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This TRD built Land Cruiser is a sports car killer

Text and photos by Dino Directo

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OR any gear head, every new car launch or a model upgrade is a much awaited event. It can be likened to a blind date: you will never know what to expect. You have so many expectations for the night prior to the rollout or romantic interlude.

The same basically holds true for every new car that comes around the block. In the next coming months, some of the concept cars may make it here or not depending on the automotive manufacturer, the supply and the market demand for these four-wheeled wonders.

Some gear heads with deep pockets will have one or all of of these in their garages. For us ordinary mortals enslaved to work from 9am to 5pm, these rolling artworks of carbon fiber and aluminum are just a pipe dream or a poster on the bedroom walls.

Toyota Land Cruiser After making waves at this year’s SEMA

show, Toyota diehards are knocking on the doors of TRD to ask if a limited production run of this beast is in the works.

What made this SUV just a little different was that it churned out over 2000 hp, with a top speed of 220 mph. Toyota claims it is the world’s fastest SUV. That prodigious amount of power comes from a 5.7 liter V8 with two massive Garrett turbochargers. That power is transmitted through an ATI transmission.The frame as well as all systems for cooling, braking, and just about everything else were modified to make best use of this additional power.

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EXCITING...

From E1

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car With a redeveloped drive train, Porsche fans will see the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup compete on the world’s race tracks in 2017. The engine of the world’s most-produced GT racing car now houses a 4-liter, six-cylinder flat engine for even more drive. Thanks to thoroughbred motorsport technology, the compact engine with direct fuel injection delivers peak performance of 485 hp Porsche has created 3031 911 GT3 Cup cars since production began in 1998, a significant number for such a specialized piece of machinery. The GT3 Cup is in fact the most produced GT racing car in the world. Like the 911 itself, Porsche has been in the somewhat enviable position of constantly refining the same basic and very successful design concept, and making the seemingly impossible possible.

The 2017 GT3 Cup continues that process of evolution. In the engine, a new more rigid crankshaft is fitted. Also new are a valve drive with rigidly mounted rocker arms with a central oil feed, and an integrated oil centrifuge for improved oil defoaming. Body changes include a new front apron and rear end with increased downforce.

La Ferrari Hypercar As if the La Ferrari was not exciting enough, Maranello has announced the limited production run of a convertible version of the LaFerrari. This new limited edition special series aimed at clients and collectors that refuse to compromise on the joy of drop-top driving even when at the wheel of a supercar.

Porsche’s clean and green hybrid race car

Ferrari will offer a limited run of this open top La Ferrari

Volkswagen pays tribute to the past with this Dune edition

The new limited edition special series will be available with a carbonfibre hard top and a soft top. It has the same running gear and performance figures as the original LaFerrari, sporting a 800 cv V12 ICE (with a specific power output of 128 cv/l) coupled with a 120 kW electric motor (163 cv), unleashing 963 cv in total. Significant and extensive modifications have been made to the chassis with the aim of retaining the same torsional rigidity and beam stiffness as the coupé version. The car’s aerodynamics have also been further honed to guarantee the same drag coefficient even without the roof.

Beetle Dune edition Loyalists of the iconic Beetle will be hard pressed to not have this remake in their collection.

Inspired by the Dune Buggies of the original Beetle back in the 1960s and 1970s, this Beetle Dune edition features increased ground clearance of 10 mm and a track that is wider by 7 mm in the front and 6 mm in the rear. It also features 18” alloy wheels, black wheel arch & sill extensions, an additional air intake beneath the hood, and new bumpers with front and rear diffusers. There is also a new rear spoiler to compliment the overall buggy look.

The Beetle Dune comes equipped with five Euro 6 engine options: three petrol engines (TSI) and two diesels (TDI), all turbocharged four-cylinder direct injection units.

All models feature a Stop/Start system and regenerative braking as well as a six-speed manual gearbox as standard. The TSI engines produce 77 kW/105 PS, 110 kW/150 PS and 162 kW/220 PS, while the TDI engines produce 81 kW/110 PS and 110 kW/150 PS. With the exception of the 110 PS TDI engine, they can all be combined with an automatic six- or seven-speed dual clutch gearbox (DSG).

Both the coupe and convertible are pictured in the new color Sandstorm Yellow Metallic, and the coupe can be ordered with a black painted roof or a dark tinted sliding glass sunroof.

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By Dino Directo

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HIS is a question that flashes across the minds of most car enthusiasts and collectors. Will your car be worth a lot of money someday? After gaining fame in the James Bond movie “You Only Live Twice”, Toyota’s 2000 GT has become a legitimate collectible car in the global sports cars scene. With only 400 units made and only three in existence here in the Philippines (one is owned by emerging taipan and car collector Ramon Ang), this sexy Japanese classic sports car has spiked in value. One sold for $1.2 million at an auction in 2013, making it the most expensive Japanese car ever sold.

Since the Philippine market has been dominated by the Japanese since the seventies, MST has come up with its own list of Japanese cars which are already considered classics and appreciate in value someday.

