A very special, STIG APPROVED, GT5 Christmas Gift for all - the 2013 Toyota 86

Song played in my Personal BGM: あ~よかった (Version Iori) by Iori Minase (CV: Rie Kugiymiya)

From the album: THE IDOLM@STER MASTER ARTIST 2 -SECOND SEASON- 01 Iori Minase

Testing the 86 at its home ground.
That is, Fuji Speedway.

This is a very special Christmas Present from Gran Turismo 5 for those who've updated to Version 2.02 and the new Toyota 86 (Hachi-Roku), or what GT5 calls it Toyota 86 GT '12, would be the best gift we've ever opened to experience the first bite before the actual model goes on sale in Japan next year. Now, we have the chance to sample Toyota's first boxer-engine sports car that was been a joint venture between Toyota Motor Corporation and Fuji Heavy Industries, makers of Subaru.

The Stig meets the new Hachi-Roku

Now, for my very first impressions about the new Toyota 86 is that the handling is very great for an FR sports car. What bothers me is when is flicked the view to "Normal View". Seems that the camera angle is gone at the wrong side of the screen and all I can see is some minor rumblings every time I corner the Toyota 86. Upon setting it on Interior View, seems that the new Toyota 86 has a good looking instrumental cluster and the steering wheel looks cool when it has something red on it. It's just one of the many reasons why the Toyota 86 is made to be somewhat special for the player. In fact, this car is a Gran Turismo 5 exclusive. I kinda love the sound of the 86's engine start though and I can almost hear the noise of the Boxer engine.

The 86 logo looks great with some pistons on it!

Glad to know that the Toyota GT 86 is a Premium Tier car so it can be essentially great to go out for some Photo Travel with this sports car. Also, if you're dressing as The Stig (or as the Ghost of Black Stig), you're welcome because we can expect seeing The Stig meets the new Toyota 86 face to face, which unfortunately I did.

The Stig happily drives the new Toyota 86
at the Top Gear Test Track!!!

The Toyota 86 is the best GT5 Christmas present we ever had because we've updated the game to Version 2.02 and once you tried it, forever smitten...

Saab bids Farväl because of bankruptcy filing

2011 Saab 9-5

So, guess this marks the end of Saab...

Numerous attempts to save the troubled Swedish car maker, especially with help from Chinese carmaker Youngman, have gone dodo and this means trouble. And if by trouble, Swedish Automotive N.V. announced that Saab Automobile, Saab Automobile Tools, and Saab Powertrain filed for bankruptcy with the District Court in Vanersborg, Sweden.

Scoop: http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2011/12/saab-files-for-bankruptcy-after-all.html

Verdict: After all, after years of survival for this Swedish brand, it's sad to say that Saab is dead. Bankrupt...

Now what will exactly happened to the new generation Saab 9-5? Guess it would go to waste...

Also bidding farewell is an utterly old company that claimed to be "Old GM", that is, Motors Liquidation Co. After being their for a record-breaking 103 years, it seems that the death of the Old GM, thanks to U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Gerbert. Seems that splitting the two GM companies had caused a major toll on the company and yes, the "New GM" is somewhat an exact opposite. The "New GM" did better than the Old GM and yes, it was too pity about the Old GM's death.

Scoop: http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2011/12/company-formerly-known-as-old-gm-is.html

2012 Bentley Continental GT tuning by Mansory

2012 Mansory Bentley Continental GT

Mansory tunes the 2012 Bentley Continental GT to be somewhat extraordinary and somewhat intimidating. On the outside, you should expect carbon fiber applied on the hood, front spoiler, and rear spoiler. Also, it is mated with a set of 22-inch rims plated in black to make it more cool. On the inside, two-tone upholstery and carbon fiber trimming takes place. What's good is that they beefed up the performance with an improved ECU, high performance air filters, and exhausts, capable of releasing 672HP of power and 780Nm of torque. That modified Continental GT looks perfect to stand out...

Scoop: http://www.motorward.com/2011/12/mansory-kit-for-new-bentley-continental-gt/

This is how they Sonic - 2013 Sonic RS

2013 Chevrolet Sonic RS

The 2013 Sonic RS enhances the styling of Chevrolet's wild compact and yes, it doesn't get any wilder than this because of its even more aggressive front face, 17-inch rims, lowered suspension, standard MyLink infotainment system, sports seats, and much more. Seems that it will go on sale late next year but it will make a premiere at the 2012 NAIAS in Detroit!

Further reading: http://www.netcarshow.com/chevrolet/2013-sonic_rs/

Toyota Land Cruiser 200 (URJ202W) Facelift

2013 Toyota Land Cruiser

2013 Toyota Land Cruiser

2013 Toyota Land Cruiser interior

The Toyota Land Cruiser 200 (URJ202W) is the only V8-powered full-size SUV made in Japan. It was having a good time pummeling against rivals such as Mitsubishi Pajero and the Range Rover. You can see them commonly in the Middle East but it is rarely seen in the streets of Los Angeles, Manila, or even Tokyo. Sadly though it's not available in countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia because of the ASEAN-built Fortuner takes place.

This generation was been there for four years since its debut in late 2007 but for the 2013 model year, the Toyota LC200 deserved its mid-life facelift to keep it fresh for the only V8-powered SUV made in Japan. So for the exterior details, you should expect a new headlamp design, a new front bumper, new rims, and a new rear design. That should make it perfect to keep it more muscular for this flagship model.

Once again, the interior design looks the same as the previous model. It still features a choice of 5-seater and 7-seater, climate control, heated seats, available G-BOOK mX Pro HDD Navigation System, Toyota Premium Sound System with 18-speakers, rear-seat entertainment system, USB Connectivity, and a new "Shell" interior color. Guess that they've been running out of ideas but this interior is all about "Business Class" comfort. So, it was like you're on a business trip to the Middle East and going around for some Arab money. Well, knock yourself out...

