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2012 Subaru Impreza
 
Subaru offered up a small taste of what wass to come with the first image of the new 2012 Impreza revealed in both sedan and hatchback versions at the 2011 New York Auto Show. The 2012 Impreza will be offered in base, Premium, Sport Premium, Limited and Sport Limited models when it arrives in dealerships later this fall. The 2012 Impreza comes with an improved fuel economy achieved with the use of a 2.0-liter horizontally-opposed four-cylinder producing 148 HP and 146 lb-ft of torque which debuted in Europe earlier this year. This engine replaces the current 170 HP 2.5-liter SOHC aluminum-alloy engine. Further aid is offered with the use of the new continuously variable transmission. The new model will come with a totally new design that "will propose roomier cabin space with new level of comfort and refinement for enhanced product appeal." UPDATE 08/22/2011: Subaru has announced prices for their 2012 Impreza. The base model 4-door Impreza 2.0i with a five-speed manual transmission starts off at $17,495 to match last year’s prices. The automatic version, offered exclusively with Subaru’s newly designed continuously variable transmission (CVT), starts at $18,495. The base 5-door Impreza 2.0i starts at $17,995 when equipped with a five-speed transmission and $18,995 for the CVT-equipped model. Full story 2012 Subaru XV Crosstrek
Subaru is making a quick turnaround with its XV Concept car by offering up a production model in the same year. The concept was revealed at the 2011 Shanghai Motor Show while the production version was officially unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Known as the Impreza Outback in the US market, the new XV Crosstrek was introduced to show an SUV that will "define a new generation of Subaru crossover vehicles." The concept was favorably received globally thanks to its distinctive and trendy design which blend a crossover-like commanding silhouette and an urban friendly image into one harmonious and elegant package. The Subaru XV’s design symbolizes the fusion of SUV functionality and urban persona. IT carries a crossover design that combines a stylish, flowing form with the overall functionality of an SUV. The hexagon grille and hawk eye headlights emphasize a unique identity of Subaru’s future line-up of vehicles. The corners of the front and rear bumpers come with special edges that aids and improves aerodynamic performance, which in turn provides better fuel economy. The interior of the XV is as roomy and spacious as any of its contemporaries. Combine that with a stylish design that perfectly balances the different tactile and emotional qualities of leather, metal, and cloth and you have the best of luxury and modern-day technology in one fine interior cabin. Whereas the concept car was powered by a 2.0-liter four cylinder horizontally-opposed DOHC engine with an output of 150 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 146 lb/ft at 4,200 rpm, the XV Crosstrek will carry the same powertrain while also coming with a more palatable 1.6-liter petrol variant, as well as a 2.0-liter Boxer diesel engine. UPDATE 11/18/2011: During the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show, Subaru has revealed that the XV Crossover headed to the US will officially be called the XV Crosstrek. Subaru thinks this will help differentiate it from its brother, the Impreza Outback Sport. Video: Subaru breaks Mt. Washington Hillclimb record
Racing teams and automakers alike are always striving to prove their strength and dazzle us with the impressive technology used in their vehicles. Many times, they succeed in doing so when they manage to break some records. There is, and will always be, a war in terms of record-breaking and this week, Subaru Rally Team USA is stepping ahead of the pack with a speedy trek up the famed Mt. Washington Hillclimb. On Sunday, July 26, 2011, Subaru Rally Team USA driver David Higgins took to the famous course with a SportsCar-prepped Subaru WRX STi rally car equipped with BFGoodrich RC01 Rally tires. With this beast, Higgins managed to finish the hill climb in only 6 minutes and 11.54 seconds - that’s about 30 seconds faster than Frank Sprongl’s previous record from 1998. Higgins also beat the unofficial record of 6:20.47 set by Travis Pastrana last year. TopSpeed Rendering: 2012 Subaru Impreza WRX STI
