F1 2016: Malaysian GP

Image: Associated Press

The Malaysian Grand Prix of the F1 2016 is a disaster for Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton following an engine failure that knocked him out of the track cold while leaving Nico Rosberg placing in third place and following such an unfortunate event, the Red Bull Racing team tasted their 1-2 finish with Daniel Ricciardo placed 1st while rookie driver Max Verstappen placed 2nd.

Following Rosberg's third placer, the gap between him and Hamilton has now increased to 23 points and with five races left in the season, there's no telling how will these two closing in for the World Champion title, and following such result that Mercedes couldn't gained the Constructor's Cup in Malaysia as predicted, there's still chance that this team will get it as the next race will be in Suzuka, Japan, on the 9th of October.

Let's Do The News! (October 4, 2016)

- The Philippines and the United States opened their what is believed to be their final joint military exercises despite President Rodrigo Duterte wanted to end the war games during his term. Last week, Duterte declared his intention to end the joint military exercise between the two countries, noting that China is not in favor of this. Duterte wants to establish ties with China for trade and commerce.

- Palace officials kept mum on the seemingly conflicting statement of President Duterte and Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay about the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, Last Sunday, Duterte wants a review of EDCA, noting that the agreement didn't contain the signature of the Philippine president. Yasay, however, clarified that there's no need to review the EDCA as the Supreme Court upheld its legality.

- The alleged video scandal of Senator Leila de Lima will not be shown when the House Committee on Justice resumes its inquiry on the proliferation of drugs at the New Bilibid Prison on Thursday. According to Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, they will not show the video of the senator and her former driver Ronnie Dayan.

- The Islamic State militants claimed responsibility behind the explosion at a Kurdish wedding in northeastern Syria, killing at least 30 people and injured 90. The Islamic State posted a message on the internet saying they're targeting against a gathering of Kurds, serving as a retaliation against the recovery in August by Kurdish forces of the strategic northern town of Manbij.

- The Turkish government will likely extend the state of emergency by three months. It was imposed following a failed coup in July. The government announced the plan on Monday as the initial three-month period will end on the 18th of October. Government officials say that more time is needed to deal with terrorist groups, even those led by the US-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is the alleged mastermind of the failed coup.

- Ford Motor Company officially announced that they will revive the Bronco SUV and it will be produced in Michigan alongside the next-generation Ford Ranger. This is the response from a a chairman of UAW local 900 following Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's attack on Ford shifting jobs to Mexico.

- Well that was unexpected. Somewhere in Taiwan, a journalist accidentally crashed a brand new Honda NSX during a test drive. It's the first ever happened in a new car and the motoring journalist, who was involved in the crash, blamed for an incoming insect flying through the interior.

- For the first time, there are bishounen entering the Nendoroid Co-de lineup and these bishounen are from the movie "KING OF PRISM by PrettyRhythm. Kouji Mihama, Kazuki Nishina, and Hiro Hayami are now ready to order starting at 3,241 Yen (plus tax) each and deliveries will commence from March to April 2017 for each new models.

Nendoroid Code Hiro Hayami

Nendoroid Code Kazuki Nishina

Nendoroid Code Kouji Mihama

- Out tomorrow on the PS4-exclusive THE IDOLM@STER Platinum Stars game, the third DLC catalog game featuring the brand new song "Amaterasu" as well as their brand new outfit made specifically for this catalog, and other extras. Check out what's in store for this catalog!

TTFN!!!

Second Generation GMC Acadia

GMC's full-size (what it used to be) crossover has been given a full-model change as the all-new Acadia is ready to tackle everyday situations not just for drivers but for the moms and dads who got their hands full with their family businesses at home and at work. So, what's it all about the new Acadia?

2017 GMC Acadia

First and foremost, the new Acadia isn't what you called full-sized anymore because General Motors has downgraded the new Acadia from full-size to midsize thanks to either cost-cutting measures or the use on the similar platform used on the Cadillac XT5 and the Chinese-made Buick Envision. Despite its downgrade, the new Acadia still sits above the Chevy Equinox-based Terrain and with prices start at 29,995 US Dollars, it's a hard bargain for a crossover of that caliber.

Another thing that will keep you noticed about the new Acadia that it comes in three different styles to choose from; the standard Acadia, the more rugged All Terrain, and the more luxurious Denali. Whichever Acadia they can choose, it's all business for the new model.

