Škoda Octavia (Typ 5E)

2014 Skoda Octavia

Now, let's take a look at the brand new Skoda Octavia. Now on its third-generation, you might think that the newly regenerated Octavia would be about as promising as a luxury car three times its pricing but it wasn't. It needs a lot of consideration and determination to figure out what's what about the new Octavia. What to consider about the new look is its design. First of all, it was designed by the same man behind the ultra-fast Bugatti Veyron so you might think this is going to be the "other" Veyron but don't be silly because it isn't. This is just an average midsize car made by Volkswagen...or rather a cousin to the Passat...maybe not.

It's rude to call it the cousin of the Passat but the new model is now built on the brand new MQB variable platform first applied on the Seat Leon, Audi A3, and the VW Golf VII so this new model is 90mm longer and 45mm wider than its predecessor.

2014 Skoda Octavia interior

Which means, that with this new platform, the new Octavia from Skoda sets interior spacing benchmark which is about the equivalent of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Let's just put in other words, okay? I mean, look at this new interior, it's well matured and it's about as comfortable as the E-Class but sadly, I'm referring to the W210 E-Class but still the new Octavia interior feels a bit more generous. Take a look at the seats, it feels perfectly angled and the space on the back is just fine. If this car's went on sale in China, the rear legroom is a plus one for this car because in China, space in the back matters most than everyone. Anyway, forget about that space in the back commotion, let's go back to the basics...

First of all, the new Octavia, built in Mlada Boleslav, designed by the man behind the Bugatti Veyron, and available for 334,900 Kč, it is available in two body styles to choose from; the sedan version for those who are feeling a bit upperclassman or a Combi version for the posh mom who spends some time buying something at the groceries.

2014 Skoda Octavia Combi

Either way, they're both offered with a choice of either three petrol engines (1.2, 1.4, 1.8) or two diesel engines (1.6, 2.0) and depending on which engine choice, transmission choices include either a 5-speed manual, a 6-speed manual, a 6-speed double clutch or a 7-speed double clutch transmission. An Octavia with a 1.8L petrol engine has a 0-60mph time of under 7 seconds and a top speed of 143mph so it's not what you called quick but it is somewhat faster than the Volkswagen Passat B7 with that same kind of engine. Hmmm...not bad though...not bad. Not only that, it's lighter than the Passat B7 as well. Bonus!

Anyway, let's not get too bonus-y about the specs because it's now time to find out how well the Octavia is as a driver's car. Well, being a saloon car, it has a lot of concessions for comfort to keep the passengers feel fine as if they were like taking themselves to the prom at their nearest high school in the neighborhood. Surprisingly, on the normal roads, the Octavia's well too comfortable and it's not that bad to drive. It maybe fine on normal roads but on open roads, it's a tad old-fashioned. It maybe not as exciting as a Mercedes but the new Octavia is more than welcomed for those who want to cruise around for some quiet time.

2014 Skoda Octavia

So for my final verdict, the new Skoda Octavia is far enough to become a global midsize car that uses the new platform as applied on the VW Golf. It may not be worth a redeemable saloon car, it may not be quite agile, it may not be exciting to look at, and it may not be a cheaper alternative to uber-luxury saloons from Germany but it has all of the luxury amenities far from being premium and it's a just-size for any driver no matter how tall they are. So, the question is, would you go for this one more than the VW Passat B7? Jury's out...

Photo: Skoda Auto

Jake Cuenca, IHAW NA!

On the May 27, 2013's Banana Nite's IHAW NA segment, we saw Tito Bhoy interviewing guest celeb Jake Cuenca. They were talking about his interests in sports, his showbiz career, his modeling, and something else...

Meanwhile, Sunshine Garcia provided three tips before we swim in LAUGH THREE

- Do some stretching to avoid cramps

- To avoid sunburn, apply some sunblock on your body!

- If you can't swim, use a float!!!

THE IDOLM@STER CINDERELLA MASTER 016-020

For a quick recap, THE IDOLM@STER CINDERELLA GIRLS is a social idol-raising game that pits the players as the producer and he/she has over 100 idols to produce. The idea for this social mobile game is to make it to eventually produce a “top idol unit”.

