Let's Do The News! (November 20, 2012)

River's Diary

Right, what's the news today you spoiler-laden TARDIS journal?

NASCAR-Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway

The Ford EcoBoost 400 held at Homestead-Miami Speedway, just a few blocks away from places karate-chopped by Sandy last month, served as the finale of this year's NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Even though Jeff Gordon won the race, the overall champion of this year's season goes to Brad Keselowski in his #2 Dodge Charger, which this car will be retired after this season. Seems that Keselowski did made a proper send-off to the Dodge Charger because this car's going to exit this race after the overall win. Beside's it's his first championship win though...

Brad Keselowski #2 Blue Deuce Dodge Charger

Macau Grand Prix

I've heard something that two racers lost their lives during the Macau Grand Prix. There was the Hong Kong racer named Phillip Yau who was killed in the race when his Chevrolet Cruze crashing at high speed and catching fire before rolling to a halt. Some say the tragedy comes after Portuguese motorbike racer Luis Carreira was killed in one of two serious accidents at the Chinese territory's street circuit on Thursday. Shocking! Two deaths in two days in Macau in the world of motorsport! Whether four-wheeled or two-wheeled, I sincerely considered their loss.

Scoop: http://motoring.iafrica.com/motorsport/828039.html

Powerful Jaguar XFR-S teased

Jaguar XFR-S teaser

Jaguar teased the upcoming Jaguar XFR-S super saloon which will be unveiled at this year's Los Angeles Auto Show and go on sale next year. Not sure what powers it but I think it might have the same engine used on the Jaguar XKR-S...Stay tuned, sweetie.

Scoop: http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2012/11/new-2014-jaguar-xfr-s-world-premiere.html

2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class range facelift teased

Another teaser! This time, Mercedes-Benz teased the minor change of the W212 E-Class family, showcasing the minor change model's revamped headlights.

Scoop: http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2012/11/mercedes-benz-video-teases-2014-e-class.html

The Good Whovian

If you were a Whovian found something that turns out to be a classified document containing stuff for future Doctor Who episodes, what would you do? For a loyal Whovian I've heard, what she did is returned the classified documents, which turned out to be scripts for some Doctor Who episode, to the Doctor Who staff. Well, she isn't a Whovian I'm afraid but she's a student from Cardiff, Wales, who returned the top secret DW script to the staff. A good samaritan indeed.

Source: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/need-to-read/2012/11/16/top-secret-doctor-who-script-found-by-student-in-taxi-on-night-out-91466-32246578/

In case you missed BBC Children in Need 2012

BBC's yearly Children In Need occurred last week. In cased you missed this, here's a quick sum-up;

- Famed boyband One Direction began their opening salvo

- Chris Moyles reunites Morecambe and Wise

- Team Great Britain from the Olympics dances to the groove of Basement Jaxx's Do Your Thing. For a treat; the equestrians of Team GB did Gangnam Style

- Sir Terry Wogan attempts Gangnam Style

- The Great Detective, the prologue to Doctor Who's 2012 Christmas Special.

- A trailer of Doctor Who 2012 Christmas Special, titled The Snowmen. The Doctor, along with his old allies Madame Vastra, Jenny, and Strax, as well as his newest companion, Clara, are on a journey to Victorian London to stop a threat on this Christmas Special, airing Christmas Day 2012.

- Pudsey, the mascot of Children in Need, meets Pudsey the dog

- Strictly Come Dancing Children In Need 2012 special

- Lord Alan Sugar meets EastEnders

- Geri Halliwell & Misery Bear in How Pudsey Got His Bandana

- Girls Aloud perform Something New

- Call the Midwife Christmas Special

- BBC Newsreaders take on Top Gear's Star in a Reasonably Priced Car challenge

- Tim Minchin performs...

Mercedes-Benz GL 63 AMG (X166)

2013 Mercedes-Benz GL63 AMG

Hello, what's this? A high-performance SUV? This is not just a high-performance utility vehicle, it can be somewhat be, and excuse me for the RR analogies we're using, a Bass Cruiser. I'm using that term to describe a sports utility vehicle that was once used for offroad practicality turned into a very dynamic performance utility vehicle. I don't mean that Cayenne because it's not suitable to be a Bass Cruiser because it's a bit slop-sided for me to classify it, what I'm checking here is the first ever GL63 AMG, the high performance version of the latest version of the GL-Class X166.

Seems that the producers got a bit of a rush about my word regarding the Bass Cruiser stuff because to me, I think of a SUV spiced and beefed up for racing performance in mind but forget about that because the GL63 AMG feels more of a Bass Cruiser rather than being a heavy rhinoceros in business attire with running shoes and ahem, no time for Judoon stuff. Don't know? It's from DW, Judoon are a bunch of aliens who look like rhinos but they're like law enforcers. Anyway, no time for some wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff, because what I'm speaking is that this new GL63 AMG may look like well you get the idea but when you listen to the noise of the M157 5.5L V8 twin-turbo engine, the kind of engine you may expect on most AMG models, especially the SLS AMG GT, that changes everything. From its revs to acceleration, the M157 engine planted on the GL63 AMG really sounds nasty, VERY VERY nasty. That sound fits perfect for a high-performance SUV that was been made to crush down everyone who stands in its way.

0-100kph is under five seconds and top speed normally limited to 250kph while mated with the AMG Speedshift Plus 7G-Tronic. It maybe heavier than any other serious performance utility vehicles, it maybe thirstier, it maybe trickier to drive, but it's still a massive wonder that you can be indulged for minutes, not days.

Price? That's pricey-wicey if I'm asking. It costs 130,305 Euros and that's about less expensive than the upcoming Porsche Cayenne Turbo S but because it's heavier, I would go for that turbocharged Porsche Cayenne which is, I'm afraid, a bit as ugly as the fly's metamorphosis. For a heavy but shouty beast like this, I think the GL63 is definitely a bass cruiser set to be almost a dynamic monster. If you were driving one of these in the richest cities in the world, people think that you're...um...well I was gonna say something something but I think I'll end this case here.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

Forza Motorsport 4: 2008 Lamborghini Reventon

So exclusive, you're gonna need an entourage for that!

Unveiled at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show and limited to 20 units, costing about two million dollars each, the Reventon is one of the rarest and most unique Lamborghini models ever made, using some of the components from the Murcielago LP640. It was named after a fighting bull famed for the death of Mexican bullfighter Felix Guzman in 1943 and heavily inspired the design from the fighter jet.

The 6.5L V12 derived from the LP640 Murcielago gave a 10HP boost, therefore it has 650HP of power and 660Nm of torque. When it was driven somewhere in Dubai, it achieved 356 kilometres per hour (221.2 mph) of top speed.

Of 20 of these ever made, 10 were delivered to the United States, 7 to Europe, 1 to Canada, and 2 to Asia. Notable owners include Khalid Abdul Rahim of Bahrain, Chechen president Ramzan Kadyrov, and Ken Lingenfelter who is a car collector in Michigan.

Goin Bulilit goes to Malaysia Part 2

On the part 2 of Goin Bulilit Malaysia special (November 18, 2012) episode, our Bulilit kids still making trouble over the most beautiful tourist spots of Malaysia, such as...

- gags in Legoland Malaysia

- Miss Philippines and Miss Malaysia are arguing which of these countries is the best

- More gags at Legoland Malaysia

- Adventures of Chacha and her maid Mutya in Berjaya Times Square

- Identity crisis!

- Abner Mechado investigates about TNT's in Malaysia hiding from the government in Kursunada.

- The corniest jokes in I'M CORNY!

- Sketch courtesy of Moose Gear

- Chacha as Nora the Explorer explores more about Malaysia

- Ready Get Set Goin in Fan Fan Fan Under The Sun!

...and that concludes Goin Bulilit Malaysia special! Hope they had fun in this wonderful country and its culture!