The Toyota Land Cruiser 200 is powered by the 1UR-FE (4.6L V8) engine that produces 318PS of power and 460Nm of torque. With its Dual VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing-intelligent) and 6-speed Super ECT, it is capable of achieving a fuel economy of 6.9km/L based on Japan's JC08 Test Cycle. The Multi-Terrain Select allows the user to take advantage of five different modes based on terrain responses such as ROCK, ROCK & DIRT, MOGUL, LOOSE ROCK, and MUD & SAND. It even features Crawl Control, Variable Gear Ratio Steering, Active Height Control Suspension with Adaptive Variable Suspension System, and the most basic feature of them all is KDSS (Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System).

Available colors are White Pearl Crystal Shine, Silver Metallic, Gray Metallic, Black, Attitude Black Mica, Dark Red Mica Metallic, and Beige Mica Metallic.

My comment:
Keeping the LC200 updated is just one of the reasons why they want to keep the legendary Land Cruiser despite the tough times caused by the March 11 disaster, the European Debt Crisis, and the Thai Floods. Now if we could only hope for is sit down and wait for it to decide its fate.

Sales for this facelifted model start this January 6, 2012, and it will come soon in the Middle East and in the USA. Now, if we could hope is to wait for Toyota Motor Philippines to bring the facelifted LC200 soon or wait for some sneaky gray market importers, especially Auto Trend, to have one, especially if this one's a Dubai Version...

Photo: Toyota Motor Corporation.

Kim Jong-Il's Death

Kim Jong-Il

The death of North Korean leader, Kim Jong-Il, really sparked worldwide attention that a country like North Korea had lost the most powerful leader, a man who ruled with an iron fist and influenced the country's military power. As of that, we felt silent about the death of Kim Jong-Il,

Scoop: http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20111219_23.html

Because Kim Jong-Il ruled North Korea upon his father's death in 1994, there is a tendency that Kim Jong-Il's third son, Kim Jong Un will succeed but Kim Jong Un was just in his 20's and we believed that he's too young to continue his father's duties...

Scoop: http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20111219_21.html

Verdict: So what will North Korea do with the death of its leader? We never know...

The Run of Boss 302 Mustang 2012

2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302

Name: Ford Mustang Boss 302

Nationality: American

Top Speed: 155 MPH

0 to 60 Time: 5.1 seconds

BHP: 444 @ 7,400RPM

Performance: Tier 2

Handling: Very Difficult

Class: Muscle

Drivetrain: RWD

Manufacture Year: 2012

Description:

For the Ford Mustang's 2012 Model Year, the Boss 302 nameplate has been reborn and it uses the Ford Mustang GT V8 variant as its foundation. Although I do think that the Boss 302 Mustang is a sort of "in-the-middle" version of the legendary Mustang name. Why? Because it's sharper and faster than the regular Mustang but not as aggressive as the Shelby GT500. Anyway, this model uses the Mustang's V8 engine and it was tuned to have 444BHP of power. Best of all, it comes with Brembo front calipers and rotors, 3.73:1 limited slip differential, and an adjustable suspension that allows owners to switch through different modes for that "One Track Mind".

In The Run, it served as Eddie Cooke's main car, which is a boss at the start of Stage 10 (East Coast). Watch out because while you're facing against him at Tumbling Run, PA, his Boss 302 is one heck of a cornering maniac! Strategy is important!

Eddie Cooke's Ford Mustang Boss 302

New Bentley Continental GTC

2012 Bentley Continental GTC

Even when the company dubbed this the "second-generation" Bentley Continental GTC, it's still looked more like a minor change to the previous model, but still Bentley considers this a full model change, and the new Bentley Continental GTC, a convertible version of the Continental GT, is now all grown up as expected.

The new GTC is powered with the brute 6.0-litre W12 Twin Turbo engine, which has a maximum power output of 575PS/6000rpm and the torque output of 700N-m/6000rpm. The standard transmission is a ZF 6-speed tiptronic automatic transmission with paddle shifters. Coming soon is the V8 engine that delivers an impressive fuel economy and lower emissions, suitable for the eco-conscious driver.

My Comment:
Once again, the open top version of the Continental GT, the Continental GTC, looks almost identical as the previous model, but the new V12 engine really sure knows how this British sports car behaves just like the Italians and the Germans. It could almost be a perfect ride to the finest gentlemen's club in London, Tokyo, Dubai, Barcelona, New York, Paris, or Seoul but it will soon reveal its true self, something that will shock the others.

If Bentley arrives in the Philippines soon, well this could be our bet...

Photo: Bentley Motors Limited

A Real Nightmare Before Christmas

Flood caused by Typhoon Sendong

A nightmare before Christmas happened somewhere at Visayas and Mindanao. That is the typhoon Sendong (International Name: Washi) had caused all of these nightmares last Weekend. So far, over 600 people were killed and over 800 people remained missing.

Scoop: http://www.interaksyon.com/article/19896/sendong-600-feared-dead-in-cagayan-de-oro-iligan-bukidnon-negros

This is proven to be a real nightmare before Christmas for those who are affected by typhoon Sendong. We are very sad to see hundreds of people died or missing.

In fact, the Philippine Red Cross is always open for those who are ready to donate for Typhoon Sendong victims. For donations, visit http://www.redcross.org.ph/donatenow

Thank you and have a safe Christmas everybody!

Photo: Top Gear Philippines (Facebook)

Wow Mali pranks - December 18, 2011

As Christmas draws near, more pranks pulled by Joey De Leon, Doray Alaskadora, Enchong Go, and everyone at the December 18, 2011 episode of Wow Mali!