Last year, some of the hundred girls from the CINDERELLA GIRLS social mobile game, with the exception of the main iM@S girls, got a chance to have their own character songs under the CINDERELLA MASTER banner and since April 2012, five Cinderella Girls were selected such as Rin Shibuya, Anzu Futaba, Kanako Mimura, Kaede Takagaki, and Rika Jougasaki. Four months later, the second batch has arrived and these are Ranko Kanzaki, Miku Maekawa, Kirari Moroboshi, Mika Jougasaki, and Uzuki Shimamura. Earlier in January 2013, there has been a third batch added such as Miho Kohinata, Riina Tada, Airi Totoki, Mizuki Kawashima, and Mio Honda.

Now for May 2013, batch number four of THE IDOLM@STER CINDERELLA M@STER range has arrived and for this batch, we can expect another selection of new and rising idols coming straight from 765 Productions. Say hello to...

016 - Akane Hino (CV: Chinatsu Akasaki)

THE IDOLM@STER CINDERELLA MASTER 016
Akane Hino

017 - Miria Akagi (CV: Tomoyo Kurosawa)

THE IDOLM@STER CINDERELLA MASTER 017
Miria Akagi

018 - Nana Abe (CV: Marie Mayake)

THE IDOLM@STER CINDERELLA MASTER 018
Nana Abe

019 - Minami Nitta (CV: Aya Suzaki)

THE IDOLM@STER CINDERELLA MASTER 019
Minami Nitta

020 - Sachiko Koshimizu (CV: Ayana Taketatsu)

THE IDOLM@STER CINDERELLA MASTER 020
Sachiko Koshimizu

They, just like the others, maybe new to the ever-growing 765 Productions but still, it's also jam-packed with new songs straight from them and also an audio drama getting to know more about those newcomers.

Vice Ganda meets Ate Vi

Does it ring a bell? In case you missed it, that May 26, 2013 episode of ABS-CBN's Sunday night talk show, Gandang Gabi Vice, had Vice Ganda guested one of the most respectable actresses in history. That's right, THE STAR FOR ALL SEASONS, Governor Vilma Santos!

It's so nice to have one of the most respectable actresses for over fifty years getting along with Vice Ganda especially when Vice Ganda does everything to mess up with Ate Vi for numerous reasons...

Oh! And Senator-elect Grace Poe! She was also on the show as well!

F1 2013 Monaco GP

Ugh, another random week, another incident-filled Formula One round of the year and this time, it's the Monaco that adds drama to the race...and my back hurts a lot looking over the shrill excitement this race has offered. In an unexpected way, Mercedes' Nico Rosberg snags a victory in this race, leaving both Red Bull Racing drivers a 2-3 finish. What a twist!

PRESS RELEASE:

Race - brilliant Rosberg wins amid Monaco drama 26 May 2013
         
Nico Rosberg put in a superb performance on Sunday afternoon to become the only son of a Monaco Grand Prix winner to repeat the feat, matching his father Keke's 1983 victory.

Rosberg led throughout in his Mercedes after starting from pole position, and withstood pressure not just from team mate Lewis Hamilton and later the Red Bulls of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, but also a red flag stoppage and two separate safety-car incidents.

Rosberg and Hamilton led away as the fast-starting Red Bulls found themselves with nowhere to go by the Ste Devote corner. For 30 laps the Silver Arrows held sway, but that lap Ferrari's Felipe Massa repeated his Saturday morning crash approaching the same corner and was kept by the side of the track for a while to recover from the impact. Unlike his FP3 shunt, a car problem rather than driver error was subsequently diagnosed as the cause.

Kimi Raikkonen's Lotus and Fernando Alonso's Ferrari, and the duelling McLarens of Jenson Button and Sergio Perez had run in fifth to eighth positions from the start and all of them, plus Webber and then Vettel, had pitted when the incident occurred. But Mercedes had to bring in Rosberg and Hamilton together, the latter losing time as a result. 

That delay was enough to drop Hamilton to fourth behind the Red Bulls, and he stayed there as the leading four positions remained the same to the end of what Webber described as a 'controlled aggression' race.

Just as Hamilton was getting his second wind and really giving Webber a hard time, another incident occurred on the 45th lap. Pastor Maldonado, who had already collided at the start with Giedo van der Garde's Caterham, collided with Max Chilton. The Marussia rookie failed to see him as he moved back on to the line for the Tabac corner after the chicane and as the two cars made contact the Williams was momentarily launched before crashing almost head-on into the protective Tecpro wall. 

