Let's Do The News! (June 29, 2015)

- After the decision by the European Central Bank not to extend emergency funding, all banks in Greece will be closed all week. In a decree, it cited the "extremely urgent" need to protect the Greek financial system due to the lack of liquidity. The capital city, Athens, is due to make a 1.6 billion euro payment to the International Monetary Fund on Tuesday, which is the same day that its current bailout expires.

- The gunman behind the Tunisian beach attack, that killed 38 people at a beach near the Tunisian city of Sousse, had help in carrying out the attack. Following the attack claimed by the Islamic State militants, the Tunisian government has announced increased security measures.

- An unmanned rocket launched to resupply the International Space Station has exploded after liftoff. NASA says the Falcon 9 rocket broke apart about 2 minutes after being launched from an air force station in Florida before 1430 hours UTC on Sunday.

- Following the historic ruling of making same-sex legal in the USA, looks like the Supreme Court of the Philippines are having a hard time making it legal. Last May, there was a petition filed in the Philippines' high court seeking a similar decision but lawyer Jesus Nicardo Falcis III asked the SC to nullify and declare as unconstitutional provisions of the Family Code.

- Philippine weather agency, PAGASA, monitors two low-pressure areas that might enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility. Once the LPA enters the PAR, it might develop into a typhoon and then it will be called Egay.

- After reader surveys, it's finally official that the name of the group that will pass the baton from the μ's for the upcoming LoveLive! Sunshine cross-media project is Aqours! Garnering 4,644 votes from the group name survey, Aqours is a group name which combines the words "aqua" and "ours". The first single of the new group will be released on October 7th. Welcome to the new generation of LoveLive!

- Hot on the heels for the upcoming comeback of THE iDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls anime series this July, Bandai Namco unveiled a brand new rhythm game based on the hit franchise called THE IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls Starlight Stage, which is soon to be available on the App Store and Google Play.

- Rhys Millen wins this year's Pikes Peak Hill Climb and he's the first to win the race with a purpose-built electric racer and set a new record time for battery-powered machines of 9:07.222. Pikes Peak veteran Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima placed 2nd in 9:32.401.

- The all-new Audi A4 has been unveiled and this new model is now bigger, lighter, more powerful, more efficient, and more technological than the previous model it replaces.

2016 Audi A4

- Celebrity couple Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera welcomes the birth of their baby girl.

TTFN!!!

TG S22 Finale

TG S22 Finale

The extended finale of the 22nd season of Top Gear marks the end of an era for the famed trio; Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May, in the form of two never-before-seen clips that served as a fitting send-off for the now-ousted trio. In the first half; the trio are driving classic roadsters on a road trip involving beer, breakdowns, and a hint of drifting. Clarkson drives a Fiat 124 Spyder, Richard Hammond in a MGB GT, and James May in a Peugeot 304 Cabriolet. On the latter half; the boys are driving used leisure activity vehicles for 250 pounds. Clarkson in a Vauxhall Frontera (which is just a rebadged Isuzu Mu/Wizard), Hammond in a very American Jeep Cherokee, and May in a Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin (known as the Pajero iO in JDM). They've undergo rough challenges including a battle with the Stig's Leisure Activity Cousin, and it all ends with a race where the loser will be doing the after-dinner speech.

As Series 22 ends, the years of Clarkson, Hammond, and May as TG presenters are well and truly over and we are going to miss their zany moments from the start.

What's next for them post-TG? Only time will tell...

FIA Formula E FINALE

The first ever FIA Formula E Championship concluded with a two-part double bill in London, UK, where in the first part of the finale, e.dams' Sebastien Buemi wins with Dragon Racing's Jerome d'Ambrosio placed 2nd, and Andretti's Jean-Eric Vergne placed 3rd, while in the conclusion of the London ePrix; Sam Bird from Virgin Racing is the winner with two Dragon Racing drivers; Jerome d'Ambrosio and Loic Duval, placed 2nd and 3rd.

