Docar-s: Subaru

Showing posts with label Subaru. Show all posts

Tuesday, 5 March 2013

Subaru's Viziv Concept Previews Future Design Direction and New Diesel-Electric Hybrid

Whenever you hear the words Subaru and crossover in the same sentence, images of the brand's much-loved Forester come to mind, a car for which stylish good looks take a back seat in favor of interior space, practicality and simplicity.

However, with the Viziv crossover concept, revealed at the Geneva Motor Show, Subaru is announcing a much more style-oriented approach for its future models and its design direction in general.

The concept features a "Subaru Boxer Diesel Hybrid" system, which uses the company's 2.0-liter horizontally-opposed turbo diesel engine in conjunction with two rear-mounted electric motors. With various selectable modes, the system ensures the car has adequate grip in slippery conditions, while at the same time being at home in town.

From a design standpoint, the Viziv concept is rather successful, we say. With clean, flowing lines and a prominent front fascia, the car heralds the arrival of a much better-looking range of Subaru vehicles.

Hopefully, the modern design of the interior will also serve as inspiration for future road-going models, as this is an area where the Japanese automaker's offerings have never really shined.

The hybrid powertrain will also make its way into future production models, but will it mean the end of fun-to-drive Subarus? After all, remotely controlled electric motors can't really be a substitute for a prop shaft sending the engine's power to the wheels, at least not in terms of driver engagement and the overall experience of driving a car.

Tuesday, 19 February 2013

Subaru mulling three-row utility, upscale versions of existing models

Subaru was one of few automakers whose sales actually picked up during the recent recession. But now that auto sales are back on track (and expected to hit pre-recession numbers this year), Subaru is trying to come up with new products to fill voids in its current lineup. Wards Auto had a chance to talk to Subaru's director-product manager Ken Lin, who indicated that the automaker is planning to introduce new models this year that will help it attract new buyers without alienating current ones.

2014 Subaru Forester xt fd

The biggest void, of course, is a competitive three-row crossover, a role the Tribeca does not fill in one a very popular segment. Lin said that while there's no current plan to kill off the Tribeca, Subaru is looking at creating a larger three-row CUV with more interior space. In addition to to something big, Subaru is getting ready to bring its customers more luxury with new touring models, but does not anticipate going toe-to-toe with Mercedes-Benz or BMW.

By the end of this year, Subaru will be introducing a new hybrid model, although we don't yet know on which model it will be based. What we do seem to know is that the car will get its power from a nickel metal hydride battery rather than a more modern lithium-ion pack for the sake of simplicity. Finally, Lin mentioned a new product being brought into the sports car segment, but while the article takes this as a hint toward a possible BRZ Turbo, it could also be a reference to the next generation of the WRX and WRX STI.

Articlea Source : Autoblog

Wednesday, 6 February 2013

Subaru prices WRX Special Edition models from $28,795*

Subaru has released pricing for its 2013 Subaru WRX and WRX STI Special Edition models introduced at SEMA. Each limited-edition model arrives with screaming Tangerine Orange paint matched with Jet Black wheels, black exterior mirrors and black front fender badges. Inside the cabin, occupants will find matching black cloth upholstery contrasted with orange stitching on the seats, doors, shift boot and piping on the floor mats. The powertrain, brakes and suspension remain untouched.

Subaru WRX Special Edition

The Subaru WRX Special Edition Sedan wears an MSRP of $28,795 and the Subaru WRX STI Special Edition Sedan carries an MSRP of $34,795 plus $770 destination fee for either. Both MSRPs represent a $500 premium over their equivalent standard trims. Check out our recent WRX Quick Spin for driving impressions and be sure to read the full press release below.

* Subaru WRX and WRX STI Special Editions priced at $28,795 and $34,795 respectively

* Special Editions have a limited run of just 300 vehicles

Cherry Hill, N.J., - Subaru of America, Inc. today announced pricing for the 2013 Subaru WRX and WRX STI Special Editions. The Subaru WRX Special Edition Sedan has an MSRP of $28,795 – an additional $500 compared to the WRX Premium. The Subaru WRX STI Special Edition Sedan has an MSRP of $34,795, also an increase of $500 compared to the WRX STI.

