I still remember the Aston Martin V12 Vanquish because ever since I first played GT3 A-Spec on the PS2, this was a prize car that you have to obtain it after meeting certain criterias. Well, long story short about this, here I was, driving one of Aston's ultimate grand tourers. Also, when this car was appointed as the Bond Car for Pierce Brosnan's final Bond film, Die Another Day, in 2002, I was so glad that this former Bond actor really put the V12 Vanquish into good use during a duel against a heavily armed Jaguar XKR driven by a villain named Zao. It was the best scene I've ever saw and I think this is much better than the remote controlled BMW 750Li from Tomorrow Never Dies.
Let the good times roll, eh?
This is somewhat how James Bond feels like when he drove this
But this Vanquish is more than just being a Bond car, and despite the fact that Pierce Brosnan has one in real life. What I really don't understand is that it was desingned by the same man who was currently the head designer of Jaguar, Ian Callum, and this was essentially a beefed up version of the Aston Martin DB7. Look closely and you'll noticed that the Vanquish was just a DB7 on steroids but this car is also just more than that because this is essentially a production version of the 1998 Project Vantage Concept as seen from the 1998 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan.
Despite being a bigger brother of the DB7, the Vanquish is still an elegant looking grand tourer. It's still the perfect car you would like the bring it out at the South of France and still gather much crowd as possible because even by modern standards, it's still a head turner.
It's all about elegance in every direction
The typical six-litre V12 engine that you can normally see in most Astons is fitted on the Vanquish. With this, it develops about 460HP of power, 0-60mph in five seconds, and an alleged top speed of over 315kph. It maybe the kind of car that welcomed through the 300kph elite club but the Vanquish is just too darn perfect. The interior, the badge, the fact James Bond drove one, the Britishness, everything that what makes the Vanquish one of the best grand tourers from the last decade.
Oh, this is more fun!
Mind you, the Vanquish may have been a perfect GT car from the last decades but sadly, it was the last car to be ever built from Aston Martin's Newport Pagnell factory in 2007. Even though the Newport Pagnell factory was shut down, this site was still used as Aston's Works Service department, providing maintenance, tuning and restoration facilities for Astons of all ages. About that old Newport Pagnell plant, the first car produced in 1958 at this factory was the DB4 and during its 5-decade tenure, about 12,000 cars were built.
An instant classic
For decades, the Aston Martin Vanquish V12 is definitely a future classic and a collector's item not only because it was the kind of car for those who are a big fan of the James Bond movies but it's because it was made from Newport Pagnell with pride. It was the last car to be built on this place and it has been an honor to drive one of those masterpiece classics from Britain.
What a predicament...While the fourth-generation Toyota RAV4 is now sold globally, it seems that Japan missed out on those, despite the fact that they made it. So, when will the new RAV4 be coming in Japan? Some say, it should be at the end of this year but now...rumors told that it should arrive in Japan next year.
Perhaps, Toyota might be spawning a replacement for the Toyota Harrier which will be based on the fourth-generation RAV4.
2013 marks the 55th anniversary for Subaru and it seems that the Japanese car brand's really pull something in ther sleeves. First, there was the Asia-only Car Town EX offered a special Subaru 55th anniversary mission, then the 2011 web anime Hokago no Pleiades (in collaboration with Gainax) will spawn a theatrical movie version. List goes on and on and on until this...
Subaru teams up with Square Enix to create a real-life one-off version of the hero machine of Gyrozetter called the Libird. Oh, an in case what's Gyrozetter is, this is what we call it the Japanese Transformers. Square Enix made an arcade of it where it combines the drivability of anime arcade racing game with the fighting similar to Mushiking or Dinosaur King. Mazda, Mitsubishi, Mitsuoka, Nissan, Subaru, and Toyota also join the Gyrozetter fight as well where your favorite cars transformed into fighting machines set to become mankind's last hope. The Gyrozetter franchise spawned a manga, anime series on TV Tokyo, an upcoming Nintendo 3DS game, toy and hobby line and some other merchandising rights.
Anyway, the one-off. This one-off special is a collaboration between Square Enix and Subaru. No one knows what car is based on but the Libird is colored in a Subaru-colored Lightning Red and most of the components are from Subaru. It's a turbocharged 2.0L boxer engine which develops 320PS of power and 21.3kg-m of torque. It was mated with a 6-speed manual transmission. And, having learned something from the Subaru BRZ, power goes at the back!.It's a rear-wheel drive car! That's what that is!
