The second-generation Toyota Premio and Allion saloons has been around for about nine years when they appeared in 2007, even though they're just luxurious or sporty alternatives to the commoners' choice, the Toyota Corolla. It's 2016 and these cars have been around like an eternity. We were expecting newer versions of these saloons but what did Toyota do with these ageing saloons? Yep, a second minor change. How organic...
2017 Toyota Premio
2017 Toyota Allion
The recent minor change for these saloons sees a much enlarged front grille that took some cues from the Toyota Crown saloons and although awkward to look at, there is little change on the rear view as well.
2017 Toyota Premio interior
2017 Toyota Allion interior
There are small changes on the interior such as a new instrumental panel, 4.2-inch TFT LCD, and the addition of brown interior color. That's it, nothing else you can ask about what's new.
2017 Toyota Allion
2017 Toyota Premio
You still have a choice between a 2.0L 3ZR-FAE a 1.8L 2ZR-FAE engine, or a 1.5L 1NZ-FE engine with Stop & Start system that shuts off the engine when stopped at the red light and then restarts when set off, each mated with a Super CVT-i gearbox. The 1.5L model is the fuel-efficient in the range, with fuel consumption of around 19.2km/L based on JC08 mode standards.
Speaking of changes, the Premio and Allion now comes with Toyota Safety Sense C, comprising of Pre-Collision System, Lane Departure Alert, and the Automatic High Beam function, for added safety of course.
The 2017MY Premio starts from 1,908,655 to 2,686,255 Japanese Yen while the 2017MY Allion starts from 1,897,855 to 2,650,909 Japanese Yen. The Allion is offered in Toyota dealerships across Japan while the Premio is offered only in Toyopet dealerships across Japan, there I said it.
- The Abu Sayyaf terrorists set another deadline for today for the government to meet with their ransom demand in exchange of the release of the three hostages that were abducted from Samal Island, but to government insists its no ransom policy and will not give in to their demands. The Armed Forces of the Philippines said they will stop their military operations against the Abu Sayyaf until they are able to save the hostages.
- The scheduled pre-trial for plunder and graft of detained senator Jinggoy Estrada was deferred for the fourth time on Monday, days after the second anniversary of the PDAF scam cases. During the hearing of the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division, the Office of the Special Prosecution informed the court that it wasn't done with the marking of documents.
- Four people were wounded by a suspected homemade bomb that exploded at Shanghai's Pudong Airport on Sunday afternoon. They say the man who threw the bomb tried to kill himself with the knife. The explosion occurred at around 1430 hours local time near a passenger line in front of a check-in counter in the second terminal. The man is said to have a neck wound and is being treated at a hospital.
- The South Korean government has started salvaging a ferry that sank off the country's southern coast over two years ago. The Sewol ferry sank in April 2014, leaving 295 people died and 9 missing. Most of the victims died are students taking on a field trip.
- The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute says the number of nuclear warheads worldwide stood about 60,000 in 1990 after the end of the Cold War but the number is now halved to about 31,000 in the new millennium after the leaders of the US and the former Soviet Union signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty in 1991. The number declined to about 22,000 in 2010. Efforts to reduce nuclear weapons continued under the New START Treaty signed between the two world superpowers a year after US President Barack Obama committed himself to create a world without nuclear weapons in a speech in Prague.
- Opinion polls show that British people are divided on whether the United Kingdom should remain or leave in the European Union, ahead on the June 23 EU referendum. UK Prime Minister David Cameron has urged people to vote to stay in the EU for the sake of their children and grandchildren. He wrote that plans for education, employment, and taxation would be suspended and people's pensions would be affected due to Brexit.
- A commercial vehicle variant of the Daihatsu Wake kei-car, the Hijet Caddie, was launched and it's priced at 1,188,000 to 1,544,400 Japanese Yen. Although intended to use for small business owners, the Hijet Caddie comes with Smart Assist II safety systems.
