Genesis G70

Hyundai Motor Company's Genesis is proud to present to you their final addition to the luxury brand's sedan lineup which began with 2015's EQ900 and 2016's G80. This is the G70 and by the looks of it, this is Korea's answer to the German establishments such as the BMW 3er, Mercedes C-Klasse, and the Audi A4, not to mention other competitors from across the globe such as the Lexus IS, the Infiniti Q50, or even the Cadillac ATS. So, what is it then, this Genesis G70?

2018 Genesis G70

That is a tricky one because the G70 is made to cater against other executive midsize saloons in its class despite the fact that it was heavily based on the Kia Stinger. Needless to say, there is a clear difference between the G70 and the Stinger because while the Kia Stinger is about getting things loud all day and all night, the G70 is rather like sipping a cup of Korean red ginseng after work. In short, it's much more of a civilized professional unlike the Stinger it was based into.

2018 Genesis G70

A closer look on the exterior design shows that Genesis really means business and all that Genesis design DNA is catered to their smallest offering yet. These headlamps look vaguely similar to the Alfa Romeo Giulia, which is also one of its chief rivals, while the side view is reminiscent of today's Hyundai Grandeur and the odd-looking rear view has some Accent-styled headlamps. I kinda admit that while the G70 is a good-looking saloon, the rear view just kinda spoils it like a hot female swimmer with her buttocks too big for a pictorial.

2018 Genesis G70 interior

The same story goes for the interior and while its pleasantly luxurious, the dashboard is rather questionable for a luxury saloon. Squint your eyes harder and you can see the dashboard can be a close resemblance of a the ones you saw on today's Mazdas while the steering wheel looks very average for a luxury car. Although the front view of the G70's not somewhat rewarding to look at, it's surprisingly high-tech because it comes with the heads-up display, server-based voice recognition service using Kakao AI platform, smartphone connectivity with Apple CarPlay and MirrorLink support, wireless charging system, and 8-way intelligent driver seat, among many others. On the back, despite being 3er sized, it's surprisingly comfortable and can leave occupants on an "out on a limo" feeling every time they get out from the G70. Like most Genesis saloons, the G70 comes with the latest Quantum Logic surround technology and 15 Lexicon speakers optimally positioned for the ultimate acoustic performance.

2018 Genesis G70

Because the Genesis G70 uses the same architecture as the Kia Stinger, it offers the same choice of three engines available from the Stinger as well. ranging from the 2.2L CRDi-VGT engine with 202PS of power output, 2.0L Turbo GDi engine with 255PS of power output, and the powerful 3.3L Turbo V6 engine producing 370PS of power and 52kgf-m of torque, all mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox with Shift By Wire. All models can be either rear-wheel drive or come with the HTRAC all-wheel drive. 

In Sport variants, the G70 takes advantage of its sport-tuned suspension like you'd expect from the Kia Stinger as well as other features such as launch control, rack-mounted motor-driven power steering, dynamic torque vectoring system, and mechanical limited slip differential. As a result, the handling is expectation-shattering in every single way for a Korean luxury car but when compared to the Kia Stinger, the G70 is just plain subtle and too polite whereas the Stinger can be as bold and as brave as a village idiot.

The G70 is the first to introduce the new Genesis Active Safety Control, which features a wide variety of world-class safety tech such as Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA), Highway Driving Assist (HDA), Blind spot Collision Warning (BCW) and Driver Awareness Warning (DAW). Other than that, the G70 comes with the Around View Monitor which keeps this car and the driver aware at all sides of the world, no matter where it may be.

The G70 starts at 37,500,000 Korean won for the 2.0T, 40,800,000 Won for the 2.2D, and 44,900,000 Won for the 3.3T, which is slightly expensive than the Kia Stinger. So, what can I say? While the G70 upsets the public in terms of pricing, the styling, and the subtlety that is not what you expect for a luxury car, it's surprisingly comfortable, technological, and handicapable on the road. It can be a decent contender against the German "establishments" but unlike the Kia Stinger, the G70 is too honest for its own good and I'll let you decide on what to do about the G70 for the time being.

Available colors: Marble White, Platinum Silver, Racing Grey, Carbon Metal, Titanium Black, Royal Blue, Graceful Grey, Blazing Red, Umber Brown, and Lapis Blue.

Photo: Hyundai Motor Company

Lola Nidora and sisters will get their own talk show

It's ALDUB's 26th Monthsary and many Eat Bulaga viewers kept on wondering what was that special surprise announcement Lola Nidora's in store for them. Today, all have been revealed and it's going to be very special for fans of Lola Nidora and D'Explorer sisters.

Lola Nidora, Lola Tidora, and Lola Tinidora will have their own late-morning talk show coming soon on GMA right before Eat Bulaga! Honest! They have their own talk show a la Ryzza Mae Show a few years ago and every day, they will have a special celebrity guest to ham with and poke fun.

It's great to see Lola Nidora and the gang back for their own morning talk show coming very very soon on GMA so watch for it!

Bubble Gang - September 15, 2017 #BGAgawanSaTrono

On the September 15, 2017 episode of Bubble Gang...

- Agawan Sa Trono gags

- A wedding and a funeral

- The sharp man-nizer

- More beki words to spell and use in a sentence in Spelling Beks!

- Are you a wanted man?!

- One guy adores his pal's looks

- Bingo, the literal way.

- Basa-basa-pik!

The Mulawin vs. Ravena finale

Mulawin vs. Ravena is a dark sequel to GMA's first fantasy drama series and it centers on the kingdom of Avila in the wake of Aguiluz's death from the end of the first chapter. It's about the lines between the two races blurred and the prophecy from the Balasik proclaims that a powerful being will threaten both races, forcing the two sides to unite as one.

