Subaru, Impreza, Wrx, Sti Modifications. Fast! on 2040-cars

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Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Subaru expand global Takata recalls by 715k [UPDATE]

UPDATE: Subaru of America spokesperson Michael McHale tells Autoblog that the company is recalling 78,000 Imprezas from the 2004 and 2005 model years in the US. This is a national expansion of the company's previous regional recall for the Impreza. The Takata airbag inflator recall just keeps growing. The latest expansion encompasses 715,000 vehicles from Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Subaru. Many of the affected models are in Japan. The largest expansion from these three automakers comes from Mitsubishi. According to Reuters, the company is adding 100,000 vehicles in Japan and 412,000 outside of the country without identifying any specific regions. Mazda is issuing safety campaigns for 112,000 vehicles in Japan, and some of these include models that the company produces there for Mitsubishi and Nissan, according to Reuters. In statement to Autoblog (embedded below), Mazda said that it is still evaluating the situation in terms of a possible effect on the US. Finally, Subaru is calling in 91,000 Imprezas in Japan. At this time, it isn't clear whether Mitsubishi's or Subaru's expansions affect the United States, but Autoblog has reached out to them for more information. According to research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, exposure to moisture can cause the propellant in these inflators to ignite too quickly and cause these dangerous ruptures. Takata has also been investigating the problem. Related Video: Mazda statement "We are aware of the NHTSA/Takata announcement, and are evaluating the effects of it on Mazda. As soon as we have had a chance to fully evaluate the situation – number of vehicles affected, age of those vehicles, where they're located, etc. – we will be able to share those details."

Subaru calls Forester Ultimate Customised Kit Special edition 'an unfortunate situation'

UPDATE: Subaru of America reportedly found it necessary to disavow itself from the Forester Ultimate Customised Kit Special edition that was displayed at this year's Singapore Motor Show. According to The Drive, the automaker sent a letter to its American dealership network to explain that it "had nothing to do with this" and that "it obviously goes without saying that this car will not be available in the United States market." Lead image courtesy of imgur. Subaru likely brought several serious concepts to this year's Singapore Motor Show. We sincerely hope that this is not one of them.  Meet the Forester Ultimate Customised Kit Special edition (little "e"). If you're old enough to be on the Internet, you certainly know exactly where this is going, and it's not anywhere appropriate.  In this lighting, it's hard to tell, but the F***S edition appears to be finished in Subaru's World Rally Blue, and the pin-striping is very likely STI's signature cherry blossom pink, but we frankly cannot tear our eyes away from the podium, which is emblazoned with the custom Forester's name. As Top Gear Philippines points out, it's otherwise a fairly generic show car. From the body kit that gives it a low-slung attitude to the custom paint work, nothing about the F***S edition appears out of the ordinary. It's even rocking a set of 20-inch Enkei wheels over yellow brake calipers.  We're not sure what exactly is going on under the hood, but we wouldn't be surprised to find the normal host of bolt-on factory and aftermarket power-adders, or maybe even a full-blown STI powertrain just for extra cred.  Inside, it has yet more of the trappings of a run-of-the-mill SEMA build. A huge touchscreen up front controls a custom audio system backed up by Focal amplifiers and a subwoofer. There's custom blue ambient lighting in the front cabin and a set of tablet-style monitors for rear passenger entertainment.  The execution leads us to believe that either its builders had no clue, or they simply gave no... well... you know. 

Subaru STI Performance Concept previews a bright BRZ future [w/video]

Subaru unveiled its STI Performance Concept car today at the New York Auto Show, a BRZ-based corner carver that says as much about the future of STI in America as it does about the future of the BRZ. And while this marks the world's first official look at the STI concept, Subaru gave me a preview of the car, and a long description of its significance, on a trip to Japan last month. The Performance Concept sends a tangible message about the motorsports heritage and engineering capability of Subaru Tecnica International. STI started life as the motorsports arm of Subaru parent Fuji Heavy Industries. Appropriately, the concept car uses a racing powerplant. Under the hood is the same turbocharged, 2.0-liter boxer-four that powers the BRZ GT300 from Japan's Super GT series, estimated at around 300 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque. But the STI concept is more like the ultimate road version of the BRZ instead of a recapitulation of an existing racecar. Chassis, suspension and braking components can all be found on the Japanese Domestic Market's road-going BRZ tS, for instance. Subaru invited me to drive the tS on that same trip, so stay tuned for a report on that experience later this week. It will pain Subaru fans to hear that this concept is not a defacto preview of a forthcoming turbocharged BRZ STI, at least not in the immediate future. STI has been charged with expanding its presence and reach in the North American market, but the process is going to roll out slowly without jumping straight to a fully realized production vehicle. Stage one of the STI expansion will be a consolidation of parts and aftermarket support in the US. Subaru has offered a pastiche of performance products through its dealerships up to today, including the US-only Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT) parts. In the near term, the company will phase out SPT in favor of STI parts and accessories, meaning you'll be able to purchase a lot of the stuff that the Japanese market has today. And we're talking about parts that actually impact performance, not just STI-badged shift-lever knobs or gas caps. The STI Performance Concept does show that Subaru sees a future for its rear-drive coupe in the American market, and that it wants to cater to enthusiasts. Stage two, which will happen in roughly the next year and a half, is to bring an STI-tuned version of the BRZ to the US, not unlike the JDM BRZ tS.