The refreshed Mitsubishi Mirage is on its way to PH
“When Mitsubishi Motors Philippines (MMPC) first announced its plans to launch the new Mirage here in our market, we told you guys to “be prepared to wait.” Well, for those of you who are still waiting, we have some good news: The facelifted sedan is finally on its way.
“MMPC has now sent us details on the upcoming launch of the new Mirage G4. The public reveal will be happening on August 28 at 10am, and will be streamed live via MMPC’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. We still have no other details apart from the launch date and a few teaser photos, but we’ve already seen much of the car from its 2019 launch.
“We’re all familiar with the Mirage’s sporty new look by now, and we also know that the car will be retaining its 1.2-liter three-cylinder MIVEC engine. This mill is capable of 77hp and 100Nm of torque, and comes mated to either a five-speed manual transmission or a CVT.”
The Ram 1500 Rebel is now in PH to challenge the likes of the Ford Ranger Raptor
“The country’s most badass truck? Sure, a few competitors come to mind. Of course, there’s the Ford Ranger Raptor, and then to a relatively lesser extent, you have the likes of the Navara Pro 4X and Mitsubishi Strada Athlete. Now, a new giant is entering the arena in hopes of claiming that title.
“Say hello to the Ram 1500 Rebel. Auto Nation Group, the brand’s official local distributor, has just launched the massive truck in the local market, and boy is it a sight to behold.
“Besides its gargantuan size, the vehicle boasts a handful of rugged aesthetic bits that lend it arguably the most intimidating appearance in the market. It comes with 18-inch gloss black wheels tucked underneath off-road fenders and illuminates its surroundings with LED headlights, taillights, and foglights.
“A two-tone finish, meanwhile, provides a bit of sportiness to the look, while matte black accents scattered throughout the exterior and tubular side steps provide a no-nonsense appeal. There’s also a concealed exterior storage component that can serve as an icebox to cool beverages and store food. Nice.
“Each unit comes packing a 5.7-liter V8 HEMI engine capable of up to 395hp at 5,600rpm and 410Nm of torque at 3,950rpm mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. There’s also a handful of off-road bits here, too, such as tow hooks, an electronic locking rear axle.
“Price tag? You’ll have to shell out a cool P4,090,000 for one of these trucks. Should be well worth it, though, if you’re really looking to take up some precious real estate in your fellow truck lovers’ heads.”
This is Liberty Walk’s last-ever Lamborghini Aventador bodykit
“One-hundred and eighty-seven thousand dollars. Most of us would never even dream of spending that much (around £135,000 or P9.37 million) on a car, let alone on a fresh bodykit for a car we already own.
“Still, for those very very rich folk that have become tired of how their Aventador looks (how?), Japanese tuner Liberty Walk has the answer. This—the Silhouette Works GT-EVO—will be its last ever kit for the big Lamborghini, and just 20 examples will ever see the light of day.
“Pretty intense, isn’t it? There’s none of the trademark Liberty Walk riveted bodywork because this is its GT-racecar-like line, but just get a look at the size of that rear wing and its accompanying diffuser. The arches aren’t small, either.
“Now, don’t expect all 20 kits to cost $187,000—that’s only if you fancy it in full carbon-fiber. Prices start at a much more respectable (kinda) $94,600 (P4.74 million) for carbon-fiber reinforced plastic panels. Bear in mind you will need to buy Liberty Walk’s own Aventador exhaust, though, as well as new wider wheels and an air suspension system to slam it all to the ground. It’ll still be pricey, then.”
Toyota is releasing a limited-edition Land Cruiser in Australia
“Open your car industry calendar and you’ll see that it’s a particularly special time to be a Toyota Land Cruiser owner. The year 2021 marks the nameplate’s 70th anniversary, and the Japanese carmaker is taking steps to ensure the milestone is properly celebrated.
