Monday, November 8, 2010

Nissan Serena C26

2011 Nissan Serena Highway Star


The Nissan Serena, as far as I know, was a family-safe minivan built by Nissan since its debut as the Vanette Serena in 1991, then the Serena followed a full change in 1999 as the Serena C24 (currently sold in Taiwan and in the Philippines). In 2005, the Nissan Serena underwent to a full model change, dubbed the Serena C25 (never forget that Suzuki has one of these as the Landy). I cannot believe why we did not have this model. Now, things are going to change differently as 2010 marks the change of Japan's best-selling minivan. Ladies and gentlemen, here's your 2011 Nissan Serena C26.




2011 Nissan Serena


The new Nissan Serena C26 is now even eco-friendlier than its predecessor, which means it's better than the best. The only oddity is, the exterior of the Nissan Serena C26 is much more of an upgraded C25 with the front view similar to the Ford Fusion. Anyway, the Nissan Serena comes in three various forms; the base variant (20G, 20S, 20X), the high-end Highway Star, and the Autech-modified Serena Rider (now in C26 basis).




2011 Nissan Serena Rider


Most Serena C26 variants are equipped with the new MR20DD direct injection engine (much like Hyundai's GDi 1.6L engine, even better) that produces 147PS of power output and the fuel economy of 15.4km/L! The Serena C26's fuel efficiency toppled the fuel efficiency of rival minivans such as the Toyota Noah and Voxy, or even the Honda StepWGN and StepWGN Spada, but its fuel efficiency was not enough to topple the likes of the third-generation Mazda Premacy. To achieve its true eco status, the Nissan Serena comes equipped with the idling stop system and XTRONIC CVT. A new eco meter is added to ensure the C26's status as well as its driving condition and fuel economy. As far as I can see, the Nissan Serena is the fourth kind of the Nissan Pure Drive range consisting of the new Nissan March K13, Nissan X-Trail Clean Diesel, and the recently launched Fuga (Infiniti M) Hybrid.




2011 Nissan Serena interior


A major change in the interior can be an intriguing fact, but the Serena C26's family-safe status is a sure thing to keep a Japanese family entertained for more. By the way, the Serena C26 is just like the new Premacy, it's a 6+1 seater thanks to the middle seat on the 2nd row that can be folded as a armrest, a multi-table, or as a tissue box. There are 14 seating arrangements offered for the new Serena, finding which suits your situation is a good fit for this minivan. Good to know that some features found in the Nissan Elgrand E52 are passed on the Serena C26 such as the one-touch auto slide door, panoramic roof, 11-inch rear-view monitor, a sunshade roll, and an extra compartment at the rear. It seems friendly that this one is cheaper than the behemoth Elgrand E52.

My thoughts about the Serena:

This new Serena is even more better than the Yulon-built C24 Serena we have in the Philippines because not only the Serena has the sense of style, or even it had some of the features from the Alphard-killing Elgrand, but also it has the same idling stop technology derived from the latest Nissan March. It's like the Elgrand and March all fused into one. It comes in eight colors; Solid White, Brilliant White Pearl, Brilliant Silver Metallic, Blade Silver Metallic (available in base variants), Super Black, Natural Herb Metallic (new color, only available in base variants), Steel Blue Metallic (found in Juke 16GT) and Aurora Mauve Multiflex (available in Highway Star). It seems the high-end Highway Star variant will be put customers under its spell, but the Serena Autech Rider can be a fitting choice for hardcore minivan enthusiasts. The best-seller has got even more...better!

Photo: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

Toyota Motor Corporation Pays Tribute to Mr. Hiromu Naruse

When legendary Toyota test driver, Hiromu Naruse, died in a car crash, where the Lexus LFA Nurburgring Edition prototype and a BMW sedan crashed face to face, it seems most JDM Toyota fans will never forget such a tragic event happened. His death was a huge lost to Toyota Motor Corporation, when this automaker was still in recall crisis.

