For some people plain good is not enough. This Honda Civic EG hatchback started out as a clean fully restored car spec’d to resemble a JDM EG6 SiR. However, Rex Tan wasn’t satisfied with just a clean looking car, he wanted it be different. So began his EG project, the shell was sent to FM Garage for a showcar finish using PPG paint tinted to the color of Vanilla White.

With its minimalist color, the car isn’t a total screamer from the outside. The parts were more for lightening the car and adding a bit of a color contrast. Spoon Sports carbon fiber racing mirrors replaced the heavy stock side mirrors. A lightweight carbon fiber hood and rear bumper diffuser was especially custom made by Stage21, and the CF details were finished off with the Backyard Special front lip and rear wing.

Under the hood, this car is a totally different monster; the B16A engine that originally resided here was evicted in favor of a fully built K20/K24 Frankenstein engine complete with a plethora of go-fast parts put together by engine builder Bong Hilario of H3 Autoworks. The longblock is mated to an Xcessive intake manifold mated with an 80mm throttle body and BPI velocity stack, which breathes out to an SSR header with a 3-inch custom exhaust. It was mapped with a Hondata K-Pro ECU to the tune of 276 wheel horsepower and 190 lbs-ft of torque with a rev limit of 9,500 rpm with E85 fuel on the Autoplus Dynojet. All this is mated to a 5.1-final ratio DC5 Type-R 6-speed transmission with an Exedy Hyper-Single Clutch. The engine and transmission is lubricated exclusive with Motul 300V, Motul Gear FF and cooled with Motul MoCool in the Dynamics aluminum radiator.

Keeping the car on the ground are race-spec Dynamics coilovers, Skunk2 rear lower control arms, ASR rear subframe, and a Fullrace traction bar. To make suspension tweaking easier, Skunk2 front and rear camber kits were installed for adjusting from race to show set-ups. The car rolls on 16″x7″ Rays Engineering Volk Racing TE-37 with 205/45R16 Yokohama Advan Neova AD-08 tires.

Inside the car are leftovers of the former EG6 restoration which include full JDM sidings and flat folding rear seats, and more functional styling parts, which start off with a pair Bride Stradia carbon-kevlar seats mounted on Bride super-low seat rails; a rare Mugen FG360 steering wheel, Mugen sports pedals, and Mugen aluminum shift knob paired with the K-Tuned billet shifter. Monitoring is done via a standalone Innovate wideband O2 sensor, and Defi Link Black-Face oil temperature, oil pressure, fuel pressure meters.

Vanilla may be the most common ice cream flavor, this Vanilla-colored EG hatchback may look normal to the untrained eye, but is far beyond the common examples you’ll see on the road. This car has the show and packs a lot of go.

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Apple isn’t the only big news with a major update this month; Polyphony Digital, the developers of Gran Turismo 5 for the Playstation 3, released the version 2.0 update to the cult racing simulator game.

After a year from its long-awaited release, the Gran Turismo 5 racing simulator gets a major overhaul, being upgraded to version 2.0. The upgrades include an interior/cabin view (previously only available for premium vehicles in the game), shortened game load times (GT5 has a really long load time for its racetracks) and menu response times.

GT5 spec 2.0 also gets the capability to save progress for its many endurance races, as in the original version you had to restart the race if you had to turn off your PS3. Developers also announced an upgrade to the cars’ physics and computer A.I. for even better realism. The player also gets better control of the weather, as well as added support for the newer Logitech G27 and backward compatibility for the G25 racing wheels.
The upgrade also features a cool new opening movie.

In addition to the free upgrade, GT5 developers also announced new content for the game with several packages. The Course Pack dowloads includes Circuit Spa-Francorchamps while a Racing Car Pack includes 12 new cars from various manufacturers, and even gets Red Bull X2011 Prototype.

A new Downloadable Content (DLC) Compatibility has also been implemented as part of the update. Additional content for the game will be made available for purchase on the Playstation Store. The DLC will be made available beginning October 18, 2011.

The update will cost you about 1GB of download time. But it is very much worth the wait. In addition, the new opening movie is available for download under Gran Turismo TV and is a great addition to the new update.