1) Nightmare Before Christmas - AFREAK! Creepy things happened when someone left alone! Especially when there were zombie carolers!

2) Gusto mo bang magkapera ngayong pasko? - Need cash for the holidays? Sorry but you have to be freaked out by them carolers!

3) Malamig ba ang pasko mo? - This girl asked "Is your Christmas cold?" Perhaps it's your skin that is not cold for the holidays?!

4) 8 Feet Christmas Tree - An eight-feet Christmas tree? More like, 8-inch to us!

5) X-Mas Heart - 8 Feet Christmas Tree not enough? How about a X-Mas Heart? DISCLAIMER: Claim your gift this February 14! That's Valentine's Day to you, jerks!

6) Star Confusion - Celebs like Michael Flores and Tessie Prieto-Valdes got their butts kicked on another Star Confusion!

Michael Flores

Tessie Prieto-Valdes

7) Gift Wrap Machine - Is gift-wrapping by hand hard? Try our Gift Wrap Machine! Warning: Results Unsure

8) Gift Wrap Barubal - Gift Wrap Machine not your thing? How about lend it to someone who can gift wrap faster than what you think? Warning: Her gift wrapping style is rubbish...

Simbang Gabi with the Bulilits!

What just happened at the December 18, 2011 episode of Goin Bulilit?

- Goin Bulilit music video of Da Best ang Pasko ng Pilipino by Maria Aragon

- Simbang Gabi jokes

- Ligawan sa Hatinggabi

- Watch out gay boys! Here comes Manila Queenpin! The Acheng Salong-Gay Story... (Uh, is that the Manila Kingpin parody?!)

- Meet Robotic Santa, a robot version of Santa Claus that scares everybody!

- Segunda Manny, a Segunda Mano spoof...

- Ready Get Set Goin in Santa Clash!

English speaking involved on Lokomoko

What just happened at December 18, 2011 episode of Lokomoko?

- Christmas in the Snow gags. English Speaking involved.

- Another Lokomentado segment and this time the crew are commenting about Jenny Miller's answers.

- Another dramatic episode of Babuyan where Donya Martha demands an ultimatum to Pedring and the whole family to leave in order to save Pedring's piglet.

- Another Lokomentado segment where the gang asks about Rodjun Cruz's answers

- Whose Line is it Anyhow?!

1) Close naman tayo hindi ba? Natutulog nga ako kung saan ka natutulog. Kinakain ko ang kinakain mo. Kahit saan ka pumunta, nandoon din ako. Bakit gusto mo akong paalisin? - Bulate

2) Kaya kitang apak-apakan at sipa-sipain! - Paa

3) Ano ba?! Wag niyo akong hipun...Nakakahiya!!! - Makahiya

4) Type na type ko ang sulat mo! - Typewriter

5) Lagi na lang akong buy 1 take 1! - Medyas/Sapatos

6) Sabi nila may tililing ako - Bell

7) Ikaw ang bugaw ko! - Langaw

Promised to kick the RX-8's back and vomit the Brera's face

When the new Volkswagen Scirocco came here on FM3, we thought that this was our only chance to try out Volkswagen's explosive hot hatch because it was sold in most parts of the world but not in the USA and in the Philippines. Turns out some rejected ad made by Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson and James May were right (reference to Season 13 Episode 7 of Top Gear). The Scirocco has its back kicked by the Mazda RX-8 and the face was vomited by the Alfa Romeo Brera.

Warming up this Scirocco R
for today's Hockenheimring match!

The regular Scirocco got sick of having its back side kicked by the Mazda RX-8 and its face vomited by the Alfa Romeo Brera so by solving this, the November Speed DLC Pack included the all new Volkswagen Scirocco R. This was meant to be promised to counter these attacks but is it worth a drool-worthy V-Dub? James May, better reject that jingle you made for the Scirocco and Jeremy Clarkson, prep up some explosives because this new Scirocco R is EXPLOSIVE!

The Scirocco R is STIG APPROVED!

The Scirocco R is heavily inspired from its experiences from the 24 Hours Nurburgring race. Thanks to its dual victory at the 24 Hours Nurburgring, this was the first of its kind on Volkswagen's new R lineup consisting of this and the Golf VI R. Speaking of which, you might think that the Scirocco R and the Golf R are like two sides of the same coin because it was powered by the EA113 (2.0L T-GDi) engine but no. While the Golf R produces 267 HP of power and 254lb-ft of torque, the Scirocco R produces 261 HP of power and 258lb-ft of torque. It is believed that the Golf R is better than the Scirocco R because it has more power and more importantly, it's All-Wheel Drive. However, despite the lag, the Scirocco R has more torque and lighter than the Golf R. Seems like these two are going to be somewhat "neck-and-neck" between those two.

You should know that this hatch
was developed for Nurburgring purposes!

The Scirocco R could be the most explosive Scirocco ever built but still a modified Mazda RX-8 will kick its back side and a modified Alfa Romeo Brera will vomit on its face. This car is all about "power with responsibility" not "Berlin to Warsaw in one full tank". Who knows, this might cause a Mass Exodus among V-Dub fans worldwide. Sorry VW but you'll gonna have to be better than that! The world God only knows that this one could be "STIG APPROVED" if I tried it on the Top Gear Test Track...

Those who're playing Forza 4 and downloaded the November Speed DLC Pack; Get Ahead. Get a new Scirocco R. For people who valued their arms...

Google Let It Snow Easter Egg

Let It Snow

As heard from most sources, when most people typed "Let It Snow" at Google, what they'll be experiencing that the Google page drops snow and then it got covered in snow until they clicked the "Deforst" button to remove the snow. No wonder there's another Google easter egg happened since the "Do A Barrel Roll" part.

