2003 Subaru Forester on 2040-cars

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Subaru Viziv is a diesel hybrid crossover we could learn to love

With the 2013 XV Crosstrek, Subaru reaffirmed its interest in niche crossovers, and early signs are that it's selling well, so will parent Fuji Heavy Industries green-light another one? That's the question begged by the new Viziv concept just unveiled here at the Geneva Motor Show.
Of course, this is a pure showcar, and the four-seat crossover coupe's drivetrain is suitably next-generation as well. The plug-in hybrid drivetrain system features a 2.0-liter diesel boxer engine mated to a CVT, and a pair of electric motors drive the rear wheels for a through-the-road all-wheel-drive system. By going with motor-driven rear axles, Subaru says it has been able to provide larger rear-seat footwell and lower load floor. More excitingly, Subaru says its control systems allow for side-to-side torque vectoring for improved handling, and the system actually apportions more power to the rear wheels when the Viziv takes a corner.
In typical concept car fashion, the Viziv features flashy butterfly doors that provide access to both the front and rear seats, along with oversized 20-inch wheels and cutting-edge lighting. We like the Viziv's overall design direction - it looks more organic and all-of-a-piece than we're used to seeing from the Japanese automaker.

Subaru getting creative in these two very different WRX STI viral videos

Subaru is getting into viral videos with two new, radically different shorts to promote the 2015 WRX STI; both are pretty entertaining. They are certainly more interesting, from an enthusiast perspective, than the company's dog-oriented advertising campaign and sponsorship of the Puppy Bowl.
The first promotes a new grindhouse-style short film that Subaru is launching, which is cheekily called The Ride of Her Life, and it previews the full deal due on March 13. While It's just a glimpse at the moment, if Subaru really leans into the cheesy, 1970s-style, then the full video could be really enjoyable.
The second video is a new take on an idea we've seen before but is still very cool. There might be some digital trickery going on in some of the "Stick bomb" shots, but the result is still exciting. Plus, the STI's Nürburgring livery is quite attractive. Scroll down to check them both out and tell us which you prefer in Comments.

Subaru axes WRX and STI in UK

Auto Express reports Subaru will stop selling the Impreza, WRX and WRX STI in the UK starting next year. A spokesperson with the company said Subaru has been evaluating the Impreza and its performance in the UK for the past year and has finally decided to pull the plug. That means all of the model's performance iterations will also drop off of dealer lots, including the WRX and the STI. The unnamed spokesperson said Subaru UK currently has no plans to to bring more stock of either model once the current supply sells out. That means buyers in the UK have until around early summer 2013 to get their hands on an STI.
The move comes in response to slow demand, which has trickled off in the face of competition that best the machine in terms of refinement, performance and emissions. Moving forward, the automaker says it will focus its sales efforts on models like the XV Crosstrek, Forester and Outback, as well as the company's new BRZ sports coupe.