Every JDM Toyota fans from around the globe will always remember Mr. Hiromu Naruse as a master test driver, and even a mentor to them. He was the man responsible to give birth of our ever favorite Toyota sports cars.

For that, Toyota Motor Corporation (company behind the Toyota and Lexus models) made a special tribute clip as a salute for the Nur-meister.




As always...

NEVER FORGET

Nur-Meister

The spirit of Toyota sports cars will live on just when the Lexus LFA comes.


SUPER NOISY HONDA CR-Z TUNER CARS!



Here we go again! As I keep on hearing the noise coming out on modified Hondas such as the Civic, Prelude, Accord, Fit, NSX, or Integra (Acura RSX), it seems my favorite hybrid car, the Honda CR-Z got tuned for SEMA 2010!

Check out the rest of the modified Honda CR-Z:

Time to get my earplugs on because these modified CR-Z Sport Hybrids from the SEMA 2010 are sure enough to blow some super noisy sounds straight from the muffler!

SUPER NOISY SPORT HYBRIDS GO VROOOOOM!

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Eh? Uban Zone on Banana Split again?

This November 6 episode of Banana Split goes like this:

- Fresh bash of showbiz news straight from Balitang Siksik Showbiz Edition

- Jokes at Boracay, include, riding on the yacht, at the dance bar, and at the beach

- The crazed masseur, Rizza Masahista (RR Enriquez) , strikes back! As if, strikes the back of Jayson Gainza 'till his body is covered in sand!

- Angelica Panginiban, as Badaphne, visits a safari-themed room on the Urban Zone spoor, Uban Zone. When she visits some bathroom, which has a tiger on it, Badaphne attacked by a tiger!

- Melai Cantiveros and Jason Francisco, that's Melason to you and me, in the tattoo parlor. Something wrong? Melason rewinds it back to you! (Yep, Melason tandem is the funniest tandem)

- The boys visit D'Mall, Boracay, for some dances

- John Prats, as Kuya Keem, in "Mga Shorts ni Kuya Keem (Mutanglawin Trivia)", explains more on sunblock. Can sunblock be also used on the fishes?

- The most ridiculous stuff to do are featured in the segment called "Ang O.A. Mo!" Some stupid stuff that is OA include, surfing on the log, lifeguard at the kiddie pool, and yelling if you were hurt but henna tattoo is placed without the sting.

A special joy of BMW Z4...unless if you're in Japan...

If you were a Bimmer fanatic reside in Japan, then BMW Japan launched a special, limited-to-15-units, edition of the second-generation BMW Z4.

2011 BMW Z4 Silver Top

Dubbed the BMW Z4 Silver Top, this limited edition, Japan-only, BMW Z4 offers a silver roof, black body, and red interior.

Scoop:

Guess we may never going to get this special joy because the joy of the special-edition Z4 is for Japanese consumers only and its limited to just 15 units. Luckily we might be able to have one of these thanks to Forza 3.

BMW Z4 "Silver Top" on Forza Motorsport 3

See what I mean? A BMW Z4 Silver Roof made by leopauldelrosario on Forza Motorsport 3, to replicate the look of the Japan-only BMW Z4 Silver Top limited edition. It's obvious that Forza fans can replicate everything they saw!

Pricing of the BMW Z4 Silver Top limited edition costs around 5,590,00 Yen (about below $50,000 or 6,850,000 Pesos, not that accurate, but depends on the import tax) and its limited to just 15 units.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

That Bubble Gang episode is so good, you'll never hear someone outside!

Packed with the new anime-themed opening sequence, as a treat for being 15 years, then called "Bubble Gang Kin-Z", this November 5 episode of Bubble Gang episode is so great, you'll never hear someone honking outside your house!

On that episode, Bubble Gang radio station gags where someone found what appears to be lost.