At the end of the first season of the FIA Formula E Championship, the world champion is none other than Nelson Piquet from NEXTEV TCR. Buemi is 2nd overall, and Lucas di Grassi from Audi Sport ABT placed 3rd overall. As for the team standings. e.dams-Renault is the winner while Dragon Racing came 2nd, and Audi Sport ABT placed 3rd.

Highlights:



And that concludes the first ever FIA Formula E Championship. See you next season!

Forza Horizon 2: The Widowmaker!

If this were a Jeopardy question, it would look like this; This hybrid-engine wielding supercar incorporates all the technological know-how and its motorsports roots from McLaren's history. The correct response; What is the McLaren P1?



That's right. The P1 maybe a darn hybrid but it is the hypercar that gave birth to a new breed of hypercars; a breed where cars like the more powerful LaFerrari and the Porsche 918 Spyder have emerged from their cocoons of engineering. With the 3.8L Twin Turbo V8 engine bolted with an electric motor; it produces 903HP of power and 664lb-ft of torque, meaning that this is a fast machine that is more trickier than playing against a thousand-plus combo song of your rhythm-based app game from your smartphone. Yep, more trickier that furiously tapping combos while listening to a song you're not familiar with.

The P1 is a rear-wheel drive and the only significant weight is the air passing over the body and trying to max out the P1 is a hyperspace fury; step on it and you're gone. With such feral speed, power, and handling, it's a sure way the P1 is not designed for everyone; it's made for the chosen elite who are willing to risk everything in the pursuit of speed. It really is a "widowmaker" after all.

To prove how much of a "widowmaker" the P1 is, I've booked one for a championship somewhere at Saint-Martin and the reason why Saint-Martin is becoming my favorite part of FH2 is because something with the word "Ridge" on it because when I said "Ridge", it kinda reminds of the Ridge Racer games they used to play when they were young. But first...



Although no further improvements have been made because it was optimized in the first place, I had a little makeover with the P1 and what you see here is kinda similar to McLaren Special Operations' P1 themed after famed Formula One legend Alain Prost. Not my best replication so far but some guys managed to mimicked the special P1 Prost from the real world just to pretend what's like to drive a very one-off McLaren in their own hands.

Anyway, with my very own "P1 Prost" ready, the battle commences;



Now that really is a "widowmaker" but I managed to survive and won while driving the ultra-powerful McLaren P1, a hybrid hypercar that opens a new chapter in the history of motoring. Although terrifying to drive from the start because of such massive power and torque as well as its extreme dynamics only the best drivers can master, the P1 is a proud British knight who lives under the code of knighthood. Any driver who lives under the code of knighthood can unleash the P1's potential if only they are prepared for it.

Fiat 500X vs. Jeep Renegade

Through the years, the Fiat 500 has been one of the city cars that became an unforgettable car icon since the VW Beetle and the Mini, and its evolution is what keeps the 500 an Italian car with such quirky history. Sure, every purist knows that all good 500's has to be three-door but with the introduction of the 500L MPV, they believe that is witchcraft and it's a sacrilege for the 500's identity and if that wasn't enough, here comes another 5-door 500, only this time, as a crossover.

2015 Fiat 500X

Meet the brand-new Fiat 500X. On paper, it looks like a Fiat 500 that's taking the blue pill and made it larger than the pensioner's erection, but even though this is a biggie compared to its high-value target, the Mini Countryman, the 500X is just one of the fine examples of why active lifestyle vehicles, no matter how big or small they are, are the IT thing of the century.

With prices start at 17,500 Euros, there are two styles to choose from such as the City Look, which offers a choice of either a 1.4L turbo petrol engine or a 1.6L turbodiesel engine, or this; the Off-Road Look, which comes with the same choice of engines as the City Look, only this time with the added 2.0L diesel engine exclusive to this trim. While most models come with a manual gearbox, some models do come with a 9-speed automatic gearbox, a first for Fiat, which is somewhat too much for a small crossover like this. That's like stuffing a sandwich it some unpeeled apples and that's a lot of cogs to handle for a small car.