Collectible Japanese cars When famed ‘Father of the Z car” Japanese Yutaka Katayama died in 2015, owners of the Datsun 240Z just hit the jackpot because their cars had just racked up some additional collectible points. Penned by the same person behind BMW’s stunning 507, the Datsun 240Z has maintained

With the Evolution series discontinued, expect this WRC machine to increase in value.

Is your car a future COLLECTIBLE?

its timeless good looks. However, a penchant for rusting has depressed their values, though now “many have been restored and they’re climbing up in value.

Before its appearance in the “Fast and the Furious” movie, motorheads were already enamored with the Toyota Supra.

It was easy to tune, quick on its feet and damn good looking.

Since production ended, the Supra’s value has skyrocketed in

value and Toyota seems to want to cash in on this phemenon.

At the Philippine International Motorshow (PIMS) this year, Toyota Philippines unveiled a car which is touted as having risen from the embers of Toyota Supra.

Others would argue that the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is not old enough and is unlikely to make the classic car cut. Fast forward 20 to 30 years

from now and you’ll be hard pressed to not include Mitsubishi’s pocket rocket. Why? Because it racked up three World Rally Championships in a row, its ability to harass supercars, sheer engine brutality, rarity and drop dead good looks.

Need we say more?

Launched as a modern interpretation of a British classic roadster in 1990, the Mazda Miata has become one the most

The Miata is a pint-sized sport cars worth its weight in gold.

SELF-DRIVING CARS

Treasure trove of information JUST like credit cards, smartphones or search engines, autonomous cars will carry a trove of information about their owners as they make driving more comfortable, raising new concerns about privacy.

Automakers are engaged in a fierce race to develop the first driverless car, which experts say should hit the road by 2020.

Apart from legal obstacles facing the industry as the technology evolves -- such as who is responsible in the event of an accident -- a digital battle is being waged over the huge amount of technical data that will be stored in such vehicles.

“Data is the new oil,” Intel chief executive Brian Krzanich said this week during a speech at the Los Angeles auto show, AutoMobility LA. “If you have rich data, your car will be able to deal with complex route situations,” Krzanich said. “If not, the car will stop.”

Sensors, radars and cameras on autonomous vehicles will be able to exchange data with other cars but also, perhaps, with “intelligent” roadways that can help set speed limits depending on weather and

traffic conditions.

The passenger behind the wheel, meanwhile, can send emails and text messages, listen to music, stream movies, hold a conference call or make a restaurant reservation.

Even homes will be connected to vehicles.

South Korean automaker Hyundai revealed at the auto show a partnership with Amazon’s Alexa voice service to allow customers to start their car, charge their battery or turn on the air conditioner via a quick voice request.

Experts say the data stored in these vehicles represents a gold mine for companies.

“Where are you, where you stop, how often, what’s in there can be used to provide you a rich user experience,” Krzanich said. “What music you like, craft choices... that’s an opportunity as well.”

He said Intel was investing $250 million into self-driving technology over the next two years.

Karl Brauer, senior director of industry insights at Kelley Blue Book, said all the data collected will be used by car makers and other com-

panies to maximize profit.

“If they know you like to go to Starbucks (they will say) ‘Oh, he always stops at Starbucks,” Brauer said.

Krzanich acknowledged that the technology posed great challenges in terms of privacy protection and secure sharing.

CJ Frost, an Alexa executive, told a panel that consumers were heading into a world where applications will allow users, for example, to track down friends coming to dinner to ask them to stop on the way and buy a bottle of wine.

- Security concerns One question on many people’s mind is whether, in a world that could be edging closer to the Big Brother oversight of George Orwell’s dystopian novel “1984,” it will be possible to disconnect at some point.

“Consumer privacy is an open question,” said Jeremy Carlston, a senior analyst with IHS Automotive.

“A smartphone holds a lot of info about the owner but when we provide that info to a service provider, we’re getting value in return,” he added. AFP

beloved cars ever to come from Japan. Mazda has sold more than 900,000 Miatas, and its reliability, affordability, and relative ubiquity makes it a great entrylevel sports car. After a quartercentury of the Miata, it’s hard to imagine the automotive landscape without the little roadsters, and first-generation Miata’s are already being snatched up as collectibles.

When Honda unleashed

the Civic SiR in 1998, racers lapped it up because it is tuner friendly and had a powerful B16A 1600cc DOHC engine pumping out 160bhp. The SiR’s buttoned down styling, sleeper looks and a sleek Passion Orange color, makes it a future classic. It still commands a hefty sum these days. If you have an unmolested SiR sitting in your garage, keep it. It could be a diamond in the rough.

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GIFT IDEAS for CAR LOVERS Text and photos by Dino Ray V. Directo III

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T IS not easy to find the right gift for the discerning gentleman. This holds true especially for car guys, who spend every Sunday washing and waxing their four wheeled mistresses. Their taste vary too and some of their car related accessories can be a bit tacky at times, like dashboard bobble-head of playboy playmates, shirts that say “VTEC kicked in FKR!” and brake dish ash trays that do not blend with the family room. If you’re out to buy your special guy (even if that special guy is yourself), let me help you choose from an array of giveaways that might rev up his adrenaline this Christmas.

