Let's Do The News! (July 17, 2013)

JM: Now, let's do...THE NEWS!

RH: Yeah, the news and oh! Next week, there's the must have ADVENTURE TIME ENCYCLOPAEDIA coming and it's going to be a must for every AT fan worldwide. Here's the cover...

The Adventure Time Encyclopaedia

(oohh)

RH: Yep, next week, it's going to be at your nearest bookstore and it has everything you need to know about your favorite AT characters. From Finn the Human, Jake the Dog, Princess Bubblegum, Ice King, LSP, Lady Rainicorn, Marceline, BMO, they had them all. They even explain about the destinations and things to do in the fantasy land of Ooo...

JC: Yeah, that's a lot to read for an Adventure Time fan and the one thing that amuses me a lot is when I saw a sneak preview of the upcoming AT Encyclopaedia, there's something about an instruction manual about BMO. Yep. The BMO instruction manual is in this book and take a look...

JM: Uh-huh, that's the instructional manual for BMO.

RH: Yeah but why would a super adorable...um...robot...machine...video game...thingy had a manual we didn't notice?

JC: That's the point and it says here (Ahem) "CONGRATULATIONS! You are now the proud owner of a cutting-edge, handheld, mash-up, multi-user gaming device with individual simultaneous computron controllers and Vectrex reverse-prefix modulators". And what bothers me the most on the intro was those writings I can't understand what it is...

JM: Uh, actually the ones below were...(whisper) Korean. They're hangul letters on it which translates to the one you just said.

JC: Exactly, and also there was this procedures about assembling a BMO...

(audience laughing)

JM: These are the assembling instructions?!

JC: Exactly and what I didn't notice that I can see some taekwondo references on it and wait a minute. Do you really have to resort to some martial arts to assemble a machine you've newly bought?

(audience laughing)

JC: I mean look at the instructions. It's so WIBBLY WOBBLY TIMEY WIMEY! I can't understand what it just said! It goes...Zip! Whir! Buzz! And look at it...it says that BMO is more than just a video game machine...it's a mobile friend-simulator which became part of Finn and Jake's daily lives!

(audience laughing)

JM: Yeah, Jeremy. But despite all of these, BMO's one of my favorites. Although, we'd never know what was it's gender. We don't know if its a boy or a girl because like most machines, it doesn't have a gender...

JC: James May, have you seen the graybles episode? The first one? There was that part that BMO's talking to itself by the mirror and then BMO said (ahem) (imitates BMO) "I'm a little living boy!"

(audience laughing)

JC: Here's a short clip...

(audience laughing)

RH: Oh, how cute BMO just said...Peeing! I can't believe I'm so fell in love with this talking gizmo! I just wanna hug BMO so bad! I mean, can we see that again?

JC: What? The whole clip?

RH: No! The peeing part!

Peeing!

(audience saying awwww)

RH: HOW CUTE BMO IS!!! That's it! I'm so in love with BMO.

JC: Yeah...That makes me wonder...When BMO just said "I'm a little living boy", that made me puzzled. Is BMO wished to be a real boy?

JM: Uh no. Sadly, BMO's turned into a little living girl by the name of Candy from the Gravity Falls TV show, who was one of Mabel's friends.

(audience laughing)

JC: You know...I kinda felt sorry about that BMO character throughout the whole season. With its innocent smile, feels like my heart's warming.

(ooohh)

JM: What are you talking about, Jeremy?

JC: It seems that when the first time I saw Adventure Time, I thought, my oh my! Isn't BMO one of the cutest characters of the show? Although BMO, like any other machines, is incapable of all emotions, BMO does had a lot of emotions. Whenever I see BMO in most AT episodes, I sometimes got squealed over BMO's cuteness. I mean look at BMO...

BMO

JC: For a toy like BMO, it's more than that. BMO's more cuter than a swarm of Adipose and best of all, if there was a BMO stuff toy, I would be glad to hug one just for once. You know what...I wonder...

("Little Brothers" playing)

♫

Little Brother, 

I remember when you first came home

then came another...little brother of our own.

Even when you break my toys,

You will always be my

Little brothers cause you're younger,

We're related and you're boys.

Even when you're making too much noise,

You will always be my

little brothers cause you're younger,

We're related and you're boys.

♫

RH: ♫ Little Brothers....Little Brothers...♫

JC: Uh, Hammond? You kinda bumming me out with the song there...and hey! Who put this bowl of onions here?