What about driving? On the city streets, the 500X still feels like a city car despite its sizing, and it feels not half bad on the open roads. It may not be a sporty car to drive but it's still essentially fantastic for an active lifestyle hatchback. Its 4WD system is as odd as a fictional novel you bought at a local petrol station because it feels like a front wheel drive but in dire emergencies, half of the power goes to the back. Hmmm...

2015 Fiat 500X interior

Although it's a small crossover, the 500X still has some ample room fit enough for your garage sale shopping from one suburban to another, which is good for active lifestyle enthusiasts who want to spend the rest of their day off go out and do stuff rather than watching TV. It accommodates up to five people, which makes the 500X as convenient as the 500L MPV.

The Fiat 500X may be a decent active lifestyle vehicle but it doesn't feel like an active lifestyle vehicle even if it has 4WD. There's another issue with the 500X because thanks to this crossover, it spawned itself its American cousin...

2015 Jeep Renegade

2015 Jeep Renegade interior

Welcome everyone to the all new Jeep Renegade. Like the Fiat 500X, it's a compact crossover that can seat up to five people, comes with an optional 4WD and the standard 1.4L petrol engine but the one thing that differs it from the 500X is the Renegade comes with the optional 2.4L MultiAir Engine, as seen from the Dodge Dart and the latest Chrysler 200, and then there's the offroad-worthy Trailhawk model, for $24,995, which has the best 4x4 capability in its class.

As a result, this particular Renegade could be the ideal active lifestyle vehicle for the job; made to picking up friends and family, doing things straight from the bucket list, and overall, this crossover can go places where no other compact crossovers can't. As for the interior, it looks as rugged as a female soldier who forgot to put on her jacket. Now that's an adventure!

But there are some flaws for the Renegade and one of them is the styling because here's the scenario; if you park this one next to the smaller Suzuki Hustler, you can see that they're both similar from the front and back and if you have problems with your eyes or when you're recovering from an eye surgery, chances are you might mistake them both. There's also another flaw and with prices start at $17,995, it's a sheer sign that you can't afford Jeep's greatest hits such as the luxurious Grand Cherokee, the offroad-favorite Wrangler, and the horrifyingly ugly Cherokee which has the face of a certain video game baddie that eats the little good guys. Lastly, there's this; the Renegade is made in Italy, just like the Fiat 500X, so when you're having your little 4th of July BBQ party, your neighbors might see your Renegade, saying that's not an American car, it's Italian, and yes, that's true...sorta.

The Fiat 500X and the Jeep Renegade are relatives but even though they come from the same womb, they still behave differently because while the 500X is designed to be more of a city car rather than being an outdoorsy type of car, the Renegade is a crossover built for their everyday adventures. It's going to be quite a long-term job to decide which one but a little heads or tails might decide the outcome.

AutoExe creates aero parts for new Roadster ND

ND-05 by AutoExe

The new Mazda Roadster ND is a great and affordable sports car you can start with but for some owners, they like to make it more stylish to please the street crowds. To address such situation, AutoExe, makers of finest aerokits for Mazda models, introduced the ND-05 customization kit for the new Roadster ND.

The Styling kit for the ND-05 customization features a new front spoiler (priced at 45,000 Yen), rear wing (priced at 74,000 Yen), and a rear under panel (priced at 31,000 Yen). For functional parts, AutoExe will provide tuning parts for the new Roadster ND such as a low-down spring, street sports suspension kit (KIJIMA-SPEC), adjustable stabilizer ring, sports stabilizer, strut tower bar, floor cross bar, member plate set, air filter replacement, center dual sports exhaust, and other parts to bring the best out of the new Roadster.

URL: http://www.autoexe.co.jp/car/nd.html

Gran Turismo 6: Goodwood 2015 and SRT Tomahawk

Coinciding with this year's event, the Goodwood Hill Climb on Gran Turismo 6 has been updated for 2015 and to match this year's event, a sculpture featuring the Mazda 787B and the LM55 Vision Gran Turismo has been featured. With this year's Goodwood FoS kicked off for the weekend, looks like this will be the ideal place to showcase some of the cars appeared from numerous updates but first, let's bring our very own VIP guests...