2017 GMC Acadia interior

Another thing that catches the eye is the new interior and because it's downshifted from full-size to midsize, the new Acadia lost some of the boot space as well as its eight-seater capacity, meaning that it can now be offered as either five, six, or seven seater, depending on how many members of the family you had. While this is bad news for baby boomers, it's good news for the picky ones like me who are struggling to get through the third row seat...well, almost because having an Acadia with six seats is good but if there are three seats in the second-row seats, your worst-case scenario is that when those seats are occupied by the tyrannical child seats, you're going to resort entering the third-row seats at the back of the car just by folding one-seat and then get through just like what you faced with any other three-row seating crossovers you're familiar with. On the tech side, however, it's all business for them especially when the new Acadia's sat-nav now comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Once more, you get some other high-tech features as well as safety tech such as side blind zone alert, rear cross traffic alert, rear view monitor, and rear park assist. Some are optional extra, of course.

2017 GMC Acadia

Sometimes, a little sacrifice is a necessity to deliver greater results and for the new Acadia, with all that downsizing on the body style, is now 700lbs less than the previous model, similar to what surgeons did on an extra-extra large obese man at the operating theater. With all that weight loss comes greater dynamics courtesy of its refined suspension and chassis. So, it's not just better to handle, it's also quiet as well, fit enough to be called luxurious.

Engine choices, the new Acadia offers two new petrol engine choices ranging from a 2.5L that promises an estimated 28MPG on a highway for front-wheel drive models courtesy of its idling stop feature that shuts off the engine when stopped and the starts again when setting off, up to the more powerful 3.5L V6 engine that produces 310HP of power and 4,000 pounds of trailering capability with the optional towing package. Most of the engines are mated with a 6-speed automatic gearbox and an electronically controlled drive mode selector that changes how the car behaves in various conditions.

In the All Terrain variant, the rugged equivalent of those Trailhawk models from Jeep, it comes with an advanced AWD system with Active Twin Clutch, which allows this crossover to handle better in problematic road conditions, making it a decent off-roader for the adventurers looking to take a weekend on the great outdoors.

Despite its losses for greatness, the new Acadia from GMC is becoming the turning point for the crossover market and with different choices to choose from, it's all about being tailored to your personal preference and while some disliked from having a smaller boot than the original Acadia as well as a loss of just one seat for the babies, the new model is becoming a redeemable asset for the righteous of drivers.

Photo: General Motors

Let's Do The News! (October 3, 2016)

- President Rodrigo Duterte is set to grand a safe conduct on fugitive Moro National Liberation Front founder Nur Misuari so they can talk peace in Davao City. Duterte did not say when his meeting with Misuari would take place.

- Because of harsh comments from President Duterte, Brussels prompted to reconsider its scheduled royal visit to the Philippines next year. Brussels State Secretary for External Trade Cecile Jodogne wants to cancel the trade mission led by Princess Astrid to the Philippines in May 2017, according to reports. Duterte earlier compared himself to German dictator Adolf Hitler and said that he would be "happy to slaughter" three million drug addicts" but he apologized for his remark after drawing flak from the Jewish community all over the world.

- The Philippines will meet this week with over 40 other climate vulnerable countries for the first time under the Duterte administration, which vowed not to ratify the Paris Treaty. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez will attend the ministerial dialogue of his counterparts in the Vulnerable 20 Group of Nations in Washington DC on Thursday. It will also mark the turnover of the group's chairmanship from the Philippines to Ethiopia.

- SPO3 Arthur Lascanas, alleged team leader of the Davao Death Squad, denied Monday that he was part of the group, which he said does not even exist. In previous hearings of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, confessed hitman Edgar Matobato testified that Lascanas relayed orders from then Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to the group, which he said was originally called "Lambada Boys". Lascanas denied such existence.

- Voters in Colombia have narrowly rejected a peace deal with rebel forces aimed at ending over five decades of armed conflict. Sunday's referendum had asked people to approve the landmark accord between the government and the REvolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. The civil war between the two sides has killed over 200,000 people, 50.21% of the voters were against the deal while 49.78% voted for it.