“Obviously, there was the release of the all-new LC300 halfway through the year. Then there’s the brand’s decision to include the SUV in its GR Heritage Parts Program, giving owners of old-school units the convenience of buying newly made spare parts for the vehicle.
“Now? Toyota is gearing up for a limited-edition 70th anniversary release over in Australia. Aptly called the 70th Anniversary Land Cruiser, this SUV is equipped with a variety of aesthetic enhancements meant to celebrate the vehicle’s birthday.
“The 70th Anniversary Land Cruiser is being limited to just 600 units—320 double cabs, 200 single cabs, and 80 wagons. Each one gets a black ‘Heritage’ grille with ‘Toyota’ lettering, matching front and rear bumpers, dark 16-inch alloy wheels, and LED lighting units. You’ll also find special Heritage Land Cruiser badging above one of the front wheel arches.
“The exterior's relatively stealthy theme is carried over inside, too, courtesy of black upholstery and leather trim on the steering wheel and shifter. Woodgrain accents can be found here, as well as silver A/C vent accents, and a new center console.”
The Toyota Land Cruiser GR Sport has been fully unveiled in Japan
“Toyota promised to give us more details on the Land Cruiser GR Sport—the beefier-looking LC 300—and it has finally delivered. More photos and specs of this special LC have now been unveiled as the next-generation SUV, er, lands in its home market of Japan.
“Now, this Land Cruiser has Gazoo Racing badges all over it, but it’s no different from the standard model under the hood. This one can still be had with either a 3.5-liter V6 gasoline that generates 409hp and 650Nm or a 3.5-liter V6 diesel capable of 305hp and 700Nm. Both are mated to Toyota’s Direct Shift 10-speed automatic transmission that ensures powerful acceleration for both petrol and diesel engines.
“What sets the Land Cruiser GR Sport apart is its suspension setup. This one features what Toyota claims is the world’s first electronic-kinetic dynamic suspension system (E-KDSS). This automatically and electronically controls the front and rear stabilizers independently to make precise stabilization enhancements depending on the road conditions of each of the four wheels.
“The new LC also sports optimized spring constants and adaptive variable suspension to further improve steering stability and ride comfort.
“The GR Sport also boasts trim-exclusive aesthetic elements. These include bits we’ve seen before such as the massive grille, the black accents on the wheel arches and rear bumper, the blacked-out Toyota emblems, and the 18-inch Mud Grey aluminum wheels.
“What we haven’t seen before here is the interior. Inside, the Land Cruiser GR Sport gets a Gazoo Racing-themed two-tone finish. There’s an abundance of black and red leather from the dash to the side panels and the seats. Additional Gazoo Racing emblems can be found on the steering wheel, the front seats, and the infotainment system’s start-up screen.”
The Toyota Land Cruiser will soon get new spare parts
“First, it was the Supra and 2000GT that Toyota decided to produce spare parts for as part of its GR Heritage Parts Project. Now, you can add old-school Land Cruisers to this list as well.
“The Japanese car manufacturer has announced that the iconic SUV will also be receiving the GR Heritage treatment, courtesy of newly-made spare parts “for which there is the greatest demand and need” and a special collaboration with its suppliers.
“Toyota says this move comes in a bid to celebrate the Land Cruiser’s 70th birthday and following surveys with Land Cruiser dealers and fan club representatives from all across the globe.”
The Honda NSX Type S will be revealed later this month
“The second-generation Honda NSX is going out with a bang.
“Honda has announced that the soon-to-launch NSX Type S will be the final version of the current-gen model, capping off a successful five-year run of Japanese supercar performance. This release will be limited to just 350 units—300 units for the US, 30 for Japan, and a mere 20 for the rest of the world—so getting one for yourself will be pretty unlikely.
“But hey, at least Honda’s giving this thing a fitting send-off, right? Besides the limited number of units, the NSX Type S comes equipped with a souped-up version of its twin-turbo V6 hybrid setup. Specific output has yet to be revealed, but the company promises more power and faster acceleration. Considering the standard powertrain already does a whopping 573hp and 645Nm, the Type S should really be something.