Forza Motorsport 4: 1988 Lamborghini Countach LP5000 QV

The White Bull

Launched in 1985, the 5000QV (QV stands for quattrovalvole, four valves in Italian) is the improved version of the Lamborghini Countach, the supercar that was launched in 1974 as the successor to the legendary Miura. For this model, it carries a 5.2L V12 engine and given four valves per cylinder. For better breathing of the car, the carburetors were moved to the top of the engine but the once poor rear visibility made it worse to nothing, therefore, the LP5000 QV has no rear visibility.

A US-Spec model was produced by the factory with styling differences made to meet US federal standards. Not only that, the 5.2L V12 was changed due to standards, providing 420 PS (309 kW; 414 hp), rather than the six Weber carburettors providing 455 bhp (339 kW; 461 PS) used in the Euro-spec model.

Forza 4 Head to Head: Which Miura is the Miura?

There are two Miuras!

Let's face it, I loved playing Forza Horizon all day long but despite that, I'm still breaking out my copy of Forza Motorsport 4 because if I want to get to know the car, always turn left. Turn Left? Sorry, it's too wibbly wobbly timey wimey about this but anyway, about the Miura.

It has been the basis of modern supercars of today and the Miura that was from the 60's, served as the good example of what supercars are made of. With the 4-litre V12 engine mounted sideways at the middle and the doors shaped like the bulls of the horn, it has been the most outrageous classic car I have ever seen.

What we're looking now are two kinds. There was the 1967 Lamborghini Miura P400 and the 2006 Lamborghini Miura Concept. Question is, which Miura is the Miura? Let's start with the one from the decade Lamborghini was born.

1967 Lamborghini Miura P400

Like I said, this is the genesis of what supercars evolved through the years. We always dream about it, some kids have these as a bedroom wall pinup, die-cast, auctions, whatever, this is still Lamborghini's own Mona Lisa painting. When Richard Hammond reviewed this on Top Gear back in 2003, the year when Lamborghini celebrated its 40th year, he said that because of such old-schoolness, it's not practically an easy car and it's HARD TO DRIVE! But frankly, as a car enthusiast, I couldn't care how challenging the Miura's handling is because driving the Miura as well as hearing the sound of the 4-litre V12 engine always tell you how Lambos are made. They really are the maddest car company of them all. Lamborghini loves to throw everything they've got to create such amazing masterpieces. No wonder Jamiroquai front runner Jay Kay, the dude who's gone crazy as Tom Cruise in Oprah when he beat Simon Cowell's lap time in Top Gear Season 11 finale, has one but in SV trim. Anyway, enough analogy for now, START THE CLOCK!!!

The Miura did it in 1:30.891.

2006 Lamborghini Miura Concept
Walter de Silva, who is responsible for Volkswagen's design DNA of today, was the man responsible of conceptualizing the Miura with this 2006 concept car as seen in the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan. Although it is strictly a concept and no plans for production because Lamborghini doesn't have time to "turn left" to the past and "turn right" to the future, the Miura Concept really is a modern take to the iconic Lambo we've adorned through the years. No one really knows what powered the Miura Concept but in the game, it was powered by a 6.5L V12 engine from the Murcielago LP640. 0-60? Nobody knows! Top Speed? Nobody knows! Lap time on the Top Gear Track? Let's find out!



The Miura Concept did it in 1:20.132, over ten seconds quicker than the classic Miura.

The Miura Concept maybe fast but you can't have one because it's a concept car. However, despite the classic Miura is slower than the modern 2006 concept car, it's still a wonderful Lamborghini. This car passed the baton to the Countach, then Diablo, then Murcielago, and then the current leader of Lamborghini, the Aventador LP700-4. Without the Miura, there is no Lamborghini and we wouldn't have the world's most insane carmaker based in Italy. We could have sucked with Ferraris and Paganis.

Formula One 2012 US GP Update

F1 2012

Despite McLaren's Lewis Hamilton dominated the US GP in Austin, Texas, word from Red Bull Racing is that they've won the 2012 Constructors' Championship. Red Bull Racing is the fourth team in history to score three successive Constructors' titles. Sure, RBR won the Constructor's Championship but the title of being the best F1 racer of 2012 is on its climax. With Sebastian Vettel in 273 points, Ferrari's Fernando Alonso in 260pts, and Lotus' Kimi Räikkönen in 206 points, the F1 2012 finale held in Brazil this November 25, 2012 will decide who will be crowned as the victor...See you soon...

