 and TS020 cars which participated at Le Mans with podium success during the 1990s, with TS an acronym for ToyotaSport.

Toyota is the first manufacturer to confirm its participation in the FIA World Endurance Championship using a hybrid system, emphasising the pioneering approach to this technology which has seen more than 3.5 million Toyota hybrid vehicles sold worldwide.

The THS-R (Toyota Hybrid System – Racing) powertrain is designed to deliver maximum performance and features an all-new V8 3.4litre normally-aspirated petrol engine and hybrid system with capacitor storage developed by official team partner Nisshinbo.

The team will use the TS030 HYBRID's first test to evaluate the merits, within the current regulations, of a front motor system produced by Aisin AW and a rear motor system developed by official team partner DENSO. Those regulations limit hybrid systems to recovering a maximum of 500kJ between braking zones whilst restricting deployment to only two wheels.

A brand new carbon fibre LMP1 chassis has been developed and produced at TMG, where the complete car was assembled for the first time in preparation for a roll-out on 11-13 January at Paul Ricard.

During an exclusive test session at the French track, which included running in darkness, the TS030 HYBRID completed several hundred kilometres, showing an impressive level of reliability and performance for this very early stage in the car's testing programme.

Alex Wurz and Nicolas Lapierre both put the TS030 HYBRID through its paces at Paul Ricard, joined by 30-year-old Japanese driver Hiroaki Ishiura, who is a candidate to join the driver line-up at races where Toyota Racing participates with two cars.

Official partners to the Toyota Racing programme include ZENT, Aisin, Nippon Steel, Takata, Toyoda Gosei and Michelin.

Yoshiaki Kinoshita, Team President: "Of course we would love to win Le Mans; that is the dream for all competitors in this race. But we are realistic and we know we need to develop and to learn in order to compete with some very strong competition. Our target this year is to show the performance level of our car and particularly the THS-R powertrain. Hybrid is a core technology of Toyota so it is important to demonstrate this in a motorsport arena and we want to prove it can bring a performance advantage, both in terms of lap time and fuel efficiency. Everyone involved in designing, developing and preparing the car – both at TMG and at Motor Sport Division in Japan – has worked incredibly hard to reach this point and we are all very excited to be back on the race track again."

Pascal Vasselon, Technical Director: "The two main performance drivers of our TS030 HYBRID car are the aerodynamics and the hybrid system. The regulations for hybrid powertrains allow us to recover energy under braking and release this to improve acceleration out of a corner, delivering lap-time benefit. For any given performance level, a hybrid powertrain will achieve this with less fuel so it is an extremely relevant technology and one we are excited to be bringing to endurance racing. Another key point in our development phase has been delivering aerodynamic efficiency. The development team at TMG has worked very hard to achieve an optimum aero concept using our state-of-the-art aero development processes based on combined wind tunnel testing and CFD. Judging by the positive feedback we received during the roll-out we have a very good base on which to build in the coming weeks."

Hisatake Murata, Hybrid Project Leader: "Toyota has been working on hybrid systems for motorsport for several years, during which time we have made huge progress. Now we feel ready to bring our technology to the ultimate motorsport test: the Le Mans 24 Hours. Integrating a hybrid powertrain is, of course, a different challenge compared to a 'standard' powertrain. But we have worked together with partners such as DENSO, Aisin AW and Nisshinbo to develop the THS-R technology so it is part of the overall concept of the TS030 HYBRID. This technology will be used to recover up to 500kJ between braking events, energy which can be released via either front or rear motors to deliver a performance advantage. Toyota's hybrid technology has already won a 24-hour race – the Tokachi 24 Hours in 2007 – so now we are bringing the latest THS-R development to global motorsport; we know this is a technically-demanding exercise but we are well prepared for the challenge."

Alex Wurz: "It was cool to drive the TS030 HYBRID car for the first time. Just leaving the garage on the electric power is very futuristic, then when you let the clutch go and the internal combustion engine kicks in it is like an old friend has returned! When we put on the slick tyre I could feel the car generates a very good amount of grip so I think we have a good base and I think we can turn this into a really fast car. I am definitely very happy but my nature is to also be analytical and therefore I know there is still a lot of work to be done. It's really good to work with all the mechanics and engineers; the Toyota Racing team is very international and this works well. I am very comfortable in this team because they are all extremely professional, that is really clear."

Nicolas Lapierre: "My first impression from the roll-out was positive; the chassis is really advanced and the hybrid system works very well. The TS030 HYBRID car has good reaction to the steering with quick and efficient response combined with an impressive base level of downforce which is a nice feeling for a driver. It is totally different from anything I have known before because the philosophy is different. So our roll-out was promising and we saw the car's potential on several levels; we still have plenty of work to do but I think that we will have a strong package. We are starting from a blank page so the challenge is exciting."