The race was red-flagged until the debris was cleared up, and resumed on the 48th lap. Fortunately Maldonado was unharmed, and Chilton subsequently received a drive-through penalty for causing a collision.

Perez pushed hard to overtake Button and then Alonso, before Lotus's Romain Grosjean ran into the back of Daniel Ricciardo's Toro Rosso on the exit to the tunnel, and their heavy collision threw more debris all over the track and necessitated another safety-car deployment. The incident is under investigation by the Monaco stewards.

When the racing resumed on the 67th lap, Perez homed in on Raikkonen whose Lotus had lost water during the slow running. Behind them, Force India's Adrian Sutil had overtaken Alonso and Button as Toro Rosso's Jean-Eric Vergne and Force India's Paul di Resta closed in. 

Perez tried to pass Raikkonen down the inside at the chicane on the 69th lap but they touched as the Finn took his line. Raikkonen had to pit with a puncture as a result but later sped back up to claim the final point. He is, however, under investigation for speeding under the safety car. After moving to fifth Perez eventually had to retire with left-front suspension damage after clouting the chicane barrier during his unsuccessful manoeuvre.

That left Button to follow Sutil home, after he passed Alonso as the traffic backed up at Rascasse on the 70th lap. Vergne and Di Resta hounded Alonso to the flag, the Frenchman taking a well-deserved eighth and Di Resta a brilliant ninth after starting way down in 17th. Further back, behind the recovered Raikkonen, Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg just headed Williams' Valtteri Bottas and team mate Esteban Gutierrez to take 11th.

Chilton recovered after his drive-through penalty and a stop for fresh rubber to grab 14th place from Caterham's Van der Garde. Other retirements were Jules Bianchi, whose Marussia was damaged in his team mate's incident with Maldonado, and Charles Pic whose Caterham caught fire early on.

The result puts Vettel further ahead in the world championship chase with 107 points to Raikkonen's 86. Alonso's 78, Hamilton's 62, Webber's 57 and Rosberg's 47. In the constructors' stakes, Red Bull have 164 to Ferrari's 123, Lotus's 112 and Mercedes' 109, with Force India on 44 from McLaren's 37.

A slight cloud hangs over Mercedes' triumph, however, as prior to the race Red Bull and Ferrari lodged a protest concerning a three-day Pirelli tyre test which Mercedes took part in following the Spanish Grand Prix.

Source: http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2013/5/14606.html

Well, with all that behind us, the next race is on Canada this June 9, 2013. It's going to be one of the most exciting F1 races in the summer, I can tell...

Doctor Who The Caves Of Androzani Soundtrack

Doctor Who The Caves Of Androzani Soundtrack

While in observance of the Fifth Doctor (Peter Davidson) this month, because we do have The Doctors Revisited special from January to November, tackling different Doctors and the famed stories, there's a good treat for Classic Whovians everywhere because the soundtrack based on the Fifth Doctor's journey titled THE CAVES OF ANDROZANI has arrived and this is the first time release for the music from this seminal 1984 Doctor Who episode where the Fifth Doctor (Peter Davidson) regenerates into the Sixth Doctor (Colin Baker). Oh wait, this whole CAVES OF ANDROZANI adventure is going to be part of the Doctor Who Regenerations DVD Box Set, right? Anyway, this was known to be the best adventure in the classic Who series according to a 2009 survey from Doctor Who Magazine.

 Anyway, Roger Limb started his job at the BBC as a studio manager progressing to an announcer before joining the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. He's behind seven stories before Androzani and this gave him a chance to use new musical know-hows to create subliminal background musics in this adventure.

This is the first time it was released in a series of archives from Silva Screen to celebrate Doctor Who's 50th anniversary and it's jam-packed with 35 tracks, which will make listeners relive one of the most memorable adventures in the history of classic Who. Sometimes retro never felt so cool with this one...

