2010 Subaru Forester 2.5x Premium All Weather Package on 2040-cars

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Acura may go all AWD in bid to mimic Subaru's success

Acura's struggles have been well publicized. The Honda-owned luxury brand doesn't seem sure of where it's going or what it's trying to accomplish, with its cars and marketing lacking a coherent theme. Now, a new report from Automotive News claims that the brand could follow the success of Subaru and (to a lesser extent) Audi, and adopt all-wheel-drive as standard across its model range.
"I think that's the way we should go," Acura boss Koichi Fukuo told Automotive News.
Acura already offers some form of all-wheel drive on every vehicle in its line aside from the lamentable ILX sedan. That could change as Acura begins rolling out next-generation versions of its still relatively new stable of sedans and crossovers.

Subaru planning modular platform, seven-seat SUV, plug-in hybrid

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles isn't the only big name in the auto industry releasing details on its future plans. Subaru, and its parent company Fuji Heavy Industries, is aiming to bump its North American sales up from 478,000 to 600,000 by 2020. Now, that seems pretty reasonable, especially in the face of FCA's hugely ambitious goals for Alfa Romeo and Maserati. It's how Subaru will go about increasing the sales, though, that has us intrigued.
A focus on more fuel-efficient, direct-injection engines will complement a new platform, while the company is contemplating expanding capacity at its Indiana factory, which will now have more room since Toyota Camry production will be ending there.
As for that new platform, it's called the Subaru Global Platform. Original, we know. It's a modular deal and will eventually underpin a vast range of future Subies following its debut in 2016. The new platform may also end up underpinning a seven-seat SUV, which would serve as the successor to the Tribeca and debut between 2016 and 2020, according to Automotive News.

Subaru explains why it chose not to turbocharge the new 2022 BRZ

Enthusiasts hoping the second-generation Subaru BRZ would break cover with a turbocharged engine were sorely disappointed. Unveiled this week, it receives a bigger engine that delivers more horsepower and torque, but it remains naturally aspirated. Subaru explained why its engineers ruled out adopting forced induction. Power for the BRZ comes from a 2.4-liter flat-four that's related to the engine found in the Ascent, but the turbo didn't make the leap from the crossover to the coupe due to weight, packaging, and cost restrictions. Dominick Infante, the head of Subaru's public relations team, told Road & Track that turbocharging the BRZ would have required mounting the engine higher, which would have compromised handling by raising the center of gravity. Going turbo would have made the BRZ heavier, too. Although the actual turbocharger doesn't add a significant amount of weight, the mass of the related components (like the intercooler, various pipes, and so on) piles up. And, inevitably, incorporating these parts would have forced Subaru to increase the model's price. With a turbo, the BRZ would be heavier, more expensive, and not as balanced in the name of extra horsepower, and that's not its calling in life. It's marketed as a reasonably light, fairly affordable, and highly balanced machine. One interesting point few have brought up is that the BRZ's engine will almost certainly power the next Toyota 86, and its horsepower output stands within striking distance of the Toyota Supra's four-cylinder. The 2.4-liter develops 228 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, while the Supra's entry-level 2.0-liter is rated at 255 and 295, respectively. Adding a turbo would risk bumping the BRZ's horsepower figure over the 255 mark, which would look bad, since that's the metric many buyers use to judge a performance car. Alternatively, going through the trouble of turbocharging the engine to cap its output at 245, for example, would be a colossal waste of time. We'd be surprised if the BRZ goes turbo later in the 2020s, but look on the bright side. At least it exists — rumors claimed the first-generation model would retire without a successor, and they were moderately credible. And at least it will be sold in America; Subaru confirmed the coupe will not be available on the European market. Related Video: