2018 Subaru Impreza Premium on 2040-cars

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Subaru previews next-generation BRZ, announces fall 2020 unveiling date

Most of the international auto shows scheduled in 2020 have been canceled, so carmakers are finding creative and unexpected ways to preview new and upcoming models. Subaru's hotly-anticipated next-generation BRZ eschewed the bright lights and made its debut as a fully camouflaged prototype during a charity event. Enthusiasts who attended the 2020 Subiefest World Record Attempt and Charity Drive in Costa Mesa, California, were treated to an early preview of the coupe, which is reportedly new from the ground up. While official images have yet to be released, photos of the car are beginning to appear on various social media platforms. Instagram user SubaruDwayne posted an image of a thinly-veiled test mule that confirms the BRZ's basic proportions haven't significantly changed. It still wears a long, low hood and a fast-sloping roof line. It looks like the rear side windows are bigger than the outgoing model's, and we can tell the rear lights are much sharper than before. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. For its part, Subaru published a close-up of a similarly-camouflaged car that shows a five-lug, 10-spoke wheel, a brake rotor (which is a superb thing to put in a sports car), and a vent chiseled into the front fender. The bottom part of it is filled in, but the top portion of it looks functional; it likely reduces turbulence in the wheel wells. No one got a peek under the hood, so precisely what the next BRZ will be powered by remains up in the air. Unverified reports claim power will come from a naturally-aspirated version of the turbocharged, 2.4-liter flat-four that's offered in the Ascent crossover. It will send approximately 220 horsepower to the rear wheels in its most basic state of tune. Rear-wheel drive will come standard, and nothing suggests all-wheel drive will be available. Subaru pledged to introduce the 2022 BRZ in the fall of 2020, meaning the coupe could make its debut any time between today and December 21, when winter begins. Deliveries will presumably start in the first half of 2020. What about Toyota? Toyota has remained surprisingly silent about its version of the car. We know it will again be closely related to the BRZ, so it will arrive as a relatively nimble rear-wheel drive coupe powered by a flat-four engine, but stylists might put more effort into differentiating the two models. We assume it's also scheduled to break cover before the end of 2020.

2018 Subaru WRX STI Type RA First Drive Review | A taste of Japan

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — Last year, Subaru set a record for the fastest sedan lap at the 'Ring in a race-spec STI Type RA, which completed nearly 13 miles in less than seven minutes. The new 2018 Subaru WRX STI Type RA is inspired by that record-breaker (and those before it), and it will finally come to the United States as a special edition limited to just 500 units. We traveled out to the California desert to test it on mountain roads, as well as a recently built private race track at the Thermal Club. Record Setting Pedigree Subaru built its first "Record Attempt" (that's what the RA stands for) vehicle in 1988, a Subaru Legacy that drove more than 62,000 miles over 18 days at an FIA track in Phoenix. Since then, Subaru has introduced a number of WRX/STI Type RA models, with several attempts to set record laps at the Nurburgring. While Japanese customers got the opportunity to buy consumer versions of the Type RA, fans in the United States never did. Until now. The nameplate finally comes to the rest of us, improving upon an already potent, all-wheel-drive performance sedan for the everyman. The STI already offers 305 horsepower, a forgiving torque vectoring system, and that big, beautiful wing to set it apart. The Type RA takes this even further, providing more refined performance from a familiar package. The cars are currently being built, and will arrive in dealerships soon. Special Equipment Compared to the standard STI, the Type RA is about 68 pounds lighter thanks to a carbon roof and rear wing, BBS 19-inch forged aluminum alloy wheels, the deletion of the rear armrest and swapping of the spare for a tire repair kit. The lighter roof also helps to lower the center of gravity by a fraction of an inch. Other exterior changes include signature STI Cherry Blossom Red highlights on the grille and rear bumper, a front spoiler, black mirrors and Type RA badging. It only comes in three paint colors: WR Blue Pearl, Crystal Black Silica and Crystal White Pearl. Inside, it gets an ultrasuede steering wheel, short-throw shifter, red push-button ignition and a serialized plate to indicate its rarity. Under the hood, the Type RA benefits from strengthened pistons and sodium-filled exhaust valves that better withstand high temperatures, which is important as the number of laps ticks higher on track day. It gets revised ECU tuning, and lower-restriction air intake and exhaust. Finally, it has a 4.5 percent lower third gear ratio.

Subaru STI version of Viziv Performance Concept will debut at Tokyo Show

When Subaru revealed the Viziv Performance Concept at the Tokyo Motor Show, there were many rumblings that it previewed the next Subaru WRX. That possibility seems much more likely now that we've had a glimpse at Subaru's concept for the Tokyo Auto Salon, the Viziv Performance STI Concept, which could be a preview of the next WRX STI. Though we only have a couple teaser images to work with, we can clearly see that it's a flashier machine all-around. In the grille is the trademark pink STI badge, and it's matched by pink accent lines in the grille, the front lip spoiler, new air inlet, side skirts, and on the rear wing. And in true STI fashion, the rear wing is enormous. It also looks like the fender flares may be slightly wider than the standard Viziv concept. Other than what we can see, we don't know much else about this concept. Since it's a Subaru, it's sure to have a flat-4 engine and all-wheel drive. We can also make out the roof sensors from the last Viziv, indicating that this, too, will have fancy driver assistance systems. And if the development of the Subaru Ascent from the Viziv-7 is anything to go by, this concept will probably lead to a production model. As we've said before, though, we'd caution Subaru fans against high hopes, since Subaru has already shown in the past that its concepts don't always translate to production. Related Video: Image Credit: Subaru Tokyo Auto Salon Subaru Concept Cars Performance Sedan subaru viziv perfromance concept