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Subaru Viziv Performance STI Concept has us dreaming of a future WRX STI

Subaru has revealed the Viziv Performance STI Concept at the Tokyo Auto Salon, and it's pretty much what you would expect. It's very closely related to the Viziv Performance Concept from the Tokyo Auto Show last year, but it's been given a bevy of flashy STI parts to make it aggressive. Up front, a deep lip spoiler complements a redesigned front bumper that does away with the two outboard air intakes and opens up the center one. According to a Subaru designer, it improves the cooling and aerodynamics. Having the blocked-off intakes on each side with STI logos is also a nice throwback to old Impreza STI models that often had blank panels with the logo over the foglight openings. Around the side are side skirts, and at the back are small extensions to the same diffuser from the earlier Viziv concept. And of course, there's a massive wing at the back. What's interesting is how much of the normal Viziv remains under the STI logos, decals and wings. The fenders look nearly untouched, and the hood scoop is the same size and shape as the standard concept. Even the exhaust, taillights and headlights are all the same. Then again, between the production WRX and WRX STI, the only real visible differences are the rear wing, wheels and front spoiler. And, if the Viziv Performance concepts preview future WRX and STI models, following that model makes sense. Of course the big differences between WRX and STI models are under the skin. Unfortunately, Subaru doesn't reveal a thing about what hypothetical powertrain is under this STI. Maybe we shouldn't be so surprised though, since the company didn't say anything about the regular one either. Only the use of a flat-four and all-wheel drive are certain. For that matter, even the styling isn't truly certain. While we can hope that the next WRX and WRX STI have the muscular look of these concepts, we have reason to be skeptical. But instead of getting cynical and sad, let's just enjoy this for what it is: a cool STI concept. Related Video:

Subaru Levorg: Forbidden fruit

For Subaristas, the Levorg needs no introduction. Fans of the marque have been begging Subaru of America (SOA) to bring it over here from the moment it was first introduced. First introduced in Japan a year or so ago, and now making its way across the globe, it is one delicious wagon that SOA refuses to let Americans taste. Why? Wagons don't sell in America, so they say (some Euro-brands might disagree with that). Plus they seem to think they have the wagon market pretty well covered with the Outback, Forester, and to a lesser degree, the Crosstrek. First a bit of history Unlike here in America, at least in recent years, a Legacy wagon continued to exist in other markets. At some point Subaru decided to also delete it from their global portfolio, and to replace it with the smaller, sportier and well-equipped Levorg. The thinking was that the Levorg would be more distinct from the Outback than a Legacy wagon, and would be less likely to step on the Outback's toes in terms of searching for customers; makes sense. Another point needs to be made: Subaru is selling at record levels. They just can't make them fast enough as they are constrained by lack of production capacity. That will improve soon as the next-gen Impreza will be built in their Indiana plant this fall once the Toyota Camry production moves out. So, at the moment, they don't need the Levorg to improve sales. Down the road that may be a different situation, but for now adding another model line would be tough and of little benefit. Why America needs the Levorg When Subaru introduced the current generation WRX they deleted the hatchback — which accounted for 50 percent of WRX sales. Needless to say WRX 5-door owners were outraged — and continue to be so. The Levorg wagon could be the perfect answer for these folks, as shares many parts with the WRX. In Japan it's available with a new 1.6L direct-injection turbo as well as the same 2.0L direct-injection turbo found in the WRX. Other markets, to date, only get the 1.6L engine. All Levorgs have CVTs, with the 2.0 versions getting the high-torque CVT found in the WRX CVT. The chassis setup, while a tad softer, is very close to that of the WRX. So it is definitely a car that's cut out for canyon-carving. It's also more upscale than the WRX, with an interior more akin to luxurious trim levels of the Legacy and Outback. In its defense Subaru has claimed that the budget did not allow for developing both the Levorg and a 5-door WRX.

Subaru says Forester logs 8,000 JDM orders in first month, 4x expectations

The 2014 Subaru Forester is not on sale yet here in the US, but it has been on sale in Japan since the middle of last month. In that time, Subaru says that the 8,149 customer orders it has received have more than quadrupled the original expectation of just 2,000 units.
To go along with these impressive orders so far, Subaru has also provided a breakdown of exactly what initial customers are ordering, and based on the numbers provided, it would appear that early customers are choosing well-equipped models. This includes almost 90 percent of all models being ordered with the new Subaru EyeSight system, and while close to two-thirds of the Forester models are equipped with the base 2.0-liter engine, the turbocharged Forester 2.0XT is the most popular individual trim level accounting for almost 40 percent of the orders out of four available trim levels. It will be interesting to see if this trend continues as more Foresters hit dealers, but this is definitely a good sign for the compact crossover right out of the gate.
There's a brief press release after the jump that gives a full breakdown of customer orders so far in Japan.