PRESS RELEASE:


Race - Hamilton king of America as title fight rages on 18 Nov 2012
       
The last time Formula One cars raced in the US McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton scored a brilliant victory, and he repeated that on the series’ return in a spectacular shootout with Sebastian Vettel in the first United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas on Sunday.

Hamilton lost out, as expected, by starting on the dirty side of the grid and exited the first corner third behind the Red Bulls of Vettel and Mark Webber. But after disposing of Webber on the fourth lap after a previous try hadn’t quite worked out, he then got the hammer down and reined in the other Red Bull.

Vettel proved a tougher nut to crack, and after getting the gap down to less than a second Hamilton began to lose ground just prior to his pit stop on the 20th lap. After the switch to Pirelli’s harder tyre, however, he began closing in again, and finally made a move stick as he used DRS to pass Vettel down the back straight on the 42nd lap, the Red Bull having been delayed slightly by traffic in the esses earlier in the lap. The German tried all he could to stick with him, but just didn’t quite have the McLaren’s pace, and as Hamilton had discovered, following was a whole lot harder than leading.

Behind them, and after a bit of tactical trickery by Ferrari, another superb drive from Alonso kept the Spaniard in play for the world championship.

Before the start much was made about the state of the track on the left-hand side of the grid, particularly by Hamilton who qualified second. Ferrari were so concerned, with Alonso due to start eighth, that they deliberately broke a seal on Felipe Massa’s gearbox so that he would get a five-place grid penalty that would move Alonso to seventh, on the clean side.

The ploy worked to perfection. Alonso jumped up to fourth behind the Red Bulls and Hamilton, closing out Michael Schumacher in Turn One, and thus immediately put himself in the lowest position he needed, assuming that Vettel won, to keep the title battle open. He rose to third when Webber’s car stopped after 16 laps with alternator failure, and stayed there to the flag, secure in the knowledge that Massa had climbed back up to fourth after his enforced grid penalty and thus had his back. It was a noteworthy run by the Brazilian.

Behind them, Jenson Button hauled his McLaren to fifth after starting on the harder tyre and running until the 32nd lap before changing to the mediums. He conquered the Lotuses of Kimi Raikkkonen and Romain Grosjean, both of whom looked strong at one time. The Finn seemed a possible podium contender for a while, while the Frenchman recovered from an early spin and pit stop.

Force India's Nico Hulkenberg ran fifth for some time before the Lotuses hit their stride, and stayed in the points to take eighth despite attack from both Williams. Pastor Maldonado rubbed wheels in the first corner with team mate Bruno Senna on the 52nd lap as he squeezed through on the inside for ninth, and they were the final points’ scorers.

It was a poor day for Sauber, as a disappointed Sergio Perez didn’t have the car beneath him to deliver better than 11th place to the thousands of Mexicans who made the trek to Texas, while Toro Rosso’s Daniel Ricciardo, who ran strongly in fifth place at one stage while running out of sequence in the pit stops, was 12th. Nico Rosberg brought his Mercedes home an uncompetitive 13th ahead of Kamui Kobayashi’s Sauber, while Force India’s Paul di Resta clung on after an unhappy race to beat Schumacher home.

Vitaly Petrov led the newbies home in his Caterham, as Heikki Kovalainen very narrowly fended off Timo Glock’s Marussia for 18th and Charles Pic brought his MR01 home next. Both HRTs finished, with Pedro de la Rosa leading Narain Karthikeyan throughout.

Besides Webber, the only non-finisher was Vergne after damaging his Toro Rosso’s front suspension again during a fight with the Mercedes.

Vettel now leads Alonso with 273 to 260 points, and 25 is up for grabs in Brazil. And though Red Bull lost the race, Vettel’s second place was sufficient to clinch them the constructors’ championship for a third successive year.

Scoop: http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2012/11/14079.html