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Toyota, Mazda drop Takata as Mitsubishi, Subaru weigh options

It's not a very good time to be Takata right now. Fresh on the heels of longtime partner Honda ditching them, Toyota and Mazda have both come out and said they will not use the company's airbag inflators if they continue to rely on ammonium nitrate. Bloomberg reports that Subaru and Mitsubishi are also contemplating a divorce. "The inflator using ammonium nitrate produced by Takata will not be adopted by Toyota," President Akio Toyoda said during a briefing today. "What's most important above anything else is the safety and peace of mind of customers." Mazda echoed that position, simply saying it "will not use Takata airbag inflators which contain ammonium nitrate in our new cars." When you lose three huge OEM accounts in as many days, it's certainly going to have a deleterious effect on your fortunes. In Takata's case, that's meant a staggering 39-percent drop in their share price over the last three days. Yesterday alone, the company saw a 6.2-percent fall, Bloomberg reports. As the business publication reports, though, Takata isn't going down without a fight. The company is "considering some plans to survive," including a fundraising plan that will see it potentially offer up additional shares for sale. Still, at least one analyst doesn't see whatever company survives staying involved in the airbag inflator business. "I really don't see how they're going to be able to survive as an inflator manufacturer," Valient Market Research founder Scott Upham told Bloomberg. "When your major clients publicly come out and say that they're not going to use your products anymore, it makes this very difficult to sustain your business." News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Carlos Osorio / AP Honda Mazda Mitsubishi Subaru Toyota Safety supplier

Subaru Crosstrek gets a modest price increase for the 2021 model year

Subaru has published full pricing information for the 2021 Crosstrek, which gains a bigger, more powerful engine and a handful of visual modifications. It's slightly more expensive than the outgoing 2020 model. Buyers have four trim levels — base, Premium, Sport, and Limited — to choose from. Pricing for the entry-level model starts at $23,295 once a mandatory $1,050 destination charge enters the equation, a figure that represents a modest $100 increase over the cheapest 2020 model. This price gets you a relatively basic crossover powered by a 2.0-liter flat-four rated at 152 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque. It spins the four wheels via a six-speed manual transmission; motorists who ask for two pedals will be charged $24,645. Subaru priced the Premium trim at $24,345 with a six-speed stick and $25,695 with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). All-wheel drive and the base model's 2.0-liter flat-four come standard regardless of the transmission chosen. Stepping up to the Premium variant adds features like fog lights, body-colored door mirrors, a six-speaker sound system, a better infotainment system, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. New for 2021, the Sport trim benefits from a 2.5-liter flat-four that finally gives the Crosstrek the power it badly needed. Its output checks in at 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque, yet it's nearly as efficient as the aforementioned 2.0-liter four. Priced at $27,690, the Sport model gains Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud drive modes, 17-inch alloy wheels, water-repellant upholstery, plus a handful of trim-specific accents inside and out. It's exclusively offered with the CVT; buyers who want a manual will need to forgo the bigger engine. Finally, the last rung on the Crosstrek hierarchy is occupied by the Limited model, which carries a base price of $29,045. It receives the same 2.5-liter as the Sport, but it boasts a longer roster of standard features including LED fog lights, 18-inch alloy wheels, leather upholstery, an 8.0-inch touchscreen, plus additional driving aids like reverse automatic braking, high-beam assist, and blind spot detection with lane-change assist. Made in Japan, the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek will begin arriving in American showrooms before the end of the summer. As of writing, nothing suggests the Impreza that the Crosstrek is based on will get the 2.5-liter four. Related Video:    

Scion testing updated FR-S

It looks like Toyota is preparing a mid-cycle update for its critically acclaimed GT86, known here in the US as the Scion FR-S or Subaru BRZ. As far as updates go, this one looks to be rather average. Hidden behind the camouflaged front and rear ends, we have new headlights and taillights, which according to our spies looked to be of the LED variety. We wouldn't be shocked to see the GT86 get LED taillights, although fitting the top-of-the-line headlights seems less likely. Supporting that position are the images we have of the actual headlights in action, which don't look quite bright enough to be full LED units. Instead, we'd expect some new form of running light, perhaps with bi-xenon low beams. Aside from the lamps, the front bumper gets a larger, more prominent lower intake, while the rear end sports a redefined bumper that houses larger dual exhaust tips. The size of the spoiler has been increased, too. According to our spies, we should also expect powertrain enhancements – which we can only hope means more power – as well as upgrades to the interior of the GT86. While it's possible that the updates being tested in Germany could be exclusive to the European market, that seems unlikely. We'd expect the same new enhancements to at least find their way to the Scion, if not its Subaru-badged twin. Check out the full battery of spy photos up top. Related Video: