Let's Do The News! (December 3, 2014)

Welcome back. Here is your current sitrep:

- IT'S YOLANDA PART TWO, HUH? Weather officials reported there is an incoming typhoon approaching in the same region that was devastated by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) last year. Called Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit), it would have further intensified with sustained winds up to 175kph, causing heavy rainfall and storm surges. Note that winds above 220kph is considered a supertyphoon but at that rate, looks like we have Yolanda Part Two in our hands in the Philippines and this...Typhoon Ruby could repeat the Yolanda tragedy last year.

Typhoon Ruby

- Earlier, there was a South Korean fishing vessel, called the Oryong 501 sank in the Bering Sea off the coast of Russia's far eastern Chukotka region due to bad weather and over 50 people remain missing. Officials in Seoul said there were eight people pulled from the water; a Russian official, a South Korean crew member, three Filipinos and three Indonesians. A South Korean who is one of them is frozen to death.

- Republicans may launch a counterattack against President Barack Obama's immigration order.

- A video of two Indian sisters fending off against male harassers in the bus went viral. This viral clip is just one of the cases of sexual harassment in India and this one is different from a gang rape of an Indian schoolgirl while riding in the bus two years ago.

- The top officials from NATO are supporting Ukrainian forces and oppose Russia for backing separatists as the alliance signed off on its new training mission in Afghanistan.

- Northrop Grumman opened its Australian operations during the launch ceremony at the Australian War Memorial last night. Their products have been supporting Australian national security requirements for over two decades and with the commencement of their Australian operations, it is one of the key growth areas targeted by the Northrop Grumman Corp.

- The teleserye that started the craze, Pangako Sa 'Yo, gets a much awaited reboot for next year. Yes. We can expect a new twist on this timeless ABS-CBN teleserye that ushered a new age of Philippine TV and for this reboot, the KathNiel love team is back as Kathryn Bernardo will play as Yna Macaspac while Daniel Padilla will play the role of Angelo Buenavista. Of course, nothing is complete without the legendary rivalry between the two rival villains from the series and for this 2015 reboot, Banana Split comedienne Angelica Panganiban will play as the new Claudia Buenavista while Jodi Sta. Maria, the actress from the recently-concluded Be Careful with My Heart will play as the new Amor Powers.

- There's a new Forza Horizon 2 DLC Pack for the month of December and it's the new NAPA Chassis Car Pack featuring the the McLaren 650S, the new Range Rover, the new Audi RS6 Avant, and so much more! It's now for sale but Season Pass owners can get it for free!



- GM Europe unveiled their new budget cars called the Opel Karl and Vauxhall Viva, which is set for their 2015 Geneva Motor Show debut this March. They'll be both based on the upcoming Chevrolet Spark which Europeans won't be seeing it because of Chevrolet ceasing their European sales this 2015.

2016 Opel Karl

2016 Vauxhall Viva

- The company behind the Maisto and Bburago toy cars now has exclusive rights for Ferrari next year so when the next time you want a Ferrari toy car from your local toy store, be sure it's a Maisto or a Bburago.

TTFN!!!

Let's Do The News! (December 2, 2014)

Welcome back. Here is your current sitrep:

- Japanese politicians began their 12-day campaigning for the general election on the 14th of December. PM Shinzo Abe is framing the vote as a referendum to his economic policy.

- The top diplomats kicked off their UN conference on climate change, known as COP-20, in Lima, the capital city of Peru. They're discussing a new plan to limit greenhouse gas emissions with an agreement, set for the end of 2015, that will replace the Kyoto Protocol that expired two years ago.

- The Al-Shabab aggressors have killed around 36 quarry workers, mostly Christian, near the north Kenyan town of Mandera last week. This massacre sparked a mass protest seeking justice to those that killed by the Somalia-based Islamist aggressors.

- 22 personnel from the Philippine Air Force have been detained at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay due to an alleged hazing incident. One of them is a junior officer who undergoes training while the rest are cadets of the Officer of Candidate School. Nine of the cadets were recommended for discharge while the remaining 13 are under investigation.

- Senator Jinggoy Estrada addressed his concern over the Sandiganbayan decision to reject the bail plea of his co-accused Senator Bong Revilla.

- Mercedes-Benz celebrated their F1 2014 win with their limited-edition SL63 AMG World Championship 2014 Collector's Edition, featuring two different styles reflecting on two Mercedes-F1 drivers Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton.

Mercedes-AMG SL63 World Championship 2014
Collector's Edition 

- AN END OF AN ERA: Ford Australia announced that they'll be pulling out of the V8 Supercars championship after the 2015 season. This decision is part of Ford's announcement that they will stop producing cars for the Australian market in 2016.