(audience laughing)

RH: You know, I got to say, I really like BMO because it's cute but I disagree because the only character I know to be more cuter than Adventure Time's BMO...was Phineas and Ferb's Fireside Girl Isabella!

(audience laughing)

JC: Wait...what?

RH: Yep. I just bought an Isabella plushie at the Disney Store and pretty soon, it's going to be like the good old thermite experiment from Brainiac.

JC: Let me guess, you want to show if Isabella's cuteness can outcute any cute character especially the Adipose from Doctor Who and BMO from Adventure Time. Hmmm...

RH: Anyway, I'm gonna see who's adorable...ah ah...atchoo!

JM: Aw! You sneezed like a kitten!

(audience laughing)

JC: Anyway, while on the subject about the Asiana crash at San Francisco, there's one article I find it to be noticing because there was a news report about the names of the pilots from the Asiana flight 214 crash and the names were...

JC: Wha...those aren't names! Their racist remarks! I mean, are you sure these are the names of the pilots from the Asiana crash at San Fran?! Sum Ting Wong, Wi Tu Lo, Ho Lee Fuk, Bang Ding Ow. Are those names? They're racist remarks! What kind of a news report was that?

JM: Well maybe when the NTSB confirmed those, it turns out it's nothing more of a prank done by some unpaid intern. Besides, Asiana is an Korean airline and those fake names were...Chinese. Anyway, while the TV network from San Fran behind this report is issuing an apology, I just heard that Asiana's suing that network for racial slur. Talk about a chain reaction there...

JC: Oh...(bleep) them...

(audience laughing)

JC: Anyway, there's a brand new S63 AMG coming and it's based on the new model. Look...

2014 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG

JC: It has a 5.5L V8 turbo engine, develops 585HP of power and 900Nm of torque. It's more powerful than the supercharged Jaguar XJR so, got any remarks for this new model?

JM: Ho Lee (bleep)

RH: Bang! Ding! Ow!

(audience laughing)

JC: Yep. I heard you loud and clear. And that's the end of the news!

2014 Suzuki Swift

2014 Suzuki Swift

2014 Suzuki Swift interior

Suzuki's Swift hatchback is now on its 2014 Model Year and for this updated version, we'd expect a revised front bumper, L-shaped LED daytime running lights on the foglamp housings, fresh 16-inch wheels, LED-type high-level brake lamp, and get this...

Dual Jet Engine

The 2014 Suzuki Swift features Suzuki's newly developed DUAL JET ENGINE which balances performance and economy, Suzuki claims. Well, what's it all about Suzuki's new DUAL JET ENGINE? Suzuki implemented the dual injection system on its 1.2L petrol engine and it works by increasing vaporization, making combustion more efficient. It channels fuel to two intake ports instead of only one per cylinder.

Aside from that, Suzuki's ENE-CHARGE system and ECO-COOL was also implemented for the 2014 Suzuki Swift. In case you're new here...

ENE-CHARGE provides a regenerative braking system that converts kinetic energy during deceleration into electricity stored from its lithium-ion battery, which is used to power the vehicle's electrical components while ECO-COOL is an air-conditioning system that keeps cool air flowing even when the engine was shut off by its idling stop system, relying on the fan that blows air over a cold sink in the aircon's evaporator into the cabin.

With the DUAL JET ENGINE and the ENE-CHARGE, fuel economy is now up to 26.4kmpl, making it the most fuel-efficient of the 1.2L class.

Oh yeah, Swift models using the DUAL JET ENGINE and ENE-CHARGE can be distinguished by the DJE suffix after the grade names XG, XL, and XS. Also, DJE models can expect a speedometer similar to the current Honda CR-V as well.

The 2014 Suzuki Swift starts from 1,279,950 to 1,787,100 Japanese Yen.

So, what do you think about the DUAL JET Swift?

Scoop: http://carview.yahoo.co.jp/news/newmodel/188367/

URL: http://www.suzuki.co.jp/car/swift/index.html

Happy 20th birthday, Suzuki Wagon R!

It was September 3, 1993 when the first generation Suzuki Wagon R went on sale in Japan and I can't hardly believe that for 20 years, the Suzuki Wagon R gained five generations. Just look at all the regenerations Japan's no.1 kei car had gained...