2017 Daihatsu Hijet Caddie
- The fourth-generation Renault Clio (Lutecia) range has been updated for the 2017 model year with a revised exterior design and some extras.
- The Love Live! Sunshine!! TV anime series, due this July, will have a global simultaneous launch following its Japan premiere on the 2nd of July at Tokyo MX at 2230 hours (10:30 PM) JST.
A mass shooting took place at a gay bar at Orlando, Florida, killing 50 people, marking one of the worst mass killings in US history, exceeding the death toll from the 2007 Virginia Tech incident.
The gunman behind the attack identified as Omar Mateen, age 29, who killed 50 people and wounded 53 at the Pulse club before being shot dead by police. The Islamic State claimed responsibility behind the attack but it is not known if they're involved in this attack.
Reports state that Mateen dialed 911, the emergency number in USA, before the attack and swore allegiance to the Islamic State. Mateen was killed in a crossfire with police officers, after taking hostages at the club.
US President Barack Obama condemned the attack, calling it not just an act of terror but an act of hate, even for the LGBT community.
From the 10th to the 12th of June, 2016, people who are suffered from life-threatening diseases as well as their disabilities took part of the Jubilee for the Sick and Persons with Disabilities at St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican, which is part of the ongoing Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy.
At Sunday's Holy Mass, Pope Francis called for solidarity and mutual acceptance and decried the pursuit for perfect bodies, saying it leads to society hiding away the disabled to avoid offending the sensibilities of "the privileged few".
- Incoming Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Judy Taguiwalo strongly condemns the death penalty and hero’s burial for the late president Ferdinand Marcos, despite her different beliefs with president-elect Rodrigo Duterte in the mentioned sensitive issue. However, Taguiwalo stressed that the mentioned situation is inadequate to be the reason for her not to perform well on her tasks.
- The Eastern Police District finished conducting its inspection on most schools in Marikina, Pasig, Mandaluyong and San Juan, to ensure that students will safely go back to school on Monday.
- The UEFA Euro 2016 tournament has opened in France under tight security. The tournament, held every 4 years, is one of Europe's largest sports events. Teams from 24 European countries are participating. The opening match between France and Romania occured on Friday at the stadium targeted in the terrorist attacks in Paris last November.
- Keiko Fujimori has conceded defeat to former prime minister Pedro Kuczynski at the Peruvian presidential elections.
- In Game 4 of the 2016 NBA Finals, the Golden State Warriors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers at the score of 108-97.
- Pikachu may have lost the title of being "the best Pokemon all things considered" to Greninja, but that doesn't stop Pikachu from throwing its annual Pikachu Outbreak, happening from the 7th to the 14th of August at Yokohama Minato Mirai. Because of Pokemon's 20th anniversary, expect this to be the biggest!
The world's most successful MMORPG millions played throughout its lifetime has finally landed on the big screen and thanks to its success as a game players around the world hooked for, the movie adaptation of Warcraft is going to be one of the must-watch films for the summer. So, what is it then, this Warcraft movie?
Warcraft
Known in some parts in the world as Warcraft: The Beginning, this movie stars Dominic Cooper, Ben Foster, Travis Fimmel, and many others. It was directed by Duncan Jones and written by Charles Leavitt. This movie features an original storyline heavily inspired from the World of Warcraft games.
It's about the world called Azeroth, where mythical beasts called the Orcs fled from their devastated homeworld and their plot was to capture as many humans to power their portal so the entire Orc race can enter the once peaceful world of Azeroth. Unknown to the menacing plot, a reluctant Orc named Durotan formed an alliance with brave human warriors, including Lothar, and with only a handful of heroes been chosen by fate, they are the only ones to bring back peace to Azeroth.