Scoop: http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2133545/Let-It-Snow-Google-Easter-Egg-Blankets-Search-Results-in-Snow

BANANA SPLIT CLOWN IN A MILLION UPDATE 12/17/11

At the December 17, 2011 episode of Banana Split, the remaining four contestants are struggling to vie as the remaining three and for that challenge, they have to impersonate the most famous personalities. Karen Dematera impersonates as Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, while Super Tekla impersonates as Mommy Dionesia, then Onse impersonates as Annabelle Rama, and Mimi Aringo impersonates as Miriam Defensor-Santiago!

Talk about craziness, huh? But guess who got kicked out from the competition? Onse got eliminated!

A whole family of Stigs...

The Stig Family Sticker

This looks weird by Gearhead created some kind of "Stig Family Sticker" that costs $7. Like what it said, "Some Say He's A Family Man..." Guess this features, The Stig, Mrs. Stig, Stig kids, a "Baby Stig" (remember that from the Top Gear Christmas Special 2010?) two Stig dogs and two Stig cats.

This could be "Stig Approved" but rubbish...

Scoop: http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/17/stig-family-stickers-are-a-nifty-stocking-stuffer/

PSVita

PlayStation Vita

Welcome the big one! The all-new, all-compact, PlayStation Vita (or PSVita) from Sony. Now, there are two reasons about this new PSVita. One: How did they name it after the character from Nanoha (or also the Japanese version of the Opel Corsa)? And Two: How can be possibly be better than the old PSP and the Nintendo 3DS?

Well, certainly, at the suggested retail price of 24,980 Japanese Yen (or my guessing price would be 25,000 Philippine Pesos) for the standard PSVita Wi-Fi variant up to 29,980 Japanese Yen (or my guessing price would be 30,000 Philippine Pesos) for the flagship 3G/Wi-Fi variant, I was gonna say that this is somewhat too expensive than the 3DS...

The Playstation Vita is dubbed as the Next Generation Portable that will soon replace the old and aging PSP, although sales will continue with lowered price, and this could be the tip of Sony's technological iceberg, we think. Primarily, the PS Vita features two analog sticks, motion sensor, and touch screen that lets you play hard but it won't let you kill yourself and that's also the tip of Sony's technological iceberg.

You can never get too bored with this because the Playstation Vita allows connectivity among other players socially and for added fun, it is packed with two cameras, which is great for taking pictures and can be great for some augmented reality games just for fun. Then we get to the Cross Platform Play part, that there are some PS3 games allow PSVita owners to continue their progress on the go. For example, pretty soon, Konami will release an update on the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection that lets players continue their MGS2 and MGS3 progress via PSVita.

Sadly though, the PSVita's internal memory is 512MB so it can be somewhat too small to store everything and with that, you might need to spend some cash for some bespoke PSVita Memory Cards ranging from 4GB to 32GB.

However, there are rules:

1) The PSVita has a "one account per console" policy. Memory Cards are linked to PSN accounts but owners can use memory cards in PSVita to which the account is attached.

2) Vita owners would have to format their data and reset factory settings in order to sign in with a different account.

3) In-game trophies can only be earned on the system the game was started. If you play a game with another PSVita, you may not earn trophies.

4) Backup files can be possible to a PS3 or PC but data saved to the Vita game card cannot be backed up.

5) Screenshots can be take by pressing the power button and the power button simultaneously.

6) Charge times will be 2 hours and 40 minutes. Battery life will be around 3-5 hours for gameplay

7) The PSVita supports 18 languages, including English, French, Spanish, German, Japanese, and others.

My comment:
I never heard everything about Sony's next generation portable but the "one account per console" policy seems to be somewhat very harsh. Even though that this one's region-free, and it provides freedom to play PSP games no matter which language is this game, especially Japanese, you should be careful about the "one account per console" policy.

Over the moments in Japan, we experienced about limited edition PSP games in the market that features figures, especially most are Nendoroids and figmas. Do we think that the PSVita will have a very different experience? Not sure but be patient.

The PSVita has nothing wrong with it but there's no heart. It's like it was engineered by science and this would have been a proper gentleman's new hand held console.

Driving Music (What is the name of the song on car commercial?) Volume 20

Well, car enthusiasts who are addicted to car commercial songs, hope we're happy about the delays of the nightmarish SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) vote. But don't think of it that we've won. Watch out because if that could happen next year, there's only one suggestion: RACE FOR YOUR LIFE!

Yes, we said it. RACE FOR YOUR LIFE...

Remember that it wasn't our fault about this whole online piracy stuff. You should know that there are some songs featured in car commercials worldwide and we, as car enthusiasts, became the cause of this and we respected that, a bit. We may think that we are "Rebels With a Car", but just imagine if the SOPA bill is passed, The Stig will have nothing to hear it on a certain car audio while performing some hot laps at the Top Gear Test Track.

Know this, Car Commercial Songs not only that are favorites among car enthusiasts, it will soon be "Stig Approved". For now, here's another set of five Driving Musics (Car Commercial Songs) that will soon to be STIG APPROVED.

5) Bing Bang by Ohashi Trio - as heard on the latest Toyota Ractis commercial. The commercial featuring the world's largest UFO Catcher at Roppongi Hills.

4) Theme from Harry's Game by Clannad - as heard on the 2005 Lexus GS Japanese commercial

3) Story by Yuzu - as heard on the 2007 Toyota Ractis Japanese commercial

2) Your Heart Is As Black As Night by Melody Gardot - As heard from the 2011 Renault Bose Edition lineup French commercial

1) Exaelitus by Yoko Kanno and ORIGA - as heard from the 2006 Lexus LS460 Japanese commercial.

