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The Toyota GT86 Shooting Brake Concept is real

As a two-door wagon the shooting brake exists at the unusual but captivating intersection between practicality and sportiness. This Toyota GT86 Shooting Brake Concept is no different – it's a standard GT86, with no mechanical alterations save the grafted-on wagonette roof and hatch. It's fully functional, too, having turned some laps on Toyota's test tracks. It even has the blessing of Tetsuya Tada, the father of the Toyota 86 and its Subaru BRZ and (now rebadged) Scion FR-S, who's been protective of the original GT86 concept to the point of strenuously resisting any serious power upgrades. This isn't the first shooting brake concept we've seen from the Toyobaru twins, but it's the first Toyota-badged one. Subaru brought the Cross Sport Design Concept to the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show. So how did the GT86 Shooting Brake Concept happen? The story, as Toyota tells it, involves the company's Australian design team. They created a 1/4-scale clay model of the shooting brake, and showed it to Tada when he visited in late 2014. He was so impressed, Toyota says, that he had his hand-picked craftsman in Japan bring the idea to full-scale fruition. The Australian design team, in the outdoor-loving spirit of their country, immediately thought that the longer roof would be perfect for carrying surfboards and other unwieldy sports equipment. And it would be. Meanwhile, Tada and the rest of the Toyota corporation want to tamp down expectations. It's a design study, the company says, and it's just "testing the waters." Toyota won't rule anything out, and Mazda recently surprised everyone with the MX-5 RF's unusual and attractive targa model. Maybe in a world where Mazda felt confident enough to introduce the RF, Toyota can be daring enough to bring a sporty wagon to the masses. We can hope, and maybe if we all make enough noise together Toyota will make it a reality. Related Video: Featured Gallery Toyota GT86 Shooting Brake Concept Scion Subaru Toyota Coupe Hatchback Wagon Concept Cars Performance shooting brake toyota gt86 gt86

Subaru funds Center For Pet Safety crash testing for dogs [w/video]

Crash-testing new vehicles to evaluate their ability to keep humans safe in accidents is nothing new, but thus far there has been little in the way of crash testing for dogs. Subaru, a company that portrays itself as pet friendly, hopes to raise awareness on the issue of pet safety by funding initial crash testing by the nonprofit Center for Pet Safety, Automotive News reports.
Real dogs were not used in the crash tests; three dummy dogs representing a 25-pound terrier, a 45-pound border collie and a 75-pound golden retriever were used. There are a variety of devices for sale that are supposed to restrain dogs from entering the front-seat area and distracting the driver - tethers, cages, nets and crates - but their effectiveness in a crash is unknown.
In Subaru's crash test, performed at a Virginia laboratory that tests child seats on a device that speeds down a track and stops abruptly, the results show that devices such as dog tethers are prone to break in a crash, sending the dog rocketing into whatever is in front of it. Rather alarmingly, the organization reports a 100-percent failure rate. In other words, "None of the harnesses were deemed safe enough to protect both the dog and the humans in the event of an accident." Yikes.

Subaru debuts Euro-spec XV and Forester e-Boxer hybrids

The biggest story out of the Subaru camp in Geneva is the new Viziv Adrenaline concept, but two more pedestrian reveals have much higher impacts on immediate production. Subaru debuted the new e-Boxer hybrid powertrain in both the Forester and the XV, the first electrified Subarus for Europe. The unveilings come after Subaru showed off the Forester STI e-Boxer concept at the Tokyo Auto Salon, which somewhat predicted what we'd see here. Unlike America's XV Crosstrek hybrid that uses a plug-in setup, these models are cordless. In fact, from the outside, the only real indication these are hybrid models are a couple tiny badges on the front quarter and the rear, as well as some trim-specific styling. Both the XV and the Forester use the same e-Boxer powertrain. It combines a horizontally opposed 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that's rated at 148 horsepower and 143 lb-ft of torque and a 16-horsepower electric motor that's integrated into the transmission. Energy is stored in an 118-volt lithium-ion battery pack that has a maximum output of 13.5 kW. This powertrain is paired with Subaru's Lineartronic transmission and symmetrical AWD in both models. Subaru is quick to point out the advantages of the placement of the hybrid powertrain. Because the battery is located on the rear axle, e-Boxer cars have not only a lower center of gravity than the traditional ICE models, they also have better weight distribution. Both characteristics should improve the handling and ride quality of both vehicles. Subaru did not give further details on fuel efficiency numbers or pricing, but it expects to have the Forester and XV e-Boxers on the road in Europe by fall 2019. There is no word yet as to whether the e-Boxer powertrain could come to America, but it's unlikely considering the XV PHEV already exists here. News Source: Subaru Green Geneva Motor Show Subaru Crossover Hybrid subaru xv crosstrek