Update: 2009 Toyota Avensis High-Res Photo

As we told you last Friday, Toyota will perform the global debut of its new D-Segment sedan, the 2009 Avensis on 2 October at the Paris International Motor show. The new Avensis is the third generation of the model to be built at Toyota’s Burnaston plant in Derbyshire, UK. The Japanese automaker has yet to reveal any specific information on its new European sedan, but Toyota did say that the 2009 Avensis will features a new range of engines that are both more powerful and emit less CO2. The new Avensis is due to go sale in Europe in January 2009, with full details and pricing to be announced later in the year. -Continued

Hyundai Recalling 65,000 Elantras in the States

Hyundai is planning to recall 65,000 MY’08 Elantra models with 2.0 liter beta engines in the Unites Stated. According to NHTSA, the fuel pump motor in these models may not have the proper uniform internal electrical surface contact which cause it to produce less pumping pressure than required to supply the fuel injection system. Hyundai said that this could result to poor engine starting, hesitation and other performance issues. The Korean automaker said that its dealers will replace the fuel pump subassembly free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in the States during September 2008.

Kicherer Mercedes-Benz C 320CDi 4-Matic Estate

German tuning firm has Kicherer has presented its latest creation based on the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate and in particular on the 320 CDI 4 Matic model, On the outside, Kicherer added an AMG bodykit which is further enhanced by the lowered suspension and the new 19-inch RS-1 alloy wheels wrapped around in performance tires. Inside the Germans added a new speedometer, a leather/wood steering wheel and a two-tone leather trim that also covers the dashboard. -Continued

Under the hood, Kicherer performed a series of upgrades on the 3.0-liter V6 turbo diesel engine which now develops an output of 265 HP and 600Nm of torque, up from 224 HP and 510Nm respectively. According to Kicherer, the tuned C 320CDi 4-Matic Estate can now go from standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.7 seconds.

Via: Worldcarfans , Source: Kicherer

weekend with girlfriends

now that my cam's broke and my parents using the other cam in boracay this weekend... i'm now left with photobooth.

bumming out in front of the TV before heading out...


i haven't bought new shoes since i got back in manila.. but it's okay.


wonder what i'd look like with short hair... ermm.. teddy, what u think?

dinner night out with my college girlfriends has always been fun! its like my own version of sex & the city - minus the vouge editor, the lawyer, and we're 5 instead of 4. we were friends since 2001 and lived together for 3 years back univ days... so we knew each other way before the bad hair days, takky outfits, boyfriends & breakup's, drama, etc.. aahh.. all we need is a table & 5 chairs to fill our stories with, and last friday happened to be one of those days :)

also, i'm sorry if i had been lagging with my blogging... hope to catch up soon! :)


top: topshop. old jeans. necklaces: h&m. shoes: h&m.

Wedding Week Continued - The Grand Finale

So now you've seen all the elements we put into the wedding... but how did it all turn out? Stupendously, amazingly, touchingly, magically...perfect. And because a picture is worth a thousand words, I'll let them do the talking and give you a glimpse of our day.

The Ceremony









Act II: Cocktails & Photos







Act III: The Reception


And there you have it... the first chapter of the story of Wanderluster and HandyMan. We'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming next week.

Groovy Slot Car Creation

Now you may wonder why one or in this case, two people would go into all that trouble to build an unwieldy two-piece slot car race track in the… rear end of two Volkswagen Polos. True, it’s stupendously absurd to put so much work into a detailed creation in the back of your car, but on the other hand, that’s what makes it so damn cool; building something like this just for kicks! Follow the jump for a close-up photo of the slot car race track. -Continued

Via: Cardomain , Source: Volksforum

Video: Kia Forte’s Design Explained by Peter Schreyer

Everyone has their own opinion on the Forte’s design but let's hear what the man behind the subcompact sedan’s styling, Kia’s Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer, has to say about the Korean carmaker’s latest creation. Schreyer moved to Kia in 2006 after working for more than a decade at Audi and VW. The German designer is best known for his work in Audi and chiefly for establishing the Bauhaus-inspired styling which is still evident in Audi’s line-up. Among the cars he is credited with are the previous generation Audi TT and the Volkswagen Concept-R roadster. Watch the video after the jump and tell us what you think. -Continued

America’s 10 Most Leased Vehicles: It’s All about German Luxury Cars

The easiest way to get behind the wheel of an expensive luxury / sports car if you can’t afford to buy it cash or through a loan is to lease it. Basically, what you do in leasing is that instead of putting a loan for the entire cost of a vehicle, you borrow an amount for the cost of a car brand new minus what it will be worth (estimated value) at the end of the leasing period. This results to lower monthly payments even though you’ll have to pay an extra amount if you want to keep the car.

Even though most automaker’s in the U.S. are beginning to either cut back on leasing like BMW and General Motors or quit it altogether like Chrysler, this form of ownership remains quite popular in the luxury car segment. According to a study from .D. Power & Associates' Power Information Network (PIN) that was published on 'BusinessWeek', the 10 most commonly leased vehicles in the U.S. belong to the luxury segment. -Continued

From the 10 vehicles with the highest lease share, seven belong to German automakers with four of those being BMWs. The 7-Series tops the list with a lease share in 2008 of 85.3% (!) followed by Saab’s 9-7x with an equally mind-blowing, 82.2%.

BMW 7 Series

2008 lease share through Aug. 10: 85.3%
Starting price: $77,625
Sales through July 2008: 8,190
Sales through July 2007: 8,634
Percent change: -5.1%

Saab 9-7X

2008 lease share through Aug. 10: 82.2%
Starting price: $41,145
Sales through July 2008: 2,321
Sales through July 2007: 3,259
Percent change: -28.8%

Audi A6

2008 lease share through Aug. 10: 74.1%
Starting price: $42,950
Sales through July 2008: 6,321
Sales through July 2007: 6,410
Percent change: -1.4%

BMW Z4

2008 lease share through Aug. 10: 70.7%
Starting price: $37,525
Sales through July 2008: 4,116
Sales through July 2007: 5,420
Percent change: -24.1%

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

2008 lease share through Aug. 10: 70%
Starting price: $52,775
Sales through July 2008: 25,101
Sales through July 2007: 25,473
Percent change: -1.5%

Land Rover Range Rover

2008 lease share through Aug. 10: 69.6%
Starting price: $78,450
Sales through July 2008: 4,775
Sales through July 2007: 6,610
Percent change: -27.8%

BMW 6 Series

2008 lease share through Aug. 10: 68.6%
Starting price: $77,425
Sales through July 2008: 4,218
Sales through July 2007: 5,190
Percent change: -18.7%

Audi A4/S4

2008 lease share through Aug. 10: 68%
Starting price: $32,700
Sales through July 2008: 26,770
Sales through July 2007: 25,205
Percent change: +6.2%

BMW X3

2008 lease share through Aug. 10: 67.3%
Starting price: $39,425
Sales through July 2008: 11,257
Sales through July 2007: 16,926
Percent change: -33.5%

Jaguar XJ Sedan

2008 lease share through Aug. 10: 65.8%
Starting price: $64,500
Sales through July 2008: 1,514
Sales through July 2007: 2,500
Percent change: -39.4%

Via: BusinessWeek , Data: J.D. Power & Associates' Power Information Network