Sketches include an odd, half-naked, visitors, a rap battle between Rapper Band and Rapper Shoes (rap never been this fun), a tablemate at the beerhouse, a kasambahay enjoy Bubble Gang while someone's honking car horns (this kasambahay is watching some Bubble Gang moments include Bathroom Dance, a nurse station, Tya Ring, a Sabi-sabi episode, and DO-SE-NA), and what they're doing on a MRT.

Don't forget about the IyoTube part.

Cheche and Bureche are here again on the episode on plants, worms, and gummi worms. Oh, and look out everyone, Bonggang Bonggang Bongbong is at it again in Sumbong Sumbong kay Bonggang Bongbong where he warns about some annoying stuff about female students showing off by their make-up, someone who brings a pocketbook but not reading it, and a man sings with a super loud voice thanks to the headphone set to a max volume.

The war is over, you can take off your red stilettos now...

In the past Monday to Thursday, we witnessed how it happened in the fashion drama, Magkaribal;

- Gelai (Bea Alonzo) defeated Victoria (Gretchen Barretto)

- Vera (Angel Aquino) is in a brink of financial ruin

- Louie (Derek Ramsay) told that Gelai is Victoria's long lost sister, Angela, and later Louie dies

- Gelai's fashion shop burned by Vera

- Victoria and Gelai/Angela reunited

- Vera is the suspect of the arson, told by the cops and Caloy (Enchong Dee)

Magkaribal ending

We finally witnessed the ending of Magkaribal, the most fashionable TV drama on ABS-CBN. In the final episode, Victoria finally reunites with Gelai, I mean, Angela. Later, Gelai showed the once kept dream collection their mother, Stella, kept it before her death. Victoria wants to collaborate with Gelai to fulfill their mother's dream collection. Then, Chloe (Erich Gonzales) appeared with a box full of letters kept by Vera. For that, Mark Gil made a surprise comeback when Victoria, Chloe, and Gelai read a letter about a promise.

Chloe persuaded her mom, Vera, to stop, and come to the show to be good to Victoria and Gelai. Later, we witnessed a kilig moment with Chloe and Caloy.

On that evening, the Stella's Collection launching day has just begun, thanks to the collaboration of Victoria and Gelai/Angela. Reuniting a sisters made this a great part on the Magkaribal ending. Too bad about the chandelier part Vera tries to kill the sisters just to have someone fall the chandelier to them, but backfired. 

Upon the narration, we saw a bunch of magazine covers. Victoria pauses her career, Chloe and Caloy had a grand wedding, Gelai's adoptive parents, Sonia and Hermes, and Victoria's adoptive father, Ronaldo, doing a wonderful life, and Vera payed for all her sins she committed. That's fashion life.

What will be missed on Magkaribal is the fashion designs, the beautiful gowns, and the sense of fashion most viewers find inspiration to be like Victoria and Gelai. Of course, Magkaribal is a drama not just about rivalry, it is a drama just about fashion trends.

If I remember the best line "You want war? I'll give you war" and "I'll be there in my red stilettos", well Magkaribal is over. The war is over, you can take off your red stilettos now.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

16GT!

Today, Nissan announced that the turbo variant of the best-selling, currently new, Nissan Juke crossover, is now on sale across Japanese Nissan dealerships.

Read the full press:

2011 Nissan Juke 16GT

This Juke's now fully armed with the high-performance MR16DDT (1.6L Direct Injection Petrol Engine) DIG Turbo engine and with the optional All-Mode 4X4-i system to go further everywhere. The blade's been sharpened, the face gets tougher, the Juke's urban legend in Japan is just begun. With strong sales since its Japan debut in June 2010, the new DIG Turbo engine will whisk away the competition. The Mitsubishi RVR (ASX) and the Subaru Impreza XV are going to be upset when they hear this!

Hope that this turbocharged Juke will be on the Philippines soon if NMPI or Universal Motors has the chance.