JP Cariño shares with us the sights of Osaka Automesse 2011 through his lens.

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The air filter is an often-neglected part in car maintenance, most people forget they have to clean their filter regularly and replace it after about a year or depending on how and where you drive. Some of course think of the cost before they decide to replace their filters, as some OEM filters cost Php1,000 or more. They forget to consider however, that a clean and efficiently working air filter saves fuel as it helps the engine breath better.

In 2010, VTX Commercial introduced a new product to answer this need – Hurricane Air Filters. Instead of the standard disposable paper-cloth filters, they’re made with high-grade Japanese stainless-steel mesh. The microscopic holes on the Hurricane wire mesh ensures very consistent filtration and airflow, allowing the engine to breathe better compared to other aftermarket cotton or foam filters, which have inconsistent airflow. Better filtration also means longer life for the airflow sensor due to less contamination of the sensor.

The product promises to give a smoother acceleration and decent horsepower increase in the mid to high engine speed range. While the sturdy stainless mesh is guaranteed to deliver its promised filtration and will not shift even under extreme pressure. The rubber frame is made of a treated material that is resistant to heat to ensure durability.

Quick Installation

The install was done in my personal Nissan Navara pick-up. Just in time for my recent periodic maintenance service, I decided to swap my OEM filter with a Hurricane to try how the product works. It was a simple take out the stock filter and replace it with the Hurricane with no frills at all. Fit was perfect and the product did seem to be very sturdy as I tried to flex it out a bit. The whole installation procedure took less than five minutes. Checked all the clips to make sure they were fastened properly and started the car, and it was all done.

Test Drive

I took the car out for a short drive and it felt a bit lighter on the throttle but it was negligible on normal driving speeds and stop and go situations.

For a longer drive to properly evaluate the product, I took my truck out to the expressway to give it more room to flex its muscle. This should be able to test the performance benefit of the new filter. The throttle did feel lighter and engine felt a little livelier as the revs went up.

The Verdict

Overall the product delivers what it promises, but don’t expect a drastic improvement in performance as it is only an air filter. The combination of performance benefit, fuel economy and the longer lifespan of the product alone outweigh the price you pay for it. So I would definitely recommend this product.

VTX Commercial shares that the SRP for the Hurricane Air Filter starts at Php2,500 and varies depending on application. For more information, visit www.hurricaneairfilters.com or call (02)584-1415.

Mint Design recently launched their products officially in Manila with a party entitled “Backyard Sessions” in Makati City. On deck were DJ Funk Avy, DJ B-Cal and DJ Skratchmark spinning from sundown until the wee hours while guests kept themselves busy Beer Pong, Graffiti Wall, Sumo Suit Wrestling, Velcro Wall, and Jousting. Some of the hottest cars and bikes from Manila were also on display. Son of a Beef sponsored BBQ and Burgers to go with the free flowing booze.

The fourth Manila Auto Salon featured more than 100 cars and trucks on the show halls of the SMX Convention Center at the Mall of Asia Complex. Here’s some of the cars which we thought that got the concept of the show. And of course, made it to our theme “Rides Modified the Way They Should Be”.

Atoy Llave of A-toy Bodykits pushed the envelope this year when he converted an R33 Skyline GT-R to look like an R35 GT-R. Impossible is really nothing when you have a broad imagination. Also in the A-toy display is a Nissan Cefiro A31 with an R34 Skyline front and rear end conversion, and another with an R33 Skyline conversion, both powered by twin turbo Toyota 1JZ-GTE engines.

Here’s some more of the cars that made it to the TUNED pages… One includes an BMW E46 transplanted with an 6.2-liter V8 LS3 Corvette Engine built by Ian King!

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Hyundai partners with top aftermarket companies to customize latest models for SEMA

Hyundai recently showcased modified versions new Equus sedan, the Sonata Turbo and the Genesis Coupe at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show last Nov. 2-5, 2010. Hyundai has again united with some of the biggest names in the aftermarket industry to build six one-of-a-kind models for the Hyundai display at SEMA (booth #24387) at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

“Each year we bring our newest, most exciting custom cars to SEMA through a partnership with aftermarket specialists to create even more options for Hyundai owners,” said Michael Deitz, manager of Hyundai’s SEMA program. “This year, we chose to bring back the tuner-friendly Genesis Coupe, and debut modifications to our new luxury flagship Equus and 274 horsepower Sonata Turbo, both debuting as 2011 models.”

