2014 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Limited on 2040-cars

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Subaru will reveal the Ascent 3-row crossover at the L.A. Auto Show

After about a year of concepts and spy photos, we finally know when we'll see the Subaru Ascent, the company's upcoming three-row crossover. Subaru announced on Twitter that the Ascent will make its debut on November 28 at this year's L.A. Auto Show. The announcement came with a teaser image, shown above, revealing the badge, rear taillight, and part of the bumper. We can tell that the Ascent will have a pretty upright hatch, and the rear bumper looks suitably "tough" with a brushed aluminum sill and black plastic cladding. View 17 Photos But really, we know quite a bit about what the crossover will look like, since we've seen two concepts, the Viziv-7 and Ascent Concept. Each was a progressively more conservative imagining of what the production model would be like. The basics involved a generally boxy shape with chiseled, exaggerated fenders, much like every other production Subaru. The Ascent Concept also previewed a possible powertrain for the vehicle, a turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-4. View 9 Photos We've also had a good look at the production version in some recent spy shots showing a nearly production-ready Ascent wrapped in just vinyl camouflage. Some of the more extreme lines have been further toned down compared with the concepts. But the theme of it being a bigger, boxier Subaru stuck around. In fact, it looks very much like a puffed up Outback, with which the Ascent will share a factory in Lafayette, Ind. Related Video:

Climb to the Clouds returning thanks to Subaru title sponsorship [w/video]

The Mt. Washington Hillclimb, otherwise known as the Climb to the Clouds, hasn't been done since 2011. That year, Subaru Rally Team USA driver David Higgins set a new record for the event first held in 1904, running the 7.6-mile vertiginous course in 6:11.54. The race will be return in 2014 with the help of that very carmaker, Subaru of America having stepped in to the title sponsor role for what will be the Subaru Mt. Washington Hillclimb.
Taking place from June 26-29, 75 modern and vintage cars will spend three days racing up the 6,288-foot-high mountain. It's not as long nor as high as Pikes Peak, but it does have something that the Colorado competition doesn't: gravel; about 13 percent of the Mt. Washington Carriage Road still hasn't been paved.
If you want to know what a record-breaking run up the northeast's highest peak looks like, check out Higgins behind the wheel in the video below.

Subaru brings back the Barkley dogs in new TV spots

Who let the dogs out? Subaru did. And they're bringing them back. The company announced it's bringing back the Barkley family of Labradors and Golden Retrievers for a new series of TV spots called "Dog Tested. Dog Approved." Subaru aired the four 30-second ads during the 24th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday, which it has sponsored for 14 years. They'll repeat on network and cable broadcasts and feature in targeted digital and social media promotions. Subaru used the Barkleys most recently to unveil its new Ascent three-row SUV during its "Welcome to SubaruVille" event at the L.A. Auto Show late last year. The stunt was widely deemed adorable. The family of dogs have appeared in the automaker's ads as far back as 2009. "With more than half of Subaru drivers having pets, we believe it is important to celebrate the love of pets shared by our owners," Alan Bethke, senior vice president of marketing at Subaru of America, said in a statement. "Pets are considered members of our Subaru family and utilizing the Barkleys in our campaigns allows us to connect with our customers in an authentic, fun and entertaining way." The new ads are "Car Wash," embedded atop this post; "Drop Off," about the first day of obedience school; "Driving Lesson," in which a parallel parking lesson is complicated by passing geese; and "Drive Away," about a teenage dog being picked up by his father at the Dog Bowl. Subaru said it will also sponsor this year's "Puppy Bowl XIV," which airs February 4 on Animal Planet on the same day as the Super Bowl, and it plans to partner with BuzzFeed and Funny or Die on custom content branded with the hash tag #MakeADogsDay later on in the campaign. Subaru partners with animal welfare organizations like the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals as part of its Subaru Loves Pets campaign.Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. News Source: Subaru Auto News Marketing/Advertising Subaru Crossover SUV dogs subaru ascent