Latest news with #Mini
SoraNews24
a day ago
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
Totoro Mini Pouches are enormously cute【Photos】
Big Mini and Medium Mini Ghibli pouches are like little functional plushies. In laymen conversations, the name 'Totoro' tends to get tossed around to refer to this guy. But as educated anime zoologists know, the gray forest spirit indicated by the arrow in the above image is just one of three distinct Totoros. Technically, he's the 'Big Totoro,' not to be confused with the blue 'Medium Totoro' or white 'Small Totoro.' So it is, arguably, just a bit confusing that Studio Ghibli specialty shop Donguri Kyowakoku is now offering a 'Big Totoro Mini Pouch,' but any extra effort our brains need to parse that description is more than offset by the joy the design gives our hearts. The zippered pouch is part of what Donguri Kyowakoku calls its wazakka line, with wazakka loosely translating to 'Japanese-style housewares and accessories.' The rustic, course-touch fabric is meant to evoke traditional Japanese textiles, and the designers say the pouch is especially well-suited to stuffing in the sleeve of your kimono to store important stuff as you head out to a summer festival, though with it looking this adorable, there's never really a bad time to use it. And don't worry, they made sure to include the Big Totoro's tail too. Of course, the Big Totoro Mini Pouch name implies the exitance of other-size Totoro Mini Pouches, and sure enough, there's one for the Medium Totoro too! Though the big gray guy is the most famous Totoro, you could argue that the Medium Totoro is the more appropriate muse for a pouch, since in the anime he's often depicted carrying around a sack of acorns, though that isn't part of the pouch's design. Despite their 'Big' and 'Medium' names, though, both Mini Pouches are identically sized, at 10 centimeters (3.9 inches) in height and 90 centimeters across. They're also priced the same, at 1,980 yen (US$13.65) and share the same style of leafy zipper pull. Both the Big and Medium Totoro Mini Pouches are available now thanks to a restock, but oddly enough there doesn't seem to be a Small Totoro Mini Pouch available. Maybe it's coming soon, but for the time being the Big Totoro pouch can be ordered through the Donguri Kyowakoku online shop here, and the Medium one here. Source: Donguri Kyowakoku Top image: Donguri Kyowakoku Insert images: Studio Ghibli (edited by SoraNews24), Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2) ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
The Citizen
a day ago
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Hot Wheels Legends Tour: Car builders to compete to get their creation turned into scale model
The Hot Wheels Legends Tour is set to return to the UK in 2025, which provides an opportunity for global car builders to achieve recognition and the extraordinary chance to see their custom creations immortalised as a 1:64 scale die-cast model. This exciting competition welcomes a diverse range of vehicles, from meticulously crafted home-built racers and stunning resto-mods to rugged off-roaders and unique custom trucks. The judges are seeking entries that not only boast exceptional design but also exude a distinctive attitude. The esteemed panel, comprising Hot Wheels designer Craig Callum, popular YouTuber Mat Armstrong, and acclaimed broadcaster Nicola Hume, will be evaluating builds based on their authenticity, creativity, and what the brand affectionately terms 'garage spirit'. Aspiring entrants need to submit three photos and a concise description through the UK tour website by the deadline of July 4th. Following this, three outstanding finalists will be selected to display their vehicles at Birmingham's NEC during the Gravity Show, held on August 23rd–24th. It is there that the judges will proudly announce the UK winner. Related: Mattel Announces 'Ultimate' Hot Wheels Ferrari Collection The triumphant vehicle will then advance to the European final, with the ultimate European champion securing a coveted spot at the Global Grand Finale. From this elite group, one exceptional car will be chosen to join the prestigious Hot Wheels Garage of Legends – an exclusive collection of past winners that have all been transformed into globally distributed die-cast models. A new addition for 2025 is that the UK winner will also receive an all-expenses-paid trip to El Segundo, California, to attend the final US stop of the tour. The UK has a strong history in this competition after a 1969 Volvo P1800 Gasser made history as the first non-US entry to claim the global title in 2021. More recently, last year's UK winner was 'Mentley', a Mini ingeniously inspired by a Bentley. Click here and browse thousands of new and used vehicles here with CARmag! The post Hot Wheels plan on turning someone's car into a scale model with Legends Tour appeared first on Car Magazine.