- US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is expected to step up criticism against her Republican rival Donald Trump following reports about his tax records. The New York Times reported that Trump declared a 916 million dollar loss on his 1995 income tax returns. It said the tax deduction could have allowed him to legally avoid paying any federal income taxes for up to 18 years. The Clinton campaign called the report a bombshell that reveals the colossal nature of Turmp's past business failures.

- Yoshinori Osumi, a Japanese biologist, has won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine. Osumi sohwed how cells get rid of defective proteins or degrade unnecessary ones to generate energy. This mechanism is called autophagy and it's common to most organisms with nucleated cells.

TTFN!!!

Forza Horizon 3: Nomad's Sky

Remember this extreme offroader made by the same people behind the bewildering Ariel Atom? Yep, you'd probably saw this one from a certain Top Gear episode when Matt LeBlanc drove one to escape from the prying eyes of the paparazzi while on the hot Middle Eastern desert. While this whole stint sounds mediocre to some, although I can find that most of you never liked the recent season of Top Gear with Chris Evans in it (glad that he quit the job for such point), the Ariel Nomad is an awesome extreme offroad buggy that delivers the same thrills as the Atom, with a muddier attitude that sends this car flying like an eagle. A desert eagle.



So, what exactly is this Ariel Nomad? While the Atom became a track-toy sensation not to mention a blow to Jeremy Clarkson's face since his days as a Top Gear presenter, the new Nomad offers the same extreme performance from the Atom, only in its extreme offroad packaging that fits not just on the road and track but also on rough terrain despite its rear-wheel drive powertrain.

Like the normal Atom, the Nomad's equipped with the same Honda 2.4L i-VTEC engine producing 235BHP of power and 300Nm of torque while mated to a 6-speed close ratio gearbox. Because it weighs 670kg, its power to weight ratio is 6.25lb/hp. It will do 0-60mph in 3.4 seconds and onwards to 125mph.

Couple this extreme performance with the signature Ariel structure and the Nomad is a no-frills offroader that can be enjoyed not just as an offroader but also a track toy similar to what the Atom shot to fame. It can be tailored to its customers desires.

Anyway, no time for further explanations because I was just getting warmed up to feel the thrill from Ariel's extreme offroad buggy in the same way what Matt LeBlanc did when he tried to escape the paparazzi on the desert. Since I'm still on the outback, hanging around doing my "producer" job, I found an airfield that will test the mettle of the Ariel Nomad against all kinds of buggies in store such as The Cholla, an Alumi Craft Class 10 Race Car, and a very small but unpredictable Polaris RZR. Excuse me while I'm doing my on-the-job race.

Okay, lights! Motor! Action!



Well, that was quite a challenge to master an offroad buggy like the Nomad in the first place but I managed to have a good show and a win in this event. The Nomad maybe a dirty cousin of the Atom but when it comes to enjoyment even on rough terrain, feels like I'm like the bad guy from the Mad Max movie screaming "WHAT A LOVELY DAY!" Sorry, lost my balance, but the Nomad is an awesome offroader you can drive in Forza Horizon 3. Speaking of a win...

I'd just received word that a barn find is hidden somewhere in the Outback and me and my Nomad approached to the said location. So, what kind of a barn find looks like? I'll show you later.

Fiat 124 Spider Abarth

The Abarth lineup is currently filled with beefed-up versions of the 500 and it's time for a change. Perhaps a Fiat 124 Spider-based model should come to the mix and enjoyment couldn't come any hairier than this with the first-ever, open-top, rear-wheel drive Abarth based on the new Fiat 124 Spider.

2017 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth

The 124 Spider Abarth is the high-performance version of the Fiat 124 Spider, which is based on the fourth-generation Mazda Roadster, and judging by its performance, it will make not just owners of the normal 124 Spider but also owners of the latest Mazda Roadster the remorse they will regret having an lightweight open-top roadster that delivers a potential track-day talent some may call it "accessible".

Just how accessible is the 124 Spider Abarth? Well, with looks inspired from the 1972 Abarth 124 Spider, you can tell that this car has heritage from the legendary breed that became a talk-of-a-town when it battled fiercely though rally stages and numerous race feats, but that's just the half of the story. Under the hood lies a smaller, yet powerful 1.4L four-cylinder turbocharged engine producing 170HP of power and 250Nm of torque. With this output, it will go from zero to 100kph in 6.8 seconds and onwards to 232km/h, which is very quick for a nippy little open-top sportscar with some shouty exterior design fit for the fashionable car enthusiasts. It also makes a not-so-bad noise from its exhaust as well.

