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Scion rules out roadster, turbo versions of FR-S

Ever since Toyota and Subaru released the sports car alternatively known as the GT86, 86, BRZ and Scion FR-S a couple of years ago, rumors have circulated that even more exciting variants could be in store. But at least as far as Scion is concerned, those rumors are apparently nothing more than wishful thinking. Speaking with WardsAuto at the LA Auto Show last week, Scion chief Doug Murtha said that the prospect of an FR-S roadster has been taken off the table entirely. Apparently Scion lobbied parent company Toyota to produce just such a model, but after failing to find other markets interested enough in the model to put it into production, corporate HQ said no. "I think we were pretty aggressive on our (submitted plan), but we looked at what we would have conceivably lost on the product and said, 'We're not going to even push it further,'" Murtha said, going on to note, "Nobody was more disappointed than we were." Murtha further shot down the idea of a turbo version of the FR-S, dismissing it as a prospect the blogosphere (that's us) wanted to happen but "that's not something that's coming." Either variant might have helped Scion and Toyota boost sales of the model (which are predictably dropping after their first two years on the market), but the investment also might not have paid off their development, tooling and marketing costs. Of course, Murtha can only speak for Toyota, but we'd be surprised to see Subaru go it alone on either model, as costs would be that much more prohibitive without a partner. Bummer.

WRX Concept gets walkaround with Subaru design boss Osamu Namba

The Subaru WRX Concept was the only concept car to be mentioned among our Editors' Choice favorites for New York Auto Show debuts this year - snagging the No. 3 spot nonetheless - due to what it could mean to the future of Subaru if it indeed becomes a reality. Now that we've caught our breath from walking countless miles through the Javits Center, Subaru has released a brief video of design boss Osamu Namba describing some of the exterior styling elements of the sporty concept sedan.
While this video is just your basic walkaround that gives no mention of the concept's inspiration or what we can expect from the next-generation WRX, it is still fun to watch Namba explain many of the car's design elements including the more aggressive face, the quadruple exhaust outlets and the signature flared wheel arches and side outlet fender vents. If you liked the WRX Concept as much as we did, scroll down to watch this short video.

Subaru investing $400 million for Impreza production in Indiana

As a part of a goal to increase its US sales tally up to 500,000 annual units by the end of the decade, Subaru is investing $400 million in its Lafayette, IN assembly plant in order to start building the Impreza in 2016. According to Automotive News, about half of that investment will be for a new paint plant while another big chunk will be used to extend the assembly line to allow for the increased capacity.
Currently, Subaru's Lafayette plant is responsible for building about 200,000 Legacy, Outback and Tribeca models each year (not including around 100,000 Toyota Camry sedans), but Subaru-specific output will be increased to 300,000 units, requiring an additional 900 new hires as well. Although a previous report suggested the Forester and Impreza would be moving Stateside, this AN article only mentions the hatchback and sedan versions of the Impreza being added to Lafayette - and no mention of the closely related XV Crosstrek.