The Clark International Motor Show 2014 at Clark AFB, Philippines

     The Philippines is well known with its beautiful tourist spots, lovely beaches, romantic bays oozing with rich cultures, food and hospitality alongside busy streets filled with cars and public vehicles such as Jeepneys and the so-called tricycles. Located on the island of Luzon, Pampanga has its own truly unique beauty. With its delicious food to busy nights on the streets, it gets better all the time. And it gets even better with Pampanga's first ever car show that was held at Clark Air Force Base.

Come on, Come all to the CIMS 2014. Kinda early to go in eh?

The Clark International Motor Show 2014 is one of Pampanga's most awaited event for car lovers and enthusiasts. It ended with a success along with a lot of people (and cars, so car parking was a pain but worth the wait).

Tickets cost 100 Philippine Peso per day (roughly USD$3) but you can get the whole package for 100 peso less. A handsome discount for your four days at the car show. Inside, there were a lot of exotic cars on display These cars actually were not only for display for people to see but they were also contestants for the best looking car in CIMS 2014.

  

"Just a small trivia for you folks. If you ever heard of the Clark International Speedway, it's where Keiichi Tsuchiya along with Drift Muscle Philippines practiced their drifting prowess during their visit at Quirino Grandstand last year."

Honda lovers gaze your eyes on this. Love these EK's

Plenty of modded Civics lying around on display. The event organizers were smart enough to place some food stalls inside so neither of the visitors went hungry I'm sure. And I'm glad that they have allowed Monster energy drink to join the fun so I got two free cups of their energy drink treats. 

Not only that, you got a whole stage surrounded with a lot of beautiful girls surrounding the cars being shown while cat-walking cars on stage. Now that's an offer you can't resist.

 

Monster on wheels. Girls loves to ride on it

It made the hot morning even hotter thanks to the charming girls on stage. And you can even have some nice picture taking with them which I didn't attempted to do.

A lot of car clubs attended. One of them that caught my attention is the Celica club and the bB club showcasing their modded cars, cool. I'm glad some people thought of this idea of planning a car show for the folks in Pampanga. 

Not only that, the night was hot when the Bikini open competition was held during the event which I unfortunately missed because I work to make a living. There were some live bands that performed that made the party rockin'.

"But of course I didn't come to the motor show to look for a woman to love. Considering the fact that I love cars, they were the main focus of my visit at the CIMS 2014."

Here comes the fastest of the bunch. A tuned GT-R with 600+HP

Many of the exotic cars swarmed the parade grounds like the expensive Nissan GT-R, the classic Datsun 280Z, and fully-modded cars, mostly dressed-up local cars, drag race cars, and off-road monster machines. Being able to see them up-close and personal gave me a few lessons about car modding and tuning. At the same time, this car show gave me motivation to buy a good car someday and mod it wisely, if I got the money someday.

I can invest in some ideas of my own and show it to the public. If only these opportunities grant me some edge to do this stuff. But hey, I'm gonna patiently wait for it.

The extravagant of them all that even money can't buy

I also saw some new cars on display for the fresh and current drivers who seek out new car deals from the big car companies like Honda and Ford. Morgan, a British car maker also showed up showcasing their Morgan Classic 4/4. That's a big plus for them as they not only boost their sales but also represented the car company that they worked for. Good job.

And good thing that their presence helped me gain an ample amount of opportunity to test drive and review some of their nice vehicles which I will post here on my blog soon.

BYD, a Chinese car company showed up on the event bringing in their latest cars on their arsenal. I see great potential into their company building their dreams for the world. Too bad there was one missing after they wrapped up their motor show that should have been their all long, Toyota. The folks never showed up for the event. They should have participated so they can show their new Wigo (Daihatsu Ayla/Toyota Ayga) line of cars. Nevertheless, I have test driven three cars during the event. One for Mitsubishi, and two from BYD. I'll even include the Morgan 4/4 up for review. I will be posting these soon. So buckle up your seatbelts, sit back and relax as the Lonely Driver gives you an in-depth review with these cars,

Overall, it was an both an outstanding and enriching experience being a car show, a first in Pampanga. Good job CIMS organizers. You better plan for the next year soon and be sure to add Toyota next time.


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A Return to the once passioned place

Once a desolate place now desperate enough to revive it, this blog of mine has to return bringing you some new fresh new wave of cars to review.

The Lonely Driver returns to his place giving you some in-depth reviews about cars and stuff. Well, I've been to places despite busy at work to earn a living.

Hopefully this time I can focus my time with blogging. Blogger, don't bring me down just yet. I will return in no time, I promise that.

Opportunity knocks on our doors. However if you got nothing knocking out on your doors, get a doorbell.


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The 86 Blues: The Subaru BRZ

The BRZ surely puts you out of the blues, sort of

(Taken from Gran Turismo 6)

       I was a little bored staying at home doing nothing. I decided to go to outside and get some fresh air. I always dreamed of sitting inside a Toyota 86's driver seat and go experience the low center of gravity it gives. 

The nearest Toyota dealer unfortunately doesn't have an 86 in their showroom nor stock. Until I remember about the newly-established Subaru showroom in the area. I quickly called and fortunately they got one in stock. I quickly took a trip to the showroom and there it was. With it's signature Subaru blue color. A true beauty.

"Too bad I wasn't able to get some actual pictures of the BRZ because I was the only customer in the showroom and almost everyone inside looks at me. It felt creepy."

