Tokyo, Japan is the penultimate venue of the Gran Turismo World Series 2024. Although this is basically the home turf of the Gran Turismo series as well as its hometown GT7 players taking part in the Manufacturers Cup and Nations Cup, this is no homecoming for them as there's a lot of action that deserves to be done before the big finale.
Screengrab from Gran Turismo
Beginning with the Manufacturers Cup, Lexus driver K. Kawakami is the solid winner of this round while T. Miyazono, the Subaru driver who is the favorite according to observers, settles for second place and S. Suzuki of BMW finished 3rd.
In the Nations Cup, meanwhile, K. Drumont from France is the winner while Spain's J. Serrano fended Japan's T. Miyazono off for his 2nd Place finish.
The Gran Turismo World Series 2024 will conclude in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, this December 6-8, 2024. Who will be crowned the champions? What surprises await for GT7 players? Don't miss it!
- The fourth multilateral maritime cooperative activity involving the AFP and defense forces from Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States has kicked off.
- Tropical Depression Julian intensified into a tropical storm while slowly moving south-southwest in the Philippine ocean.
- The suspension of 141 officials and employees of the National Food Authority (NFA) linked to the alleged anomalous sale of the government's rice buffer stocks to favored private traders has been lifted by the Office of the Ombudsman.
- The PBBM administration declared Misamis Occidental insurgency-free.
- The Israeli military says it killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and other commanders in a series of overnight strikes in Beirut. Thousands displaced over Beirut's streets after Israeli strikes target Hezbollah leader Nasrallah.
- Michael Andretti is reportedly planning to relinquish his shares in the Andretti Global Company. If so, he is no longer the owner of the organization, although he still wishes to remain involved in another capacity.
- McLaren will unveil its newest hypercar called the W1 this October 6, 2024.
- The World Anti-Doping Agency has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against an independent tribunal's decision in August to clear world No.1 Jannik Sinner of wrongdoing after he failed drug tests.
- Dame Maggie Smith, who starred in Harry Potter movies and Downton Abbey TV series, passed away at the age of 89.
One of the most memorable children's books by Peter Brown comes to life from the folks who gave you Shrek, Madagascar, and Kung Fu Panda. Time to discover what it means to be...wild.
THE WILD ROBOT
THE WILD ROBOT, a movie adaptation of a bestselling book by Peter Brown, is the latest masterpiece from DreamWorks Animation. It features an all-star ensemble who lend their voices to this animated movie such as Lupita Nyong'o, The Mandalorian actor Pedro Pascal, Bill Nighy, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice's Catherine O'Hara, Kit Connor, and Stephanie Hsu.
This movie centers on the life of a robot called ROZZUM 7134, "Roz" for short, who got stranded on a mysterious island. Feared by its inhabitants, Roz began caring for a newly hatched gosling named Brightbill. She later joined forces with Fink, a calm but questionable fox with a rather selfish attitude to help nurture the gosling and mature. Struggling about her true purpose, Roz discovers the meaning of home, family, and freedom within the wilderness.
Another calm and mindful robot movie since WALL-E, THE WILD ROBOT showcases the true meaning of home, family, and freedom. The bedazzling visuals, music, and sound are easily overshadowed by the storytelling that proves even a steel-bodied mechanical wanderer can embrace its wild side. Contrary to every robot character we know, it CAN experience love.
This is by no means one of the must-watch movies of the Fall Season. With its heartwarming storytelling and stunning visuals, THE WILD ROBOT is as WILD as it gets. Nature calls.
- The killing of former PSCO Board Secretary Wesley Barayuga was detailed at the House Quad Committee hearing. Former PSCO General Manager Royina Garma and NAPOLCOM Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo were identified as behind the crime.
- The Bureau of Corrections announced the release of Jimmy Fortaleza, a witness in the investigation by the PH House of Representatives over the drug war deaths during the Duterte administration.
- Typhoon Julian is last seen 525km east of Itbayat, Batanes, as of 1100 hours Manila Time. PAGASA warns it may become a typhoon by Sunday.
- The camp of former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo filed a not guilty plea in the case of qualified human trafficking in the Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 167.
- Hurricane Helen strengthened into a Category Three hurricane and could bring an "unsurvivable" storm surge as it near Florida.
- ICYMI: The world's longest-serving death row inmate, Iwao Hakamada, is acquitted of quadruple murder in Japan retrial.
- Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the military to keep fighting with full force after the US and allies called for a ceasefire on the border with Lebanon.
- Harrods boss Michael Ward apologizes, saying business "failed colleagues" over the Mohamed Al Fayed abuse claims. The police will "fully explore" whether anyone can be pursued for criminal offenses in connection with the Fayed abuse claims.
- ICYMI: The US pushes to ban China and Russia car tech.
- The all-new Ford Expedition will be unveiled this October 3rd.
- The Visa Cash App RB F1 Team replaced Daniel Ricciardo with Liam Lawson immediately.
- Love Live's Nijigasaki High School Idol Club's Tokimeki Roadmap to the Future visual novel is coming to the Nintendo Switch this April 24, 2025.
The third-generation Honda N-BOX range welcomes its newest member; an outdoor-themed variant designed to take on the likes of the Mitsubishi Delica Mini, Daihatsu Tanto FunCross, and the Suzuki Spacia Gear.
2025 Honda N-BOX Joy
2025 Honda N-BOX Joy
This is the first-ever Honda N-BOX Joy, an outdoor-themed variant of the third-generation N-BOX priced at 1,844,700 Yen plus additional costs, which is cheaper than the recent Suzuki Spacia Gear but slightly more costly to own than the Mitsubishi Delica Mini. A fair trade in the market for outdoor-oriented kei minivans.
2025 Honda N-BOX Joy interior
2025 Honda N-BOX Joy interior
Although it's basically a third-generation N-BOX by the looks of it, the Joy features black cladding underneath, a front bumper with holes on the center-right followed by six holes above the front bumper, specially-made Full HED headlamps, taillights from the N-BOX Custom, black side mirrors, and to top it all off, the Joy badge. For an additional extra, customers can have a special package with front fog lamps and a front grille that spells Honda on it.
While the interior works just like the other N-BOX variants, the Joy features Brown-and-Black checkered seat fabric that is surprisingly stain-proof, making cleanup a breeze. Fold the rear seats down, and you will have a Furatto Terrace to relax. It even comes with a floor-under box to store your necessities. With a space of 148cm in length, 117cm in width, and 115cm in height, this outdoor-themed N-BOX means business and leisure at a snail's pace.
Like the rest of the lineup, the N-BOX Joy is powered by a 660cc i-VTEC engine that produces 58PS of power output and 65Nm of torque, and when mated with a CVT, fuel efficiency is around 21.3km/L based on WLTC Mode standards. That's more than the Delica Mini, as expected. Of course, you can exercise your options with the available turbocharged engine and four-wheel drive.
As for safety, the N-BOX Joy comes with Honda Sensing, VSA, emergency stop signal, hill start assist function, and a multi-view camera system, among many others.
The Honda N-BOX Joy is the first Honda N-BOX variant designed for outdoor enthusiasts. It's a kei minivan, which means it's small and light, but it has a lot of room inside. It also has a lot of features that make it perfect for camping and other outdoor activities. The market for outdoor-oriented kei minivans is growing thanks to the arrival of the first-ever Honda N-BOX Joy.
Available Colors: Platinum White Pearl, Crystal Black Pearl, Slate Grey Pearl & Black, Fjord Mist Pearl & Black, Autumn Yellow Pearl & Black, Botanical Green Pearl & Black, and Desert Beige Pearl & Black.
The Subaru WRX S4 VB made its way on Forza Horizon 5 as a prize car in the Hidden Horizons Storm Season Playlist and this is the only desirable car of the update packed with nothing but undesirable old cars plaguing around Horizon Mexico grounds like disease-carrying rodents.
So, what's it all about the VB WRX S4?
A rally legend two decades in the making, the second-generation Subaru WRX S4 was unveiled in 2021 and it now runs on the Subaru Global Platform for the first time in its two-decade history, which offers increased safety, improved dynamics, and reductions in noise, vibration, and harshness. It's the same platform used in its estate equivalent, the Levorg, currently in its second generation.
The new model's flat-four boxer turbo engine's size has been increased from the previous model's 2.0L to 2.4L. It produces 275PS and 375Nm of torque. It is mated exclusively with the newly-developed Subaru Performance Transmission, a sport-tuned CVT with an 8-speed manual mode that delivers 30% faster upshifts and 50% faster downshifts compared to the previous WRX S4's Sport Lineartronic CVT.