How the Fabia was made

Most European car enthusiasts know about how the Skoda Fabia is made, and no, we're not going to Mlada Boleslav to see how the Skoda Fabia is made, some TV commercial is showing how the second generation Fabia is made, by means of cake made from lovely stuff, such as raisins, marzipans, and sugar.

Months after the launch of the facelifted Skoda Fabia Mk2 and the return of the vRS variant in the form of a turbocharger+supercharger engine equipped hot hatch, it seems the Cake ad from the Skoda Fabia is evolved into something...mean...

...very...very...mean...




"Made of meaner stuff", sounds scary but awesome! On the new Skoda Fabia vRS ad, we see how this hot hatch is made; door's made by tough men, rims made of swords, vultures doing the body frame, twincharger engine made of snakes, roof colored black thanks to the motorcycle burning rubber, windshield wiper made of crossbow bolt, and the newly built Fabia vRS roared. Now that's a monster.


I always like the way the new Skoda Fabia vRS is, its a monster used the same 1.4 TSi twincharger engine as the Volkswagen Polo GTi (and soon, the Audi A1), but the price is cheaper than the Polo GTi. Europeans are going like the way how the Skoda Fabia vRS is made. It's a monster, I can tell, but it's fun to keep this monster hatch if you have the urge to have it.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Second Generation Scion tC

2011 Scion tC

The second generation Scion tC is the coupe that tries to look at it best when it comes to its new robotic styling while retaining the original length and height of the first generation model that was launched since 2004 as a 2005 model. First off, one glance of the new 2nd generation tC really reminds us of the previous first generation model but with the new front, new side design, new wheels, and a new rear design, all is clear for a major overall for Scion's most popular FF coupe that is likely to target against the likes of the USDM Civic Si Coupe, well not quite necessarily. I can always imagine how many young adults in their 20's to 30's driving this kind of car that made it more popular to the trends of FF coupes. Even tuners take the new 2nd generation Scion tC for granted because of such circumstances.

One thing to aware is the new interior of the new Scion tC. Although it might be quite good enough in terms of comfort, the new interior design of the new Scion tC lacks character. I am clearly say that some of them still prefer the old interior from the 1st generation tC because of the character it shows. Despite having a shape of a 2-door coupe, the Scion tC still classifies as a 3-door liftback because of the lftgate that opens like a hatchback for added space and it even comes with a tonneau board as well. Despite the character-lacking interior, it still looks good enough to be inside the new tC, as if to nothing.

The new Scion tC replaced the previous 2.4L 2AZ-FE straight-4 engine with the new 2.5L 2AR-FE straight-4 engine. This new engine offered on the new tC provides maximum horsepower of 180 @ 6000 RPM and the torque goes about 173lb-ft @ 4100 RPM. If you were in a 6-speed manual variant, you'll get 31MPG highway while in a 6-speed automatic variant, you will get as much as 31MPG highway as well! Just be sure that the 6-speed manual transmission on the new Scion tC is overall fun for the owners so be advised because this is going to be a wild ride. The new tC is now offered with a standard Vehicle Stability Control for added safety but forget about it.

Color variation includes Black, Cement, Classical Silver Metallic, Magnetic Gray Metallic, Nautical Blue Metallic, Sizzling Crimson Mica, and Super White.

My comment:
Despite the new interior lacks character, the new exterior really shows its character because of such design or so they thought. Now imagine if I can see one as a gray market import in the Philippines...well never mind. I don't need explanations about it but the new Scion tC is all about style at its best.

Photo: Toyota Motor Sales USA

Last night's Goin Bulilit episode...

Yesterday, it was Halloween, a time for trick or treat.

In Goin Bulilit, last night's special episode turns the childhood game "Langit Lupa Impyerno" to a whole new meaning. Titled Langit Lupa, this special Halloween episode corners the Goin Bulilit kids telling a scary story about three kids. When their dad tries to fix a car, a mysterious kid appear and lured the kids to something they called heaven. I called it on that part because of the kids playing and the delicious snacks served. But things are not "heaven" to them as...ugh...there too many to explain in words but here is the shot from last night's episode.