TRACK LISTINGS:

1. Doctor Who (Opening Theme)
2. Androzani Minor
3. Gun-Runners
4. Morgus And Chellak
5. Death Sentence
6. Sharaz Jek
7. Death Under The Red Cloth
8. Androids
9. Next Time It'll Be For Real
10. Nobody LIves For Ever
11. Spectrox
12. Salateen
13. Exile
14. Clever Little Android
15. Two Kilos, What A Deal
16. The Magma Beast
17. Blind Fools
18. Tear His Arms Out
19. Stage Three
20. Geostationary Orbit
21. The Girl Will Be Alone
22. Peri Abducted
23. Vertical Descent Pattern
24. It Could Have Been Worse
25. Do You Think I'm Mad?
26. The Doctor Pursued
27. Mud Burst
28. Morgus And Stotz
29. Face Off
30. Morgus Kaput
31. Not Beaten Yet
32. Milk Of The Queen Bat
33. Return To The TARDIS
34. Is This Death?
35. Doctor Who (Closing Theme)

Available at: http://www.bbcshop.com/soundtracks/doctor-who-the-caves-of-androzani-soundtrack/invt/silcd1370

Gran Turismo 5: ZZ versus Garaiya

In the not too distant past, most of the JDM sportscar attracted too much attention in the prying eyes of speedo boys worldwide such as the Silvia, the Supra, the Skyline, the Civic, any JDM car you mention, but however, there was one kind of car that you never heard about unless you are a Gran Turismo fan and this one is rather different from the JDM cars I mentioned earlier...

What is this strange-looking car?

Seriously, what is that?!

What this is is called the Tommykaira but this is the ZZ sportscar. The Tommykaira ZZ, a sportscar that remains synonymous to the world of Gran Turismo.

If you're new here, you'd probably never heard of Tommykaira before. It's a Japanese tuning firm situated in the Kansai region. It was named after two former racing drivers Yoshikazu Tomita and Kikuo Kaira. Tomita Dram Factory, its parent firm, founded in 1968 and in the summer of 1995, after spending years of tuning some of the finest JDM cars such as the Skyline and the March, the ZZ was born and it was their first original handmade car that started from scratch.

The Tommykaira ZZ comes with a bathtub shaped chassis, which composed of aluminum monocoque with steel-tube frames. They learned that idea from racing cars, you know. Anyway, with all that lightweight bodywork, the ZZ was powered by a tuned version of the engine as expected from a Nissan Silvia. Yep, it's an SR20 engine which produces 178HP of power and 141.7ft-lb of torque. 0-100kph takes under five seconds and top speed is about 140mph. It's not what you called quick because this is not the kind of car you would bring it in a game of Top Trumps but don't be fooled because what I can feel it is one of the best handling Japanese cars ever made in the past because despite being not too quick, this car has good handling.

Handle with care, dude!

Because it's all so light and weighs less than a ton, this car loves corners. This, I believed to be somewhat Japan's answer to British lightweights because it feels like a British lightweights thanks to the fact that it doesn't have concession of comfort and convenience for the driver in mind. This car is all about being hardcore and sharp enough to slice down corners like a ninja.

This ZZ though isn't just an ordinary ZZ. It's the S version. The ZZ-S is a highly tuned model which comes with an uprated SR20 engine which produces under the two-hundred horsepower mark and with under 700 kg of weight, it's sharper as well. You can enjoy cutting through the corners when you want it and there are endless possibilities to get yourself hurt if you driving around like an ascot.

The ZZ-S is always a corner-happy
hoodlum

Sadly though, the Tommykaira ZZ is extinct and as of now, there are very rare chances to see one approaching in the roads unless if you were in Japan. Anyway, in the noughties, Japan has another boutique sportscar which some say has the same traits as the ZZ but I'm not so sure...

The metamorphosis begins

The metamorphosis continues

A transformation completed

Meet the Garaiya

This is the ASL Garaiya, it's a lightweight sportscar, which is the same as the Tommykaira ZZ, but more importantly, it's a different breed.

Now, Autobacs, one of Japan's notable car parts/service store chain, had a dream to create their own dream machine, one that comes with a quality of an exotic car with the usability for everyday drivers. They enlisted Kikuo Kaira from Tommykaira to establish ASL or Autobacs Sportscar Laboratory and then launched this Garaiya project at the 2002 Tokyo Auto Salon. in Winter 2002. Anyway, about this futuristic-looking sportscar, it comes with the same engine that you would expect on the Nissan Primera compact sedan but with added variable valve timing which produces at the two-hundred horsepower mark and 151.8lb-ft of torque, sending the power to the rear wheels by a 6-speed manual gearbox. It is however it weighs a hundred kilograms heavier more than the ZZ-S, the way it handles is a bit different but I wonder what if I can pit the Garaiya against the ZZ-S...

