2022 Subaru Outback Touring on 2040-cars

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Subaru brought back its best rally racing look

Every car has a color combination that suits it best, one that just fits and flatters. For the Subaru WRX STI, it's blue and gold. At the 2019 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Subaru revealed it is bringing back its iconic motorsports livery for the 2019 season with a modern interpretation of the blue and yellow star cluster graphic, complemented by gold wheels. It also announced it is reorganizing its motorsport division's structuring. The WRX STI has been seen in numerous colorways throughout the years. One of the main patterns last year was a graphic-heavy assortment of gray and white, accented by either yellow, red or blue. But for 2019, Subaru is following its heart and returning to one of the brand's most classic looks. According to Subaru, the colorway is inspired by the World Rally teams of the '90s and '00s. It features WR Blue Pearl and 13-spoke gold wheels. A massive yellow star cluster logo stretches across the front and rear doors and bleeds onto the rear arches. The sweeping comet design starts at the front quarter and across the B-pillar and roof. Furthermore, the red STI logo is seen all over the car, in places such as the front air intake, the roof scoop, and on the rear wing panel. Small dark blue star clusters on the front and rear sides of the car add more texture to the design, as well as bright yellow Subaru and Subaru Motorsports banners. After Subaru's performance division Subaru Technica International celebrated its 30th anniversary last year, Subaru is renaming its motorsports arm. Now aptly called Subaru Motorsports, Subaru plans to expand into more racing divisions, beyond its typical participation. Fans will have to wait a couple of months to see the gorgeous blue, yellow, and gold scheme. Subaru will debut the new car March 15 at Missouri's Rally at the 100 Acre Wood as part of the American Rally Association's 2019 National Championship Series. Related Video:

Subaru Impreza shows off 360-degree passing technique

Leave it to a Subaru WRX to find a new way to improve the art of passing. This dash cam vid shows a white WRX pirouetting past our recording car and somehow straightening out before either sliding off the road or slamming into the car ahead. If this were a standard move in rally racing, the WRC would be bigger than NASCAR.
Like most dash cam vids, we don't know where it was shot (Russia's always a good bet) or what the circumstances were (did the driver spin on purpose or was the 360-degree slide accidental?), but the remarkable feat was caught on camera and uploaded to YouTube, preserving it for an Internet eternity. Scroll below to watch the twist yourself, and don't try this at home!

NHTSA, IIHS, and 20 automakers to make auto braking standard by 2022

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and virtually every automaker in the US domestic market have announced a pact to make automatic emergency braking standard by 2022. Here's the full rundown of companies involved: BMW, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover, Kia, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo (not to mention the brands that fall under each automaker's respective umbrella). Like we reported yesterday, AEB will be as ubiquitous in the future as traction and stability control are today. But the thing to note here is that this is not a governmental mandate. It's truly an agreement between automakers and the government, a fact that NHTSA claims will lead to widespread adoption three years sooner than a formal rule. That fact in itself should prevent up to 28,000 crashes and 12,000 injuries. The agreement will come into effect in two waves. For the majority of vehicles on the road – those with gross vehicle weights below 8,500 pounds – AEB will need to be standard equipment by September 1, 2022. Vehicles between 8,501 and 10,000 pounds will have an extra three years to offer AEB. "It's an exciting time for vehicle safety. By proactively making emergency braking systems standard equipment on their vehicles, these 20 automakers will help prevent thousands of crashes and save lives," said Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx said in an official statement. "It's a win for safety and a win for consumers." Read on for the official press release from NHTSA. Related Video: U.S. DOT and IIHS announce historic commitment of 20 automakers to make automatic emergency braking standard on new vehicles McLEAN, Va. – The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety announced today a historic commitment by 20 automakers representing more than 99 percent of the U.S. auto market to make automatic emergency braking a standard feature on virtually all new cars no later than NHTSA's 2022 reporting year, which begins Sept 1, 2022. Automakers making the commitment are Audi, BMW, FCA US LLC, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover, Kia, Maserati, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru, Tesla Motors Inc., Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo Car USA.