Goin Bulilit Special Episode - Langit Lupa


Wow that was scary, and fun to watch with a few laughs from the Goin Bulilit kids and Dagul. Looks like I'm not going to play a game of Langit Lupa Impyerno after watching this special episode!

Fourth-Generation Hyundai Accent RB

2011 Hyundai Accent

Back in April 2010, at the Beijing Motor Show, Hyundai unwrapped the new Verna (known as Accent in some countries, including North America and the Philippines) to bring an edge to the Chinese market and it was on sale since August 2010. In South Korea, Koreans are eager about the new Verna, but Hyundai decided to rename this Verna (now under the chassis code of RB) back to Accent after 11 years of absence. It seems odd why they will rename it back is completely a discreet thought for the Korean automotive brand behind the CRDi engines that we Filipinos love, but whatever, the important thing is, the Accent gained a much awaited full model change.

The Chinese-market Accent or Verna looks more like a YF Sonata, but the South Korean-spec Hyundai Accent resembles more like the Hyundai Avante MD (Fifth-generation Elantra), thanks to Hyundai's fluidic sculpture philosophy. Honestly, the fourth-generation Accent RB resembles more like the RB Concept from the Moscow Motor Show 2010. Much likely, this will be sold in Russia as the Hyundai Solaris by next year.

The profile for the new Accent resembles more of a sports coupe, giving an edge of sportiness on the outside every time boys want to have fun with this compact sedan.


2011 Hyundai Accent interior


The new Accent RB has an interior so exquisite, you may think that this interior is way better thanthe Kia Rio because of such shape! The main question is, does this new interior made the new Accent so manly, only grown men can fit in?

OK, now on the engine types, the new Accent features two available engines available if this car made its Korean debut this early November. First off is the entry-level 1.4L CVVT engine produces a power output of 107hp, and then, there's the high-performance Gamma 1.6L GDi engine (derived from the Avante MD) produces a higher power output of 140hp with the fuel economy of 16.7km/L. So much for that eco car, we just hope that the CRDi R E-VGT engine will be equipped on that new model to make it more fun for diesel-loving Filipinos like us but we'll have to wait until Hyundai Motor Company will decide if the CRDi E-VGT diesel engine is a perfect match for the fourth-generation Accent. Anyway, the 1.4L CVVT variant features a 5-speed manual, 5-speed auto, and a 4-speed auto transmission while the GDi 1.6L variant features a 6-speed manual and the 6-speed automatic.

Available in six exterior colors such as Crystal White, Veloster Red, Blue Ocean, Sleek Silver, Carbon Gray, and Phantom Black.

My thoughts about the Accent:
In my honest opinions, I think that the 1.6L GDi variant for the new Accent was not a good fit in the Philippines because it can't handle most of our gasolines, so we best be fitted with the 1.4L CVVT engine, and no word yet if the CRDi R E-VGT diesel engine can make it to the new Accent for now. Despite my opinion, the new Accent became the most stylish compact sedan that is targeted by young men. I am very excited to witness how this new model be if this car makes it for South Korean launched this early November and soon next year in the U.S. and in the Philippines! What's great about the Accent is the new design based on Hyundai's fluidic sculpture but what's needed for us is the CRDi R E-VGT diesel engine to make this new Accent more of an eco-car rather than being a sporty compact that can compete the Toyota Belta, Kia Rio/Pride, or even the upcoming Volkswagen Jetta (take note; the Euro-spec Jetta. Not the North America-spec Jetta currently on sale in the North American market) to show who's the best eco sedan built for the young males. I had my fingers crossed that this new Accent will reign supreme. I also hope for the hatchback version too!

Photo: Hyundai Motor Company