SUPERSTORM YOLANDA: San Beda, La Salle Square Up for a Charity Game

San Beda Red Lions and De La Salle Green Archers, two different leagues, one match. They are competing for a similar cause. The event is called "Champions for a Cause" and this special charity exhibition will be held this December 7, 2013 at the SMART Araneta Coliseum where proceeds will be donated for the benefit of Typhoon Yolanda victims.

San Beda Red Lions heralded as NCAA Season 89 champions and they are spearheaded by MVP Art Dela Cruz along with teammates Rome Dela rosa, Baser Amer, David Semerad, and their foreign import Olaide Adeogun.

The DLSU Green Archers are champions of the UAAP Season 76 and it will be fronted by players Jason Perkins, Norbert Torres, and Arnold Van Opstal, together with players Jeron Teng and Almond Vosotros.

Tickets are available through Ticketnet, ranging from 20 Pesos for general admissions to 1,000 Pesos as a Patron.

The game will be televised at TV5 with encore airing on TV5's news channel, Aksyon TV, at 9:00 PM Philippine Standard Time.

Report: http://www.rappler.com/sports/university/44659-animo-for-yolanda-victims-san-beda,-la-salle-to-play-in-charity-game

Maserati Ghibli

2014 Maserati Ghibli

Hmmm...Ever wonder why there is another sedan in the Maserati lineup? Maserati makes sports cars and that's it until the four-door Quattroporte crashed the party, the same thing happened to Aston Martin with their Rapide and Porsche with their Panamera. Sure, there are four-door sedans wearing supercar badges but for Maserati, there's plenty for that came from so in case you're wondering...why? Why did Maserati added another four door saloon which is shorter than the Quattroporte?

It's called the Ghibli (no, not Studio Ghibli. Just Ghibli) and what this is is the Italian supercar maker's take on the baby luxury saloons such as the Audi A4, BMW 3-Series, and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. That's right. This Italian luxury saloon has its rivals on its crosshairs or tridents perhaps but there's some bizarre oddities lurking around the new Ghibli even though it was labeled as a Quattroporte for the posh yuppies.

2014 Maserati Ghibli interior

2014 Maserati Ghibli interior

Normally, the exterior design looks more like a Quattroporte that has been zapped by the small ray but naturally, the new Ghibli, which is Italian for "I'm gonna take down those German rivals in my class", showcases its prolific characteristics suitable for anyone who's having their seminal work done and move on to another. It maybe smaller, shorter, lighter, more dynamic, less expensive and more economical than the flagship Quattroporte but amazingly, the new Ghibli serves as the next evolution for Maserati as this saloon serves more profit for Maserati as by 2015, they'll be making 50,000 Maseratis, most of them will be Ghiblis while some are GranTurismo and Quattroporte but never mind about the GranTurismo. Some say there's going to be a replacement in the works right now but we'll remain mum about this.

On the interior, that's also an oddity because even though it looks Maserati, there are some stuff sourced from Chrysler such as the engine start/stop button. That's from Chrysler, you known. Then, when you turned on the satellite navigation, yep! That's also sourced from Chrysler and I'm starting to get some connectivity problems out there.

2014 Maserati Ghibli

While the Quattroporte comes with a big V8 engine, the Ghibli tries to be smaller as this baby Maserati saloon is fitted with different V6 engines. For the first time, the Ghibli is the first Maserati to be fitted with a diesel engine. That's sound strange because there hasn't been a supercar maker using a diesel engine but for Maserati, they do have now but only this Italian carmaker can do that, well Porsche did with their diesel-powered Cayenne SUV and the Panamera saloon. Anyway, the diesel-powered model is powered by one of the most powerful single-turbo 3.0L engine on the market, developing 275PS of power, a 0-100kph time of 6.3 seconds, and top speed of 250kph. They even had a cheaper 250PS version but it's only for the Italian market. What makes this Ghibli diesel economical is because of the combined fuel economy of 16.9kmpl and 158 grams of CO2/km emissions. 

Well, the diesel engine maybe a bit of a hush right now but when you compare these to the diesel-powered Germans in its class, it will surely give them a run for its money, theoretically. Now what about the petrol versions? As of now, the most sportiest of them all is the Ghibli S version featuring a high-performance 3.0L V6 engine capable of doing a 0-100kph time of 5 seconds and top speed of 285kph. Couple that with the available four-wheel drive system and it will drop .2 seconds in its 0-100kph but because it's heavy, top speed is now 284kph, one less than the FR version of the Ghibli S.

Also new to Maserati is that all Ghibli models come with the Active Speed Limited function standard. You can activate it or deactivate it at the touch of the button and when its own, the driver will now judge which appropriate speed limit for the car. For the first time, it's the driver's decision, not the maker, to decide the limited top speed for the Ghibli and sounds too good to be true. If the driver sets it to 250kph limited top speed, then fine! 250kph limited top speed for the Ghibli but just to let you know, the normal Ghibli with the normal 3.0L V6 engine has a top speed of 263kph, Ghibli S is 285, Ghibli S Q4 is 284, and Ghibli Diesel is 250 so changing the speed limit of the Ghibli can be somewhat more of a class act so best to be careful with that feature though.

Most Ghiblis do fitted with the Quattroporte-derived 8-speed automatic transmission which delivers in every parameter, from comfort to fast gear shifting, and from minimised fuel consumption to low NVH. It has five settings ranging from Auto Normal, Auto Sport, Manual Normal, Manual Sport and the extreme weather I.C.E mode and the driver can choose which mode is suitable on several driving conditions. Of course some modes are fine if used correctly but some can be a bit more annoying especially the Auto Normal mode which in this mode, this transmission forgot that this is the gear-shifting mechanism, not some kind of stuff that has been idled for too long. You may feel like you are as stressed as watching too much late night television before 2:00AM but it's not over yet.

Judging by the way it handles, the Ghibli does have some characters on the corners but on the normal roads, you'll get the same feeling as you expect from remembering the most painful moments like the awful moment that your sisters think that you're a fraud at watching TV shows. You may think you did watch that show but you're not. Quite a bitter personal experience I got here but this is what you expect when you're driving one on the normal roads. (sigh)

But still, the new Maserati Ghibli is still one of the good driver's car of the year and it has the A4, C-Class, and the 3-Series locked-on. So much for the baby Quattroporte but if this sells like hotcakes, I'm so in to that baby Maserati. Remember it may have the marque of the supercar even with four doors but when you want to take a spin on the Ghibli, you are about as interesting as a man selling falsified documents to the black market. If you saw one of these in your next door neighborhood, you are getting too jealous about your neighbor driving one of those and you just can't resist the temptation. Very well then, guess I'm short of time about this but if you're interested on the Ghibli, contact your nearest Maserati dealer for more info. Cheers!

Photo: Maserati

What's in our Car Town garage today? (November 27, 2013)

What's in our Car Town garage today?

2013 SRT Viper GTS-R

With the return of the SRT Viper, the American supercar for the masses has been redefined for the next century and for this race-spec GTS-R version, it's good to say that Chrysler is back in the game of Le Mans with that one. There are two different GTS-Rs compete in the production-based GT class of the 2012 American Le Mans Series but both of these come equipped with the Michelin GT tires extending the successful technical partnership.

2013 SRT Viper GTS-R

2010 Citroen Survolt

French automaker Citroen showcased the bewitching Survolt concept car at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show and this concept car is more of a racecar with an added twist - it's electric. It maybe innovative and sensual but overall, the Survolt is elegantly sporty which transcends power and excitement for years to come.

2010 Citroen Survolt

1975 Mazda RX-3

Once a rival to the legendary Nissan Skyline of that era, this rotary-powered classic JDM tuner was once a track monster in its own right and it made 50% of Mazda's sales before the RX-7. Even though it's essentially based on the Mazda Grand Familia and it's sold in Japan as the Mazda Savanna, this classic rotary is powered by a 2x491cc Wankel rotary engine that delivers smooth power in a lightweight body.

1975 Mazda RX-3

Toyota Aqua G's

The Aqua served as the smaller, even more economical car that follows the success of the Prius and even though it's just a Toyota Vitz (Yaris) underneath it, it's narrower than the Prius.

Sure, the Toyota Aqua is going to be a playable car in the PS3 game, Gran Turismo 6, but recently, there's an updated version of the Aqua and for the 2014 model year, the Aqua recaptured the "most fuel efficient hybrid" taken by the new 2014 Honda Fit Hybrid. How did that happened? When the new Fit was launched since September 2013, the hybrid's fuel economy is now 36.4km/L in the JC08 mode so Toyota addressed the concern and upgrade the Aqua by any means of reducing the engine friction, increasing the efficiency of the hybrid system, and the inverter and motor's slightly upgraded so therefore the fuel economy of the 2014MY Aqua is now 37.0km/L. 37kmpl! That's .6kmpl more than the new Fit Hybrid but still it's worth dull because let's not forget, the Fit Hybrid's got double clutch rather than CVT that the Aqua had.