The Kia Carens, which is a compact MPV launched in 1999, has now been updated and this new version, made under the codename "RP", is becoming a bit more interesting for ordinary families.
2013 Kia Carens
Here it is. It made a world premiere at Paris Motor Show last year and this car isn't quite a looker when you look at its boxy proportions. It could almost be a potential threat to the Chevrolet Orlando MPV, that's for sure but unlike the Orlando, the all new Carens is smaller in dimensions. That's a flaw for the new model but unlike the Orlando which comes with some utter Cruze-like interior that doesn't make sense to the driver, the new interior of the Carens is a bit modest if I'm honest. Sadly though, if you are opting for a seven seater model, access to the third-row seats still has the conventional way of folding the second row seats which I'm afraid that most of the dirt of your shoes might ruin the back of the 2nd row seats and you may have to clean it again whereas the Orlando comes with an easier access to third-row seats, respectively.
2013 Kia Carens interior
Whereas the Orlando comes with the 2.0L diesel and a 2.0L LPG engine, the all new Carens decided to take smaller ones because of its size. Well, what powers the new Carens? A 1.7L CRDi-VGT engine or a 2.0L liquefied petroleum injection engine. The 1.7L diesel engine produces about 140PS of power, that's 23PS less than the Orlando's 2.0L diesel engine. Also, combined fuel economy for the Carens with the 1.7L CRDi-VGT engine is 13.2km/L, that's also less than the Orlando with the 2.0L diesel mated with automatic transmission. Oh, that Carens with the 1.7L diesel engine is available only with a 6-speed automatic.
How about the one with the 2.0L LPGi engine on it? That's good news because while the Chevrolet Orlando with a 2.0L LPGi engine has 140PS of power, the new Kia Carens with the 2.0L LPGi engine edges out with 154PS of power. That's 14PS more! Also, it's much more economical than the Orlando LPGi because the new Carens with the 2.0L LPGi engine has a fuel economy of 9km/L. Make it 9.5km/L if you're opted with the Carens LPGi model with a 6-speed manual transmission.
Unlike the Orlando, the new Carens also come with a party piece that you will notice and that is the SPAS, the one where the Carens uses sensors to find a parking space and then automatically parks it for you. This self-parking system is so surprising, you can even blindfold yourself and then when you remove it and notice that if your new Carens is parked, you'll get yourself a grin on your face. You can even do this even while you have some busy stuff in your hand such as playing something on your PSP, your iPhone, iPad, anything...
Here's the price list for the new Carens, all priced in Korean Won:
뉴 카렌스 1.7 VGT 프레스티지 A/T 24,200,000
뉴 카렌스 1.7 VGT 노블레스 A/T 27,150,000
뉴 카렌스 1.7 VGT 디럭스 A/T 20,850,000
뉴 카렌스 1.7 VGT 럭셔리 A/T 22,350,000
뉴 카렌스 2.0 LPI 프레스티지 A/T 23,000,000
뉴 카렌스 2.0 LPI 노블레스 A/T 25,950,000
뉴 카렌스 2.0 LPI 디럭스 A/T 19,650,000
뉴 카렌스 2.0 LPI 럭셔리 A/T 21,150,000
뉴 카렌스 2.0 LPI 디럭스 M/T 18,000,000
Furthermore, the all new Carens is "great value" for your money if you can't afford a Chevrolet Orlando by yourself and that's the end of it.
But the question is, should you really buy this new Carens over the Chevrolet Orlando? I don't know but the jury's out because a Kia Carens with a 1.7L diesel starts at around 20,850,000 Won, that's definitely affordable than the Chevrolet Orlando diesel's starting price of 22,100,000 Won. That's right. You can really afford one rather than the Chevy MPV.
Since Columbian Autocar Corporation said that they're going to bring this new model to the Philippines soon in diesel only, I just think of something odd because since we're a Euro II country, I'm afriad that this new Carens doesn't work here because the 1.7 diesel is Euro V compliant and you know the rules...
JC: Hang on...hang on...hang on...Is the souffle girl IN the convention?
RH: Yeah...
JC: Really?
RH: Uh nope.
