Author: karla

Not to stereotype, but women drivers in general usually have problems in parking their vehicles.

As Cher said in Clueless when asked if she wants to learn parking, “What’s the use? Everywhere you go has valet.” Unfortunately, it’s not so true — valet parking is really not that rampant.

In Seoul, South Korea, the government seeks to become more female-friendly with its latest project.

One of the many ideas is creating special parking spots for ladies, completed with pink paint and skirted icons and located mainly near shopping areas. These parking lots are longer and wider than the normal parking spaces in the city.

A spokesperson for the Seoul Government, Miss Cho Eun-Hee, has told the Korea Times “It is like adding a female touch to a universal design and make things more comfortable for women”.

Do you think we should adapt a similar scheme here in the Philippines, mga Kapuso?

Governments around the world are continuously seeking ways to curb or ultimately prevent road accidents from happening. Claiming more than 1 million lives annually worldwide, it is even considered a public health crisis by most nations.

In their quest to promote safety on the road, Netherlands has piloted an ingenious project: make roads glow in the dark.

But while most kids — and those kids at heart — raved about it, the project run into some serious stumbling block.

Moisture, such as that encountered during rainfall, can quickly reduce the effectiveness of the glowing paint’s light output—the pilot road markings were just put in place two weeks ago, reports the BBC, and yet already they’re dimming due to large amounts of rain.

Another potential pitfall to the glowing lane markers: drivers have already been spotted cruising down the road in the test area with their headlights off so that they can see the glowing lines—a clear safety hazard if such roads should become widespread.

Nevertheless, the engineering firm Heijmans, which is behind the realization of the pilot program in the Netherlands along with interactive artist Daan Roosegaarde, says a new version of the glowing road markings is already in development, and will be ready later this summer.

Presuming the second iteration of the glow-in-the-dark roads works as expected, a wider rollout is planned, both within the Netherlands and in other countries.

Perhaps in the Philippines, they should consider making the roads flood-free first before introducing this concept. After all, what’s the use of a glow-in-the-dark technology if nobody can see it due to the presence of dark, stinky rainwater?

Some gearheads just can’t wait to get the dish on their favorite cars.

Fans of the Ford Mustang, Mustang6G, were able to score some supposedly confidential info on the highly anticipated 2015 Ford Mustang. Don’t hold your breath — this is going to be one extensive list of specs.

According to the documents, the entry-level Mustang V6 will come nicely equipped with HID headlights, LED taillights (with sequential turn signals), a limited slip rear differential and 17-inch aluminum wheels.

The model will also have a leather-wrapped steering wheel, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and power windows and locks. Other niceties include air conditioning, a rearview camera, a six-speaker audio system and a 3.7-liter V6 engine with at least 300 bhp (223 kW) and 270 lb-ft (365 Nm) of torque.

The Mustang EcoBoost has all the aforementioned equipment as well as LED fog lights and a body-color rear spoiler. The car also six-way power front seats,aluminum trim, active noise cancellation technology and a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine with more than 305 bhp (227 kW) and 300 lb-ft (406 Nm) of torque.

The Mustang EcoBoost Premium goes one step further as it adds “pony projection lights,” a rear diffuser and 18-inch alloy wheels. The model also has ambient interior lighting, illuminated sill plates and alloy pedals. Other highlights include heated / cooled leather front seats, a garage door opener, a nine-speaker audio system and a MyFord Touch infotainment system with an 8-inch display.

The Mustang V8 boasts all the equipment from the entry-level Mustang EcoBoost as well as a ventilated hood, a dual exhaust system and 18-inch alloy wheels. The car also has beefier brakes, electronic line-lock and a 5.0-liter V8 engine that develops more than 420 bhp (313 kW) and 390 lb-ft (528 Nm) of torque.

Last but not least, there’s a Mustang V8 Premium which includes all the equipment from the EcoBoost Premium model.

Toyota’s newest compact MPV has just been unwrapped — and it’s looking quite good. Scheduled to be released in the U.S. soon, the 2015 Toyota Verso-S just received a facelift, claiming to provide an easier and smarter package.

[The 2015 Toyota Verso-S] has a new front fascia with a revised grille and LED-infused headlights. The hatchback also has additional chrome trim, LED taillights and restyled 16-inch alloy wheels.

Interior changes are relatively limited but the model has been equipped with higher quality materials and a standard tire pressure warning system. Customers can also order two-tone seats and a Toyota Touch 2 infotainment system with a 6.1-inch display and Bluetooth/USB connectivity.  There’s also an optional “Toyota Touch 2 with Go” system that has GPS navigation and on-board connectivity to access weather, fuel price and parking space information.

In the Philippines, the Verso-S is known as Yaris. The 2014 version was just launched early last month, with the following variants: 1.5G automatic transmission (AT) that costs P845,000, 1.3E AT that costs P755,000, and the 1.3E manual transmission that costs P720,000. The new models have a four-cylinder VVT-I engine.

Do you think the 2015 is worthy of bringing here in the Philippines?

On December 2, 2013, fans mourned the sudden death of Fast & Furious star Paul Walker, who encountered an accident aboard a Porsche Carrera GT supercar. The accident, which occured at the Rye Canyon Business Park, left Walker and his friend Roger Rodas — a Pirelli World Challenge driver — dead on the spot.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department officials who investigated the crash, were quick to point out that excessive speed was likely a factor in the crash. The incident occurred in a 45-mph zone on the normally quiet road, but the Carrera GT involved struck and toppled a tree and a concrete lamp post, indicating a high rate of travel.

However just this Monday, Rodas’ widow, Kristine, filed a lawsuit against Porsche Cars North America, claiming the 2005 Carrera GT involved was faulty.

While the police found no evidence of mechanical failure in the supercar, Rodas accused the car company for being liable on wrongful death and negligence.

Rodas’ allegations claim a design flaw in the suspension that caused a malfunction, which in turn resulted in the fatal, fiery crash. In addition, Rodas claims her husband was driving at just 55 mph in the moments before the crash.

Porsche hasn’t yet commented on the lawsuit.