Ridaz automotive luggage Designed and engineered with kids and (kids at heart) in mind, Ridaz has just made travelling stylish and hip with these car-themed carry on cases. It has a retractable metal carrying handle allows it to be used as a suitcase or let your kid pull the luggage using the retractable elastic strap. Additional safety for personal belongings is provided by a hinged body with two safety latches, plus elastic tie down straps inside the

case to keep the clothes in place.

Ridaz Kids Luggage comes in a variety of colors and in different car makes such as the Lamborghini Huracan (yellow and orange), Ford Mustang GT (red and yellow), Toyota 86 (black and orange), Chevrolet Camaro (red, sky blue and yellow) and the Batmobile in Dawn of Justice. Ridaz Kids Luggage is available in Hobbes and Landes branches in BGC, Rockwell, Greenbelt, and Greenhills or visit their Facebook page/RidazLuggage.Ph or call 0917-5754812.

Protect your interiors from spillage and dirt with Maxliner

Maxliner Floor Mats It is quite a hassle when a liquid substance is spilled in your car’s carpet. Not only will it leave a stench inside your vehicle, worse, you will have to pay a hefty amount of money to have the interiors of your car cleaned and detailed.

Maxliner, a known OEM supplier of bedliners aims to address this spillage problem with its 3D digital mapped floormats. It is an inexpensive and basic universal floor mat designed to provide some protection for your car’s carpet or spruce up an older car on a tight budget. Check out a full range of luggage, bicycle racks, bedliners and floormats at the Outdoors Club in at the Ground Floor of the Banco de Oro Bldg. 2, Ortigas Avenue, West Greenhills, San Juan.

Concept One wheels Designed and engineered to be tough and visually appealing, Concept One is a brand which has become synonymous with quality, innovative design and technology. “Our wheels are influenced by the latest trends in both Europe and in Japan. Each wheel has been crafted to look and feel good for your car,” adds Justin Uy, manager of Concept One BGC. The latest designs can accommodate most Japanese and Korean sedans such as the allnew Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla Altis, Mazda 3 to 6, Hyundai Elantra and Accent and the Mitsubishi Lancer. It fits most compact and sub-compact cars also with different designs to suit your personality.

Those who want to improve their car’s look and feel, visit or call Wheel Gallery at the Karport in Bonifacio Global City or in 318 Santolan Road cor. M. Paterno, San Juan or call 724-2739 or 726-0965 and textline: 0917-880-1111or log on to www.conceptonewheels.com

Emergency buddy from OMP With numerous brands of small air compressors being sold in the market, finding the right one can be a bit tricky, but definitely worth your while when you find the prefect model for your requirements.

OMP, a global brand recognized for its rich heritage in automotive racing has engineered and designed a compact air compressor which has a smaller mo-

tor for less noise and vibration.

Aside from its affordability, the OMP Meccanica series air compressor provides a quick and effortless inflation of automotive, motorcycle, bicycles tires, sporting equipment and small inflatable. A long three meters cord comes with it for easy access to inflating car tires. During night emergency inflation, four LED lights provide illumination while you work on your tires.

OMP’s line of compact air compressors and battery jump starters are available to Blade lifestyle shops in SM and Robinson’s malls around the country.

Wheels by Volk Rays Engineering Rays has been involved in the world’s highest-level motor races, such as the F1 and GT1 World Championships, as well as in all categories of car racing that transcend the competitive level.

Rays has won championships in various categories of car racing, but victory is not the only reason why Volk Rays take part in car racing. The know-how required to make wheels lighter and stronger can also be leveraged in the manufacture of forged wheels and cast sport wheels, both of which are celebrated for their high performance, as well as the dress-up wheels that decorate sedan and minivan bodies. To that end, Rays has stuck resolutely to in-house development and production and, most importantly, production in Japan. All of this is exemplified by Rays’ slogan: “The concept is racing.”

For details on how to improve your car’s aesthetics, handling and performance, call Autoplus Sportzentrium at 726-0399.

Mini 4WD drive fun!

Enjoy life in the fast lane in scale with these Tamiya Mini 4WD! These miniature off-road machines are AA battery powered plastic model race cars without remote control. All four (4) wheels are direct-drive, thus “4WD” for 4-wheel drive, as opposed to “AWD” or All-wheel drive. Horizontal side rollers guide the vehicle against the vertical walls of the un-banked track for steering, providing very fast speeds up to 65 km/H[1] (40 mph) on the track. In Japan, Mini 4WD is also known asmini yonku in Japanese Tamiya Mini 4WD’s have a small electric motor equipped with four wheel drive drivetrain. Motor power is transmitted to the wheels via propeller shaft and worm gears just like the prototypes. Requires no cement for construction. These are action model kits that will provide hours of enjoyment in building and running.

Tamiya 4WD and model kits are available in Hobbes and Landes and in Blade Lifestyle stores in SM and Robinson’s Malls around the country.