- More Caterham models will be introduced next year and each will have its own numerical nameplate to reflect its power to weight ratio.

- Check out the teaser clip from the upcoming Teen Beach Movie 2, sequel to the 2013 Disney Channel Original Movie that will soon be airing on Disney Channel this summer of 2015.

- Zendaya is back! Check out the first teaser clip from her upcoming Disney Channel original TV series K.C. Undercover, hitting the TV screens next year!



TTFN!!!

Honda Grace

Following last year's launch of the Honda Accord Hybrid, which signals the first for the Japanese carmaker's EARTH DREAMS Sedan Series where all four-door saloons will be hybrid-only and while the Accord spearheaded this new range, we can expect two more such as the flagship Legend that comes with the same tech as the NSX Concept and this, the Honda Grace hybrid compact saloon.

2015 Honda Grace

Of course, this car looks familiar to the eyes of ASEAN Honda fans because the Grace is how you say Honda City is Japanese, much like its predecessor, the Fit Aria. Like the old Fit Aria, the new Grace is based on the third-generation Honda Fit and because this is based on the latest Fit, the only powertrain available is the 1.5L petrol engine connected to an electric motor and Li-ion battery. The gearbox offered for this compact hybrid saloon is, you guessed it, a 7-speed double-clutch gearbox from the Fit. This tech is part of the Japanese carmaker's SPORT HYBRID lineup and if you're new here or if you forgot about what's what, let me give you a quick refresher.

This significantly advanced lightweight and compact one-motor system developed for Honda's next generation of compact cars combines a 1.5L engine with a seven-speed, dual-clutch gearbox containing an integrated, high-output electric motor powered by the car’s lithium-ion batteries. When going and high speeds, both the electric motor and the engine kick in for combined power while at low speeds, the batteries are in charge.

Now that you get the idea, do you think this method worked? It's a possible yes but with added consequences as this tech faced numerous recalls due to some faulty glitches on the gearbox and since the Grace is a new car that has the same clever hybrid tech as the Fit and Vezel, let's hope that same mistake won't happen again...unless Honda's going to make another move when their double-clutch gearboxes on their compact hybrids gone nuts.

2015 Honda Grace

Anyway, with this clever tech, the Grace delivers an impressive fuel economy of 34.4kmpl by Japan's JC08 Mode standards but if you opt for the EX model with paddle shifters on it, it will be dropped to 31.4kmpl. Either way, the Grace is much more enjoyable to own than its chief rival, the Toyota Corolla Axio Hybrid, but no matter the variant, the Grace feels like a cheap car built for comfort. It may not be a fun car to drive on the open road but its state as a city car is not half bad. It feels like your ears have been plugged by some super-cozy headphones on the go. If you opt for the 4WD system, the Grace feels like it's ready to go with the current of the times because of its mild grip suitable enough for any weather although its added weight makes it prone to understeer.

2015 Honda Grace interior

2015 Honda Grace interior

While the Grace is a bit average to drive, the design is somewhat average. It may be great to look at but it can be somewhat dull and repetitive inside and out because this interior feels like it's been carried over from its Fit and Vezel relatives, but if you opt for more expensive versions, you'll get some toys to play around inside thanks to its satellite navigation system. Not only that, it hosts a wide array of safety features such as the City Brake Active System, and Emergency Stop Signal, among many others.

So, would you buy the Grace? For this time, it starts at 1,950,000 Japanese Yen (around $20,000) so that's more costly than the Toyota Axio Hybrid but more valuable than its big brother, the Honda Accord Hybrid so it's a smart value for a car that succeeds where the Insight and the Fit Aria left off. This car really lives up to its name, sort of.

Available colors: White Orchid Pearl, Alabaster Silver Metallic, Tinted Silver Metallic, Crystal Black Pearl, Premium Deep Rosso Pearl, and Gold Brown Metallic.

Photo: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Volkswagen Passat B8

2015 Volkswagen Passat

No, You're not seeing things. This isn't the same Passat as the last model four years ago because what you're looking at is the all new, eighth-generation Volkswagen Passat and when I say "all new", this car really means it because everything's new inside and out as well as it uses the VW Group's breakthrough MQB platform to keep its full model change as fresh as a charter change in politics.

The previous model is nothing but a carryover just like the same thing happened with the Golf a few years ago but for this new model, the new Passat tries to shake it up the executive medium sedan market with everything from its arsenal but has it really worked?

