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Toyota GT86, Scion FR-S sales disappointing worldwide?

Okay, folks - it appears we've got a problem. The Toyota GT86, Europe's counterpart to our own beloved Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S coupes, is apparently not selling too well. This, according to Toyota's European Vice President of Research and Development, Gerald Killman, is what's limiting plans for additional variants of the rear-drive coupe.
"A faster version of that car would be at the top of most people's wish lists, but like the cabriolet, it is hard to justify a business case to push either model into production based on the current sales," Killman told AutoExpress. "Personally, I think that engine could use a little bit more," he added.
More troubling is that slow sales aren't limited to the Euro-spec car, with Killman claiming that the GT86 have been missing sales targets in major markets around the globe. It may not be that the US is one of those major markets, though. Scion's Vice President, Doug Murtha, tells Autoblog that his brand is happy with the sales of its version of the GT86, the FR-S. 18,000 units were sold last year, which Murtha says is "generally in line with original expectations for the car."

Subaru revisits 1998 Impreza 22B STI

It was 1998 when Subaru made some crucial changes to its World Rally Championship Impreza, such as increasing the displacement of the turbocharged flat-four-cylinder engine from 2.0 to 2.2 liters and fitting wide fender flares. Subaru won the WRC manufacturer championship with the car that year, and it also was the year of the automaker's 40th anniversary. To celebrate the milestone, the company came out with this limited-edition, road-going Impreza, the hallowed 22B STI, which looked nearly identical to the rally car.
Only 424 22Bs were built, and most of them stayed in Japan. But Dominick Infante, national manager of product communications at Subaru of America, was able to secure a drive in one of the only two 22Bs in the US. He details the car's history and some of the design and engineering cues that made the Impreza STI so popular both in motorsport and on the street, but we were caught up listening to the exhaust and admiring the timeless blue-and-gold paint. You should too, so head below to watch the video.

2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid priced from $25,995* [w/video]

Subaru revealed its 2014 XV Crosstrek Hybrid at the New York Auto Show earlier this year, and with the high-riding hybrid hatchback arriving at dealers by the end of this year, pricing has finally been set. Starting at $25,995 (*not including at least $825 for destination charges, which may vary in certain states), the new hybrid model represents a $4,000 premium over the standard 2014 XV Crosstrek models equipped with the continuously variable transmission.
Stepping up to the XV Crosstrek Hybrid Touring model, which adds navigation, leather seats and a moonroof, raises the price to $29,295. Subaru has still yet to release many key details for the XV Crosstrek Hybrid including fuel economy, combined horsepower and all-electric driving range, but the powertrain consists of a 2.0-liter four-cylinder Boxer engine mated to a 13.4-horsepower electric motor integrated into the CVT. We expect to get official data closer to the car's on-sale date, but until then, scroll down for more info about the 2014 XV Crosstrek Hybrid as well as some b-roll driving footage of the car.