And there you go! I hope those can be "STIG APPROVED" and yes, all those car commercial songs I've mentioned in our past entries would be sure that will turn us into an army of Stigs. Or a whole family of Stigs. See you then!

GT5's Red Bull X2010 replica coming at 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon

Red Bull X2010 S. Vettel

The Red Bull X2010 is Gran Turismo 5's finest speed machine that exceeds expectations, especially that this racecar is "Stig Approved" when we perform some "shakedown tests" round the Top Gear Test Track.

Word from the public is that the 1:1 Scale Model of the Red Bull X2010 will make its live appearance at the 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon and the Fukuoka Motor Show 2012. This will make a good opportunity for Japanese GT5 players to see the Red Bull X2010 replica live and in person!

Scoop: http://www.gran-turismo.com/jp/news/d15599.html

MMP

What just happened on the December 16, 2011 episode of Bubble Gang?

- Simbang gabi gags

- Another Balitang News on the way!

Balitang News

- A rich man meets a hungry beggar...

- Cheche and Bureche are out for some putubumbong!

Cheche Bureche

- Walang himala, pero may Bel Monte Tomato Sauce! Bubble Gang does Del Monte Tomato Sauce, the only one with MMK, by spoofing this commercial as Bel Monte Tomato Sauce, the only one with MMP! Hulog ng langit! Hulog ng Bel Monte!

Bubble Gang does Del Monte Tomato Sauce!

- A rich man meets a hungry beggar...again.

- Discover an innovative way of Christmas Caroling online!

- A rich man meets a hungry beggar...and a snatcher

- Christmas is never complete without Pick Up Lines courtesy of Sukli, Bagwis, and Boy Pick Up!

1) Christmas lights ka ba? Kasi ang sarap mong pag-masdan!

2) Sana mahina ang pundasyon mo. Para mahulog ka sa akin!

3) Doktor ka ba? Kasi ginamot mo ang puso kong sugatan.

4) Bosing ka ba? Kasi I love you mama tsup tsup!

5) Kapag kasama kita, mayaman ako. Kasi pag wala ka, mahirap!

6) Pakasal tayo bukas! Kasi, ang deodorant ko, guyabano!

7) I-delete mo na ako sa contacts mo. I-save mo na lang sa puso mo!

8) Saging ka ba? Ngayon ka lang!

- A rich man meets a hungry beggar...and the beggar gives some of his newspaper to the rich man!

- IyoTube in I Lay My Love on You

- Lesson Learned: Santa exists after all...

Best Motor TV coming to BS NTV this Monday!

We're getting pity about the demise of Best MOTORing, the Japanese motoring DVD magazine. Even when its tuner car cousin, Hot Version, given its second coming, we missed it. Luckily though, we were glad that there is a new motoring TV show that is going to be "next best thing" since Best MOTORing. It's titled "BEST MOTOR TV" (ベストモーターTV). In their pilot episode, the Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera, 2012MY Nissan GT-R, and the Porsche 911 GT2 RS are having a massive fist fight at the Motegi. Best Motor TV is slated to air this Monday, December 19, 2011, 11:30 PM Japan Standard Time, at BS NTV. I'm sure most Japanese car addicts who stayed up all night will watch this...

Jaguar XJ tuning by Startech

2012 Startech Jaguar XJ

Startech, the sister company of Brabus, modifies the Jaguar XJ but that only applies on appearance instead of performance. In here, it comes with 21-inch rims, aero kits, choice of leather and Alcantara seats, stainless-steel trapezoid exhausts, available internet connectivity, and much more. 

Scoop: http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2011/12/startech-adds-style-but-no-speed-to.html

Google Chrome meets Hatsune Miku!

Hatsune Miku Google Chrome theme

Now if you remember that there was a Hatsune Miku theme for your Google Chrome browser which you can download it and use it while surfing on the new using Google Chrome. Pretty cool, huh? Now Google Japan is showcasing a clip about Hatsune Miku and Google Chrome. This clip is all about inspiration and gosh, it even features a song from Hatsune Miku's Los Angeles concert.

Once again, this virtual idol quickly growing her popularity just like what happened in a North American Toyota commercial a couple of months ago.

Scoop: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2011-12-15/google-chrome-japanese-ad-with-hatsune-miku-streamed

Gran Turismo 5 announces 2nd DLC Pack and Update 2.02

Nissan GT-R N24 Schulze Motorsport

There's some good news for GT5 players everywhere! Sony just announced that next week, GT5 update 2.02 and the game's 2nd DLC Pack will come! So what's new on the Update 2.02? Players can now change rims on their Standard Tier cars, GT Auto car maintenance affects Performance Points, "max. number of participants" regulations at the My Lounge, improved racing sound, and of course, be the first to try out the 2013 Toyota 86!

2013 Toyota 86

In case you haven't heard of it, this is the production version of the FT-86 Concept as seen on the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show. This is Toyota's first FR sports car in collaboration with Subaru and it was already made a world premiere at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show. The new 86 (Hachi-Roku) is powered by a 2.0L D-4S Boxer Engine that produces 200PS of power and 205Nm of torque. It doesn't come out until the first quarter of 2012 but GT5 secures exclusive rights to this car because Gran Turismo 5 and Toyota Motor Corporation had become hand-in-hand and this car is now synonymous to this game.

The 2013 Toyota 86 is coming exclusively on Gran Turismo 5's Update 2.02! Be the first to try it! (And yes, The Stig is welcomed to try it at the Top Gear Test Track!)

For Gran Turismo 5's 2nd DLC, customers are pleased to pay 3.99 US Dollars to obtain four cool rides such as the 2012 Nissan GT-R Black Edition, 2011 Mini Cooper S, 2010 Volkswagen Golf R, and 2010 Volkswagen Scirocco R!

Yes, this is going to be the best Christmas gift ever, even The Stig likes it!