Because this purely an original storyline, some say the movie feels like it doesn't have any connections to the World of Warcraft games. Of course, you've been soaked all day, all night, to venture through the World of Warcraft, especially the expansion, but with this film, there's nothing so special about the storyline offered unlike any other video games turned into movies you've seen in the past. However, the more you keep watching this film, the more you're getting empowered by the bravery the heroes you saw in the film, knowing that one day, you are going to be like one of the good guys destined to save the world. Of course, you might wind up cosplaying as one of the characters in the movie, which is rather flattering for WoW fans too many.
Warcraft (The Beginning) maybe one of the best films to watch this summer but with all that original storyline pooling in, this film has a lot to learn from the fans who got hooked playing with the Warcraft games for so many years. Despite that, at least the fans of the World of Warcraft got what they deserved; a fantasy movie with a mouthful of magic fit enough for video game fans who came on the theaters, explaining about what's what about this film.
North Korea is producing kimchi at a new plant "built under the loving care" of leader Kim Jong-Un, who praised this as one of the world's five health foods, state media said Friday.
Kim made his remarks while inspecting the sprawling Ryugyong Pickle Factory, built to supply Pyongyang residents with the traditional dish year-round, the KCNA said.
The plant is capable of producing 4,200 tons a year of the piquant, pungent, and fermented vegetable - a side dish which accompanies every rice meal for Koreans.
The North Korean leader said the factory would set the standard for the Korean Peninsula's industrial production of kimchi and called for the construction of a modern kimchi factory in every province modelled on the Ryugyong plant.
At last month's historic Workers' Party Congress, Kim Jong Un stressed he would push through with his signature policy of Byungjin - building up the North's nuclear arsenal and developing the economy at the same time.
Over the past month, Kim has focused his inspection trips on facilities related to the people's daily livelihood including a new soap factory, a salt plant, a hospital, and a factory producing sports goods.
- Incoming Foreign Affairs Secretary Jun Yasay said the Duterte Administration vows to strengthen the nation's foreign relations after the United Nations condemned President-elect Rodrigo Duterte's stand on media killings. Earlier, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon opposed Duterte's comments on the extra judicial killings involving the media.
- Mt. Bulusan ins Sorsogon province spewed a 2km ash column around 1135 hours local time. PHIVOLCS said that the eruption was "phreatic" which produced a grayish ash plume that drifted to the west side of the volcano. 113 quakes were reported around Mt. Bulusan.
- Debris found washed ashore in Madagascar by a man who previously found a piece of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 will be examined by investigations to see if it, too, came from the missing plane. An American adventurer, named Blaine Gibson, who was searching for the missing MH370 over the past year, contacted the Australian Transport Safety Bureau to report he had found debris in Madagascar, according to reports.
- Britain holds a National Service of Thanksgiving in honor of Queen Elizabeth on Friday, starting the weekend of events to celebrate Her Majesty's 90th birthday. The church service as London's St. Paul's Cathedral, attended by numerous dignitaries including other members of the royal family and Prime Minister David Cameron, will be a double celebration for the queen with Prince Philip, marking his 95th birthday.
- A Muslim funeral for Muhammad Ali drew thousands of admirers to the boxer's hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. Around 14,000 people, attended the jenazah, Arabic for funeral, where he was repeatedly feted as "the people's champion".
- Apple's App Store will be given a major overhaul for the first time. Details about the App Store's overhaul will be revealed next week at the Worldwide Developer Conference.
- Singer Ed Sheeran is facing a $20 million lawsuit alleging he used another song as the basis for his hit song "Photograph". The suit accusing him of copyright infringement was filed Wednesday by Martin Harrington and Tom Leonard, composers of the song Amazing, which was recorded and released by Matt Cardie,winner of the 2010 season of The X Factor.
- Disney Channel's new original animated series, Elena of Avalor, is set to premiere on the 22nd of July. The series' theme song will be performed by Latin Grammy Award winner Gaby Moreno, who is set to make a special guest appearance in the new series.
- Learn more about the new Ecto-1 for next month's Ghostbusters comedy movie with this BTS clip.