The Special Edition WRX and WRX STI models feature an "Orange and Black" custom paint scheme, with Tangerine Orange Pearl paint off-set with jet black custom wheels, black front fender badging and exterior mirrors. The Special Editions cars also receive black exterior graphics.

The Special Edition line-up is limited to just 200 WRX sedans and 100 WRX STI sedans. For a true custom look, the WRX Special Edition features the dark interior trim from the WRX STI, including a black headliner. The Special Edition orange interior is also applied to the stitching on the seats, doors and shift boot, and custom orange trimmed floor mats. Both vehicles also feature front fog lamps.

On sale in spring of 2013, the Special Editions spice-up an already potent line up of AWD sports cars. Featuring Subaru BOXER engines, the WRX and WRX STI models develop 265hp and 305hp respectively. Delivering massive bang for the buck, the 2013 WRX Special Edition produces 244 lb.-ft. of peak torque at 4,000 rpm and running through its standard Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive. The 2013 WRX STI Special Edition delivers a rally-inspired driving experience with its 305-horsepower turbocharged BOXER engine, six-speed manual transmission and exclusive Multi-Mode Driver Controlled Center Differential (DCCD) version of Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive. The WRX STI is also equipped with Subaru Intelligent Drive (SI-DRIVE) and a Multi-Mode Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC) system, the latter featuring a track performance-optimized mode.

Articles Source : Autoblog

Wednesday, 9 January 2013

2012 Subaru Impreza: North Carolina Mountains

As I got ready for a solo road trip into the mountains of North Carolina, I picked up the keys to the 2012 Subaru Impreza from AutoTrader.com's long term test fleet. Being an SUV-loving girl, I was curious as to how this little compact car would feel during the four hour drive to the mountains. I must say that I'm pleasantly surprised and I learned a very important lesson along the way.

2012 Subaru Impreza

There is certainly more good than bad in this car, and I'll start off with what left me wanting more:

Technology

I currently drive a sparsely appointed 2005 Toyota RAV4, but after driving our Long-Term 2013 Mazda CX-5, I have come to expect a little more from brand new cars. And so I was a little disappointed with the technology in the Impreza. It was a little more difficult than I expected to sync my iPhone through the Bluetooth connection, and the overall experience of using it was not nearly as seamless as in other cars. Each time I got in the car, I had to reconnect the Bluetooth to get my music playing, and with several stops along the drive, this was more work than I had hoped.

In fairness to our 2012 Subaru Impreza, it's priced at about $24,000 and our 2013 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring is closer to $30,000. Also, you can get the Impreza with navigation and satellite radio, but we opted not to get that on our car to help keep the price below $25,000

MPGs

Overall, I got a respectable 32 miles per gallon. For such a small car, I was hoping for something closer to 35 or more, but considering that a decent portion of the drive was heading up mountain roads and that all Imprezas have all-wheel drive, 32 mpg seems reasonable.

Although the Impreza's tech failed to wow me, there is certainly plenty to love about this little car. Our next update will highlight the Impreza wagon's stronger points.

Articles Source : autotrader

Tuesday, 25 December 2012

Subaru Logo

Subaru is the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI).

Subaru Logo

Subaru is internationally known for its use of the boxer engine layout in most of its vehicles above 1500 cc as well as its use of the all wheel drive drive-train layout since 1972, with it becoming standard equipment for mid-size and smaller cars in most international markets as of 1996, and now standard in most North American market Subaru vehicles. The lone exception is the BRZ introduced in 2012, utilizing RWD. Subaru also offer many turbocharged versions of their passenger cars, such as the Impreza WRX.

Fuji Heavy Industries, the parent company of Subaru, is currently in a partial partnership with Toyota Motor Corporation, which owns 16.5% of FHI.

Subaru is the Japanese name for the Pleiades star cluster (M45, or "The Seven Sisters"), which in turn inspires the Subaru logo and alludes to the companies that merged to create FHI.

Articles Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subaru