Scoop: http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/12/14/gran-turismo-5-new-dlc-and-update-2-02-coming-next-week/

Leopaul's Heaven and Hell: About all these Hakusensha titles...

Well, when I say "Heaven and Hell" it feels like my new segment is somewhat inspired from the Clarkson DVD titled Clarkson: Heaven and Hell. Guess I am motivated about this whole "Heaven and Hell" part and if I found one that is considered Heaven, I accept it but if I found it to be Hell, just forget it and wreck it. Mostly those should be "tortured to death" soon, just like what happened at the Clarkson Heaven and Hell DVD. For my pilot entry, let's find out what's so good (or bad) about manga titles made by Hakusensha, which were later adapted into anime, drama, and others.

Those titles like Ouran High School Host Club, Gakuen Alice, Fruits Basket, Maid-Sama, La Corda D'Oro, Special A, Skip Beat, and Vampire Knight. They're very famous among teenage readers today. Yes, those titles were exactly are titles made by Hakusensha. So why the heck that most titles made by Hakusensha were exactly too popular? I'm not sure though, and besides, I don't read manga titles published by Hakusensha, even when they were translated in English.

These days, most youngsters love watching anime that features ninjas, pirates, robots, and so on. Now, why would some prefer love stories? For me, anime love stories, especially most were based on a Hakusensha-made manga was just rubbish, and I do mean rubbish. What was the point if you have a liking over a female protagonist in the name of Haruhi Fujioka or Tohru Honda or Misaki Ayuzawa, it was like what the heck was that? Imagine if I pick up that Maid-Sama manga I have last Christmas and what am I going to do? Simple, I would get a meat cleaver and chop the whole manga angrily and saying:

THAT IS FOR BIG...THE BIGGEST LOAD OF UNIMAGINATIVE JUNK EVER... THIS IS JUST A WHITE GOOD...THIS IS JUST WRITTEN WITH NO SOUL...NO FLAIR...NO PASSION...LIKE A FRIDGE IN A WASHING MACHINE AND THIS...IS FOR EVERY TIME I CAUGHT A MANGA LIKE YOU...

Never getting bored about this.

What I don't like about all these manga titles made by Hakusensha is that you get a sense they were made not by one author who wanted to make a good manga but by a corporation who wanted to make good money. Pretty soon, those love story manga titles made by Hakusensha will be soon be tortured to death.

Merchandising-wise of course, there is not even a single one that made figures based on characters from animes that were based on mangas made from Hakusensha. Yeah, you won't probably see PVC figures of characters like Haruhi Fujioka, Misaki Ayuzawa, Tohru Honda or Kahoko Hino. While male characters from those I've mentioned were too popular, why they're not made into figures just so the women can enjoy it while doing their homework at their desks? Are there PVC figures of the boys from Furuba, Maid-Sama, Vampire Knight, or Ouran? Definitely no. Figmas and Nendoroids of those? Not a chance. Despite most are highly successful, what they actually lack is merchandising. and the lack of figures based on Hakusensha-made characters. What they're good up is just only cosplay materials.

One thing in question is the Usa-chan plush. You see in most anime conventions, if you want to cosplay as Honey-sempai, it wouldn't be complete without a pink bunny named "Usa-Chan". Sadly, there's a problem. There's no store in Japan that would sell an official Usa-Chan plush. Even when you check at sites like Amazon.co.jp, Amiami, or Hobby Link Japan, they don't really have an Usa-Chan plush. Seems that they are getting forced to make their own Usa-Chan but it can be somewhat inaccurate and they can't replicate the real Usa-chan. How disappointing...

That's why I don't like those titles made by Hakusensha because of the lack of merchandising, and also the lack of figures. If they took my advice, maybe that most companies will be offered to create figures based on characters appeared on Hakusensha titles such as Ouran, Maid-Sama, Vampire Knight, Furuba, and other Hakusensha-made titles most girls loved. If that happened in the future, most girls would love it. Who knows, there will be Nendoroid versions of their favorite Ouran boys such as Suoh, Kyoya-sempai, Mori-senpai, Honey-senpai, and the twins named Hikaru and Kaoru. In the meantime, NO. That idea won't be happened.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading.

Porsche 991 tuning by TechArt

TechArt Porsche 911 Carrera (991)

Now, we don't feature tuning cars on this blog, but today, we are. For the first time in 991 history, TechArt modifies the Porsche 911 Carrera (Type 991) for the first time but however, no performance upgrades occurred. Just refinements on the exterior and interior.

Source: http://www.netcarshow.com/techart/2012-porsche_911_carrera/

TechArt offers first individualization options for the new Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera S. In addition to the wide-ranging program for the interior refinement like the TechArt full leather interior or the sport steering wheel variations, the TechArt forged light alloy wheels in sizes of 20- and 21-inch ensure a unique individualization for the new Porsche 911.

Craftsmanship in the interior

In the interior of the 911 the TechArt 3-spokes sport steering wheel provides pure individualization: finest materials, perfect ergonomics and handcrafted in the TechArt manufactory. Furthermore the TechArt paddle shifters ensure a precise control as well as a quick shifting - for a maximum of driving pleasure and motorsport feeling on-track and on-road driving.

Moreover numerous other individualization options for the 911-interior give the car the unique character of its driver. From the full leather interior with a decorative stitching in custom colour or in a sporty diamond design to tasteful styling packages in carbon fibre or an individual colour combination, TechArt sets no limits to the customer's wishes. Additional highlights are decorative accents in finest leather or alcantara.