FM6 players who recently got a special code this week got themselves the chance to try out Ford's comeback to this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans and yes, the Ford GT Le Mans racecar, which is based on the all-new 2017 Ford GT, the cover car of Forza Motorsport 6, is now at the hands of gamers in preparation for this year's Le Mans.
Before taking this car for a spin, time for a quick explanation, shall we?
Five decades have passed since the legendary Ford GT40 dominated Le Mans and with the launch of the all-new 2017 Ford GT, Ford announced that they will return to endurance racing with this.
For 2016, Ford Chip Ganassi Racing used two Ford GT racecars at the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship while the other two competed at the FIA World Endurance Championship. Now, all four Ford GT machines will be competing at this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The Ford GT Le Mans racecar feature numerous innovations Ford believes will noy only make it competitive in the LM GTE Pro class but also provide benefets to each vehicle in the Ford range such as state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced lightweight composites, and the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 engine that powers it.
It's been an honor to have Ford back to the world of endurance racing with the all-new Ford GT and judging by the way it behaves, the Ford GT Le Mans racecar is not a bad car to drive on the track. So, how does it compare to the normal 2017 Ford GT? For starters, the EcoBoost V6 engine produces a hundred less horsepower than the normal one but because of its racing modifications done to this car, its generous handling compensates its lack of power from the original, making it a a well-balanced racing machine for all levels of racing.
Be it less, more, or maximum, whatever level you're on, you are more than welcome to drive Ford's comeback machine in the world of endurance racing, no matter the results. Although this is still the new Ford GT you've been eager to have one since its inception, the Ford GT Le Mans racecar is for those who demand the ultimate performance in this new age supercar while savoring Ford's legendary motorsports pedigree.
I was been honored to try out this Ford GT Le Mans racecar through the Le Mans Circuit de la Sarthe in a special Rivals event made specifically for this car. Hey, since Le Mans draws near, the opportunity to try out this machine before the real deal kicks in really gives us the taste of what Ford's Le Mans return is in store. I can't hardly wait to see what is like...
It's amazing that despite being less powerful than the normal Ford GT, its racing modifications made extensively for endurance racing shows that it's not as challenging as it looks and I have high hopes that this car can edge out against the likes of Ferrari and Chevrolet, as long as these cars shouldn't encounter problems the drivers face as the race gets harder and harder, I believe.
Well, let's wish Ford's return to Le Mans the best of luck because with its ancestor's legendary win five decades ago, this car deserves to craft one in the history books.
Launched in 2010, Honda's CR-Z should have been known as proper hybrid sportscar for the discerning enthusiasts because of being the first hybrid car to be mated with a manual gearbox. Such uniqueness led the CR-Z won its Japan Car of the Year on the year when it was launched.
Six years from now and here we are, Honda annouced that production of the CR-Z hybrid hatchback has come to an end but they're not leaving out without a sendoff because the final edition, called the CR-Z Final Label, has launched.
Priced at 2,800,000 Japanes Yen, the Final Label CR-Z features special equipment including front seats that has the words "CR-Z Final Label" on it, specially-designed 17-inch wheels, and a special "CR-Z Final Label" plate mounted below the gear lever, among many other extras.
Still comes with the same 1.5L hybrid powerplant and its available transmissions include a 6-speed manual or a CVT.
What a way to say goodbye to Honda's rather unique hybrid hatchback that was quite a ride for some speedo boys.
North Korea will hold a meeting of its Supreme People's Assembly on the 29th of June to carry out follow-up measures to last May's Workers' Party Congress.
The Supreme People's Assembly is the highest branch of state power in North Korea that establishes basic principles for domestic and foreign policies. The meeting is expected to carry out additional personnel reshuffles and lay out plans of North Korea's nuclear and economic policies.
There's speculation North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will change his current title as first Chairman of the National Defense Committee. Kim was declared Chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea during the congress.