Two Japanese lightweights!

To find out, I pit the Garaiya against the ZZ-S for a drag race but anyway let's remember, while both of these cars produced the same 200HP output, the Garaiya is a hundred kilos heavier than the Garaiya. As the drag race starts, the Garaiya launched through the lead, leaving the ZZ-S in the dust...

Garaiya eats the ZZ-S for lunch!

...and then in the braking section...

Both hit the brakes but the Garaiya stopped faster!

...the Garaiya has better brakes than the ZZ-S. So, the Garaiya kicked the ZZ-S...twice. One by drag, one by braking. But what about going round the Top Gear Test Track, I asked Stig to handle these cars and then, there's the result...

1:27.890 - ZZ

1:27.966 - Garaiya

Enjoy your day at the UK!

So, based on the lap times, both the Garaiya and the ZZ-S are stalemates after all. Although they maybe different, they both share the same connections between these two and that's about two unknown Japanese lightweights that does very well on track days. It's ashamed that neither of these two roam around in real life but still, they're still synonymous to the Gran Turismo franchise, I can tell. The ZZ-S was designed have a perfect sence of humor while the Garaiya is all about being a sensible one. No matter what, those Japanese lightweights are trying hard to capture the views of car enthusiasts, if there are any...

Just let it go where its heart desires...

What's in our Car Town garage today? (May 26, 2013)

What's in our Car Town garage today?

1987 Buick GNX

In 1984, the cult classic Buick Grand National was launched as a high-performance model of the Regal coupe which was produced in a limited-production run. But when production for the Grand National ended in 1987, General Motors launched a final model called the GNX, which is known to be the Grand National that ends all Grand Nationals. This car was produced by ASC/McLaren, a company with a wide reputation for turbo tuning, who had built a factory in Los Angeles.

1987 Buick GNX

2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo

Drawing one of its experience from Hyundai's motorsport activities, especially its heavy involvement with Rhys Millen, the Veloster Turbo has the same personalities as the standard model, especially the signature three-door design, but comes with a unique exterior design and a 2.0L turbocharged direct injection engine which produces a wide powerband.

2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo

2010 Lamborghini Murcielago LP650-4 Roadster

Another one of the special edition Murcielago models which signals the end of Lamborghini's flagship V12 powerhouse, the LP650-4 Roadster is an improved version of the LP640 Roadster. The 6.5L V12 engine that powers it produces 10HP more than the standard model, does 0-60mph in 3.4 seconds, and a top speed of 205mph. For added exclusivity, this model is limited to 50 units worldwide and you can't have one because all of them are sold out.

2010 Lamborghini Murcielago LP650-4 Roadster

Threats from North Korea - A Week in Review (May 25, 2013)

And now, the week in review of what's what at the Korean peninsula...

May 20, 2013

- North Korea fired two short-range missiles into the East Sea, marking the third straight day of launches. North Korea has launched a total of six short-range missiles in the past three days, including three on Saturday and one on Sunday. It claimed the firing as a "normal military exercise".

-South Korean companies affected by the Kaesong complex closure are urging the South Korean government to approve a trip to the North this week.

- China's Foreign Ministry confirmed that North Korea hijacked a Chinese fishing boat earlier this month...creating a new source of tension in the already strained ties between the two long-time allies.

May 21, 2013

- North Korea claims it was exercising its right to hold legitimate military drills when it test-fired six short-range missiles over the past three days.

- Seoul has once again urged Pyongyang to respond to its proposal for talks on the shuttered Kaesong complex.

- South Korea is seeking to resume talks on a free trade deal with Russia.

- US President Barack Obama and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping will sit down for two days of talks early next month in the U.S. state of California for the first time since Xi assumed his post in March.

May 22, 2013

- South Korean president Park Geun-Hye warned North Korea that Seoul and Washington will make no concessions nor provide aid to the communist state...should it choose to create tension on the Korean peninsula.

- North Korea sent a special envoy to Beijing for talks. The meeting was with Wang Jiarui - head of the ruling Communist Party's International Department...and also the point man for China on contacts with North Korea.

