* Limited * Gt * 2.5 L * Automatic * All Wheel Drive * Leather * No Reserve on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2015 Subaru WRX

Every time I drive a Subaru WRX, I wish one of my parents had taken some weird, top-secret spy job that would have forced us to relocate to Finland when I was a kid. I could have learned the art of rally-style car control as a young lad, and in my adult life, sought out a dangerous/rewarding/awesome career as a professional WRC driver.
Never was that more clear than on the launch program for the new 2015 WRX, where Subaru pointed us down a long, somewhat treacherous stretch of road in the tree-lined mountains of northern California. Quick elevation changes were met with blind turns and washed-out shoulders, not to mention rogue bits of snow, ice and gravel that lined the apexes of nearly every turn. Here, I couldn't stop grinning, my co-driver and I switching between second and third gears, with precise steering inputs and judicious braking keeping us safely on the road and not plummeting nose-first into the trees. And the WRX simply devoured each inch of pavement with a ferocious poise that made me remember why I have loved this car so darn much.
But this sort of 100 Acre Wood perfection isn't the only way to experience Subaru's darling WRX. After a long stint of driving back down the California coast on Highway 1, I realized that Subaru's line about this being the best-driving WRX yet wasn't just a bunch of PR mumbo-jumbo. Of course, it isn't without a few compromises...

Toyota GT86 convertible on 'indefinite hold'

Bad news, sportscar fans. According to a new report from What Car?, Toyota has cancelled plans to produce a GT86 convertible, a model based on the FT-86 Open Concept that debuted at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. In truth, Toyota never actually confirmed it would produce the budget-friendly droptop in the first place, but rumors have been flying since last year and Toyota reportedly showed its embattled Scion dealers a FR-S version of the convertible in August. Presumably, this means that a lidless variant of the Subaru BRZ is not in the cards, either.
The reason for the move is unknown, though What Car? reports "one possible cause is weight; Toyota did say that further work would be required on rigidity before the convertible could be launched, and that could have added extra bulk that conflict with the regular GT86's ethos of light weight and agile handling." It doesn't look like that work will happen anytime soon, as "sources now say that the car has now been delayed indefinitely, with no place in Toyota's product plan in either 2014 or 2015." Still holding out hope? What Car? says the project could be "fast-tracked" if management decides it wants to reboot the program down the road.
one possible cause is weight; Toyota did say that further work would be required on rigidity before the convertible could be launched, and that could have added extra bulk that conflict with the regular GT86's ethos of light weight and agile handling. - See more at: http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/toyota-gt86-cabriolet-cancelled/1214782#sthash.iStIkWnz.dpuf

2015 Subaru WRX priced from $26,295*, STI from $34,495*

As you read these words, we're putting together our full First Drive report on the 2015 Subaru WRX STI. And back in December, we were given our first shot behind the wheel of the wingless 2015 Subaru WRX. Both cars will launch at the same time, hitting dealers this spring, and Subaru has now confirmed that pricing will start at $26,295 for the standard WRX, and $34,495 for the hotter STI, with both models subject to a *$795 for destination fee.
On the WRX, that price gets you a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine good for 268 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, mated to a six-speed manual transmission. There are three trim levels available - base, Premium and Limited - the latter of which will retail for $28,495 and $29,995, respectively. Premium and Limited models are also available with a new continuously variable transmission (it isn't bad - seriously), and the two-pedal setup adds $1,200 to the sedan's bottom line. Premium models add things like heated seats and mirrors, a sunroof, foglamps and a rear spoiler. The high-zoot Limited trim adds leather seating, a power driver's seat and automatic LED headlamps.
And then there's the STI, which, at $34,495, carries the same base price as the previous model. Like the standard WRX, the STI is a sedan-only affair, but boasts extensive chassis and powertrain upgrades (stay tuned for our full drive report next week). Under the hood is a turbocharged, 2.5-liter boxer-four, producing 305 hp and 290 lb-ft of twist, mated exclusively to a six-speed manual transmission.