2012 Subaru Forester 2.5 Limited on 2040-cars

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2015 Subaru WRX to get CVT option?

The 2015 Subaru WRX will make its debut at the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show next week - that much we know for sure. We'll have all of the official specs very soon, but it seems Jalopnik has stumbled upon an official-looking document that spells out some of the 'Rex's finer details, including the availability of a continuously variable transmission.
Now, before you throw your laptops and phones out the window, know this: a proper manual transmission will still be available. Do remember, the WRX has always had an automatic option, and the move to a CVT for the 2015 model isn't terribly surprising. According to the document, the new WRX will use a 2.0-liter turbocharged flat-four - a change from the 2.5-liter engine in the current car. Subaru also employs a 2.0T boxer engine in the Forester, where it's mated to a CVT. What's more, the Impreza on which the new WRX is based also uses a CVT in favor of a conventional automatic.
Jalopnik points out that the more hardcore WRX STI will use a 2.5-liter turbo-four, and will only be available with a manual transmission. Additionally, there will reportedly be a "launch edition" of the STI, painted in the car's signature WR Blue (fingers crossed for gold wheels!).

Ford, Toyota clean up in Best Car For The Money Awards

The U.S. News Best Cars for the Money Awards picks winners by looking at the average transaction price, five-year total cost of ownership, the regard a car has from the automotive press, reliability figures from J.D. Power and Associates and safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The result, according to the magazine, is "the best combination of critical acclaim and long-term value."
Ford nabbed six of the 21 categories that received awards this year, the Focus, Fusion, Fusion Hybrid, Taurus, Escape and Edge getting trophies. Toyota and its Lexus and Scion sub-brands took another five, the Tacoma and Tundra owning the two categories given to pickup trucks. The other ten awards were split between Honda with three, Buick with two, and one each for Subaru, BMW, Hyundai, Chevrolet and Mazda.
Follow the link to see all the winners and read about why they were chosen.

Subaru rolls out BRZ Premium Sports Edition in Japan [w/poll]

The Subaru BRZ is many things: fun, affordable, communicative... but premium is not one of them. Yet that is precisely more of that upscale look and feel Subaru is going for with its new BRZ Premium Sports Edition.
Thus far exclusive to the Japanese Domestic Market, the BRZ Premium Sports Edition upgrades the standard model with unique 17-inch alloys and an interior spruced up with two-tone black and tan leather, along with contrast-stitched Alcantara trim for the instrument cluster, center console and door panels. There's also a set of aluminum pedals, metal and carbon trim, black mirror housings and more.
The luxed-up model wears a sticker price of 3,034,500 yen, which translates to about $31k. That would make it about $6k more expensive than a base BRZ in the United States, but to put it into more relevant context, the upgrades represent a 241,500 yen ($2,450) premium over the top-spec BRZ Type S in Japan. Assuming Subaru could keep that price premium intact, do you think it would be wise to offer the BRZ Premium Sports Edition in North America? Vote in our poll below, then have your say in Comments.