Exterior refinement for the Porsche 911

TechArt customers are looking forward to the upcoming spring to satisfy their desire of driving pleasure and driving dynamics. With the beginning of the warmer times of the year TechArt offers its customers the classic and elegant five-spoke TechArt Formula light alloy wheel in 20- and 21-inch size for the 991. Its flowing shape incorporates large spaces between the spokes and gives a finishing touch to the car. This results not only in a clear view of the braking system, with painted callipers in custom colour as an option, but also in effective heat dispersal. Furthermore the TechArt Formula III forged light alloy wheel with five dynamically shaped twin-spokes is available at spring in the same sizes. A weight advantage of up to 15 % compared to a light alloy wheel results in a reduction of the rotating and unsprung mass and increased driving dynamics of the Porsche 911.

In combination to the unique wheel design, the TechArt sport tailpipes made of polished stainless steel with a dual oval tube or a round tube as well as exterior trim parts in carbon fibre or custom colour let the new 911 be an unmistakable individual piece.

SUDA 51'S SDATCHER -INSPIRED by SNATCHER-

SUDA 51's SDATCHER
Inspired by SNATCHER

Inspired from the classic video game, SNATCHER, SDATCHER is an audio drama in partnership with Kojima Productions, creators of Metal Gear, and Goichi Suda, the creator behind the No More Heroes series. Now you may probably already heard it during Kojima Productions' official web radio, HIDERADIO.

Sadly, only six episodes were featured and yes, this drama CD includes not just all of it but it features the final episode, soon to be aired on HIDERADIO. It features a power cast of Akio Otsuka (Snake from Metal Gear series) as Jean-Jack Gibson, Hochu Otsuka (Galvez/Zadornov from Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker) as Cristian Gainsbourg, Tetsuya Yanagihara from America Zarigani as Steevo, Tomokazu Sugita (Kaz from Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker) as Dominic Blackhead, Yumi Kikuchi as Lisa Nielsen, and much more.

Yes, the first Disc features all seven episodes of SDATCHER audio drama and the second disc is the soundtrack featuring original music score by Akira Yamaoka. A must have for those who caught up with SDATCHER from Kojima Productions' HIDERADIO and this is a wonderful collaboration between Hideo Kojima and SUDA51.

Track Listings:

DISC ONE:
01 ACT1 OPENING
02 ACT1
03 ACT2 OPENING
04 ACT2
05 ACT3 OPENING
06 ACT3
07 ACT4 OPENING
08 ACT4
09 ACT5 OPENING
10 ACT5
11 ACT6 OPENING
12 ACT6
13 ACT7 OPENING
14 ACT7
15 END CREDITS

DISC TWO:
01 Undercover
02 Sdatcher (Main Titles)
03 Counterfeit
04 A Man And The World
05 Rug Hunt
06 Trap
07 Old Friend
08 Zero Contact
09 Bioroid
10 Negotiate
11 Suspicious Vessel
12 Head Shot
13 Bodies
14 Drowse
15 Red Eyes
16 Ultraviolet
17 Cargo Owner
18 Top Of The Tower
19 Undead Souls
20 Gibson
21 Chris Knows
22 Creeping Silence (Ver.51)
23 Diner Warsaw
24 Farewell
25 End Titles

British Parliament takes on BBC for Clarkson!

Jeremy Clarkson

Another day, another anti-Clarkson related report that made them saying that they want too poo in their hands and throw it on Jeremy Clarkson. Get it? It's like he's blaming for outrageous reasons that made this Top Gear veteran a "public nuisance".

A report from most British presses saying that members of the UK Parliament calling the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) to fire Jeremy Clarkson because of his comments against union workers when he was guested on "One Show". Luckily, Mark Thompson, director general of BBC, defended Clarkson because "he is one of UK's chief cultural exports".

No matter how many times the public wants Clarkson gone, he will stand up and he's always immortal. No one can defeat, not even a several Jeremy Clarksons came from Clarkson Island! Get it? Clarkson Island, it was a sketch from Harry and Paul. Don't know? It was the comedy where the Filipinos got offended because of the Filipina maid featured in Harry and Paul.

Scoop: http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/13/uk-parliament-comes-down-on-bbc-over-jeremy-clarkson/

Mark your name in the Metal Gear Solid history!

Konami launched the new Metal Gear Solid official website for MG fans to share their Metal Gear memories and of course, fans will mark their names on the Metal Gear history that span over 2 centuries.

Not only that, you can also catch up the Metal Gear Rising: Revengance trailer as seen on the 2011 Spike TV Video Game Awards as well as other Metal Gear-related clips!

This new official site is the great way to share the fondest Metal Gear memories! Loving your work, Mr. Kojima!

Scoop: http://www.konami.com/article/KONAMI_UNITES_METAL_GEAR_SOLID_FANS_AROUND_WORLD/253

URL: http://www.metalgearsolid.com/

The Top Gear Car Football Superstars - The Aygo and the Fox

On a certain episode of Top Gear, Richard Hammond invented Car Soccer to see how well the Toyota Aygo's handling is. Yes, with him and his selection of racing and stunt veterans, he faces off against James May and his team of selected racing and stunt veterans. Seems that the Aygo's pretty well in this game not only because it was made in the Czech Republic, but its because this nippy little compact handled well. Until moments later, the Volkswagen Fox came and they're very good at this game because the Fox was built from Brazil and Brazilians are good at football (even that they'll be hosting the 2014 World Cup).

The Toyota Aygo used in Top Gear Car Soccer

The Volkswagen Fox used in Top Gear Car Soccer

Yes, both the Volkswagen Fox and the Toyota Aygo are starter cars at Forza Motorsport 4. It's hard to turn these rookies into superstars in racing and "Car Football" and it takes more than getting used to. The Fox might have more power than the Aygo, but the Aygo weighs less than the Fox. Overall, they're fierce rivals and it's the player's judgement to decide which of these two are deserved to be trained to be a superstar in both racing and Car Soccer alike. Yes, it will be like good old friendly competition between the two idiots; one whose initials are R.H. and another one whose initials are J.M. But since I don't know who are those, we'll let you decide the fate of these two compacts if most of you are playing Forza 4 for the first time.