A decent blue coupe awaits you
(Taken from Gran Turismo 6)

Sports cars in my place are considered to be cars for the elites, super-rich and famous. Drive one and your neighbors might think that you are the CEO of a multi-billion company as big as Microsoft or Apple.

But despite of the creepy feeling and the mundane look of the showroom agent, I was able to get a grip and get a chance of what it's like to sit inside the BRZ's driver seat. Just like a man sitting on his couch. The only difference is that you are sitting inside a low ground-clearing car that is sporty inside and out.

Clear and clean gauges, nuff-said.
(Courtesy of Subaru Japan)

The first impression I had was it felt cozy inside. The instrument panel is where it should be. The gauges looked clean and it doesn't need more to look better. Dashboard design is pretty decent, not much clutter to look at.

It also comes with an automatic climate control and and option to turn the radio into touchscreen GPS navigation. Red stitching is evident on most of the interior as an added bonus that reminds me of STi. Steering wheel and the fine rubber finishes can take a good grip especially for extreme maneuvers. 

 

"And I thought the seats are going to be bigger than me. I was wrong. It fits like a glove. And everything follows into the flow. It feels right at home."



Once you sit down inside, it feels sporty and sturdy
(Courtesy of Subaru Canada)

You don't have a trunk lever but instead a button to open it electronically. The driver seats held me very nicely. Normally, the BRZ/86 doesn't have a center armrest. But in my case, it wasn't needed since the seats held my arms nicely. The handbrake is easily reachable though a bit high.

Since the car I looked has a six-speed manual transmission, the shifters didn't felt loose. They are right where they're should be. The shifter design reminds me of an Impreza. Cupholders and all that stuff is in the center. 

One thing has to be taken in mind though. The car seats comforatably for two. You got room in the back but it is going to be cramped with little-to-no leg space. But that doesn't stop the BRZ for having no space inside. Luggages, groceries, or other hobby stuff fits good at the back seats. Plus, you got trunk space if you needed more. It comes with a spare tire as well. In total, trunk space is fine. Decent enough for some luggages and a toolbox filled with handy car tools.

"I think they should have considered a return to a liftback option if they want it to be an AE86 successor. But nonetheless, the design is classy with style."



Dual exhaust tips? Good enough
(Taken from Gran Turismo 6)

The BRZ is pretty low on ground clearing. It was my fair share on how a coupe feels like. With a little effort of getting used to take a seat inside to stepping out of the BRZ, you will definitely settle in perfectly.

I know some of you already know of the powerplant. Subaru's own boxer engine, the FA20 fitted with Toyota's D4-S will surely minimize vibrations while in operation giving you a smooth ride. They even fitted the car with a few tweaks to give you that true sports car sound that you wanted.

"But if you ask my opinion, they should have opted for something that will benefit the FA20 truly great like a turbocharger, instead of putting a loud exhaust note to it."

 

Engaging dual-zone automatic climate controls
(Courtesy of Subaru Japan)

Final Verdicts
The BRZ is a good sports car. The way this car feels made me welcome and I was right with one thing, this car was built for me to own someday.

There is no need for raw horsepower if you got a car that will have good handling and design overall. The last thing I need to truly enjoy this car is to test drive one if I ever have the chance this year. But I can tell this car is going to handle very good.

One complaint that I have to point out is more of the dealership side. These people work well but they have to set their minds open. Cars such as the BRZ/86 is not only for the elites and famous but for sports car enthusiats with tight budgets on their sleeves. My advice, make your customers assured and happy. I'm sure Subaru is not that harsh to its owners and new customers.

Nevertheless, it was an honor sitting inside a BRZ. There will be a review of this when I get the chance of test driving this coupe.

Lonely Driver feels: Truly Impressed

My Ratings: 4.95 out of 5 stars.

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The Technical Failures of Romances and Love Life



Feeling the dumps? Don't grumble. Give a whistle.
(courtesy of the BBC website)

              Love life. Ain't it cute? Having to cuddle someone up and spend time with the love of your life is certainly a time worth remembering. He or she makes you feel brand new while on the way to the "Loves-R-Us" factory.

But then again for some, like me may have some sort of technical failures with love life because of how you are or what you are, Let me tell you, no matter how hard or painful you feel, let it go. Take your wheels and drive off. Always look on the bright side of life.

"You gotta watch some Monty Python. I assure you, it will keep you company with laughs as well as smiles in a surreal way"

Touch and Go. Here and there, anywhere made easy.

Driving along the road, often times you will see a lot of routes and destinations. Navigating through your GPS or with an oldschool kind of way like a road map will help you to figure out the nearest routes available to your destination.

If you're the explorer kind, you might decide to check out some routes that you have never passed by. Who knows what you might find.

And what's the catch with all these routes and destinations? Simple. You have a lot of directions and routes to choose from. Take it from me, you'll be better off spending time checking out some routes you may have never passed by than to keep on getting rejected or dumped by the lovely ladies of your life.

The beauty of Melbourne at night

As Petula Clark sang her song, "When you're alone and life is making, you can always go Downtown". Why not pay take a spin and listen to the music of the traffic in the city? Linger on the sidewalk where the neon signs are pretty. How can you lose? Surely, you can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares. 

And you may find somebody kind to help and understand you. Someone who is just like you and needs a gentle hand to guide them along. Maybe I'll see you there someday.

Now comes for the hard part. Don't you have any dreams and aspirations to drive to? Drive your dreams. Keep your smile for 2014.

*Be sure to stay tuned for more car reviews and other tips. Follow the Lonely Driver at Twitter: @LonelyDriverTWT

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