Mitsubishi version of the Nissan Fuga Y51 to revive the Proudia name?

2011 Nissan Fuga Hybrid

As we heard the news that a new Mitsubishi flagship sedan will be a rebadged version of the Nissan Fuga Y51, more news are speculating about the Mitsubishi version of the Nissan Fuga Y51. Some say, this Mitsubishi version of the Nissan Fuga Y51 will be named as the "Proudia", a name that you are familiar as the Japanese version of the Hyundai Equus when it was launched in 1999 up to 2001.

2000 Mitsubishi Proudia

About the Proudia, it is Mitsubishi's flagship sedan that was launched in Japan since the end of 1999. The Proudia name was coined from two words; proud and diamond (referring to the Mitsubishi logo), making it a perfect fit for Mitsubishi Motor's flagship. Under the hood, it comes with either a 3.5L V6 or a 4.5L V8 engine and both of them comes with Gasoline Direct Injection or GDi, that kind of technology we won't be getting that from the Philippines due to dirty fuel. Production ended in 2001 due to poor sales and when it was launched, no one got it until over 1000 units were sold for three years of existence along with it's Dignity limousine.

If those statements are true, count me in because we'll be expecting a Mitsubishi flagship sedan that was based on the Nissan Fuga...

Scoop: http://clicccar.com/2012/02/21/115964

I've never expected to get this...

In one episode of Top Gear, Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond are on a challenge to find used cars that have similar pricing to the Nissan P_x_ (sorry, vowels bleeped to avoid search overload) compact car. Jeremy Clarkson bought a Mercedes-Benz CL600 W215 while Richard Hammond bought a BMW 850Ci, which makes it an extraordinary bargain and put them to a series of challenges, especially when Clarkson's CL won a drag race against Hammond's 850Ci. Also, Hammond's 850Ci is smothered with more germs than Clarkson's CL600. To find out, please purchase the Top Gear Season 17 DVD or Blu-Ray, out now.

This car is not Hammond's 850Ci but this one's way more of an enhanced version of the car Richard Hammond drove for the challenge. It was reviewed from the old Top Gear by Jeremy Clarkson. Some say this is the modern equivalent of the legendary BMW 3.0 CSL.

A perfect view to drive this classic German grand tourer

Yes, there was a BMW included on Forza Motorsport 4's March Pirelli Pack but I've never expected to get this...

This is the very rare, very beautiful BMW 850CSi, a car that was very close to the defunct M8 you can get. It may look staunch, very old, and went out of production, but this one is a modern classic car. Seems that I'm finally out from the ridiculousness caused by hours of driving the Renaultsport Clio 200 earlier in the game and this BMW is sublime. A car that can take you directly back to your childhood memories of playing this car from a very old video game to a very old gaming console. I think that this is definitely one of the most beautiful BMW sports cars ever made and I'll stick to that. That old 8-Series became the template of the 21st-century 6-Series when it came out in the market years ago.

Essentially, it was based on the 850i but the 5.0L V12 engine has been tweaked into a 5.6L V12 engine, producing 372 horsepower and 402lb-ft of torque. It can do 0 to 60 in 5.9 seconds and a top speed of 184mph.

By modern-day standards, the 850CSi is not somewhat quicker than you asked but it was made to be more of a geek car. A two-ton supercomputer on wheels or a big V12 Game Boy might be best to describe the 850CSi but overall, it was just a wingless jet fighter.

In Forza Motorsport 4, if you have the March Pirelli Pack on board, the 850CSi is yours to keep for just 35,000 CR, making it cheaper than the 2010 BMW M6. What I got it here was just a hundred thousand's worth of dreams...

This would be perfect for the Japanese motoring magazine...

If you were some kind of a Japanese businessman driving this V12-powered BMW 8-Series and if you had a girl sitting next to you, she would say "You know what, I don't really understand what kind of a car you're driving" and he would show the scene; That Mt. Fuji, the touge, this car, and say "That's what makes a petrolhead". This is what I'm dreaming of; Driving the 850CSi at the twists and turns of Fujimi Kaido on FM4, doing this.

The 850CSi zooms away from the Kaido

As an advertisement for some Japanese petrol station, it's hard to think of anything which could beat this...probably...

Thank Forza Motorsport 4 for this ride that brings back my childhood memories...

Season 18 finale of Top Gear featured the BMW M5 F10!

BMW M5 F10 at the Top Gear Test Track

It was fun to enjoy the 18th season of Top Gear while it lasted. We witnessed the boys' struggles at Imola, we've introduced to The Stig's Chinese Cousin, Matt LeBlanc became the fastest star on a reasonably priced car, offroad mobility scooters, behind the scenes of the 2012 version of The Sweeney, Doctor Who meets Top Gear, Ferrari FF vs. Bentley Continental GT V8 on ice, Fisker Karma, Jeremy and James pays tribute to Saab, or we even meet up with the Brutus.

On the season finale of Top Gear, they have finally featured the much awaited BMW M5 F10 with such enthusiasm by Richard Hammond. If that wasn't enough, James May test drives the classic Ferrari 250GT California straight from Chris Evan's garage, Slash is the Star in a Reasonably Priced car, Top Gear goes rallying, and that's it.

That concludes Season 18 of Top Gear but they'll be back...soon. (Summer, perhaps?)

Annabelle Rama appeared on a Gandang Gabi Vice episode?

Gosh, I'm sure most of you already survived watching the March 11, 2012 episode of Gandang Gabi Vice because actress and talent manager Annabelle Rama showed up in front of Vice Ganda.