Apart from the engine, the dynamics is what makes the 124 Spider Abarth very accessible, thanks to its perfect weight distribution and lightweight design, making it a new gold standard in the roadster segment. With a class-leading power-to-weight ratio, and weighing less than a Ford Fiesta, not to mention some track-honed handling, the 124 Spider Abarth can be as swift as swinging a wrecking ball with all the strength and force you can wield at and make some lava holes but living in a day-to-day basis can be somewhat challenging, that is when parallel parking on reverse is like climbing up a mountain.

Although not what you call a daily driver's car, the new 124 Spider Abarth, with its 40,000 Euro price tag, may sound expensive to own but it's a start for buyers looking for high-performance open-top rear-wheel drive roadster who believe that owning an Alfa 4C Spider or a Lotus Elise can be a costly experience. Nevertheless, the 124 Spider Abarth will make anyone's decision making a hard one choosing between a car inspired from and a car originated from. The Fiat 124-Mazda Roadster decision-making experience couldn't get even more complicating.

Photo: FIAT

Forza Horizon 3: My first week in Australia

Four days before Forza Horizon 3 went on sale on Tuesday, I got myself an early access to this game via the Ultimate Edition I pre-ordered days before it went live to the eager public like you and I but no matter the outcome, I am very happy that I spent my first week exploring the Australian scenery in this newest installment.

Man, I'm glad I've signed up to this experience. I can finally leave my Ridge Racer fantasies in Europe behind and get into the festival business in Australia for real. Wait, let me guess, I have a lot of memories regarding Australia, huh? Not in the slightest but I've seen good car commercials, mostly Japanese and Korean ones, took place in the Land Down Under, even open areas like the Twelve Apostles and the Great Ocean Road where it looks good to drive even in strong rains. Being in the self-styled "universal automotive playground" is like a dream come true but being in charge of the Festival feels like, to put it a broad context or anything, a producer. I can think of myself as...the producer of this whole festival in Australia! That's a plus!

So, what I have done in my first week in Australia? Come on, I'm sure you guys did everything better than me on day one...



In my first day of duty as an honorary "producer" on Horizon Australia, like what every player starting their first day of the job, I've been given a choice of four cars to start with; a Shelby GT350, a Nissan Silvia S15 complete with Rocket Bunny bodykit, a BMW M4, and an HSV Gen-F Maloo GTS. I've picked the Maloo and if anyone asked me "why start your first day on a pickup truck?", I would say "This is not a pickup truck. It's a ute, and it holds significance here". Of course, my car of choice does pick significance here.

The Maloo, Aborigine for "thunder", is a high-performance version of the Commodore-based Holden Ute and in this Gen-F model, based on the Holden VF Commodore Ute, they Aussies really want to give its farewell party a big bash, given the fact that production of these machines will end within a few months. The GTS model is powered by a supercharged 6.2L V8 engine sourced from the Camaro ZL1, producing 577HP of power and 545ft-lb of torque, making it the most powerful ute in the world.



Seeing this as an opportunity to try out the most powerful ute ever made by Holden's HSV, as much as anyone in the world who want to drive this ute they've been asking for, I set off on a maiden voyage to begin my career as a "producer" and despite my "pest control" look that others think they've called for a pest control hotline, the rear-wheel drive Maloo, despite nearing its end-of-life status within a year, shows what an Aussie ute can do, combining its commercial use as a business car and its fun factor as a sports car in one unique package. I drove this car at my first race and judging from its progress, looks like my road of creating a very successful festival has begun. At least it's fun to toy around than that lousy "school idol festival" they've got hooked on. Byron Bay was just the beginning because throughout this journey, players can expand their festival throughout different places across Australia and how they'll make it to the Final Showcase is up to them, even me.




Having expanded the Byron Bay site, I got myself the keys to the Range Rover and because I am growing familiar with how the Range Rover behaves, as well as its Terrain Response thing, I have summoned a familiar look from the past and yes, it's that Love Live Eli Ayase theme I made back in Europe (FH2). Europe called, Australia answered. It's back and I managed to tweak it to SVAutobiography levels while surviving cross-country trials. Having managed to survive and win another set of events in this car, I've been given a choice to pick a new route; either Surfers Paradise or the Outback. I'd pick the Surfers Paradise because that metropolitan landscape really suits my liking.