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mirror
Shoppers can snap up Penhaligon's 'rich' £215 scent for £8
'The perfume has a strong smell, I would definitely recommend this and will purchase more as the quality is great' Shoppers can get dad a 'long lasting' luxury scent for less this Father's Day with this handy trick. A bottle of Halfeti by Penhaligon's typically retails at an eye-watering £215 a bottle - but there's a way to get an authentic bottle for £8. The Gentlemen's Fragrance Collection is a £40 gift set containing five 5ml bottles of the brand's best-selling scents for men, making each bottle £8. They are on the smaller side however our team fragrance expert, who wears perfume every single day, insists this set could easily last a few months with regular use and that they're a great way to trial scents before committing to a pricey full-sized bottle. Fragrance discovery sets have definitely been more popular lately, with fragrances reacting to each person's skin differently it's a great way to figure out if something is a match. Maison Margiela similarly have a Mini Discovery Set with two 7ml bottles of Beach Walk and By the Fireplace for £35 on Sephora. There's also a Tom Ford Signature Mini Discovery Set for £24 at LookFantastic - although each bottle is less than 2ml. Inside the Penhaligon's set are five 5ml bottles of the brand's iconic scents. Shoppers can find: Quercus (Top notes are Amalfi Lemon, Lime, Bergamot and Mandarin Orange; middle notes are Lily-of-the-Valley, Jasmine and Cardamom; base notes are Oakmoss, Musk, Galbanum, Sandalwood and Amber) Blenheim Bouquet (Top note is lemon, middle note is Lavender and base note is Pine) Endymion (Top notes are Lavender, Bergamot, Sage and Mandarin Orange; middle notes are Coffee and Geranium; base notes are Leather, Sandalwood, Cardamon, Myrhh, Nutmeg, Black Pepper, Musk, Incense, Vetiver and Olibanum) Halfeti (Top notes are Cypress Leaf, Saffron, Cardamom, Artemisia, Bergamot and Grapefruit; middle notes are Bulgarian Rose, Nutmeg and Jasmine; base notes are Agarwood (Oud), Cedar, Leather, Sandalwood, Amber, Tonka Bean, Vanilla and Musk) Juniper Sling (Top notes are Juniper Berries, Orange, Angelica and Cinnamon; middle notes are Pepper, Cardamom, Leather and Orris Root; base notes are Vetiver, Sugar, Cherry and Amber) Halfeti is the brand's best-seller in this set and has an average rating of 4.7 out of five over on the Penhaligon's website. One shopper said: "This fragrance might not be everyone's cup of tea but I absolutely love it. Its spicy and long lasting and my favourite from the brand. Always receive compliments when wearing it. I would suggest to get a sample first and try it out before buying a full bottle." A second wrote: "Love the smell it lasts for ever. Lovely strong smell makes me feel the rich haha. The perfume has a strong smell I would definitely recommend this and will purchase more as the quality is great. Great as gift for loves one." A third wasn't too impressed, saying: "It is a very strong perfume and a couple of squirts on my wrists lasted all day. It has a musky, oriental aroma and although I do like it, I think for me personally, it is better suited as a winter perfume." A fourth added: "This is a beautiful very high end perfume. I absolutely love this brand. So elegant and classy. A little bit of any of these perfumes really does go a long way! I would highly recommend this perfume. It's stunning."