Well, this is one of them. This is the latest addition to the Vision Gran Turismo lineup; the SRT Tomahawk.

The Tomahawk Vision Gran Turismo is the two-decade vision of Chrysler's Street and Racing Technology division to deliver performance unlike any other. It's a single-seat MR-AWD (midship-engined all-wheel drive) created on a purpose-built composite chassis and designed around an aggressive powertrain. It's a hybrid racing machine armed with a 6.98L V10 engine and two Pneumatic Power Units; one is a Variable-Fin Quad-Stage in the front and a similar one connected to the V10 engine. This is the most powerful of the Vision GT cars because of its over-thousand HP of power output and that's not the end of the story because the Tomahawk comes with three versions;



This is the S model which is the entry-level version and considered as a beginner-level machine suitable for those who want to get to know more about the SRT Tomahawk in the first place before getting ready for more advanced versions like the GTS-R and the X versions. Despite being an entry-level model, it still has insane power-to-weight ratio capable enough to outpace even the feistiest of the racing machines.



Next is the GTS-R model, which is a track-focused version of the Tomahawk with increased power output, reduced weight, and increased handling grip. Because of such improvements, the driver needs to wear a special G-suit, provided as a gift after the update, to counteract the physiological effects of extreme lateral g-forces. The GTS-R's aerodynamics are enhanced with a dual-element version of the active rear wing and to avoid any high pressure buildup in the wheel wells, each of the four fenders in the car is vented.



Lastly and notably the most extreme of all the Vision GT cars, is the Tomahawk X. With over 2,000HP of power output and the cornering force of a fighter jet, this is the ultimate vehicle for the chosen elite because its performance completely shattered the laws of physics as well as the human reflexes.

The biggest party piece of the X is the low-drag mode and when you hold down the R1 button, all of the X's panels are retracted and seal against the body. This is handy when you're going on the straights and catch them by surprise.

With the three Tomahawks introduced, I sent them to the Goodwood FoS to see which one is the quickest but a word of warning for these three is because of such inhuman performance, drivers need some precise skills and talents to master the Tomahawk trio. Whichever Tomahawk you're driving, you need to be very careful about handling with Vision GT's most powerful machines because there might be some run-offs and run-offs can be very messy and painful if you're not careful. Anyway, not time for advice-giving because I managed to set these three some lap times round the Goodwood FoS and here are the results;

Tomahawk S - 0:44.304
Tomahawk GTS-R - 0:36.074
Tomahawk X - 0:32.117

Based on these results, it's no wonder why these three are like stages of manhood. You started off as a boy, then you work your way up to become a real man. Useful bit of science there but this is no Problem Solving here, this is the appliance of science with the SRT Tomahawk. You start mastering the essentials with the S and work your way up to master the extremely difficult but highly amusing X.

Anyway, with the Tomahawk trio done their thing, it's time for the other cars to let loose and enjoy Goodwood like they never done before!



At the end of the day, here are the lap times they've posted at my very own GT6 Goodwood Festival of Speed;

TS030 - 0:45.140
Concept 2020 - 0:48.300
DP-100 - 0:46.029
GT-R Nismo - 0:51.074
FT-1 VGT - 0:46.065
M4 M Performance - 0:54.625
VIZIV GT - 0:49.924
Chaparral 2X - 0:38.354
Infiniti Concept - 0:50.781
LM55 - 0:40.356
Clubman VGT - 0:49.157
LF-LC GT - 0:45.510
Alpine VGT - 0:47.464
Alpine VGT Race - 0:46.954
GTI Supersport - 0:45.604
Z11SN - 0:47.313
Peugeot VGT - 0:43.112
GT-R LM NISMO - 0:45.148

You know what, these lap times didn't matter here. What matters most in Goodwood is the pride of the cars themselves and it's a great way to represent a carmaker to a much greater audience for the greater good. That's why the Festival of Speed is made; not just for setting lap times but also impressing the crowd with its own visuals, vocals, and dances.