The Subaru line up consists of, latest globally acclaimed sedan – ‘Legacy 2010′, a 305-horsepower – ‘Impreza WRX STI’, the Best Selling All-Wheel Drive Wagon in America – ‘Outback’, listed in the Forbes top 15 safest cars – for 2009 – ‘Tribeca’ and Forester – an SUV with 5 star safety ratings from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, US and also one of the safest SUVs in its category.
Read more
If that is the case, the wait will be worth it. Road & Track reports that Subaru is considering the new Impreza platform for a hybrid vehicle, it seems to me they would have to offer a hybrid WRX. The gas mileage for the standard Impreza isn’t exactly impressive, and only an automatic-equipped Legacy even breaks 30 mpg (31 to be exact). A standard 2010 WRX has a 265 horsepower flat-four Boxer engine – imagine adding a 50 horsepower electric motor to the all-wheel drive system?
Read more
“However, we no longer recommend the Subaru Impreza WRX because our subscribers reported a relatively high number of problems, including transmission troubles, in our latest survey. Last year we recommended every Subaru model.”
Read more
CHERRY HILL, N.J., Sept. 1 /PRNewswire/ — Subaru of America, Inc. today announced that it had the company’s best sales month ever with a 52-percent increase in August sales. The company sold 28,683 units this August versus 18,932 units in August 2008 and had an 11-percent gain year-over-year. Subaru sales for August 2009 also showed a 31-percent increase over July 2009 Subaru sales, which was also a record month for the company.
Record-breaking results for three Subaru models include: a 76-percent increase in sales for the Subaru Forester with 11,870 units sold, a 30-percent increase in sales for the Subaru Impreza with 6,590 units sold and a 49-percent increase in sales for the Subaru Legacy with 3,569 units sold for the month. In addition, Subaru received the distinction of being named the only automotive manufacturer with 2009 “Top Safety Picks” for all 2010 models by
the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). To receive the “Top Safety Pick” designation, a manufacturer has to continually improve its crash safety requirements and each product has to be at the top level of crash protection in front, side and rear crash impacts.
“While the CARS program helped fuel our August results, the fact that this is our third consecutive record month reinforces that our products have connected with consumers,” said Tim Colbeck, senior vice president of sales, Subaru of America, Inc. “Well before our success with the CARS program, we were having great results and I am confident that with the newly introduced 2010 Subaru Outback and Legacy models, we will continue to be successful.”
“Subaru has the perfect products to capitalize in the ever-growing crossover utility segment with the new 2010 Outback and Forester models,” said Thomas J. Doll, executive vice president and COO, Subaru of America, Inc. “In the sedan segment, we have an unprecedented opportunity to gain sales and market share with the all-new 2010 Subaru Legacy. The Legacy, built on an all-new platform with a longer wheelbase and increased width for greater interior room also achieves 31 mpg highway. When combined with those attributes and All-Wheel Drive technology, as is standard with all Subaru vehicles, we think it is the best overall value in the sedan segment,” Doll continued.
After three years of development, the Subaru Impreza finally gets a Subaru diesel engine in Europe, two years after the new Subaru diesel boxer engine was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2007.
“The horizontally opposed common-rail engine has not featured in the Impreza range before due to the exchange rate between the pound and the Japanese yen.
The boxer diesel produces 148bhp and 258lb ft of torque. It helps power the Impreza from 0-62mph in 9.0secs and reach a top speed of 127mph. Combined fuel economy is 47.9mpg and it has a claimed range of 670 miles on a single tank of diesel. CO2 emissions are 155g/km.”
Source: Autocar.co.uk
AutoExpress reviews the Subaru Impreza WRX Spec C and they’re quite amazed at the car’s handling and performance.
“The car sits on Subaru’s new SI-Drive ‘intelligent’ chassis with the latest mechanical limited-slip differential at the rear. There’s also a revised suspension set-up with new dampers and springs, as well as a thicker rear anti-roll bar.
All this combines with the 18-inch alloys and those sticky tyres to solve the vagueness of the STi’s steering, and turn-in is much more precise as a result.”
“The Spec C is 30kg lighter than the STi, tipping the scales at 1,475kg, so you’d expect it to be fast. But it’s the throttle response that stands out. A new ball-bearing turbo and intercooler waterspray device work together to transform the car’s power delivery.
The latter showers the intercooler constantly to reduce intake temperatures from 70 degrees Celsius to around 40 degrees Celsius. The result is that the engine retains the 25bhp that’s normally lost when it starts to suffer in the heat.”
A man in Colorado turned in a 1985 Maserati BiTurbo for a Subaru Impreza.
“A Colorado car dealer got a shock when a man drove in with a trade in the cash-for- clunkers program, a 1985 Maserati BiTurbo.
The owner got a $3,500 rebate on a new Subaru Impreza.
Wes Guthrie said the owner complained the Maserati would need work after being driven for 10 minutes. He had been trying to sell it for months and finding no takers.”
Source: UPI.com
HAVE A PASSION FOR PERFORMANCE? SO DOES SUBARU.
Drive Performance magazine from Subaru of America, Inc. has articles on:
- How performance components and systems work
- Subaru performance heritage
- Various aspects of the sports compact performance car industry
- Modifications to improve performance in your car – what, why and how
- Things you can do with your sports compact performance car
You’re automatically subscribed if you have one of these Subaru models:
- Impreza 2.5RS (2004 – 2005)
- Impreza WRX (2004 – current)
- Impreza WRX STI (2004 – current)
- Impreza WRX TR (2006 – current)
- Impreza WRX Limited (2006 – current)
- Impreza 2.5i (2006 – current)
- Legacy 2.5GT (2006 – current)
- All turbo models (2007 – current)
All other enthusiasts – whether or not you own a Subaru – must subscribe.
SIGN UP NOW FOR THE NEXT ISSUE! Two-year subscriptions are FREE! After subscribing, you’ll receive the next published issue on the schedule.
Auto Express conducted its ‘Driver Power 2007′ reliability and satisfaction survey and the 2001-2002 Impreza has been voted number one by owners of the Subaru car. The entire Subaru range comes in sixth place with 93.1% of owners saying they’d buy another Subaru. The survey had 30000 respondents.
“This is excellent news especially as it comes hard on the heels of Subaru being voted the ‘Best Franchise Opportunity’ by the Institute Of Transport Management,” said Executive Director, Sales and Marketing, Lawrence Good.
Source: The Fermanagh Herald
Last week, Subaru succeeded in creating some hype around a big announcement they were going to make at the New York Auto Show. They put a big countdown timer, entitled “A legend will be reborn – April 5th”, on their web site. Everyone was expecting to see the all new 2008 Impreza then.
A short time after the timer had been running, the magazine Motor Trend leaked some pictures of the 2008 WRX hatchback. A lot of people were doubting the photos… we’ve all had our share of “photoshopped” Impreza pictures. However, seeing all the negative comments the pictures from Motor Trend generated around the web, Subaru felt the need to release official pictures before the official announcement was made.
Today, as the counter reached 0, Subaru announced the 2008 Impreza at the New York Auto Show. I was still hoping for some kind of late April’s Fool joke on Subaru’s part when they first released the pictures – but sadly it was not so.
This is the real thing. The car has become much more mainstream. Heck, it even looks like a Corolla. Judging from the comments left here on this blog and on the Subaru forums around the world, current WRX owners are not too pleased by the Impreza’s new looks.
Please Subaru, change the front grille, remove that silly antenna and give us our sports car back.