 As we all sit back and eagerly await the grand debut of the Subaru Impreza WRX STI, creative minds are at their desk bringing the future car’s design to light in their own renditions. As other renderings have proven to be a tad too aggressive compared to the milder changes found in the Impreza Design Concept, we’ve come up with this prediction of the future Impreza WRX STI. The 2012 Impreza will feature a hexagonal grille with spread wings in the center and hawk eye-style headlights. The rear will get sharp-edged rear lights and a new taillamp. The STI version will also get fender flares, a top-mount intercooler, and a massive wing on the back. The concept debuted with a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated Boxer engine mated to a Lineartronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), but don’t expect to see the same for the production model. The WRX STI is expected to carry a turbocharged version of the 2.5 liter boxer engine with more than 305 HP on tap. The engine will be mated to a fully synchronized close-ratio 6-speed manual transmission. We expect the 2012 Subaru Impreza WRX to debut in late 2011, with sales beginning in early 2012 2011 Subaru WRX STI Isle of Man TT Mark Higgins
The Isle of Man’s 37.75-mile, 200-turn Mountain Race Circuit is one of those tracks that test a person’s endurance over a pretty long distance. It’s a little more than two-and-a-half times the length of the Nurburgring so you can expect it to be as daunting as any race track in the world, even for the standards of superbikes that race in the circuit every year. That’s why we found it surprising to find out that a Subaru Impreza WRX STI broke the lap record for a four-wheeled vehicle in the track after the record stood for 21 years. Driven by former British Rally champion and WRC veteran Mark Higgins, the Impreza WRX STI clocked an impressive - by its standards – time of just under 20 minutes, with an average lap speed of 115.356 MPH, breaking the previous lap record by more than two minutes. Late rally veteran Tony Pond set the previous record back in 1990 while driving a Rover 827 Vitesse. Congratulations to both Subaru and Mark Higgins for the new record and here’s to hoping that we won’t have to wait 21 years for this record to be broken. UPDATE 06/23/2011: Subaru has released a 5 minute 25 second video highlighting rally driver Mark Higgins’ lap that averaged 115.356 MPH. Towards the end of the video, Higgins tells the tale of when he lost and then regained control of the Subaru. Hit the jump for details on the Subaru WRX STI Isle of Man and to see what Higgins has to say about the record breaking lap. UPDATE 11/07/2011: The WRX STI Isle of Man TT Mark Higgins has been displayed at this year’s SEMA Show and this was the perfect opportunity for us to give you some live pictures of the car. We hope you will enjoy them. Check the picture gallery to see them. Full story Toyota and Subaru sports cars to be revealed at the Tokyo Show
The FT-86, in either Toyota or Subaru forms needs no presentation. Everyone knows how this car will look like and for sure we won’t get any surprises from either of the two companies. And we will finally see the production version of the car. Both Toyota and Subaru will bring the production version of their sports car in December at the Tokyo Auto Show. The model will go on sale in 2012 and the Toyota version will be sold as a Scion FR-S on the US market. While Toyota offered us all the design glimpse you might have needed with the launch of three different concept cars, Subaru has only revealed a a transparent concept detailing the car’s boxer engine, rear-drive architecture and suspension. And if you were hoping to see an all-wheel-drive version from Subaru, we have to bring you a sad news: Japanese sources familiar with the program say there are no plans for an AWD version. On the other hand, a good news reveals plans for a convertible version and even a compact sedan to target the BMW 1-Series. 2011 Subaru XV Concept
Subaru has unveiled the new XV Concept at the Shanghai Motor Show. The concept comes with a totally new design and is equipped with Subaru’s renowned Symmetrical AWD (All-Wheel Drive) system. Power will come from the latest generation Boxer engines. The XV previews the company’s next generation of crossover and combines the SUV practicality with a fashionable form. The XV’s new design language will be defined by the word "Protren" - a word that combines "Professional tool" and "Trendy design" that can be easily translated into the fact that XV will integrate both "authentic functionality as a professional tool" and "urban and stylish design". The Subaru XV Concept is a design concept car that defines a new generation of crossover vehicle, blending exceptional SUV practicality with a fashionable form. It was specifically designed for customers who are looking for a vehicle offering looks, benefits, and a packaging that stretches beyond those from the populated crowd of existing crossover models. At its heart is the core theme of "Enjoyment and Peace of mind", and a promise to deliver, in line with Subaru’s new brand statement, "Confidence in Motion". UPDATE 04/19/2011: This review has been updated with the official images and specs on the concept. Hit the jump to read more about it. Full story 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI gets an extra 20HP in the UK
