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Subaru sells its 10 millionth car in the United States

No longer a niche automaker known for quirkiness, Subaru has sold its 10 millionth car in the United States a little over a year after its American division celebrated its 50th birthday. The milestone illustrates how quickly (and how much) the Japanese firm has grown in the United States. It took Subaru 41 years to sell the first five million cars on our shores. Its line-up evolved considerably during that time period; it went from peddling the 360, a tiny kei car damned by Consumer Reports as America's most unsafe car, to spear-heading the rugged wagon segment with the original Outback. It entered the 2010s with a clear idea of how to achieve maximum growth and sold an additional five million cars in a little more than a decade. Its formula is simple: expand while staying true to its roots. The milestone car, a white 2019 Impreza, isn't destined to spend the rest of its life in a museum. It was purchased in Salt Lake City, Utah, at Nate Wade Subaru, the brand's oldest American dealer, by Dr. Craig Harmon. He didn't know he had bought his daughter a historically significant Impreza until he noticed an arch made of balloons in front of the dealership. Nate Wade parked a fully restored 360 from its private collection next to the Impreza to illustrate how far Subaru has come in 50 years. Harmon's Impreza is a run-of-the-mill Rocky Mountains-spec hatchback: white with roof rack. It'll be covered in Utah's finest road salt in just a few weeks. Nothing about it reveals the threshold it represents, and Subaru isn't planning a limited series to mark the 10-million car milestone. Instead, it's focused on keeping its streak of sales records going into the foreseeable future.

Pontiac Aztek enjoys rebirth thanks to Millennials

Apparently, Millennials – those between 18 and 34 – aren't afraid to look different on the road, and they like performance, too. A new study by Edmunds is discovering some surprising vehicle choices by this group. Among them, the long-derided Pontiac Aztek is getting a new day in the sun with 25.5 percent its buyers coming from this generation in the first half of 2015. For comparison, Millennials represent an average of 16.8 percent of used car purchases. The Aztek is slowly shaking its reputation as a styling abomination, which seems tied to its appearance on Breaking Bad. The show premiered in 2008, and the Pontiac has been on this list for four of the past five years, according to Edmunds. It even led the pack in 2010. A recent Retro Review from MotorWeek also showed that the crossover wasn't always so hated. While it's still a shock to see the Aztek on any popularity list, the awkward-looking crossover only ranks sixth among Millennials. The vehicle with the biggest portion of buyers from the generation is the Dodge Magnum with 27.6 percent. According to Edmunds, the bluntly styled wagon is especially popular in Detroit and Chicago. The Chrysler Pacifica comes in a close second at 27.3 percent. When it comes to used cars, value and utility appear to trump just about anything else for many Millennial buyers," Edmunds analyst Jeremy Acevedo said in the report. Young buyers aren't afraid of sporty rides, either. The Subaru WRX has 26.4 percent Millennial buyers to rank third place on the list, and the Volkswagen R32 takes fifth at 25.7 percent. Just a few points lower in seventh place is the Nissan GT-R at 25.4 percent, and the final performance machine in 10th place is the Lexus IS-F with 24.7 percent. Related Video:

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