May 23, 2013

- North Korea invited a South Korean civic group to jointly organize a ceremony marking the 13th anniversary of a landmark inter-Korean declaration signed on June 15, 2000.

May 24, 2013

- A North Korean envoy finally met with Chinese President Xi Jinping this evening. This NoKor envoy reportedly delivered a handwritten letter from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the Great Hall of the People of Beijing.

- The attack on the South Korean warship Cheonan back in 2010...re-entered the spotlight...on the third anniversary of a trade embargo imposed on the North Korea after the incident.

A car named Bessie

Bessie

Fans who saw "The Name of The Doctor", which is the finale of the seventh season of Doctor Who, sharply noticed a mysterious yellow vintage car slip past Clara Oswald while being piloted by the Third Doctor (who was Jon Pertwee, by the way). If they can slow down the trailer for just 13 seconds, chances are that there's only one thing about that strange locomotion as seen on the Season 7 finale...yes, that's Bessie!

Bessie's the best car fit for a Time Lord himself and the reason why Bessie's the best car a Whovian would love to see it back in the modern series remains a mystery for now. So what is it then this...Bessie?

Bessie's started out in life as a Siva Edwardian Tourer which was based on the Ford Popular 103E and it's powered by a 1.0L engine which produces 10bhp of power. Not quite powerful by modern standards but there's more to tell about Bessie.

Since The Doctor lost his time travel memories and exiled to Earth, it takes time for the Time Lord to face reality. The first thing he recognized was a red roadster he stole from the hospital, which Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart was very firm to have it back. As a reward for saving Earth from alien threats, Brigadier bought a car for The Doctor and that's how Bessie was born. Bessie is the price The Doctor asks for fighting alongside with UNIT.

At first glance, Bessie is just a car but she's a bit more than that. The brakes work via the absorption of inertia, it can go as fast as it leave trails of fire in her tread marks, and it's got an anti-theft system that involves gluing people to her sides with the use of force fields. Oh, and it can also drive by itself or at the touch of a remote in his pocket.

Despite being an Earth car, Bessie can get through Gallifrey and Omega's anti-matter universe as seen in the 10th and 20th anniversary of Doctor Who. Since it has a very long life, Bessie seen a few things. Bessie played the Game of Rassilon in the Death Zone on Gallifrey, Bessie witnessed the Fourth Doctor's beginnings, and when the Seventh Doctor ran out to face Morgaine.  Bessie can see things no one believed and lost things that no one really understand and that's what makes this car unique to every Whovian.

Bessie, the car, has made a lot of contributions during the Classic Who years and to you, Mr. Steven Moffat,, I presume, to bring Bessie back for the show's 50th anniversary special. Imagine if the Tenth Doctor, the Eleventh Doctor, Rose Tyler, and Clara Oswald are joyriding with Bessie in the streets of London, that would be so dadgum awesome. It should be fun!

Or, what if Doctor Who's Bessie is going to be on Top Gear for a test run soon? I wonder what will the Power Lap Time for Bessie be? Possibly better than the pedal powered Porsche Paw Au Chocolat but slower than the Brutus, I think. Anyway, Bessie is the vintage car that holds a very special place in Doctor Who history. Let's just pray that Bessie will be back. Since the Tenth Doctor and the Eleventh Doctor were better drivers, especially at the Top Gear Test Track, they deserve the credit to drive Bessie.

Let's Do The News! (May 25, 2013)

RH: Now, while we made our review on FnF6, Universal announced that there's going be a seventh FnF movie in the works and it's coming next year. I know, this is a bit tad too early to make another FnF movie but anyway, why 2014?

JC: Oh wait, lemme guess, maybe Fast and Furious wants to play catch up against the upcoming Need For Speed movie, which also comes in the summer of 2014, and when Universal looks up at Dreamwork's Need For Speed, they said "oh, seems that there's another racing movie in the summer of 2014 eh? Well, let's do the same thing!"

(audience laughing)

RH: Have you been watching FnF movies lately?

JC: Uh...nope!

(audience laughing)

JC: This is all just the same thing. The first one maybe fine but with so many volumes throwing out through the years, it seems that it's just the same old FnF movie. It's still the same no matter the installment is!

RH: Uh...close but no. Even though there's a bunch of well, you know what, you might as well rethink about these FnF movies because it's still the best racing franchise that carves out total destruction and I like that.

