2005 Subaru Legacy Gt Limited Sedan 4-door 2.5l on 2040-cars

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Subaru debuts tougher-looking Outback for Australia [w/poll]

If you're going to name a car after a specific location or region, you'd better make sure it's taken seriously in the place it's named for. You're not likely to see a Chevrolet Monte Carlo in Monaco, and the Alfa Romeo Montreal was never even officially offered in North America, but the Subaru Outback is another story.
Subaru apparently takes the Australian market, whose wilderness its jacked-up Legacy wagon is named for, very seriously. So it is apparently rolling out a revised version of the current Outback in Australia itself. The updated Outback, which arrives less than a year before the all-new model is expected to bow, answers Aussie customer feedback with a more rugged look. It's got new roof rails, body cladding, wheel arches, mud flaps, underbody protection plates and blacked-out headlight surrounds and grille trim.
The Motor Report reports that the AUD $2,500 worth of extra equipment - around $2,300 USD - comes with just an AUD $500 ($468) price hike. As far as we can tell, though, there are no plans to bring this latest look to our shores - Subaru has already detailed North America's Outback for the 2014 model year, and these changes aren't mentioned. Should this look be offered in our market? Vote in the poll below and then have your say in Comments.

New Subaru Legacy may be getting smaller six-cylinder and sport models

Subaru gave the next-generation, 2015 Legacy a brand new, more sophisticated platform and improved interior at the Chicago Auto Show, but the engines were carried over barely changed from the previous gen. However, if a rumor from Car and Driver turns out to be true, then the power trains may be getting upgraded as well.
A source within Subaru indicates that the aging 3.6-liter flat-six might finally be getting a replacement in favor of a smaller, more powerful six-cylinder engine, and the four-cylinder may get direct injection. Both of them would be ready for the new Legacy's mid-cycle refresh in about three years, and they would likely be shared by new Outback too.
The turbocharged, GT trim has been absent from the US-market Legacy for the last few model years, but the insider hinted that it might make a return in the coming years. The new version would use the 2.0-liter turbocharged flat-four found in the Forester and the WRX. Though like the Forester, a turbocharged Legacy would likely only be available with the CVT.

Subaru supplies running low as automaker struggles to keep up with US demand

Consumers in the US are gobbling up Subaru models, a trend that may result in dealer shortages if the Japanese automaker isn't able to meet the surging demand. A quick look at the numbers reveals a 25.2 percent year-over-year jump in April US sales, and a 17-percent gain for the first quarter of 2013. The sales are so strong that the company's CEO, Yasuyuki Yoshinaga, told the Wall Street Journal that Subaru will exceed its 2016 goals (380,000 US units sold) by the end of the company's current business year. The US market has grown to be one of Subaru's best, with the company now logging about half its global sales on our shores.
While strong sales are good problem to have, the automaker has relatively limited production capacity, which may leave dealers with sparse inventory. Certain models, such as the popular Forester crossover (shown above), could hit 10,000 units this month with the plant at full capacity (far above its target of 8,000 units). On average, the US car industry has a 60-day supply of vehicles on hand, but inventory for the new Forester is at just 16 days. "If this situation persists, we'll face a supply shortage," Mr. Yoshinaga told the WSJ.
Despite being one of the smallest Japanese automakers by volume, this is all positive news for Subaru and parent Fuji Heavy Industries, which projects a second straight year of record operating profit thanks to strong US sales and a weaker yen.