TimesLIVE
2 days ago
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
The MINI Cooper S fights for its identity in a changing world
It has been more than two decades since the Hollywood remake of The Italian Job hit screens. Revenge-based storyline and Charlize Theron aside, most car fans will agree the real star of the show was the reinvented MINI. The leading role did a great deal for the cool factor of the British hatchback, shortly after it had been re-birthed by German custodians, BMW. Though the millennium MINI looked like a copy of the original, albeit modernised, it shed the humble economy car essence of its progenitor and was instead a bona fide premium offering: a junior, front-wheel drive BMW of sorts. Even at that time critics lamented that the reincarnated MINI was costly and, relatively speaking, not so miniature. Criticisms that could still apply today. Time to give it a break though, because it is unrealistic to expect any modern interpretation of an original to stay completely faithful to the practical aspects — and dimensions — of its ancestor. In real-world terms, even the purists might agree that thick A-pillars, deforming crumple zones, more airbags than one has fingers and intelligent semi-autonomous driving features provide peace of mind for driver and occupants. Driving a classic Mini in the contemporary world, you would not want to be on the receiving end of a Datsun Go that did not pull up in time. Since that first BMW-made MINI came about in 2000, the portfolio has expanded to include variants of nearly all shapes and sizes. You now have SUV options such as the Countryman and in-between, crossover shapes such as the Aceman. There was also a Mini Roadster. The traditional three-door hatchback format continues to form part of the range in 2025. What a nifty thing it was to see in our basement parking. Parked next to my Countryman SE long-termer, the three-door MINI looked diminutive. But when parked next to a genuine A-segment budget car, the MINI's girth and generous footprint is significant. Opening one of its heavy front doors, you find entry is akin to slinking behind a low-slung sports car's wheel. The access height might reveal the weaker parts of your back structure, especially in the frigid air of winter, as I learnt. This exercise seemed much easier the previous time I tested a three-door Cooper several years ago. Chalk it down to age. In a world of Chinese crossovers with aggressive lines and angry gazes, the doe-eyed, rounded look of the MINI three-door is friendly and endearing. Design-wise, the Mini is mentioned in the same company as icons such as the Porsche 911, Volkswagen Transporter or Ford Mustang — with distinctive aesthetic personalities that cannot be replicated. The new Cooper is modelled on futuristic executions shown in concept cars from yesteryear, such as the 2011 Rocketman. It is minimalistic and digital. There is an expansive dashboard surface. The slim front pews are positioned inches above the ground — no SUV-like 'commanding view' here. Right in the middle of the fascia is an oversized central touchscreen display. There are a few remaining elements of physical switchgear, including a toggle for driving modes. That element will see infrequent use as you are likely to want to keep the Cooper S in its sportiest Go-Kart setting. This also changes the ambient mood lighting to an appropriately racy hue of crimson. Blasting through Los Angeles tunnels and empty waterways like Charlie Croker's gang was a much nicer fantasy than the reality of dodging Egoli's potholes, splashing through flowing sewage. Our city's road surfaces vary from not-so-bad to bad and it is an environment that hardly flatters the firmly-sprung MINI, on its optional 40-profile, 18 inchers. A set of 215/45/17 wheels are standard fitment. The Cooper S retains the frantic character of a city mouse that slugged spilt energy drink, champing at the bit, goading its driver into seizing gaps and keeping that 2.0 l engine in the peak of its power band. There are no shifter paddles to manually slice through the ratios of its seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic, but there is a setting marked 'L' on the gear selector nib, which engages a more dynamic shifting characteristic, holding the gears for longer. Acoustically, the turbocharged, four-cylinder unit is as characterful as can be expected — within the constraints of emissions regulations. It has a buzzy, eager note from within the cabin, delivering enough shove to launch the three-door from standstill to 100km/h in a claimed 6.6 seconds. It is remarkable how tidily the MINI handles. Even mid-corner, the driven (front) wheels are never flummoxed by the foot-flat summoning of the entire 150kW/300Nm output — almost no 'torque-steer' to speak of. The Cooper S is an entertaining, fun compact that likes to be grabbed by the scruff of its neck. Though I could not help but think about how the SE model (that is the electric one) delivers the same level of agility and swiftness but with a more effortless, silent nature typical of responsive electric powertrains. Never thought I would have found myself more partial to the latter sensations — could be that living with the quiet, zero emissions Countryman SE has altered my worldview. Still, there is a price advantage, having the standard three-door Cooper S over its electric SE counterpart. The petrol engine model costs R646,395 compared with the battery-powered model, which is R802,000. These prices are before options. As a newer generation of drivers embrace electric technologies, the hallmarks of what defines a performance car are changing — with less emphasis on sounds, vibrations and other aspects that offer a visceral connection between driver and machine. It is good that MINI wants to pander to both camps (for now, anyway) with a traditional Cooper S and the progressive Cooper SE, rather than forcing its fans to pick a side.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Gymkhana event attracts both motorsport veterans and newbies to try out special driving techniques