JC: Yeah, whatever...But I do like the Flip Car mentioned in FnF6. Man, wish I want one so I can flip those annoying traffic away and feels like the streets are all mine.

(audience laughing)

RH: Yeah, you can flip civilian or police cars with a Flip Car but what if you've been facing someone who wants to stop you?

JC: (mumbling)

(audience laughing)

RH: I'm sorry?

JC: (mumbling)

RH: Ahem....

JC: (whispers) I surrender...

RH: Surrender! I see! Seems that with power comes responsibility!

JC: Anyway let's now do the news!

RH: All right, news comes from EA because for 2013, their new Need For Speed game is titled RIVALS and it's coming this November for XBOX 360, PC, and PS3 first. Here's a teaser which sums up...



JC: Wait a minute...is that a Ferrari?

RH: Yes. Ferrari's back at NFS and this F12berlinetta featured in the teaser is one of the cars you'd expect on Rivals and it's been chased by some Koenigsegg police car!

JC: Being chased by some cop car that looks like a 1000hp Swedish hypercar? Ooh, sounds interesting.

RH: Yeah, but little information at the moment. We have to wait until E3 2013 next month for the full scoop.

JC: Okay, hey now, Renault showcased a new hatchback. Here it is...

2013 Renault Twin'Run concept

JC: It's called the Twin'Run, concept car for a moment. It's mid-engined just like the Clio V6, comes with a 320HP V6 engine, goes 0-60 in 4.5 seconds...

JM: And you might end up sinking this car like what you did to the Twingo...

(audience laughing)

JM: I mean, imagine what you'll gonna do with this just like what you did to the Twingo. You'll put it on top of the H&W crane, going upside down through the sewers, put a celebrity on the boot...

JC: No it can't. It's mid-engined. The back's occupied by an engine...

JM: Okay...Then you'll put it on the ice-skating rink, and then you'll going to crash it and then sink it. Sounds familiar?

(audience laughing)

JM: Seems that you're going to do it for every small Renault you can find and no. Don't even think about getting behind the wheel of a very small Renault cause you'll always end up in a catastrophe.

(audience laughing)

JC: Thank you, James, for your valued but pointless opinion about me. I can see why what's wrong about me when it comes to handling small cars...

(audience laughing)

JC: Anyway, some personal experience, folks. Sit down. Sit down. Sit down. Okay, a couple of days ago, I tried out a mobile game that everyone's been playing...

RH: And I presume it would be...Candy Crush Saga, right?

JC: Yes. Candy Crush Saga. As it turns out, this game is all terrible rubbish.

(audience laughing)

RH: Terrible rubbish, you say?

JC: Yes. Terrible rubbish. This is just like the Montezuma game but for Candy Crush Saga, you have limited set of moves to get the score target or clear out the jellies or whatever regulations you're facing with. I can't believe why there are several morons on Facebook invited me to play Candy Crush saga and then some annoying status updates saying they cleared Level 100 or higher in Candy Crush Saga. Tell ya, something. Do you know someone who plays Candy Crush Saga?

RH: Uh...Yep. I keep reading everyone's status updates saying they've just cleared a certain level at Candy Crush Saga and then I've noticed some annoying notifications saying that my friend invited me to play Candy Crush Saga.

(audience laughing)

JC: This is too much! Good thing I'd stopped playing this rubbish puzzle game!

RH: Me too! I stopped playing Candy Crush Saga as well...but there's another problem you're facing just now...

JC: What? Is it because I've been flooded with invites?

(audience laughing)

RH: Uh...nope. Bigger than that. It's idiots snap-shotting a question in a game of 4 Pics 1 Word.

JC: What's The Word? Oh! I see! I see morons snapshotting a What's the Word question and then share it on Facebook, seeking for help. Anyway, about that whole "4 Pics 1 Word" thing. Four pictures. One word. What's the word? It's apparently one of the dumbest games I have ever seen in my life. Has anyone playing 4 Pics 1 Word  Hands up...

(audience raising hands)

JM: Oh, seriously, more people are playing 4 Pics 1 Word while some didn't?

JC: Yeah. Can't believe they got succumbed to this game. Anyway, what I don't like about this game is why there are four pictures that are truly irrelevant to the topic and then you have to guess the word that shares common to the four pictures shown. For example; here's a picture of a Porsche, the oktoberfest, the Nurburgring, and the city of Berlin. What's the word that has the connection between those pics?