In terms on how the new, eighth-generation, Passat looks, it's somewhat mainstream from here but on the flipside, at least it's not as bland as the previous model and when other people happened to see one cruising on the city streets, there's no denying that it really feels like a combination of being a big-shot and a family man at the same time.

2015 Volkswagen Passat interior 

On the inside, it still looks like the same as the other V-Dubs but it has lots of gadgets you can play around for fun while on a stop. It has Car-Net that gives you real time information and traffic updates, new MirrorLink that lets this car use the same app as the smartphone you've synced on it, a telephone where you can communicate other people hands-free as long as you're not driving because talking disturbs your concentration, a high-end DYNAUDIO Confidence Sound System, and so much more you can play around in the Passat.

If the future is now thanks to science, the new Passat B8 has loads of safety features that will make you noticed such as Area View, Trailer Assist, Park Assist, Emergency Assist, Front Assist, and a plethora of safety features that keeps this car technologically advanced. I know that sounds nice but with all that tech lurking around the new Passat's skin, it feels like they're in charge now. Not us.

Because the wheelbase is longer than the previous model, passengers have no problem about the rear legroom. It feels as posh as...your grandparents' birthday at a three-star hotel. Hmmm... It sure is enjoyable at first but if it gets longer, you will get bored and there's no way out to get out of the boredom until everyone, including you, to leave. Yawn...

2015 Volkswagen Passat

Now, what about how it feels to drive a new Passat? Because of such exterior design, it's more than enough to accommodate a wide range of available engines, be it petrol or diesel,  There's a 1.4 TSi petrol and 2.0 TDi engine with different powerbands. Both of these engines come with BlueMotion Technology for better fuel economy which, in the 2.0 TDi engine with 150PS of power and 6-speed manual, can get you up to 25km/L on the EU Combined Cycle scale. It's too odd why the only petrol engine in the range is a 1.4 TSi ACT with a 6-speed manual but for those diesel models, not only they come with a 6-speed manual but also a 6-speed DSG for quicker shifts than a normal manual gearbox. They're all Euro VI compliant so don't even thinking about wishing for this one to arrive in a Euro II country, especially the Philippines. You know the drill, right?

Handling wise, it's not so bad to drive because of its lowered height, clever suspension setup, and the available progressive steering which feels as accurate as your passing grade that you've got from your pop quiz at college. You can take it out on the open road and it feels very relaxed as its driving dynamics of the new Passat shows less worries on the long and winding path. It feels like I've been ventured through the roads of Everest Hills for hours.

2015 Volkswagen Passat Variant

If you're a soccer mom on a grocery shopping spree, there's also an available Passat Variant as well and for this sports tourer, it has the same feel as the sedan version but with added luggage space fit enough for your weekly grocery shopping list.

The Passat is priced at 25,875 Euros for the sedan and 26,950 Euros for the Variant tourer and these cars are more valuable than those German luxury entry-level saloons but not as valuable as the Asian rivals such as the Mazda Atenza and the Hyundai Sonata. Should you buy one? The rest is up to you.

Photo: Volkswagen

2015 Subaru Forester tS

2015 Subaru Forester tS

Following the launch of the recently facelifted 2015MY Subaru Forester in Japan, the folks from STi offered a limited-edition Forester tS exclusively for the Japanese. Just 300 units will be made until April 2015 and for this limited edition model, it uses the 2.0XT model as its basis, meaning this variant comes with the same FA20 DIT engine mated with Subaru's Lineartronic CVT gearbox with Manual Mode operated via paddle shifters.

The outside features a more sportier aerodynamics as well as some STi and tS badges on it. There's also an exclusive WR Blue Mice offered on this limited-edition model as well.

2015 Subaru Forester tS interior

Since it's based on the facelifted Forester, you can expect the same brand-new interior as the normal Forester but for the tS model, it features sportier black and red front seats with the STi logo in it, an STi push engine switch, a speedo that reads up to 260kmh, STi shift lever, STi steering wheel, and everything STi sprinkled on the interior to match its sporty personality.

This special model comes with additional improvements done by STi such as the flexible tower bars, flexible draw stiffeners, brembo 17-inch ventilated disc brakes, STi front struts and rear dampers, Transmission Control Unit, CVT Oil Cooler, and rebooted ECU.

Like the facelifted Forester, it still comes with Subaru's Eyesight Ver. 2 that has a feature that automatically brakes in a near-collision situation.

It's priced at 4,350,000 Japanese Yen (around $44,000) but remember, it's available only in Japanese market and up to 300 units produced until April 2015.