This is what happened when Petrang Kabayo meets Monster Mom for the very first time and reason why Gandang Gabi Vice is now rated SPG...remains unknown for now.

Still, it was fun to have Annabelle Rama guested on the March 11 episode of Gandang Gabi Vice...

Are you the third-generation Santa Fe?

2013 Hyundai Santa Fe sketch

So, could that be the new, third-generation Hyundai Santa Fe? Some say, it could be it and some say it will be premiered a the New York Auto Show this April. This new model will have a Storm Edge concept, which further evolves the brand's fluidic sculpture philosophy.

So, would that be enough to batter the Sorento R and the Captiva?

Scoop: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/10/2013-hyundai-santa-fe-previewed-on-twitter-ahead-of-ny-reveal/

On the Edge - Japan's 3.11 tragedy and one year later...

Tohoku region

On March 11, 2011, the Tohoku region from Japan has been heavily battered by the most powerful earthquake recorded in Japan and tsunami following a nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi plant that caused much radiation and misery to many. There are compelling accounts of life before and after the 3.11 tragedy and some honest descriptions of their recovery, full of drama and incident.

Today marks the first anniversary of the massive earthquake and tsunami that destroyed Northeastern Japan but most people who live there are still working hard to recover from this mega disaster. As of yesterday, about 15,854 people died while 3,155 are remained missing. Most of the 340,000 evacuees are living in temporary shelter, mostly from Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima prefecture.

Source: http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120311_02.html

When that disaster happened, it seems that Japan has just went to their knees, considering the parts shortage, contamination concerns, power shortages, and most of the bad things happened in Japan. Moments later, it stood up again thanks to the generous support from all over the world.

For those from the Northeastern Japan, we are thinking about you and we wish you all the very best you can. That is my message to them and with one year passed, it seems that the Tohoku region still hasn't get away from their nightmares of last year's but I'm sure they'll find a way.

As a fan of all things Japanese, I surely wish for them to stood up again. The sun is rising for them.

Domo Arigato Mr. Zagato

Students of Top Gear will remember it as the Aston Martin V12 Zagato, the one that was seen on the news portion of one episode of Top Gear after James May test drove the new Aston Martin Virage. A letter from the boss of Aston Martin once said that the Nurburgring is the proving ground for every new Aston Martin model launched and there could be no better than the new V12 Zagato to be tested on that venue. That's why the Nurburgring is James May's least favorite place because there was a reason why most cars are getting uncomfortable because of their sessions at the Green Hell. Anyway, what is the V12 Zagato?

First off, its Aston Martin's endurance racer concept premiered on the shores of Lake Como, Italy at the 2011 Villa D' Este Concours D'Elegance, as a revival of a collaboration between Aston Martin and Zagato since the original DB4GT Zagato.

The V12 Zagato pushing its limits at Catalunya

The Aston Martin V12 Zagato that was featured on Forza Motorsport 4 via the March Pirelli Pack, on sale now, aren't exactly what you supposed to be. This one is rather more of a Zagato racecar rather than the one as seen at the Villa D'Este Concours but never mind. What matters most is that we are finally getting to know more about the Aston Martin V12 Zagato as the stalwart of the March Pirelli Pack.

Basically, it was based on the Aston Martin V12 Vantage and it comes with the same V12 engine that powers the V12 Vantage. However, unlike the V12 Vantage, it's lighter because while the V12 Vantage weighs 3,704lbs, the new V12 Zagato racecar weighs 3,197lbs. so that is a lot of weight-stripping to make it a racebred car that was once tested at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring. Naught to 60, it can do 4.1 seconds and top speed, it would go up to 189MPH. For braking distance, it would stop from 100mph to dead at 304.7ft. Those stats only tell half of the story.

There could be no better than the new V12 Zagato to
test through the Nurburgring

A certain lyric from a certain that goes "Secret, secret, I've got a secret" but there are no secrets under the skin of the V12 Zagato. When I tried this one on the Circuit de Catalunya, which of course the venue for this month's Rivals event, the Aston Martin's V12 Zagato's started to come alive. All that racing pedigree coming out after its experience from the Green Hell really pushed the players very hard through temptation, making it an absolute Forza 4 favorite since the Lamborghini Aventador last November, the Monster Sport SX4 last December, the Pagani Huayra last January, and the Audi R18 TDi last February. As for me, I love the Zagato's cornering thanks to its suspension and its rear spoiler to push the back. In fact, I would gladly not going to remove it's spoiler from the upgrade shop because it looks good on it.

The V12 Zagato in its Stig Sessions

Because this is just a racecar that needs some racing livery, most Forza Faithfuls love to spend their time creating unique liveries for the V12 Zagato. What I'm worrying now that there could be someone replicating the "Zig" or the "Zag" that were seen at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring last year. Yep, we're talking about the V12 Zagato racecars that went 5th and 6th in the SP8 class of the 39th ADAC Nurburgring 24-hour race. I'm getting nervous if I see one at the storefronts.

That doesn't matter because this V12 Zagato is all about being the most emotional racing machine ever built as a celebration of the original DB4GT's 50th Anniversary. When it showed up at the Villa D'Este since May 2011, it won the Design Award for Concept Cars and Prototypes, the award that triumphed the One-77 since 2009. It maybe a V12 Vantage converted into a endurance racer but this one really blows a punch through the opponents on the racetrack. I'm glad I was one of the lucky many to try one.