“In terms of aesthetics, Honda’s given the NSX Type S an exclusive matter exterior finish, more menacing front and rear bumpers, a badge indicating the unit number, and a badass engine cover featuring popping red accents.”
Hennessey unveils the new 1,000hp Exorcist 30th Anniversary Camaro
“This, folks, is an ‘extra-special’ version of the Hennessey Exorcist. As timely as it is, this has nothing to do with the newly announced The Exorcist trilogy that’s set to begin by 2023. Rather, this is Hennessey Performance’s way of celebrating its 30th year in business.
“And what a celebration it is. The Hennessey Exorcist 30th Anniversary Camaro is based on the Exorcist Camaro ZL1. It’s got a supercharged V8 under its hood, producing a whopping 1,000hp and 1,196Nm. The powertrain allows the car to do 0-97kph in 2.1sec, lap a quarter-mile in 9.57sec, and reach a top speed of 349kph.
“The car gets special anniversary logos up front and behind each front wheel. Only 30 of these will be built, and each will be individually numbered with an Anniversary Edition chassis plate.
“Each of the 30 available units are priced at $135,000, or around P6.7 million in local currency.”
Lexus releases Black Line Special Edition for the GX
“There’s a reason why carmakers love releasing blacked-out versions of popular models: It’s just extremely hard to go wrong with the appearance.
“SUVs, in particular, often stand to benefit from a stealthier appearance. And Lexus is continuing this trend with the release of a new Black Line Special Edition for the GX.
“As far as dark SUVs are concerned, the GX Black Line Special Edition keeps the theme relatively mild. Lexus, though, has focused on bringing the look to all the right components. These include new 18-inch wheels featuring a glossy black finish, as well as black trim around the vehicle’s chrome grille. Black bits have also been added to the front and rear bumpers, and the vehicle now also flaunts black roof rails and body-colored door handles.
“The appearance is carried over to the interior, too, where you’ll find plenty of black leather with contrast white stitching, a black headliner, and matte black ash wood trim on the SUV’s steering wheel. Units still come with a 4.6-liter V8 capable of 301hp and up to 446Nm of torque. Sadly, the dog pictured below does not come free with GX Black Line Special Edition units.”
A quintet of Bentley Mulsanne Grand Limousines is up for sale
“Chances like this don’t come up very often. This is your chance to own one of five Bentley Mulsanne Grand Limousines, built and delivered to a customer in 2015, but never registered or driven. Though if you can afford one, you can likely afford all five. So go on, keep them together as the most opulent five-pack of cars ever.
“It’d be entirely understandable if you asked, ‘What the heck is a Mulsanne Grand Limousine?’ given that the Mulsanne is already fairly grand and limo-like.
“Well, it’s a Mulsanne for the poshest prom or hen night ever, its length stretched by a whole meter. Not to accommodate wildly unsafe bench seating and a glitterball, though; nope, this one’s all about maximum luxury and a ‘passenger experience like no other’ for the four people in the back.
“Yep, four. Bentley’s Mulliner team elongated an already long car and slotted in a pair of rear-facing seats between the driving end of the Mulsanne and the sitting end. Each chair has its own aircon system, and despite the additional seating, there’s more headroom than before, too.
“Worried about facing two other humans after nearly 18 months at home? A drinks cabinet with crystal flutes and tumblers should ensure conversation starts tumbling out of you shortly after the journey commences. Once you’re all really opening up, simply frost over the electrochromic glass separating you from the driver for full privacy, with an intercom on hand should you need to hastily pull over at the side of the road for any reason.
“Up front is the same 6.75-liter V8 engine as other Mulsannes, producing 505hp and 1,018Nm of torque. The 21-inch wheels are unique and treated to ensure they complement the paintwork, while the Flying B up front is engraved with ‘Coachbuilt by Mulliner.’ You’ll never guess why.”