In a strange and unpredictable marketing strategy, Subaru UK has decided to give potential customers the extra oomph they may need to go out and purchase an Impreza WRX STI. Between now and June 31, 2011, Subaru UK will be selling the standard WRX STI models for the typical £32,995 (about $53,500 at the current exchange rates), but add on an upgrade in engine power and satellite navigation system for FREE. Yes, that’s F-R-E-E. The Subaru Impreza WRX STI comes with a 2.5 liter Boxer 16-valve turbo engine that produces 300 HP, but during this promotional period, the engine will be tweaked to deliver 320 HP and 331 lbs-ft of torque. With this extra 20 HP, the improved STI will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds. Next to the engine upgrade, the STI will also get a Pioneer satellite navigational system fitted as standard. The system features touch-screen capability, Bluetooth, and iPod connection. The screen is also detachable and can be connected to a laptop via a USB port for easy downloading of additional information. The list of equipment for the Subaru will also include symmetrical AWD, keyless entry and push button start, hill start assist, climate control, SI-Drive, leather Recaro seats, 18 inch alloy wheels, remote locking, satellite tracker, and cruise control. Subaru UK didn’t mention the reason behind this added bonus, but we don’t think anyone in the UK will mind. Next Impreza To Be Based off the Toyota Corolla
Akio Toyoda, President of Subaru’s parent company, Toyota, has announced that the next Subaru Impreza would be based on the venerable Toyota Corolla. In a statement to select members of the press, Toyoda was quoted as saying, “We [at Toyota] are always looking to consolidate redundant parts of our lineup so we can pass our cost savings on to our customers. Because of this, we are pleased to announce that the next generation of the Subaru Impreza will be based on our Toyota Corolla, which is the best selling car in the world.” While Toyoda declined to discuss a timeline for the changes, he did mention that Subaru’s signature boxer engines and symmetrical all wheel drive would not be carried over to the new Impreza because of, “[the] inefficient nature of the design.” He declined to comment further. Toyoda did however make great note of his excitement over the Impreza’s changes, “Combining Corolla and Impreza designs makes perfect sense. They share the same area on the marketplace and while the Impreza is unique, it was never a class leader. Nevertheless, [the Impreza] will now have the same DNA inside that helped [Toyota] sell over 40 million Corollas.” A Toyota insider later broke down the changes for us. The new Subaru Impreza will share very little with the Impreza concept that was shown at last year’s Los Angeles Auto Show. Instead the new Impreza will receive a face lift to look more similar to its Corolla cousin. Our insider also told us that under the hood, the new Impreza would get the Corolla’s 1.8L 4-cylinder engine driving the front wheels. Lastly and most unfortunately of all, our insider told us that Toyoda will relegate the WRX and WRX STI nameplates to being no more than sporty trim packages with, “Very little, if any,” more power added. UPDATE 04/01/2011: Sorry to pull one over on you guys, but April Fool’s!!! This is all complete fallacy! 2011 Geneva Motor Show Preview
The biggest international auto show of the 2011 calendar year is getting closer and closer to opening its doors when the event kicks off on March 1st, 2011. Unlike recently concluded auto shows we’ve had since the calendar turned to 2011, the Geneva Motor Show is always the one that gets our juices flowing. Not that those other events weren’t any good, but Geneva brings out all the goods. All the big boys come out to play at this event, so much so that making this preview took more days than we expected because everyday, a new model was being announced as attending the event. Now that the Geneva Motor Show is less than two weeks away, we feel like it’s time to give you a sneak peek on what cars to expect at the event. A lot of brands that routinely skip other auto shows will all be in attendance at the Geneva Motor Show, proving that without a shadow of a doubt, this Swiss spectacle is one of the most important - if not the most important - events in the automotive calendar. Hit the jump to check out just who will be in attendance when the show opens its doors on March 1st, 2011. Full story | featured reviews:Subaru cars reviews2014 2013 2012
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