First generation Wagon R (1993-1998)

Second generation Wagon R (1998-2003)

Third generation Wagon R (2003-2008)

Fourth generation Wagon R (2008-2012)

Fifth Generation Suzuki Wagon R (2012-present)

To celebrate Suzuki Wagon R's 20th anniversary, a special edition Wagon R 20th Anniversary Special was offered and for this special model, the exterior features a special front grille plated in black and comes with specially designed 15-inch aluminum wheels. A special "20th Anniversary" badge is located on the side view as well. On the interior, they've added a special front armrest box and mech inside door handle to make it a bit unique.

Suzuki Wagon R 20th Anniversary Special Model

Oh yeah, starting now, the fuel economy of the Wagon R, with its ENE-CHARGE and ECO-COOL, has now improved to 30kmpl and how's that possible for the fuel economy upgrade? There's an answer: a reduction of frictional resistance of the engine as well as the reduction of air resistance! That's right! Also new is the new feature that you will notice: a new Radar Brake Support system with a clever system that can automatically brake the car in a near-collision scenario. This isn't a first time a kei car had that clever safety feature because last year, the facelifted fifth-generation Daihatsu Move, it's target rival remember, has that kind of feature.

So, with the Wagon R's fuel economy now updated to 30kmpl, that means, that's even better than the facelifted Move's 29kmpl fuel economy! Wow, seems that both Suzuki and Daihatsu are throwing everything they got in the name of fuel economy. It seems that both Suzuki and Daihatsu are in the fuel-economy war right now...

But still, this was the Wagon R's birthday wish; to be more fuel efficient than the facelifted Daihatsu Move as well as the new Mitsubishi eK Wagon. Really? Let's compare:

2013MY Suzuki Wagon R - 28.8kmpl
2013MY Daihatsu Move - 29.0kmpl
2014MY Mitsubishi ek Wagon - 29.2kmpl
2014MY Suzuki Wagon R - 30.0kmpl

So, by a long margin. the updated version trounced both the Move and the eK Wagon in its class. Now that's how the Wagon R's 20th birthday wish supposed to be.

Happy 20th birthday, Suzuki Wagon R!

Let's Do The News! (July 16, 2013)

River's Diary

Okay, River's Diary, tell me what's going on around here...I'm bored as a fudge...

- The return of the Datsun brand kicks off with the maiden model of Nissan's low cost brand, called the Datsun GO, which will go on sale in India next year. First glance, it was based on the Nissan March and it has the same 1.2L engine from the March while mated with a 5-speed gearbox.

2015 Datsun GO

- Hmmm...While I don't know what's going on with the staff behind the upcoming Mad Max Fury Road film, I just heard that the famed Mad Max movie franchise gets its first ever video game for next year.

- Mercedes-Benz teased an upcoming AMG model based on the new S-Class W222.

- Skoda revealed a new member of the Skoda Rapid range, called the Spaceback and it is essentially a hatchback version of the new Skoda Rapid low-cost sedan.

2014 Skoda Rapid Spaceback

- Texas-based tuner, Hennessey Performance, are planning to upgrade the 2014 Corvette Stingray by giving its LT1 engine some supercharged boost up to 700bhp. They're also working on a 1000hp variant as well.

- I'd never realized that Toyota USA collaborated with Nickelodeon for a special SpongeBob concept SUV based on the...um...something that is not available in Japan, it's a 10-letter name, starts with H and ends with the R. (What was it again? I can't tell you that) Anyway, it was unveiled on July 13, during SpongeBob Day at the Padres vs. Giants game in San Diego, California and the Japanese carmaker says that it will "hit the road for a 'Happy Driving!' promotional tour throughout the U.S., bringing SpongeBob’s special brand of fun to seven locations across the country"

TTFN!

Suzuki -Third Generation- MR Wagon (MF33S) Wit

It's been two years since Suzuki launched the third-generation MR Wagon, which I think it's the geekiest of the kei cars targeted for the geeks. Although, the front view looks kinda disappointing to me because it kinda looks like it's been in the state of panic, what's redeeming to me is the fancy gizmo on the interior called the TOUCH PANEL AUDIO in which I can do the swiping on the touch panel.

Wait a minute, if the face of the current MR Wagon wasn't quite stylish, how about adding a different kind of cocktail for the current MR Wagon? Yep, it's time to welcoming back the stylish version of the MR Wagon called the MR Wagon Wit.