(audience laughing)
RH: No sight of someone dressed as souffle girl! When I was there, I see those youths dressed as their favorite Doctor Who characters wearing exactly the same. I see 4th, I see 10th, I see 11th (including me), then I see Tardises. Also, I see Rose, I see Amy, and I also see Captain Jack.
JC: Captain Jack Harkness?
RH: Exactly. Seems those blokes really know how to find some "army surplus special" to make them look like Captain Jack!
(audience laughing)
RH: Hammond, we'll just cover up your cover story later and let's do the news!
JM: Right, the news and Wave finally completed the BEACH QUEENS THE iDOLM@STER lineup with none other than the lovely Ritsuko Akizuki. Here it is, look...
WAVE Beach Queens Ritsuko Akizuki
JM: This is exactly what I always wanted to have. It should be on sale in late September with the price tag of just 3,990 Yen and like most Beach Queens figures, the head is rotatable and also, you can even swap her hairstyle.
JC: James, do you think you're obsessed with this? I mean look at Ritchan, I kinda don't like her and she kinda reminds me of Doctor Who's Donna Noble, a lot...
(audience laughing)
JC: ...she's not quite a fan favorite but she is brilliant...
RH: Oh my gosh, I really don't know what he's talking about...
(audience laughing)
RH: Anyway, Chevrolet launched an updated version of the Camaro at the New York Auto Show, here it is look...
2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z28
RH:...it even marks the return of the Z28 model, which is sacred to every Camaro enthusiasts worldwide and it's possibly the most track-focused Camaro ever built thanks to some stiffer suspension and sharper steering. It even comes with a seven-litre V8 engine that you would find in the previous Corvette Z06. It's not that bad. I think it can be a suitable nip/tuck for Bumblebee when it return's for next year's fourth Transformers movie, which some say Mark Wahlberg's on it...
JC: Rich, if I might ask...When Chevrolet facelifted the Camaro, do you know what it looked like just now?
RH: Uh...
JC: It looked like the Lucky & Wild Evolver from Ridge Racer 3D from the 3DS! Nintendo 3DS!
(audience laughing)
RH: What?
JC: Look at it...
Ridge Racer 3D
(audience laughing)
RH: Oh my goodness! That wasn't supposed to happen...
JC: Well, it seems most of bosses told the designers to take a vacation in Japan, specifically at the Bandai Namco headquarters to study things...
RH: So, what you're saying is that they sent those guys to Tokyo for some inspiration and then lead to this?
(audience laughing)
JC: Blame it to 765 Productions, Hammond. Perhaps the 2014 Camaro now styled to look like Ridge Racer's Evolver muscle car!
(audience laughing)
JM: What's next? Evolver with an Hibiki Ganaha livery on it?
(audience laughing)
JC: Anyway, as we all know, the Subaru STi has been withdrawn from the UK market due to currency issues and sales. Very sad. Now, Subaru's featured a concept car of what will the next WRX STi may look like. Here it is...
Subaru WRX Concept
(wow)
JC: It looks fantastic, and I have to say that when this guy shows up in the near future, it will going to be the best WRX STi ever made and it's every Speedo Boy' fantasy to have the next one.
RH: I agree, it looks fantastic, it's going to be the best WRX STi ever made, and...HEY! What do you mean Speedo Boy?
(audience laughing)
JC: Now, you know North Korea, right? North Korea. It seems that everyday, the North Korea, or should I say, the Bad Korea, is keep threathening the world because of the United Nations, South Korea, USA, and Japan since December's missle launch and February's nuclear test which proven to be small and powerful. Now, I wonder why does North Korea keeps making threats all the time.
RH: Why?
JC: I don't know. Either under Kim Jong Un's orders, a state-run television, or the state-run newspaper with an unpronounceable name. I think its...Rodong-Nodong-Modong-Sodong-Kodong-Dodong...
(audience laughing hysterically)
RH: So this whole Sodom-Modom-Rodom-Totom...thingy kept on making an announcement that North Korea wants to kill us all eh?
JC: Exactly. North Korea often making death threats against the world all day long. First, they'll make a pre-emptive nuclear strike against Washington, then North Korea nullified the armistice that ended the Korean War from the 50's, then North Korea disconnected hotlines linking the North and the South, then North Korea's on a "State of War", then North Korea readies their missles to strike the US, then North Korea threathend to close the Kaesong Industrial Park. It just goes on and on, it's like North Korea's winning in the game of Cards Against Humanity.