DUB Edition Hyundai Equus

Well known for prolific designs, the fabricators at DUB magazine have teamed up with Hyundai to customize an Equus, Hyundai’s all-new luxury flagship sedan. Exterior modifications on the DUB Edition Hyundai Equus include Trex DUB Design mesh grille, DUB Design custom body kit, tinted windows and tail lights, and a custom two-tone, gloss black-and-matte charcoal paint job.

The Equus also features a DUB Edition custom suspension riding on 24-inch TIS modular style 10 wheels with Pirelli Pzero Nero tires. To add to the already world-class Lexicon audio system that comes from the factory, DUB Design built a custom trunk enclosure that is fitted with Infinity Kappa components including nine Infinity Kappa Series speakers, KAPPA ONE mono and KAPPA FOUR four-channel amplifiers. Additionally, the interior of the Equus features DUB Design custom leather and suede, a DUB Design illuminated headliner and custom rear bucket seats.

“Elegant Equus” from Mummbles Marketing

The VIP themed “Elegant Equus” from Mummbles Marketing features a 450 horsepower, high-performance engine and advanced technologies as it aims to be the envy of every high-power executive. To capture the VIP luxury look, Mummbles Marketing has complemented Equus with some of the highest performance products on the market. The “Elegant Equus” will display engine, interior, exterior, brake, wheel and suspension modifications, as well as one-of-a-kind audio and video enhancements.

Along with a turbo kit and carbon fiber accessories to enhance Equus’ V8 performance, Mummbles installed an Apple iPad to control certain aspects of the vehicle such as ride height, luxury curtains, stereo and windows. Mummbles Marketing teamed up with Legacy Innovations and S-Max to build and manufacture the turbo kit and also worked with Infinity, Mobile Spec and Pyle for the custom audio and video parts on the vehicle.

ARK Track Time Attack Genesis Coupe 3.8L

To enhance the tunability of its most dynamic performance car ever, Hyundai teamed with ARK Performance Inc. to develop custom parts for the Hyundai Genesis Coupe. These high-performance parts will debut on the ARK Track Time Attack Genesis Coupe 3.8L show car. The Genesis Coupe from ARK is designed for enthusiasts looking for quality performance products and inspiration for their own modifications. All of the ARK Performance parts designed for the Genesis Coupe are production-ready and will soon be available for enthusiasts everywhere.

ARK was able to reach 585 horsepower with engine modifications, including an APG KOREA 3.8 supercharger kit, to Genesis Coupe’s already powerful 306 horsepower, DOHC 3.8-liter V6 engine. As an added feature the ARK Genesis Coupe’s paint scheme was designed and completed in collaboration with artists from Hyundai’s North American Design Center in Irvine, Calif.

Rhys Millen Racing Signature Edition Equus

For the third consecutive year partnering with Hyundai at SEMA, Rhys Millen Racing will debut the RMR Signature Edition Equus with exterior, interior and performance upgrades that enhance the already luxurious sedan.

The Equus showcases exterior RMR Signature Edition components including carbon mirrors, and front chin and rear deck spoilers. A two-tone carbon fiber and Red Bull Racing blue satin clear paint by BASF and HRE 21-inch P40 wheels will appropriately round out the exterior. Tuners aiming to get even more power from the stock 385 horsepower, V8 engine get a glance at a bolt-on RMR Signature Edition air intake and stainless exhaust that together will add another 30 horsepower. The RMR Signature Equus also features a 14-inch brake kit designed to tame the added power. The interior of the Equus features RMR Signature Edition embroidered headrests and floor mats, and ostrich hide leather seats with suede accents.

Gogogear Racing Genesis Coupe

The Gogogear Racing Genesis Coupe emphasizes racing reliability and high-end performance capabilities. The bright yellow paint scheme was designed in conjunction with Hyundai’s California Design Center. Gogogear Racing plans to show off the performance capabilities of its modified Genesis Coupe car in the U.S. Touring Car Championships in 2011, which is sanctioned by the premier auto racing sanctioning body in the U.S., the National Auto Sport Association.

