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Subaru confirms 2015 WRX STI to grace Detroit show stand

Now that we've seen and driven the 2015 Subaru WRX, it's time to set our sights on the car's more powerful and traditionally massively winged counterpart: the STI. And while a few rumors about the new STI have already leaked, Subaru today confirmed that we'll be seeing the hotter 'Rex at the Detroit Auto Show later this month. Hot diggity.
Last we heard, the new STI will still use a turbocharged, 2.5-liter boxer-four (remember, the standard WRX uses a version of the 2.0-liter engine found in the Forester) producing something like 300 horsepower and 290 pound-feet of torque. What's more, don't expect the STI to hatch a five-door variant - Subaru recently told us that there are no plans to offer anything beyond a sedan bodystyle for both versions of the WRX. Sad trombone, we know.
That said, if our time with the 2015 WRX sedan is anything to go by, this new STI should be pretty rad. The new WRX is significantly sharper than the outgoing model (in terms of driving dynamics, anyway - it's still a pretty ugly little thing), and we fully expect the STI to be a bulgier, harsher, more powerful and aggressive version of the already awesome street-legal rally car. We're just hoping it will be offered with WRC-correct gold wheels, too.

Subaru Germany sends off BRZ with 100-unit Final Edition

Both the Subaru BRZ and its Toyota 86 Sibling have been confirmed to have an impending second generation (well, confirmed before the pandemic), which means it's about time to start warmly saying goodbye to the current models. They deserve it, because although many will remember the sports cars for their lack of power, they should be remembered as affordable, sharp-looking, flickable sports cars with rear-wheel drive, manual transmissions, and an extremely fun chassis. As first reported by Motor1, Subaru Germany is sending the BRZ off with a limited-run Final Edition. To start, no, the Final Edition does not have any powertrain upgrades. In Germany, the 2.0-liter remains the same at 197 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed manual is the base transmission setup, while a six-speed automatic transmission will cost an extra $1,850.  The Final Edition improves where most of the other BRZ and 86 special editions have improved: handling. Subaru added Sachs shock absorbers and Brembro brakes with red-painted calipers. Surprisingly, the BRZ keeps its 17-inch wheels rather than adopting the available 18-inchers. The standard paint for the Final Edition is Crystal Black Silica, not picture here, but the WR Blue Pearl shown above costs the equivalent of an extra $109. And buyers will want to get the blue paint, because the inside has blue accents. The gearshift lever, door trim, instrument panel, and leather steering wheel all have blue stitching. The front leather-and-Alcantara seats are blue and black, while the rear seats are all black, and the floor mats have blue BRZ logos on them. A Final Edition interior badge notifies occupants of its special nature. The most significant part of this release is its limited availability. The Final Edition will be held to 100 units for the German market, which will have an instant collectible on its hands. Before destination, the list price will be the equivalent of about $43,800.

California adapts ZEV mandate with PHEVs for smaller automakers

California is the nation's largest market for zero-emissions vehicles with over 100,000 of them estimated to be on the roads there. The state's goal is to keep that number growing every year. To that end, the California Air Resources Board is now tweaking its rules in a way that might not boost ZEVs but could mean more plug-in hybrids for the Golden State. Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, and Volvo asked for an exemption to the state's zero-emissions vehicle mandate last year due to their relatively small development budgets compared to larger automakers. CARB denied their request but did craft a compromise, according to Automotive News. Rather than being required to offer a ZEV in the state, companies with an annual global revenue of less than $40 billion, like those in this group, may instead sell plug-in hybrids to earn ZEV credits. The companies aren't completely off the hook, though. If these plug-in hybrids don't earn enough credits, the corporations must buy them on the market to make up the difference. Automakers with popular electric models like Nissan and Tesla have made a big business through this trading system by selling their surplus to rivals. Tesla alone pocketed $51 million in the first quarter from this part of its business, according to Automotive News. The changes to the regulations also aren't set in stone, yet. CARB is meeting in 2016 and could adjust things further at that time. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News - sub. req. via Hybrid CarsImage Credit: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images Government/Legal Green Jaguar Land Rover Mazda Mitsubishi Subaru Volvo Emissions Electric Hybrid California zev credits zero emissions vehicle