JM: Germany.

JC: Germany it is! Okay, next up...a picture of an anime character, Tokyo Tower, sushi, and some Datsun.

JM: Japan.

JC: Japan! Correct! Well, played, James. Well played. Anyway, what I have here um...a picture of the Petronas Tower, Sears Building, Burj Khalifa, and the Empire State Building. What's the word?

JM: Well....um...ah....

JC: Come on James. What's the word that connects with these pics?

JM: Uh...ah...well let me guess...hmmm...I can't remember!!!

(audience laughing)

JC: So, you give up?

JM: Yes, I give up! This is hard!

JC: So there you go, folks. Avoid playing a game of 4 Pics 1 Word. It's really really the worst game ever played in a smartphone. Top Gear Top Tip: AVOID PLAYING CANDY CRUSH SAGA AND 4 PICS 1 WORD!

(audience laughing)

JM: Anyway, that's the end of the news folks but before that, Renault Samsung launched a turbocharged version of the SM5 Platinum, it's called the SM5 XE TCi, here it is...

Renault Samsung SM5 XE TCi

JM: What this is is Samsung's answer to turbocharged versions of the Hyundai Sonata and the Kia K5 but not really that kind of answer because it's less powerful than its rivals from Hyundai and Kia.

RH: Anyway, the new SM5 XE TCi is powered by the same engine you'd expect on the super ugly Nissan Juke. It's an MR16DDT engine (Renault Samsung calls it MR190DDT but same thing) which comes with a turbocharger and direct injection. It produces 190HP of power and fuel economy of around 13km/L, while mated with a 6-speed double clutch transmission, which seems a bit more convenient than regular automatics.

JM: Anyway, seems that the new XE TCi model adds some sporty character on the SM5 but for a price of 27,100,000 Korean Won (under the 25,000 Dollar mark), it's a bit reasonably priced as well.

Fast and Furious 6

Fast and Furious 6

Welcome everyone to a whole new level of vehicular warfare as Dom, Brian, and the crew once again returned for the most explosive Fast and Furious experience of the summer and this sixth installment promises to be even more faster and more furious than the previous FnF movies since the first one came out over a decade ago. So what is it then this FnF6? Well, in the movie, Dom (Vin Diesel), Brian (Paul Walker) and the crew were summoned by federal agent Luke Hobbs (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) because there has been some important issues to make. First, and terribly the shocking one, Letty was alive, and second, a ragtag group of bandits, led by some shady guy named Owen Shaw (Luke Evans), are wrecking havoc over Great Britain in search of a very dangerous weapon that posed an international threat. This mission, should they choose to accept it, is going to be a very dangerous one, and if by dangerous, I mean literally dangerous because Shaw throws everything at his disposal to block our crew from pursuing him, especially throwing out their trademark "Flip Car" that can cause some serious threat.

It seems that "All Roads Lead To This" really explains a lot because it's going to be extremely bonkers thanks to the Flip Car that looks like it came from the Mad Max era, a tank in a high-speed car chase, Dom's SRT8 Charger drove through the exploding cargo plane, everything you might expect on FnF6 because that is pure adrenaline originality. That's right, those bonkers thrillers are really what made this sequel so original, you can't expect it anywhere else!

Aside from the characters, new and returning alike, the cars featured in this movie are getting to be very as clever as the movie itself. We can expect Brian driving a very beautiful Ford Escort Mk1, Dom driving either a classic Daytona Charger or a modern Charger SRT8, Hobbs pilots the Navistar truck, and those eccentric but deadly rides Shaw's gang can possibly take advantage of. There are so many cars you can expect but the one car that tops it all, is the R35 GT-R Brian's going to drive in the film.

Whether you're with Dom's crew, Hobbs' team, or Shaw's gang, Fast and Furious 6 is definitely a pulse-pounding adventure that carves destruction at the British Isles. True as the theme song says, "We Own It", because this movie is definitely grabs attention to the viewers rookie or veteran alike.

If you were the kind of person saying that "it's the same thing over again", your best bet is to look back at the previous installments first before watching this latest installment. I'd recommend you to do that if you're new to the franchise but it's okay though. I really understand what you feel.

This can't get any better than this...