2014 Toyota Aqua G's

Now though, Toyota launched the latest addition of the Toyota G's (G SPORTS) sports conversion series, the sixth since the Noah and Voxy, Alphard and Vellfire, Prius, Vitz, and the Mark X. No wait, that's not right. There is now eight G's models in the Toyota lineup. Anyway, how do I think about the Aqua G's?

2014 Toyota Aqua G's

It still behaves the same as the normal model. You can still expect the same THS2 with a reduction mechanism, the same Atkinson Cycle 1.5 L combined with a 1LM motor and a nickel-hydrogen battery. And it even has the same CVT gearbox as the normal Aqua. What you will notice now is that the new Aqua G's now comes with the specially-tuned suspension which drops the height to just 25mm, making this compact truly nearer to the ground and overall, it gives the handling character a little more sporty on it.

Aside from its lowered height, the G's model also comes with numerous upgrades including enhanced rigidity, front suspension member rear end brace, floor center brace, rocker flange, and the rear bumper reinforcement hose.

In terms of design, the Aqua G's gets spoiled with numerous lust-worthy G's peripherals such as the special body kit, LED illumination beam, halogen head lamps with black extensions, fender garnish, and 17-inch aluminum wheels wrapped with some Bridgestone Potenza RE050A. The RE050A was specially design to complement the performance of sports cars, sports coupes, and sports sedans but having this on the Aqua, that's like a schoolgirl in a school uniform and a roller skates. Kinda cool, though.

Combine these performance enhancements such as the tuned suspension and the sports tires courtesy of Bridgestone and you got yourself a hybrid compact that shows some more character than the normal Aqua. Imagine if you drove one for your driver's ed...

2014 Toyota Aqua G's

2014 Toyota Aqua G's

On the inside, the Aqua G's always stay true to its sporty image and by giving a dark interior on the Aqua G's, that just complete the look three-fold. You can expect some front sporty seats wrapped in Alcantara, some silver stitching on the armrest center console box and the steering wheel,  a shift knob with a crystal red top to make it as flashy as a brothel, piano black dashboard, plated speaker ring, sporty aluminum pedal, and the power switch colored in red. I know these interior goodies may look flashy but if this is my car, it does suit the color of my leather jacket.

The Aqua G's is set to be on sale in Japan next month at the starting price of just 2,220,000 Yen and it's available in seven exterior colors such as Lime White Pearl Crystal Shine, Silver Metallic, Grey Metallic, Black Mica, Super Red V, Yellow, and Blue Metallic.

So there you go, folks. Even the Aqua G's may not be the hybrid you really want one to your garage, its handling capabilities stays true to the current "FUN TO DRIVE, AGAIN" slogan of Toyota. That is if you're Japanese or if you're living in Japan but even with the lowered height, sports suspension, and some sports tires that you get from most sportscars, it's nowhere near as good as it gets but if I'm planning to put this car in my very own "CARS GT6 SHOULD PUT" list, it's worth the try than the normal Aqua.

Photo: Toyota Motor Corporation

SUPERSTORM YOLANDA: Philippine government, selling goods to the victims of super typhoon.

The Department of Trade and Industry of the Philippines is doing a "discount caravan" selling goods to the Superstorm Yolanda victims at affordable prices. Some say, the DTI has been selling goods such as bread, coffee, milk, and processed meat to the people of Tacloban City and the goods are 10% to 30% less than the original price in the market.

Report: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/video/184631/24oras/murang-bilihin-sa-diskwento-caravan-ng-dti-dinumog-ng-mga-taga-tacloban

Oh, hold it. I read a post from someone at the CNN iReport and there's the statement regarding this move:

This fact is VERY DISAPPOINTING and VERY FRUSTRATING since the whole world knew that the donations for the Filipino people were overflowing since day one after the typhoon. While the government of other countries have been thoughtfully giving great amount of help to the Filipino people affected by the typhoon, the government of the Philippines seems to be unwilling to help its own people. 

Let's Do The News! (November 26, 2013)

The big scoop today...

Lamborghini Gallardo bids farewell...

The Final Gallardo

Bye, bye, old friend. Lamborghini bids farewell to the baby Lambo, the Gallardo. The final Gallardo rolled out from the Sant'Agata Bolognese plant in Italy after its 10-year tenure since its 2003 debut. The replacement for this baby Lambo is due next year. Until then, this Lambo will be heading to the great racetrack in the sky.

