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Subaru unveils catchily named WRX STI tS Type RA in Japan

We feel safe in saying it's time for Subaru to step away from the keyboard for a spell. The company just unveiled this new WRX STI tS Type RA in Japan, and while the car features all sorts of tricks to help it stand out from the rest of the WRX rabble, it also boasts a name that looks like the product of a good old fashioned QWERTY Hulk smash. Nomenclature aside, this WRX STI features a revised suspension with tweaked springs and dampers as well as a faster steering ratio, Brembo brakes and a front strut tower brace.
JDM buyers can pick between the ever-sexy (if loud) Tangerine Orange Pearl paint seen here, Satin White Pearl or Blue Mica. There's also available NBR Challenge Package, complete with a set of Recaro front seats, a few carbon fiber aero bits and 18-inch BBS forged wheels wrapped in Bridgestone Potenza RE070 rubber. How's that for delicious?
Subaru is only planning to crank out 300 WRX STI tS Type RA units, two-thirds of which will carry the NBR goodies.

2019 Subaru Crosstrek PHEV will be company's first plug-in hybrid

Subaru just announced its first-ever plug-in hybrid, and it comes in the form of its third-best-selling car, the Crosstrek. This is actually fitting in a couple of ways. First off, it's a quick-selling vehicle, but also because the Crosstrek was the model used for Subaru's first conventional hybrid, introduced for the 2014 model year. Sadly, the company has yet to reveal photos of the new hybrid, hence our inclusion of photos of the old model. The Crosstrek PHEV will also have a similarity to the Subaru BRZ in the sense that it benefits from Toyota technology. The company said that the hybrid system comes from Toyota. But don't fear, Subaru fans, it's still mated to a flat-four. The crossover will, like many other PHEVs, be capable of driving in full-EV mode and in conventional hybrid mode. The company hasn't announced how much range it will have. Subaru did reveal that the new PHEV is coming soon, with an on-sale date at the end of 2018. As such we should see photos and more details in the near future. While there aren't many plug-in hybrid compact crossovers, there are a few, and they're fairly compelling. The closest competition will be the Kia Niro PHEV, which has a claimed range of 26 miles and a solid 46 mpg when running with the gas engine. It starts at $28,840. Another potential competitor is the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, which provides 22 miles of electric-only range and a less impressive 25 mpg with the gas engine. The Outlander does boast more cargo space thanks to its bigger body, but also has a higher base price of $35,915. Related Video:

Subaru profits fall by half last year among recall maladies

Subaru took a financial beating last year, according to its freshly released earnings report. During the full fiscal year, which ended March 31, the carmaker's operating profits effectively halved. Net income dropped 33% to 147.81 billion yen, or $1.33 billion, and revenue fell 2.2% to 3.16 trillion yen ($28.5 billion). Subaru states that its operating income declined by 48.5% to 195.5 billion yen, or to about $1.78 billion. According to Subaru, this was not only due to a decrease in sales, but also due to recall campaigns. Total production decreased nearly 6% to 989,000 units, and production stoppages at the Gunma plant were partially to blame for that — but Impreza, XV and Levorg sales also sank. The redesigned Forester did start out well in the summer, but sales in the first half of 2018 were more modest with the outgoing generation still in the showrooms. The Gunma manufacturing plant, Subaru's sole factory in Japan, ground to a halt in January 2019 to remedy issues with Forester, Crosstrek and Impreza electric power steering units, and that cost Subaru nearly 10 days of production, corresponding to around 30,000 vehicles. Earlier, there was a 500,000-vehicle recall in Japan due to fraudulent final inspections. Automotive News also lists other recent Subaru maladies, such as a low-fuel warning recall and stop-sale for all U.S-market Outbacks and Legacys, and the earlier, global recall to repair valve springs on the boxer engines of 411,000 vehicles. This particular recall hasn't been problem-free, as there have been cases where subsequent engine failures on BRZ models have been suspected of having been caused by slapdash recall work. There is also a new, large-scale recall in the horizon for Subaru, as a brake light issue on 2008-2017 vehicles necessitates the recall of some 2.3 million vehicles. However, it's not all bleak for Subaru, as U.S. sales are going strong. The carmaker predicts 2019 will be the 11th straight record year, and U.S. retail sales climbed 7.7 percent in April, which was the 89th consecutive month with increased sales. But still, not all Subaru markets are equal: On the North American market, Subaru sold 717,000 vehicles during the past fiscal year, an enormous percentage of its total sales. News Source: Subaru via Automotive News Plants/Manufacturing Recalls Subaru