URL: http://www.sti.jp/product/foresterts2014/index.html

Forza Horizon 2: The BMW M4

The latest M car from BMW has arrived on Forza Horizon 2 and while this 2-door coupe is a departure from the old M3 Coupes of yesteryears, it's worth being a performer as it takes its nice little holiday at Southern Europe. This is the BMW M4 Coupe.



Of course, you might be saying that the M4 Coupe is just a two-door version of the latest M3 Saloon and that's true because due to BMW's naming structure, the M4 Coupe is based on the 4-Series Coupe, which is the 2-door version of the 3-Series saloon. This car is very different from the 4-Series saloon judging from the conspiracy that why they coded it F82 rather than F32 from the normal 4-Series Coupe and what makes it very different is the use of its turbocharged engine that develops more power than the old M3 Coupe's V8 natural aspiration engine.

While the 6-cylinder turbocharged engine doesn't give you the noise we were hoping for, the added power makes it more quicker than the old M3 Coupe and even though it's a quick car, this car has no problems picking a fight against a multitude of super saloons from Europe. The Audi RS5 and the C63 AMG Black might be complaining about that one. It's well-balanced, it's poised, it's precise, and overall, a lot more fun to drive as the other BMWs offered in-game. I can spend all day long driving the M4 in this game.

Speaking of which, I signed up for the Super Saloons race where the BMW M4 will be taking on but to do that, it must have one major improvement before getting ready for the championship.



This car is now donned in Belka's clothing because I made the M4's look more similar to the Silber Team from Ace Combat Zero. Notice the silver color, zebra stripes, and the Belkan Air Force logo in it, which makes a fitting for its personality although my M4 doesn't like my design I made for the race but never mind of course because major improvements are occured to keep it competitive.

I've even made a highlights video for this championship the M4's challenging on because...I don't know why but feel free to catch up to this car's progress.

 

Highlights too long? Never mind but me and my M4 won the championship and the road to the finale is almost at hand now! Nothing can stop us now!

Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe

2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe

This is the first-ever S-Class Coupe from Mercedes-Benz, and while this is necessarily the replacement to the CL-Class, which has been known as the coupe version of the flagship S-Class saloon, the S-Class Coupe is a Grand Tourer built for those who want to take a scenic drive to the southern France on weekends. It's all like being aged in oak barrels before turning them into fancy wines for the connoisseurs but this car hasn't aged yet because this is a brand new model based on the latest S-Class and this flagship may not be as super as a supercar but it's all about being a balanced tourer built for all work and all play.

2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe interior

Step inside and you'll notice that its interior is a contrast to its sporty image and it's loaded with tons of conveniences that you can expect from a high-end luxury saloon. Unlike any coupes that has cramped rear space, this luxury coupe still has room for two people for the back and that's not bad at all. Because this is a high-tech two-door saloon, I can expect some cool gadgets lurking through this car such as a host of safety features as well as Mercedes' very own MAGIC BODY CONTROL which is like that commercial with the chicken in it.

If you're going out on a date with this one, this car will make everyone jealous but you can tell your date to cut that chatter off or your pals will get jealous for this. I mean hey, at least when daybreak's coming, this car can take you to better things for breakfast as long as you're not being gunned down by goons chasing behind you.

2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe

While the S-Class Coupe looks as appealing as your mistress sitting next to you, distracting your driving with her legs showing up, how about the way this car performs? To be honest, this car's a bit bulky to drive, much like its chief rival the Bentley Continental GT, specifically the V8 base model of it, but the S-Class Coupe weighs less than that so this could be very one-sided. Because they both have 4WD, it's a little mild in the driving dynamics department. It's a lot harder to corner than pulling your mother while in the shopping mall, struggling.

The only model available for the normal S-Class Coupe is the S500 model with the 4.7L V8 engine connected with the 7G-TRONIC gearbox, developing 455PS of power and 700Nm of torque. 100kph in 4.6 seconds and top speed electronically limited to 250kph, not quite more than enough to catch up against the Bentley.

Even though they're both thirsty for fuel, the combined fuel economy of 10.6km/L is more economical than the Bentley's 9.4km/L. Not bad for the Germans though because they're starting to get even more serious than the Brits in their own game of Top Trumps.

2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe

While both of these models are extremely expensive and it takes a casino boy to buy one, the S-Class Coupe costs less than the Bentley by almost 45K. To put it this way, the 125,962 Euros pricing for the S500 Coupe with 4MATIC and 7G-TRONIC standard is much more affordable than the Bentley Continental GT V8's but do you really get what you paid for? Oh please, leave it to the Marquises and Marchionesses to have all their fun in these grand tourers.

Photo: Daimler AG