Modifications to the Genesis Coupe prepare the performance vehicle for the track. Mechanical adjustments to the engine produce 330 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque by adding an AEM air intake, Magnaflow exhaust system and ARK Performance headers. The Gogogear Racing Genesis Coupe also features Ground Control suspension tuning with ARK Performance shocks, springs, coilovers and QA1 bearings. A light weight Spec racing clutch increases reliability and helps with quick and direct shifts of the stock close ratio six-speed manual transmission. At each corner, StopTech brakes, Hawk racing pads, Konig lightweight wheels and BF Goodrich R1 street legal race tires with aluminum light weight Gorilla lugs and H&R spacers ensure proper grip with the road.

On the exterior, Gogogear Racing increases the aerodynamics of the vehicle by adding an APR rear wing and an ARK Performance body kit. To lighten the car and to lower the center of gravity, a carbon fiber roof replaces the original steel roof. Inside, the Genesis Coupe includes Sparco race seats and seat belts, a full custom Metric Motorsports roll cage, a SPA Techniques fire suppression system, and a two-way radio to further ready the car for its racing debut. A RacePak IQ3 data logger dash supplies critical information and lap times to the driver. And a Linear Logic Scan Gauge II further notifies the driver of secondary engine parameters.

RIDES Magazine Sonata Turbo

To build excitement around the recently launched 2011 Hyundai Sonata Turbo, Hyundai Motor America teamed up with RIDES magazine to trick out one of the first turbos off the assembly line of its Alabama plant. Inspired by the Mercedes CLS, the modified Sonata 2.0T features an assortment of custom fabrication from RIDES’ team of expert builders.

The vehicles exterior modifications are clever and tasteful, starting with a one-off, fully custom RIDES-designed bodykit that’s comprised of new front and rear bumpers, side skirts, rear spoiler and roof spoiler, which all work together to accentuate the factory body lines of the Sonata. Other key exterior elements include a matte pearl paint job from BASF, 20-inch Rennen Modular M9 concave wheels powder coated matte black wrapped in Falken FK452 tires, smoked taillights and painted headlights, a matte black debadged front grille, Audi LED fog lights integrated into the new front bumper and 3M vinyl carbon wrap on the roof.

To complete the design, the RIDES team reupholstered the entire interior in a combination of black leather and suede with red stitching, along with integrating carbon fiber trim throughout. In the trunk there are two JBL 12-inch subwoofers paired with two JBL amplifiers. To finish things off, a custom quad tip exhaust was installed out back, while an S-Max front mount intercooler replaces the factory unit up front, ensuring that this build incorporates both go and show.

If you want to go fast, make sure you can stop first. If you don’t it could mean a serious accident waiting to happen. That is why the braking system should also be upgraded when installing performance modifications to your car.

An upgrade of the braking system can be done by installing higher friction brake pads, changing your brake rotors or discs to high performance drilled or slotted discs, changing your standard rubber brake lines to steel braided lines and changing your brake fluid to one that has a higher boiling point. Ultimately, a full system upgrade might include replacing calipers with bigger ones which have more pistons and carbon-ceramic material rotors.

A simple brake rotor upgrade brings the most significant improvement to the brakes as it reduces several problems. These include brake fade, gassing, and brake pad glazing. But a high-performance brake rotor upgrade is usually costly.

More recently, Richtech Enterprises has made high-performance brake upgrades more cost effective with their Runstop High Performance Rotors. Runstop uses 3D Computer Aided Design and CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machines to manufacture their rotors to ensure precision and balance of their products. Runstop rotors are also treated with a corrosion resistant coating which minimizes rusting of the rotors.

Brake fade is a reduction of stopping power caused by the continuous application of the brakes in high performance, high speed and extreme driving conditions. The fade is caused by the buildup of heat between the rotor and pads and other brake components as well.

Glazing and gassing are a major impediment for brake pads because they lessen the friction between pad and rotor which mean less stopping power. These conditions are also caused by intense buildup of heat.

