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WRX Concept gets walkaround with Subaru design boss Osamu Namba

The Subaru WRX Concept was the only concept car to be mentioned among our Editors' Choice favorites for New York Auto Show debuts this year - snagging the No. 3 spot nonetheless - due to what it could mean to the future of Subaru if it indeed becomes a reality. Now that we've caught our breath from walking countless miles through the Javits Center, Subaru has released a brief video of design boss Osamu Namba describing some of the exterior styling elements of the sporty concept sedan.
While this video is just your basic walkaround that gives no mention of the concept's inspiration or what we can expect from the next-generation WRX, it is still fun to watch Namba explain many of the car's design elements including the more aggressive face, the quadruple exhaust outlets and the signature flared wheel arches and side outlet fender vents. If you liked the WRX Concept as much as we did, scroll down to watch this short video.

Poor sales prompt Subaru to kill the Crosstrek Hybrid

The Subaru XV Crosstrek is a major hit. It's high off the ground, offers enough seating for five, and has Subaru's iconic all-wheel-drive system, which is exactly what modern consumers want. As we pointed out last year, Subaru posted impressive sales figures thanks to its crossover lineup, which includes the Forester, Outback, and XV Crosstrek. It turns out, though, that Subaru owners aren't interested in the hybrid variant of the crossover, as Subaru plans to axe the XV Crosstrek Hybrid, reports Cars Direct. The discontinuation of the XV Crosstrek Hybrid is due to the crossover's poor sales figures, claims Cars Direct. Subaru introduced its first-ever production hybrid, the XV Crosstrek Hybrid, in 2013 and after just three years the vehicle is being killed. As we pointed out in our review of the vehicle, the hybrid's larger price tag and marginally better fuel economy made it a tough choice over the non-hybrid models. The XV Crosstrek Hybrid starts – sorry, started – at $27,245, while the base 2.0i model has - had - a price tag of $22,445. That's $4,800 more for a vehicle that gets seven mpg better in the city and only three mpg more on the highway at 30 mpg city and 34 mpg highway. We reached out to Subaru for a comment, but haven't heard back yet. We'll update the story when we hear back from the automaker. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid: First Drive View 53 Photos News Source: Cars DirectImage Credit: Copyright 2016 Jonathon Ramsey Green Plants/Manufacturing Subaru Crossover Hatchback subaru xv crosstrek subaru hybrid discontinued subaru xv crosstrek hybrid

Subaru parent company celebrates 60th birthday

Fuji Heavy Industries, parent company of Subaru, celebrated its 60th anniversary on June 15. And while the company is largely known in the automotive world for its innovative all-wheel-drive cars, its history stretches far back before the days of symmetrical all-wheel drive, World Rally Blue and gold wheels.
FHI was founded, much like Germany's BMW, as an aircraft company. It went through a series of names before settling on its current title in 1953. And while its aerial successes were never quite as famous as Mitsubishi and its Zero, FHI did fly Japan's first jet-powered trainer. The same year, 1958 to be exact, it unveiled the iconic Subaru 360 minicar. While the 360 never quite caught on in the US (at least not with the fervor of the similarly laid-out Volkswagen Beetle), the small, affordable and simple Subie had a wide-ranging appeal across the island of Japan.
The rear-drive, rear-engined 360 was eventually joined by the 1000, Subaru's first front-engine, front-wheel-drive car. More importantly, the 1000 ushered in Subaru's use of a horizontally opposed engine. The Subaru Leone, which arrived in 1971, expanded on the 1000, by offering a combination we're all familiar with nowadays - all-wheel drive with a flat-four engine.