Getting into the swing of things: Mr Eric Tiong and Ms Shahfini Saeful Mawar are two of 43 participants at Sprint Fest Tryouts held on May 24. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG Gymkhana event attracts both motorsport veterans and newbies to try out special driving techniques SINGAPORE – A red buggy-like car rolls onto the temporary racetrack at Changi Exhibition Centre, looking like a golf cart that has made a wrong turn from the fairway just down the road. Behind the wheel, however, is not a lost golfer but Mr Eric Tiong, an energetic 76-year-old who is lining up his 1972 Mini Moke to tackle the course at the Sprint Fest Tryouts held on May 24. Initially conceived as a compact military vehicle, the Mini Moke is a stripped-down, door-less car based on the original Mini and ended up as a recreational vehicle. Wearing a bright red helmet, the compliance director is the oldest among the 43 participants at the gymkhana racing event that is open to both newbies and seasoned drivers keen to hone their driving skills. In gymkhana racing, drivers have to complete a set course in the shortest time. This usually involves special driving techniques like handbrake turns and spinning the car 180 degrees without going out of course. Gymkhana racing tends to be more accessible to enthusiasts because, unlike other forms of motorsport, it is possible to participate in showroom-standard cars, although there are those who compete in more hardcore and modified vehicles. Sprint Fest, whose previous editions were held in 2023 and 2024, is a public event that includes gymkhana competitions with music performances, while Sprint Fest Tryouts are closed-door practice sessions. The automotive events are done in partnership with Motor Sports Singapore, the national sports association that governs motorsport in the country. No golf buggy: Mr Eric Tiong on the gymkhana course in his 1972 Mini Moke. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG A lifelong fan of the Mini, Mr Tiong founded the Mini Enthusiasts Club Singapore with nine friends in 1993. Now the club's honourary treasurer, he has served as its president five times. The Mini Moke is his favourite among the 11 cars in his garage. After buying it in 2012, he resprayed the originally white car to a flaming red, along with other modifications like the coilover suspension and disc brakes. The engine was recently rebuilt at a cost of $25,000. The process took three months because parts had to be specially imported. 'People always wave when I drive the Moke. It draws more attention than my Porsche 928,' he says. Although this is only the second time that Mr Tiong is participating in gymkhana racing, he is a serious petrolhead and is no stranger to motorsport. He started racing in the Kallang carpark rallies in 1995 and won two championships in the 1,300cc category over the years. Under the guidance of the late Singapore racer William Lyou, Mr Tiong modified a Mini Cooper S to race at the Pasir Gudang circuit in Johor Bahru in 1997. Still, gymkhana racing is a different beast from circuit racing. Mr Tiong has trouble memorising the route that consists of 14 turns packed within the 50m by 40m circuit. He makes a few mistakes and does not finish his time runs. 'I just enjoy the drive and the camaraderie. Everyone is friendly and helpful,' he says, adding that a fellow participant readily helped him when his Moke's engine coolant leaked when he arrived at the venue. Mr Tiong, who has three daughters and a granddaughter, is setting his sights on burning rubber on the Sepang International Circuit near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 'I will apply for a racing licence if need be,' he says. Also at the event is Ms Shahfini Saeful Mawar, 30, in her pink Suzuki Swift Sport. The first-timer has always been interested in motorsport, but did not know where to start. She had seen the 2024 Sprint Fest when it was held in Sentosa and signed up for the 2025 edition after coming across posts on social media on it. Enrichment class: Gymkhana racing rookie Shahfini Saeful Mawar getting tips from Mr Chase Lim, one of the instructors helping newbies at the event. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG On hand to show newbies like Ms Shahfini the ropes are experienced drivers such as Mr Chase Lim. The 48-year-old, who is a frequent winner at motorsport events in Singapore and abroad, teaches Ms Shahfini the finer points of competitive driving, from how to keep a smooth and precise pressure on the accelerator to the kind of modification she may need to improve her car's set-up for gymkhana racing. 'For a first timer, Shahfini did very well. In fact, she performed better than 60 per cent of the participants, some of whom are driving more powerful cars with better set-ups,' says Mr Lim. Hot debut: Ms Shahfini, a first-time gymkhana racer, putting her Suzuki Swift Sport through its paces. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG Stoked by her first gymkhana racing experience, Ms Shahfini, who is in car sales and takes on additional part-time work to help fund her motorsport passion, is hungry for more opportunities to hone her driving skills. 'I'll join more gymkhana events to hone my skills. I hope to eventually represent Singapore in overseas gymkhana races, just like Chase.' Youngest participant Ethan Yoh clocks the third-fastest timing in the afternoon session at the Tryouts in his Nissan Silvia S14. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG The youngest racer that day is 21-year-old Ethan Yoh, who competes in a Nissan Silvia S14. Already a bit of a veteran with three years of racing experience, Mr Yoh had competed at the Sprint Fest event in 2024 in a Toyota MR2. At the 2025 event, he clocks the third-fastest time in the afternoon session. Sprint Fest's organiser plans to hold a second Tryouts event in the third quarter of 2025. Keep a lookout for announcements on its Facebook and Instagram accounts. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