(audience laughing)
JM: Cards Against Humanity?
JC: It's a rubbish game. What's it all about? Anyway, while threats from North Korea against the world will continue everyday, anyone saw Olympus Has Fallen? Hands up...
(audience raising hands)
RH: Olympus Has Fallen?
JC: Yes, Olympus Has Fallen. It's a movie when terrorists destroyed Washington and a Secret Service ageint risks everything to secure the US President. Imagine, if North Koreans launched a missle to destroy Washington, this is the words you'll say to the President, the Congress, and the United Nations. Ahem...OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN! I REPEAT, OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN!
(audience laughing)
RH: Oh yeah, if Kim Jong Un destroyed Washington, what's your view? Do you think North Korea will turn planet Earth into a sea of fire? Is North Korea threathen to END HUMANITY?
(audience laughing)
JC: Precisely. That's why North Korea wanted to turn this planet into a sea of fire and then the only continent standing in this planet is none other than North Korea itself. Imagine if those state-run media from North Korea announced that "North Korea will end all humanity", perhaps the best way to save yourself is pray...
RH: Pray?!
(audience laughing)
JC: Yes. Pray. Pray to God that North Korea will suffer...
(audience laughing)
JC: Let's face it. When months of June came, here come the storms. Storms always affecting parts of the Philippines, even the superstormy ones. Hopefully, when North Korea gets flooded, I'd expect no one from the foreign community to help North Korea because of nuclear reasons and death threats against the world. Sure, North Korea threatens to destroy ever single US Base in the world, especially those from South Korea and Japan but if you're listening to me, North Korea, your country feels like it's worshipping Lucifer and worshipping the fallen. Those guys are so GRRRR....
(audience laughing)
JM: Perhaps then that North Korea's becoming a nation of terrorists. A country even worse than Al Qaeda or worse of all. They're just like...um...THE GREAT INTELLIGENCE.
RH: Oh geez....
(audience laughing)
JM: Hey! Guys! Guess what? GOOD NEWS!!!
(audience laughing, then cheers and applause)
JC: What?
JM: I've just heard back in the Game Developers Conference 2013 that Sir Hideo Kojima announced a new Metal Gear game titled METAL GEAR SOLID V: THE PHANTOM PAIN! (cheers and applause)
JC: Great.
JM: Check out that clip...
(cheers and applause)
JC: Unbelievable! Fantastic! Molto bene! Looking forward for the next chapter of Big Boss' story, which is strange that after a 9 year coma, it seems that Big Boss lost everything. Love that trailer though...
RH: Me too!
JC: And that's the end of the news! Happy Easter! And stay away from North Korea!
Aston Martin Vanquish for Forza Horizon's April Top Gear Pack
Here it is, it's the final car pack of Horizon to be covered on the Season Pass and this is known to be the April Top Gear Car Pack, due out in Tuesday! With the collaboration between Forza Horizon and the hit TV series BBC Top Gear, players are indulged with six new rides including the new Aston Martin Vanquish that James May drove on the USA road trip episode of Top Gear Series 19 and the Bowler Nemesis EXR-S.
List of cars:
2012 Aston Martin Vanquish
2012 Bowler EXR S
2011 Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale Zagato
2011 Ford Transit SuperSportVan
1998 Mercedes-Benz AMG Mercedes CLK GTR
2002 BMW M3-GTR (FREE Download)
This pack costs 400MSP but Season Pass owners get it for free. However, for Season Pass owners, this will be the last DLC Car Pack to be covered here.
BBC's Doctor Who Series 7 returned on the telly with an episode titled THE BELLS OF SAINT JOHN where The Doctor (donned in his brand new outfit) and his brand new partner Clara Oswald (ahem, just Clara Oswald, okay? Not Clara Oswin Oswald, the souffle girl) are on a race against time to find out what something lurks behind the wi-fi connections.
What I learned on this episode (well, thanks to that blithering idiot Moffat did) is MONKS ARE NOT COOL. Guess I really don't want to get through someone else's home dressed as a monk. And lastly, be careful with the wi-fi connections you're connecting at, it may sometimes there's someone watching you. Whatcha know? It's a brillant episode, eh?
I really love Clara Oswald because she has some wide charisma and a wide sense that Whovians really love to know about her.
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