With Surfers Paradise is my next venue, I used enough funds I won on events to buy a car and to keep it simple, I've gone to the fourth-generation Mazda MX-5 (Roadster). Because of the news that the Roadster has reached one million units ever made, I've even created an event made specifically for Roadsters of all generations, courtesy of the Horizon Blueprint. I made an event for all generations of Roadsters but before getting ready, I made my fourth-generation Roadster a minor tweaks to keep it competitive and for a bonus: a dab of "Yousoro!" You got me because my new Roadster is now themed after Love Live Sunshine's You Watanabe. Surprised to see a Aqours-themed car I made, huh? But still, a little "Yousoro!" goes a long way to score another win.



Following my win in a game of Mazda Roadsters, I bought myself another one and it's a BMW M4. Although I didn't picked that one in the beginning, I still managed to buy one and drive it because I had Horizon memories on this car, although the BMW M4 featured in FH3 looks something different because the BMW M4 is just one of the few car to offer bodykits for the first time. The bodykit offered for the M4 was courtesy of Liberty Walk and thanks to the Liberty Walk look, the M4 looks more of a touring car than a normal M4 itself and upon recycling my familiar design I made on this car, which is themed after THE IDOLM@STER's Yukiho Hagiwara by the way, I had fun driving this Bimmer with the Liberty Walk look round town and scored some victories. Following my wins round Surfers Paradise...

I've been notified that a Barn Find is hidden several miles away from the Surfers Paradise Festival Site. This is the first of the 15 barn finds players must find to keep it. The first barn find I found is...

...a Dino 246GT, of course, and because I got my first barn find, I returned to Surfers Paradise to host a race dedicated for this car and win. Nothing says the first car you found in the barn can be the best car you'd ever driven, especially if it lives up to the legend.



While taking a break from my Festival duties, I find something to pass the time. Whether from completing Bucket List challenges, finding beauty spots, breaking boards, nothing's better to pass the free time than taking street races not sanctioned by the Festival. Seeing this as a challenge, I took my Ford XY Falcon GTHO Phase III for a spin and when I get bored after winning a street race...

...I've been notified that I heard another barn find rumor hidden somewhere and when I rushed to the very location...

...I found myself a Lamborghini LM002. Believe it or not, Lamborghini made a four-door SUV that others believe that it's a treason to the Lamborghini heritage, but known to be one of the rarest of the extinct specimens and a reputation of being called the "Rambo Lambo" because of its macho looks for an sport-utility vehicle.



Don't tell me how did I got my hands on the Ferrari 488 GTB because by chance, I obtained it for free via Horizon Wheelspin (although my VIP membership will deemed to be questionable by some). I once hosted a race for V8 Ferraris like the 488 to shine and won, then took on a street race and won by flying colors, it's hard to say that the turbocharged replacement for the rather excellent 458 Italia has a long way to go but feels like it got its head in the game...for me.

With enough routes to create a championship somewhere in Surfers Paradise, I once imagine what would my first championship be like and in my Horizon Blueprint terms, I've even come up with a race made solely for VXR models. Wait, VXR?!



Did you mean this VXR? The Vauxhall Astra VXR? I know that this is the only VXR in the game but you should know that the four-door HSV GTS and its Maloo counterpart did sold in the United Kingdom as a Vauxhall, so that fits the qualification of a three-race championship I've came up with. Before setting off to a race, I got a first dab of the Astra VXR via a street race and despite my appreciation on how it behaves as a hot hatch, I feel a little nervous on what would it be like if a two-litre Astra VXR takes on a horde of V8 Aussie-fed VXR8s and after some major tweaks as well as making a design for my race-prepped VXR, themed after Love Live Sunshine's Hanamaru Kunikida, it's challenge accepted, zura. Did I said "zura"? No matter the outcome, I've emerged as a winner in a game of VXRs I made.

With my Festival Sites now expanded to three; with my third one opened at the Outback, there's a lot of work that needs to be done while getting on my long-and-winding road towards the Final Showcase and making my Horizon Australia a successful one if I know what my hectic schedule is.

Oh, and if you want to see my FH3 gameplay videos, CLICK HERE.