2014 Suzuki MR Wagon Wit

Well, for the new MR Wagon Wit, it seems that the disappointing front view as seen on the standard model has been wiped out from its misery and now it kinda looks like an...uh...honey I shrunk the Nissan Elgrand. Really, this new MR Wagon Wit now looks like a mini-Elgrand to us? Yep, it really looks like a Nissan Elgrand to us and it seems that the new front view really wants us to play some optical illusion tricks to us. Feels like we're living in the fun house without the house prefix...and the fun. Sorry.

2014 Suzuki MR Wagon Wit

So, implementing for the 2014 model year, both the normal MR Wagon and the brand new Wit model gained Suzuki's ENE-CHARGE and ECO-COOL as implemented on last year's new Wagon R. In case you are wondering how ENE-CHARGE and ECO-COOL works, do you want me to sound like James May? If not, you know the drill. If yes, let's make it shorter, okay?

Suzuki's ENE-CHARGE provides a regenerative braking system that converts kinetic energy during deceleration into electricity stored from its lithium-ion battery, which is used to power the vehicle's electrical components while ECO-COOL is an air-conditioning system that keeps cool air flowing even when the engine was shut off by its idling stop system, relying on the fan that blows air over a cold sink in the aircon's evaporator into the cabin. Get it now? Good.

Anyway, thanks to the ENE-CHARGE and ECO-COOL, both the normal MR Wagon and the MR Wagon Wit can accumulate a fuel consumption based on JC08 Mode standards of 30kmpl. I repeat, 30KMPL. 3-0-K-M-P-L. Surprisingly, that matches the fuel consumption of the current Wagon R with ENE-CHARGE and that's not all because starting now, a turbocharged 660C DOHC VVT engine is now an exclusivity for the Wit and with the promising 27kmpl, the turbocharged Wit is about 1kmpl more than the turbocharged Spacia Custom. You heard that right.

2014 Suzuki MR Wagon Wit interior

2014 Suzuki MR Wagon Wit interior

Of course, on the interior, you can still expect the same peripherals from the standard model as well as the available Touch Panel Audio which I find this gizmo to be my favorite until the Peugeot 208's touch screen struck me through but for the new Wit, having learned its lesson from its big sister, the Alto Lapin Chocolat, the interior is now sporting a two-tone color for both the seats and the panel so you can expect a fair bit of class and glamour lurking through the new Wit.

So, if the normal MR Wagon's not quite perky for the geeks, would you consider one? Well, because of all of that Holy Guacamole around here, the new MR Wagon Wit starts at around 1,290,450 Japanese Yen. Simple as that,

Photo: Suzuki Motor Corporation

Liz Uy, IHAW NA!

The stylist for the stars, Liz Uy, was the guest for the day on July 15, 2013's Banana Nite's IHAW NA segment and geez, this never gets even more stylish!

That's all for Top Gear Korea Season 4

Well, Season 4 of XTM Top Gear Korea has finally come to a conclusion. It's been fun...

We've seen presenters comparing high performance SUVs, doing a lap time party, we see the future of Korean police cars, Vin Diesel makes a surprise appearance, a new Range Rover vs a man in a wing suit, hosting a new rally championship, the boys are tuning a Hyundai Genesis Coupe to create the TGK 520, a Chevrolet Trax vs BMX riders, making public service announcements against distracted drivings, and creating a new kind of tyre for different kinds of cars.

There had been numerous power tests on this season but the most interesting ones were the power tests took place at the BBC Top Gear Test Track. In one episode, TGK presenter Kim Jin Pyo arrives at the BBC Top Gear Test Track to try out the new Aston Martin Vanquish and then in the next episode, he even tried out the McLaren MP4-12C round the track.

For this season, the fastest car round the Top Gear Korea track was the Audi R8 with the lap time of 1:28.27

Season 4 sees the arrival of the Volkswagen Polo R-Line 1.6 TDi, which replaced the VW Golf VI as the basis for the show's STAR LAP TIME segment. There has been numerous guests such as Lee Jang, 2AM, Lee Sang Min, Son Ho Yang, Kim Joon-hyun, Park Shin Hye, Kim Min-Jung, Ja Tae-hyun...there were 19 celebs thrashed the VW Polo R-Line 1.6 TDi round the TGK track and the quickest was Lee Jang, with the lap time of 1:55.25

Source: http://topgearkorea.interest.me/Index/26/Contents/View

Well, that does it then. Thanks for everyone who watched TGK Season 4. See you soon. The Stig will too...