In the last few days, we witnessed that the two sides joined forces to defeat the powerful beast, which is half-god, half-Ravena, and turned out that one of Gabriel's children, Tak, is the chosen one. Following their victory against the monstrous beast, the kingdom of Avila is peaceful again with Almiro, the son of Aguiluz and Alwina, claimed his throne and marries Anya, a Tabon. Also, the two childhood friends, Pagaspas and Lawiswis, also getting married as well. But for Gabriel, he grows suspicious that the Golden Feather might end up on the wrong hands and he needs to find a safe place to hide it. In the Ravenas' lair of Halconia, Rafael, who claimed the throne from the renegade Daragit, who was slain by the beast, is plotting a coup as he wants to get Anya from Almiro and sabotage the wedding. His plot to sabotage the wedding failed but because of the chameleons, Rafael managed to obtain the Golden Feather, got Wak and Tak hostage, and killed Gabriel. The chameleons told the Mulawin heroes they will bring back Wak and Tak in exchange for Anya. With Wak and Tak under safe hands while Anya is now under Rafael's grasp, it won't be long before Almiro and the others raided Halconia to save her while dealing with Rafael and the end of Halconia.

Now, onto the finale, as the gang trying to escape the collapsing Halconia while Maguindara's caught in the collapse, Almiro used every ounce of his strength to kill Rafael once and for all before his untimely collapse. As Anya tries to beg for help, Pagaspas came and they managed to escape Halconia. Back in Avila, as Almiro's life is on the line, Almiro sees Gabriel in the afterlife as he promised Almiro to take good care of his children Wak and Tak as well as Anya. With Gabriel bid him farewell, Almiro has awakened and the wedding between him and Anya has resumed happily.

With peace returned at Avila, it won't be long until things returned to the way things were and this concludes the story of Mulawin Vs. Ravena.

Driving Music Vol. 80

Whether if you're ready for the weekends or hanging out after that whole 9 to 5 stuff, rest assured that these Driving Musics are here to "drive to the music you love" the most. Come on, get greedy, there's plenty of songs fit enough for your next road trip ahead.

1) Can't Hold Us (feat. Ray Dalton) by Macklemore - from a Toyota C-HR commercial

2) Flash by Queen - from a Toyota Camry commercial

3) Just Tell Me You Love Me by England Dan and John Ford Coley - from a Kia Capital commercial

4) You Got It (The Right Stuff) by New Kids On The Block - from a Kia Capital commercial

5) Mr. Blue Sky by Electric Light Orchestra - from a Suzuki Spacia Custom Z commercial

6) Chorale VI (Sol Fa)/Cantus - Song of Aeolus by Adiemus - from a Toyota Prius PHV commercial

7) Believer by Imagine Dragons - from a Jeep commercial

8) Love Is All Around Joan by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - from a VW USA Tiguan commercial

9) Zorba's Dance by Giorgos Zampetas - from a VW USA Tiguan commercial

10) Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone by Dean Martin - from a Ford Australia Fairlane commercial

AS A BONUS FOR THE WEEKENDERS, LET'S ADD TWO MORE TO SPICE THIS SEGMENT UP...

11) Best Day Of My Life by Mayday - from a Toyota Taiwan Sienta commercial

12) Night Drivin' by Neighbors Complain - from a Suzuki Escudo commercial

Driving Music from Leopaul's Blog is the segment where solves every car enthusiasts' questions about the title of the song of car commercials...with the risk of MATCHED THIRD PARTY CONTENT on their status. It's your jam. Drive to the Music You Love.

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: South Korea condemns North's missile launch

South Korea strongly condemned North Korea's recent missile launch on Friday, urging the Korean Peninsula to stop its "reckless" provocations and return to the negotiating table immediately.

In a statement, the Seoul government reaffirmed its will to cope with the ongoing threats from North Korea in close global coordination with the US and other partner nations going forward.

The North fired a ballistic missile at 0657 hours local time that traveled over Japan into the North Pacific Ocean.

The provocation came days after the UNSC unanimously adopted fresh sanctions against the North for its sixth and most powerful nuclear test to date.

Source: Arirang News

Let's Do The News! (September 15, 2017)

- A spokesperson for the Joint Task Force Marawi revealed that the IS-sympathizing Maute Terror Group are using armaments owned by the government. According to him, some of the weapons used by the Maute rebels most probably given or sold to the rebels by someone in the government.

- The National Capital Region Police Office sacked the entire Caloocan City police following the police brutality of 17-year-old Kian Loyd Delos Santos and 19-year-old Carl Angelo Arnaiz last month.

- The Commission of Elections announced that it will push through with the gun ban starting the 23rd of September, even without the Barangay and SK elections.

- President Duterte named former Gabriela representative Luz Ilagan as the new secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

- Eight elderly patients died after being left inside a stifling South Florida nursing home that lost power during the wrath of Hurricane Irma, prompting an investigation and adding to the casualty list from the storm, which is now up to 81.

- 24 students died when a fire broke out at a boarding school somewhere at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

- Sweden began their largest military exercises in two decades with support from NATO countries, drilling 19,000 troops after years of spending cuts that have left the country fearful of Russia’s growing military strength.

- Volvo will reveal their first-ever XC40 crossover on the 21st of September.

- Following their disastrous F1 season, McLaren and Honda agree to terminate their Formula One partnership.

- The F-2A -NAGASE- fighter-bomber plane joins the Hasegawa Hobby Kits' ACE COMBAT model kit lineup. It will be available at most hobby stores on the 27th of September starting at 3,200 Yen plus tax and delivery. It contains all the pieces and decals needed to replicate the special F-2A as seen on the ACE COMBAT video games.



TTFN!!!