Kazuki Nakajima: "I cannot wait to drive the TS030 HYBRID for the first time. I spoke a lot with Alex and Nicolas about the car during the roll-out and it obviously has great potential. I have been doing a lot of time in the TMG driving simulator so I have got to know the car in a virtual world, as well as the Le Mans track; now it's time to drive it for real. It is a great opportunity for me and I am thoroughly looking forward to the experience of racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship with Toyota Racing. To return to Le Mans with hybrid technology is a big challenge for Toyota but it is also a real opportunity for all the drivers and I hope my recent Super GT experience will be a benefit. It's a great feeling to be involved in this project and I am really motivated for this season."

Scoop: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/24/toyota-reveals-ts030-hybrid-endurance-prototype/

Panamera-M35h Drag Race proved me wrong....

2012 Infiniti M35h

2012 Porsche Panamera S Hybrid

Last year, I compare the Panamera S Hybrid to the Infiniti M Hybrid. I thought the Panamera S Hybrid would be faster than the Infiniti M Hybrid because of the 380PS supercharged V6 engine would outrun the Infiniti M Hybrid's VQ35HR engine that produces 306PS engine but I am wrong. By my calculations, with the Infiniti M Hybrid's VQ35HR engine and HM34 electric motor combined, the Infiniti Direct Response System kicks in, producing an overall 374PS power, it will do 0-100kph in 5.5 seconds while the Panamera S Hybrid will do 6 seconds. With that, the Infiniti M Hybrid is hailed as the world's fastest hybrid car ever made.

Here's the clip featuring a drag race between the Porsche Panamera S Hybrid and the Infiniti M Hybrid. Guess which hybrid saloon won?

Some File-Sharing sites are removing file-sharing services in the wake of the MegaUpload takedown

Megaupload

Time now for the news. Okay, in the wake of the Megaupload takedown last week and the arrest of MegaUpload creator, Kim Dotcom, it seems that most file-sharing sites you know are taking actions. For instance, file-sharing site FileSonic said that "All sharing functionality on FileSonic is now disabled. Our service can only be used to upload and retrieve files that you have uploaded personally." and then, a file locker site "Uploaded.to" restrict North America access respectively. Seems that most of the file-sharing sites like Filejungle, 4shared, and Uploadstation, are removing "Premium Account" services entirely.

Yes I know, it's bad I'm sorry...

Scoop: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2012-01-23/filesonic-uploaded-others-remove-file-sharing-options

Forza 4 meets WRX STi 4-door

Chakkari-san's not going to like this
car passing by her March.

I'm fairly confident that you've seen one of these before. It's the 2011 Subaru WRX STi 4-door. Of course most of you know all this. You've pre-ordered Forza 4 at Amazon.com to get this car, which unfortunately I didn't because I bought it at Gamestop. That gave me a long waiting list until now, the Launch Bonus Car Pack is now made available worldwide for us to try the 2011 Subaru WRX STi 4-door. The WRX STi 4-door maybe a familiar car for me but it's absolutely bonkers in the corners.

GVF in Tsukuba

I said bonkers because why? The WRX STi 4-door has much greater G's than the regular 5-door variant and not only that, it's lighter as well because while the 5-door weighs 3,395 lbs, the WRX STi 4-door weighs about 3,384lbs, which sounds slightly good but there's a bit of a problem. While both come with the same 2.5L boxer turbo engine, the WRX STi 4-door has less torque than the regular 5-door because while the WRX STi 5-door comes with 335lb-ft of torque, the WRX STi 4-door comes about  290lb-ft of torque. Also, it's 7,000 CR more expensive than the 2008 Subaru WRX STi. Still, it's a good value that you want to sacrifice for a better cornering Subaru that once lapped the Nurburgring in 7:55:000.

Sorry, wrong set! Your WRX STi
has a "Top Gear Korea" plate on it!

General fact that a WRX STi 4-door with a wing is labeled "GVB" while the WRX STi 4-door without a wing is labeled "GVF". Well, this is considered GVB, so when I take out the wing at the "Aero and Appearance" section, it resembles the look of the GVF. Not just that, there are available bumper parts courtesy of Chargespeed available to personalize your WRX STi 4-door just the way you like it.

Just a trivia though; at the 2011 Nurburgring 24 Hour race, Subaru achieved an SP3T Class victory with their #155 Subaru WRX STi tS, eclipsing the likes of Team Raeder Mortorsport’s Audi TT S, Kissling Motorsport’s Opel Astra GTC and Michael Kraus’ Mitsubishi Lancer CTO.