2001 Subaru Forester S Wagon 4-door 2.5l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Buy a Toyota GT86 and your wife will hate you

Marketing can be a very strange business. Convincing a man or woman (or child, really) that they absolutely cannot live without the latest, greatest new bit of technology oftentimes takes a unique approach. In the "online film promoting the Toyota GT86" you'll see below, created by agency Happiness Brussels, men are reverse-psychologied into thinking a new sports coupe will make them more masculine by getting their loved ones to hate them. Or something like that. We think.
In any case, we suggest you watch the video below to see how much fun men can have with a GT86 - or Scion FR-S or Subaru BRZ, presumably - at the expense of their significant others. Fair warning: There's a potential Not Safe For Work moment in the ad: beware of a brief male butt shot about 44 seconds in.
Marketing. Gotta love it. Unless you're married to a man. Or something like that. We think. Whatever, just watch.

2015 Subaru WRX leaks out ahead of debut [w/video]

The car you see above could, possibly, be the 2015 Subaru WRX, a car that isn't supposed to reach the public eye until next week's Los Angeles Auto Show. The leaked image has been circulating around the web, along with a brief teaser video of the new sports sedan (which you can see below).
The image, which AutoWeek reports may be (probably) a render, appeared on the Clubrz Facebook page, a Subaru fan group. It does fit somewhat with the teaser image we showed you yesterday, while featuring certain styling cues from the WRX Concept shown at the last New York Auto Show.
Now, we'd advise you take this with an appropriately sized grain of salt. We won't know for certain what the next WRX looks like until we're parked in an uncomfortable chair at the LA Convention Center. Still, take a look up top and let us know if the new WRX - which, we'll point out, has neither gold wheels, a big wing or World Rally Blue paint - fits with what you wanted to see. We've also got a very short teaser of the car that plays on the teaser image posted yesterday, which you can see by scrolling down.

How new car shortages may impact your buying experience

If you want further proof that the auto industry is bouncing back, look no further than the empty lots and forecourts of your local dealership. According to a story by The Wall Street Journal, continued high demand for mainstream cars is overtaxing automakers' ability to produce enough models. Several dealers interviewed for the story are reporting two-week supplies as opposed to the typical two-month allocations.
With sales expected to hit 1.4 million units when August numbers arrive shortly and incentive spending down to its lowest amount since January, these limited supplies are pushing prices even higher. For example, according to the WSJ, the average price of a Ford Fusion is up past $26,000. Unfortunately, it's difficult for manufacturers to increase production quickly. If it invests in its facilities, as many manufacturers have done, it risks wasting cash if growth suddenly slows. At the same time, the momentum gained over the past several years could be short lived if vehicle supplies continue to dwindle. "Manufacturers are in a precarious situation," notes Karl Brauer, a senior director at Kelley Blue Book.
Low interest rates and a wealth of desirable features are also allowing customers to purchase more expensive vehicles while justifying their higher overall price tags, a situation that is compounding supply shortages. Even now, during the annual end-of-summer clearance season, deals on new vehicles are remarkably difficult to come by. According to the report, the Toyota Corolla is in a self-inflicted state of shortage, as Toyota clears out inventory in anticipation of the new 2014 generation arriving in dealers. Ford's supplies should rebound as Fusion production comes on line at its Flat Rock, Michigan factory. The Chevrolet Impala, Honda Odyssey, Civic, and Accord and Subaru Forester are also facing shortages.