2002 Subaru Impreza Wrx Sedan 4-door 2.0l World Rally Blue on 2040-cars

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Factory Five's Subaru WRX-based 818 kit now on sale [w/video]

The Subaru WRX has always needed a dash more style, and the do-it-yourself carmakers at Factory Five are looking to accomplish a lot more than that with their new mid-engine, rear-wheel drive 818. The sports car started with a contest in 2011 to create the shape for the company's next vehicle, while sticking within certain limits. A designer named Nouphone Bansasi had his entry chosen, and first cars were completed last year.
The 818 is named after its target weight of 818 kilograms (1,803 pounds), and it's offered in two forms. The S starts at $9,990 and is meant for street use, with two seats and a basic interior. The R model for $10,990 is more track-focused and features a tiny windshield and full roll cage. The company claims that complete cars can be built for around $15,000, after factoring in the donor Subaru. Performance is very brisk, with acceleration to 60 miles per hour in under four seconds, according to Motor Authority.
The kits are meant to be something that even a relative novice could put together. All the builder needs to provide is a 2002-2007 Impreza or WRX. The car donates its turbocharged boxer four-cylinder engine, transmission, axles, brakes, steering and other major components. Factory Five supplies the spaceframe, body, suspension, lights, windshield and some interior trim. It doesn't even need paint, thanks to its gel-coated fiberglass body panels. The company also offers a laundry list of options, including carbon fiber aero components, upgraded suspension parts, improved brakes and more. Kits can be ordered in either left- or right-hand drive.

Toyota to offer sedan version of GT 86?

Sources in Australia are reporting that we'll be seeing a small, rear-drive sedan from Toyota, based on the GT 86/Scion FR-S. Yes, a convertible variant is still in limbo, but a four-door sedan is in the works. It's unclear if the rumored GT 86 sedan would spawn Scion and Subaru variants (it's hard to cross all ten fingers while you type, but we're having a go).
Working with remarks made by the car's chief engineer Tetsuya Tada in his blog and a rendering from Japanese magazine Holiday Auto, the Australian site Motoring is claiming that the new model's wheelbase will grow about four inches over the current GT 86's 101.2-inch wheelbase.
Besides the larger overall space between the axles, the sedan will offer a more potent engine option over the current 2.0-liter, flat-four. Promising 268 horsepower, which is a big jump over the current car's 200 ponies, the new powertrain will be derived from the Hybrid R setup, shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show. If, like us, you're reaching for the salt, and we don't blame you.

2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid [w/video]

The butler announcing arriving guests to the hybrid party has just called Subaru's name, at long last. The XV Crosstrek wasn't even supposed to come to the US, but the 2014 XV Crosstrek Hybrid endows it with a suit tailored for our regulatory dress code, adding all that weighty battery goodness to the Impreza-turned-compact-crossover.
Subaru didn't want to say why it sent the XV Crosstrek to the hybrid party first, but the original car itself was an opportunistic play for the European market that has worked out surprisingly well over there and over here. In areas represented by the American flag it's doing about 4,000 sales per month and on pace to hit 50,000 units for all of 2013; that's just another happy chapter in Subaru's generally awesome year that sees it outpacing Volkswagen through the end of October, 347,890 units to 342,962.
The XV Crosstrek Hybrid is the opportunistic play for the 25 percent of Subaru buyers that will be looking for a hybrid as their next vehicle, so sayeth Subaru, and for those outside the fold who are determined to include the word "hybrid" in their purchase but also want some extra ride height, space and all-wheel drive.