Report: http://www.autoindustriya.com/auto-industry-news/lamborghini-ends-gallardo-production-run.html

War Doctor's sonic now a toy

War Doctor's sonic screwdriver

As seen in the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special, The Day of The Doctor, the sonic screwdriver used by the War Doctor, played by veteran actor John Hurt, is now a toy courtesy of Underground Toys and it's going to be available in the UK and Ireland now while North America will be next month, in time for the holidays. It maybe a sonic that is about 400 years ago but as the saying goes "same software, different case", it's still the sonic screwdriver. The War Doctor's sonic screwdriver toy includes sound and light effects and requires 2 AG13/LR44/L1154 button cell batteries.

A testes for a Z34?

There was a strange report that some guy who wants to sell one of his testicle for a Nissan Fairlady Z Z34 sportscar. Take Mark Parisi. He's a man who got two testicles and he doesn't need one of those. So what he done is he donated one of his testicles in exchange for 35 grand. With enough cash, he managed to scored a Z34 Nissan. What?!

Report: http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/man-buys-nissan-370z-with-testicle-2013-11-25

DW 2013 XMAS Special gets a title

The Time of The Doctor

BBC announced the title of the Doctor Who 2013 Christmas Special which serves to be The Eleventh Doctor's final journey. The title is The Night of The Doctor as confirmed by the BBC One twitter. Rest now Whovians. Christmas Day beckons you...

Persona 5 announced

At the end of the special Persona event on Sunday, Atlus showcased a short announcement clip with a set of five chairs with chains and the Engrish that goes "You are slave. Want emancipation?". Sorry, Engrish slipped out but anyway, it's been announced that Persona 5 will hit PS3 this Winter 2014 in Japan. Ready for the next chapter of the beloved Persona saga?

Second Generation Hyundai Genesis/Rohens (DH)

2014 Hyundai Genesis

A project 4 years and 11 million kilometers in the making, I just can't believe that a Korean car company called Hyundai tries to pull the wraps and the competition is making a run for their money as they unveiled the second-generation of Hyundai's flagship saloon, the Genesis. Since I'm not the one who will talk about this new generation Genesis, some lucky survivor managed to scavenge the files straight from Project Genesis and I'm reading it for the first time. So, how does the Project Genesis happened? Oh yeah, I really do read the files from Project Genesis in case some civil uprising broke out because of Genesis.

Project Genesis File No. DH112613-1

"Since its January 2008 launch, the Genesis is heralded as the brand's first premium rear-wheel drive sedan that surprised the industry with its outstanding product competitiveness. We invested over 500 billion KRW or an estimated 471 million US Dollars when we began Project Genesis and our aim is to develop a world-class premium rear-wheel drive sedan and we took four years to develop this model. The Genesis provides premium and distinctive design, best-in-class chassis system, the same level that luxury European rivals had, cutting-edge safety, and convenience features. From every angle, out car conveyed Hyundai's "Modern Premium" brand identity and it secured best-in-class basic product competitiveness through numerous tests carried out globally, including the legendary Nurburgring in Germany."

Project Genesis File No. DH112613-2

2014 Hyundai Genesis

2014 Hyundai Genesis

"When designing the new model, we wanted to bring our "Fluidic Sculpture" design language to the next level and for our new Genesis, this is the first model to adopt Fluidic Sculpture 2.0. The next generation of Fluidic Sculpture maintains its original essence while delivering different elements to our new design language such as simple and harmonious design, modern Hyundai look, and rich visuotactile color. The single hexagonal grille for the new Genesis is now easy-to-understand and has a very pleasant design, making this premium sedan truly premium in its own right."

Project Genesis File No. DH112613-3

2014 Hyundai Genesis interior

2014 Hyundai Genesis interior

"As a premium sedan, we wanted to create a more premium interior that others can expect from its European rivals. That is one of the key goals from Project Genesis and we accomplished it by delivering a well-tailored interior design specifications for all materials and mater craftsmanship-level finish to further improve its premium image. The switches are now categorized to facilitate user-friendly control, the symbols are now standardized for intuitive recognition, and the feel of the grip and control has been greatly improved, giving the driver a more emotional feel when he/she takes on the corners.

Our new Genesis comes with a new TFT LCD Cluster which is now visually enhanced for the driver to see. We also added an analog clock to give the dashboard a more classy look it deserves. In some models, the new Genesis is also offered with the controls of the rear-seat entertainment system and two LCD rear-seat multimedia display screens. With these features, rear seat passengers can adjust the angle, position and temperature of the heated and cooled rear seats. They can also experience power lumbar adjustment or change the heating, air conditioning, and air flow. 

For audio, the new Genesis features Lexicon Surround Sound System with 17-speakers. This surround sound system provides higher highs, lower lows and rich mid-range for audiophile-level quality. It also comes with iPod/USB connectivity so users connect their gadgets for added convenience for the tech-savvy drivers.

New to the Genesis is the new Smart Trunk System and for this feature, if whoever with the Smart Key stays at the back of the car for three seconds, the rear trunk opens automatically, making it very convenient for the owners who don't need to open the trunk by themselves."

Project Genesis File No. DH112613-4

2014 Hyundai Genesis

"Comfort, Stability, and Dynamics, three key goals which are part of the Project Genesis when it comes to create a high-performance sports saloon and after extensive testing through the Nurburgring, we managed to follow these three key goals while maintaining its sporty character drivers have been longing for. The new Genesis now offers best-in-class driving and ride & handling performances courtesy of the improved suspension and the application of various advanced technologies. We've improved the stiffness of the front and rear suspensions and managed a well-balanced weight distribution in order to make a well balanced chassis for the new Genesis as well as implementing new driving technologies such as Advanced Traction Cornering Control, Rack-mounted Motor Driven Electric Power Steering, and for the first time, the new Genesis is also offered with an all-wheel drive system we called it HTRAC.

The HTRAC all-wheel drive system electronically controls torque split between the axles depending on which driving conditions the driver is on, providing a well-stabled ride on slippery conditions and allows the driver to select different driving modes, NORMAL or SPORT, for a well-tailored driving experience.

For our new model, we offer two V6 petrol engines available such as the V6 3.3 Lambda and the V6 3.8 Lambda engine. The 3.3L V6 engine produces 282PS of power, 35.4kg-m of torque, and fuel economy of 9.4km/L while the 3.8L V6 engine produces 315PS of power, 40.5kg-m of torque, and fuel economy of 9.0km/L. Both of these engines are fitted with our specially-designed 8-speed automatic transmission with precise gear ratios and lightweight components to make driving more responsive."

Project Genesis File No. DH112613-5

2014 Hyundai Genesis

2014 Hyundai Genesis

"Safety is also part of the Project Genesis portfolio and we managed to accomplished it for our new model due to improved body structure and rigidity so its crash tests will be significantly improved. We increased its torsional and bending stiffness by applying ultra-high-strength steel hot-stamping and double-section structure on the front, partitioned engine room design as well as improved rear and center floor structures. We even managed to improve passenger safety with the addition of advanced seatbelt functions such as Emergency Fastening Device system (EFD), which tightly fastens passengers in crashes, and Pre-Safe seatbelt, which warns of danger in advance by tightening the seat belt.

We also applied Advanced Smart Cruise Control which allows the new Genesis to detect cars within a driver-specified distance, and automatically maintains a consistent following distance, Advanced Smart Parking Assist System for increased parking safety, and "Ghost Door Closing", a feature that even when it's not closed properly, it automatically closes it properly.  Put all these together and the new Genesis provides best-in-class safety, setting a benchmark for the safest premium car in its class."

Project Genesis File No. DH112613-6

2014 Hyundai Genesis

"We plan to sell 62,000 units of our new Genesis annually, from domestic and overseas, including major markets like North America, China, and Middle East. Prices start from 46.6-52.6 million won for the 3.3L model up to 55.1-69.6 million won for the 3.8L model. Available colors for the new Genesis are Onyx Black, Marble White, Platinum Silver, Polished Metal, Urban Grey, Sand Opal, Burgundy Red, Ghost Blue, Haze Blue, Tan Brown, and Black Pearl."

Case closed.

So there we are, after reading through the secret files from Project Genesis, it seems that Hyundai managed to create the next-generation Genesis by honing their performance at the Nurburgring, giving this Korean premium sedan the same level that its European rivals had. This new model has the 5-Series, E-Class, and A6 on sights and not only that, it can also pick a fight against its Japanese rivals like the GS and the Fuga, respectively. What made me bizarre is that the files from Project Genesis didn't mention its availability from Europe as well as right-hand drive markets but like the first generation, it's a big NO. Although I'm not sure if this car will hit the European market soon, it's still available exclusively at selected left-hand drive markets, meaning that if you live in a right-hand drive market, sorry to say that this new Genesis is not welcomed until further notice.

So...is this the master plan Project Genesis worth developing for?

Photo: Hyundai Motor Company