Runstop’s cross-drilled and/or slotted rotors helps minimize these problems by:

* The bore holes deduce mass, radiate break temperatures, and help battle “out-gassing” or “de-gassing”.
* The special slots, which are non-directional and designed to work in combination with the cross-drilling, help dissipate water, dirt and dust, and further combat “out-gassing” or “de-gassing”.
* The slot deglazes the pads, ensuring improved contact between pad and rotor. In combination, the cross-drilling and slotting functions give more stopping power and less fade during repeated heavy brake application.
* The Cross-drilled or Slotted rotors improved convection heat transfer, thereby lowering brake temperature
* 40% better cooling, 20% better stopping, and improved web braking compared to standard OEM rotors
* Run Stop Rotors are engineered to keep the temperature of your brakes cool, which improves pad bite and reduces brake fade. This will enhance brake performance.

On some high-performance applications Runstop is also cost-effective upgrade and replacement of the OEM rotors. For the featured application, the Runstop slotted rotors is installed in the Team AutoIndustriya.com Nissan Cefiro fitted with R32 GT-R brakes. A significant improvement in brake performance was noticed with the rotor working to remove the glazing of the pads accumulated in the high performance driving conditions the car has been subjected to.

Although there are no special installation procedures needed for the rotors, professional installation is recommended.

To know more about Runstop products contact Richtech Enterprises at Tel. 7478560 to 61 or Fax. 5326862. You can also email them at nmci.sales@gmail.com or visit their website at www.runstop.com.ph.

Round 4 of the Lateral Drift Pro-Am Championship moved back to the metro in Eastwood City last June 26-27. With the championship going past the halfway mark, the points leaders tried to outdo themselves while those trying to catch up showed them that the series is far from over.

With great power comes great smoke – Pacho Blanco smoking the tires of the Motul/Autoplus Nissan S13

The Destroyer showing his own brand of power and tire smoke that made him the top qualifier for the Pro Division

Hot on his heels from his first podium finish during the last leg, Team AutoIndustriya.com-Kumho Tires’ Jason “The Destroyer” Choachuy truly put on a good show taking the top spot in the qualifiers for the Pro Division. Topping the scoresheets in the Amateur Division was Alvin Dayrit in his first outing in the series.

In the end, it would be classic matchup between Choachuy (Nissan Cefiro) and Yellow Cab’s Alex Perez (Nissan S13), where The Destroyer literally hands the victory to Perez on a silver platter with a spin during their first championship tandem battle.

Meanwhile in the Amateur Division, youngblood Kar Montaner drove his SR20DE powered Corona to the limit and took TRS’ Bjorn Ongtiaobok (Mazda BT50) to school.

Choachuy sticks it close to Blanco

Tayao tries to go side-by-side with Ronquillo

Hurt and still fighting – Audel Sison soldiers on after a brief encounter with the wall in the first turn

Pro Division
1. Alex Perez
2. Jason Choachuy
3. Kevin Tayao

Amateur Division
1. Kar Montaner
2. Bjorn Ongtiaobok
3. Alvin Dayrit

The Lateral Drift Championship series was revised for 2010 to merge both the Pro division and Amateur division into one series ran for 6 events with both classes running on the same weekend. Four legs were to be held in the Eastwood City open grounds while two would be in the Clark International Speedway.

The third round moved to Clark for fast paced high intensity sideways action after having run two rounds in Eastwood. The long track however proved to be more than what some expected it to be, as some cars broke down and relegated some competitors to watch from the sidelines instead of going sideways.

Norman Agojo drives his Skyline hard in Amateur Division

Mike Tuason and Mark Rosca battle it out for the win

Jason "The Destroyer" Choachuy wows the crowd with his daring drift maneuvers

One of the more exciting tandem battles between Alex Perez and Boodie Dabasol

RJ Obiedo versus “The Destroyer”

Blanco against Agregado in a highly competitive tandem battle

RJ Obiedo going sideways with his Hankook S15

Pro Division
1. Gio Rodriguez
2. RJ Obiedo
3. Jason Choachuy

Amateur Division
1. Mike Tuason
2. Mark Rosca
3. Norman Agojo

For the full event coverage on Autoindustriya.com Motorsports click here