It boasts high levels of safety thanks to its EyeSight driver assistance with Lane Centering Function and Speed Sign Recognition, among many others.
Recently, a race-spec WRX S4 won the SP4T class in the 2024 ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nurburgring, a first in the VB model's second outing at the Nurburgring.
The one featured in Forza Horizon 5 is different from the WRX S4 as I know it. It is mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox, which is offered only in overseas markets. This is the kind of gearbox that Japanese Subarists are missing out on. With the WRX STi officially discontinued before the year of COVID, the call for a manual-mated WRX S4 from Japanese Subarists has never been louder, although Subaru has declined to comment.
Consumer Reports, infamous for calling American cars terrible, recommended the WRX S4 VB because “Its 59 mph speed through our avoidance maneuver (…) puts the four-door WRX firmly in high-level sports-car territory, matching the speed of the Porsche 718 Boxster, for example.”
Unfortunately, this is Forza Horizon 5, and I can't find a way to demonstrate the WRX S4's capabilities until some luxury four-door saloon is accepted to be its sparring partner.
The all-electric BMW i4, in eDrive40 trim, has been rejoined by the WRX S4. The WRX S4 is confident that it can compete with a luxury German saloon. The i4 may pack more power than the S4, the WRX S4, but because the electric drivetrain is darn bulky, the old-school Nurburgring hero from Gunma has a fighting chance.
With Horizon Mexico's shortest track becoming my laboratory, it's time to find out if Japan's own S4 can take down Germany's own i4. Let's roll the tape.
Here are the results:
i4 - 1m03.080s
WRX S4 - 1m01.812s
The WRX S4 beat the all-electric i4 eDrive40 by over two seconds. That's impressive, considering the i4 has more power and is twice as expensive. The future is bright for the WRX S4!
The Subaru WRX S4 is the only desirable car in an update filled with undesirable old cars. Although it's not as good as its predecessors, my experience with the current-generation WRX S4 in the game makes me want to drive it some more.
From rallying to Nurburgring survival, there are plenty of reasons to love the WRX S4 but there's one greater reason to love this car; it's a Subaru.
Case Closed. Welcome to your new WRX S4, FH5 Subarists.
- The PBBM administration held the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas Convention at the PICC. Senators Ping Lacson and Lito Lapid were present as well. The Alliance held a manifesto signing which included Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. of the Federal Party of the Philippines, Cong. Martin Romuladez of Lakas CMD, Sec. Leandro Mendoza of NPC, Sen. Mark Villar of NP, and Cong. Raymond Villafuerte of the NUP.
- Parts of Malabon were closed for the 3rd Quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill. The people of the Manila Police District also participated in duck, cover, and hold during the 3rd Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill. Quezon City LGU employees and others at city hall also participated.
- Envelopes filled with money by PH Vice President Sara Duterte to the PH Department of Education were submitted to the Committee on Good Governance and Public Accountability.
- The Israeli army chief tells troops Lebanon strikes are preparing ground for them to "enter enemy territory." Earlier, Israeli military launched "extensive" strikes in Lebanon, after Hezbollah fired missiles at Tel Aviv.
- Unions win non-binding vote calling for the UK government's winter fuel payment cut to be reversed at the Labour Party conference.
- The HyundaiIONIQ 5 N was updated for the 2025 model year with updated Drift Modes.
- Jeremy Clarkson publicly revealed the final identity of The Stig, Top Gear's masked driver. It is revealed that British GT racer Phil Keen is the third and final Stig who held the role from 2010 until the end of Top Gear in 2022. Keen's British GT career has 24 wins.
- Love Live's School Idol Musical spawned a TV drama airing on MBS this November 21 at 0129 JST (effective November 22, 2024 at 0029 hours Manila Time).
- Disney+'s crackdown on password sharing has officially begun with the paid sharing program. Extra family members will cost $6.99 per month.
- The Music Bank in Madrid live event is back on track and it's now set to be held at the Miguel Rios Auditorium in Rivas Vacimadrid this October 12, 2024.
- NCT member Jaehyun is set to be enlisted into the military this November 4th.
- PBA player John Amores has surrendered to the police after he was involved in the shooting in Laguna.
- Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Tommy Kramer is diagnosed with dementia.
- Actor Phillip Salvador announced he will run for senator in 2025.