The New Sound of Bentley

2013 Bentley Continental GT V8

The 2013 Bentley Continental GT V8 is the new sound of Bentley It's powered by the all new 4.0L V8 engine that produces 500HP of power and 660Nm of torque. This allows the new Continental GT V8 to go in the 5-second acceleration time for the 0-60mph sprint and 180mph of top speed thanks to its all-new 8-speed Paddle Shift Transmission. It will debut at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan this January!

Scoop: http://www.netcarshow.com/bentley/2013-continental_gt_v8/

American cars that should have featured at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show

The 2011 Tokyo Motor Show might be over but most car enthusiasts all over Japan have savored Japan's finest motor show while it lasted. What I'm worried that there are some car companies were absent, mostly those Big 3 from Detroit. If they were present, they could have made their Japan premieres. Here's the list of the American cars that should have featured at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show

1) Chrysler 300 - This was supposed to come here because the new Chrysler logo is what they want. Unfortunately, with Chrysler Group absent at the Tokyo Motor Show, Japanese car enthusiasts will never see the new logo of Chrysler. There was an Italian version of the Chrysler 300, which is known as the Lancia Thema, and hopefully a direct importer, Garage Italya, will get a hands on with the new Lancia Thema.

クライスラー・３００Ｃ

2) Chrysler Town & Country/Grand Voyager - A facelifted Chrysler Grand Voyager is what few Japanese car enthusiasts who love American cars want but sadly, this facelifted version never came and yet, Japan will never see the new Chrysler logo. Like the 300, the Grand Voyager has its Italian cousin, the Lancia Voyager, and hopefully, Garage Italya will get the memo to bring the Lancia Voyager to Japan. Chrysler Japan should have bring the new Grand Voyager to Japan!

クライスラー・グランドボイジャー

3) Chrysler 200 - Yes, Chrysler Japan should have brought the new Chrysler 200, in sedan and convertible, in Japan but it failed. Hopefully, direct importers like BUBU would be glad if they can put the Chrysler 200 in the Shutokou.

クライスラー・２００

4) Dodge Charger - Fast fact, Japanese never saw the new Dodge logo. This new Dodge Charger looks perfect to be at the Daikoku parking area and it can look good while driving at the Shutokou by night. Unfortunately, another failed effort for Chrysler Japan.

ダッジ・チャージャーＳＲＴ８

5) Ford Focus - Yes, the third-generation Ford Focus is now made to be global. In fact, South Korea is the first Asian country to have this new model while we're still waiting when will countries like the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and other ASEAN countries have one. However, for a country like Japan, they never get that memo. If the 2012 Ford Focus made a Japan premiere at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, it would have been a good competitor against other Japanese cars. So, when will Ford Japan have the 2012 Ford Focus?

フォード・フォーカス

6) Ford C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi - Both the Ford C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi should have made its Asia Premiere at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show but it's just another failed attempt.

フォード・Ｃ－ＭＡＸハイブリッド

7) Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 - The upcoming Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 should have made its Asia Premiere at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show and it could have been the sports car that stole the show. Now, why did General Motors became absent at the 2011 TMS? This event should have been look cool with this!

シボレー・カマロＺＬ１

8) Chevrolet Malibu - The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu is now a global midsize sedan, in fact, it is now on sale in South Korea. Now why the 2013 Malibu did not made its Japan Premiere at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show. It can be a good competitor to the Toyota Camry, Mazda Atenza, Honda Accord, Honda Inspire, or even the Subaru Legacy B4.

シボレー・マリブ

9) Chevrolet Spark - Most Japanese already watched Transformers Revenge of the Fallen and Transformers Dark of the Moon and this Chevrolet Spark became the epitome of Autobots Skids and Mudflap. Now, how come Skids and Mudflap never came to Japan? The Chevrolet Spark is a global compact car and yes, it's coming in the USA very soon but how come the Chevrolet Spark never came in Tokyo? Guess they'll have to make do by playing Forza Motorsport 4. General Motors Japan, when will you have the Chevrolet Spark?

シボレー・スパーク

10) Chevrolet Cruze - This global compact sedan should have made its Japan premiere but no, they don't. Take note that Japan has such thing as a Chevrolet Cruze, as a Suzuki-made hatchback based on the Suzuki Ignis. If the Cruze sedan made it in Japan, they should have change its name to differentiate it from the Suzuki-made Chevrolet Cruze.

シボレー・クルーズ

If those cars made their way in Japan, who knows?

Wow Mali pranks - December 11, 2011

Just a few weeks left, it's Christmas! So let's savor it with the pranks pulled from the December 11, 2011 episode of Wow Mali!

1) AYY Pilik Mata - Those people are getting freaked out by other people's eyelashes! AYY!!!

2) Paperbag Ulo - One woman says "Can you please carry my paperbag?" Careful because some head will pop up in front of you.

3) Basura Kayo Dyan - Garbage man throws some garbage in your house!

4) Doray Alaskadora - Doray's decorating yourself with some XMAS DECOR!

Doray decorates this man!

5) Angry Girl - This woman approaching to you is so hot-headed, you may think that she's insulting you.

6) Star Confusion - Celebrities Tyrone Perez, Katherine Luna, and Gerald Madrid got CONFUSED in everyone's favorite segment! STAR CONFUSION!

Tyrone Perez

Katherine Luna

Gerald Madrid

7) Bunot Santa - Get your hand inside the gift box and be grabbed by the hand inside of it!

8) Libre Basa - Free to read or free to get soaked?