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Next Subaru WRX STI could get 400-hp from a 2.4-liter boxer

Yet another report puts Subaru's FA24 2.4-liter boxer four-cylinder in the next-generation WRX and WRX STI. Not only that, the story in Japan's Car Sensor magazine (translated) seconds a Forbes report from February of this year that the hardest-core Scooby will make 400 horsepower and 361 pound-feet of torque from a high-output version of the 2.4-liter. As we said a few months ago, a 400-hp Subaru would become the most powerful factory official Subaru sold in the U.S., ever. Car Sensor explains that Subaru moved to the 2.4-liter because of the engine's better emissions and drivability. What's more, now that the WRX STI isn't irrevocably tied to its rallying motorsports results, Subaru felt it doesn't need to lean on the 2.0-liter displacement provided by the EJ20 still put to use in the Japanese WRX STI or the FA20F in our WRX. The rumored output would mark a substantial step up from the 310 hp and 290 lb-ft available from the current 2.5-liter in the WRX STI. It's not clear yet where Subaru will rate 2.4 for use in the WRX. The Car Sensor report placed the FA24 in the context of Subaru's plan to have 80% of its lineup powered by three small-displacement turbocharged engines, the 2.4-liter at the top. The FA24 already motivates the Ascent, Legacy, and Outback, making 260 hp and 277 lb-ft in all three models. Getting to the 400 mark would be made possible by toughened internals and additional boost. A six-speed manual is a given. The CVT will need some help, however. Car Sensor suggests the current Lineartronic unit can handle no more than 295 lb-ft. It's inevitable Subaru will work out some sort of self-shifting option, since its EyeSight driver assistance tech doesn't work with a manual transmission, and we can't imagine Subaru removing EyeSight when it's found on the current WRX. It's possible Toyota could step in with an assist, similar to how Toyota is apparently consulting on the all-wheel-drive system in the next-gen cars — perhaps with bits taken from the complex driveline in the Yaris WRC. The coming WRX should arrive in the first half of 2022. At the other end of the tuning scale, the BRZ and Toyota 86 have been rumored with the 2.4-liter, but making around 255 hp and 200 lb-ft. Below the 2.4-liter, Subaru is said to be working on a 1.5-liter turbocharged mill to replace the 2.0-liter naturally aspirated engine that serves models like the Impreza and Crosstrek.

Next Subaru WRX and STI to go sedan only; reveal headed for LA

After a serious bit of teasing at the 2013 New York Auto Show, Subaru might be finally preparing to pull the sheets off of the production versions of the new WRX and STI. The venue, according to Automotive News, will be the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show in November. Besides that tasty bit of info, AN has a number of other interesting ideas about the 2015 WRX.
If you've been a fan of the five-door bodystyle, don't read this - the next WRX and STI will reportedly go four-door only. We've already seen the latter's whopping great wing, a tradition we're happy to see soldering on for next-gen car. According to the AN report, power figures to be around 265 horsepower from a 2.5-liter, turbocharged, flat-four engine.
Los Angeles is still quite far off, so expect to hear more rumblings about a production WRX or STI in the coming weeks. Take a look above for our most recent batch of spy photos, and then hop down below for some images of the stunning WRX Concept that was shown at New York.

Toyota tops Consumer Reports best, worst used car values

We often mock Toyota for building boring, soulless cars, but a new study by Consumer Reports suggests that regardless of whether that's true, the company has some of the best used cars on the market. In its report on used cars from 2004-2013, the Japanese automaker had 11 vehicles among its brands on the list - more than any other automaker.
CR breaks the list down by cost and vehicle size, and Toyota has at least one entry at every price point and in nearly every segment. To score a recommendation, a vehicle had to perform well in the magazine's initial tests and score above-average reliability results. It also tried to only suggest cars with electronic stability control. Of the 28 recommended vehicles, Honda/Acura had the second most mentions at six, and Ford, Hyundai and Subaru managed two each.
The Detroit brands also made it to the list, but not in a positive way. Consumer Reports compiled a list of 22 vehicles it wouldn't recommend because "they have multiple years of much-worse-than-average overall reliability." General Motors had the most unrecommended models on the list at six, but Chrysler and Ford weren't far behind, with five cars each from their brands not making the grade. The full list of recommendations is available on CR's website.