2005 Subaru Baja Sport Crew Cab Pickup 4-door 2.5l on 2040-cars

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Next-gen Subaru WRX STI spotted at the N"urburgring

Subaru has been busy testing the next-generation WRX STI. Well, it may be the STI. The big wing out back lends some credence to that theory, but it could be that the basic WRX is getting new action in the back section. Time will tell.
In either case, spy photographers nabbed a few shots of the heavily camouflaged sedan running around the Nürburgring. Unfortunately, it looks as if Subaru has taken some of the sexy out of the WRX Concept we saw at the New York Auto Show, leaving this car looking more derivative of the current model than a revolution in design. The bold power bulge has disappeared from the vehicle's hood and the lower fascia looks far more demure than the the wild concept. Likewise, the muscular rear fenders have been toned down substantially.
The result is a car that looks more like a mildly warmed over version of the current model than a production version of the WRX Concept. Still, engineers and designers may have a long way to go before the finished product hits the market, so we'll reserve final judgement for now. After all, the early BRZ mules were nothing short of a travesty to look at, and we know how that turned out. Hope springs eternal.

'Baby Driver' stunt Impreza WRX sells for nearly $70,000

Well that escalated quickly. When we reported that the 2006 Subaru Impreza WRX used for driving stunts in the movie Baby Driver was being auctioned on eBay, bidding had taken the car up to over $40,000. Now the car has sold, and the price rocketed up to $69,100, and there were 71 bids on the car when it sold. That may seem like a large sum of money for a banged up Impreza WRX with a few prior wrecks. But the price starts to make sense considering how unique the car is. Besides starring in a great movie with superb stunts, it's one of the few WRXs out there converted to rear-wheel drive. As stunt driver Jeremy Fry told us, this was done to make it easier to perform some of the stunts. This Impreza isn't the only Baby Driver movie car to sell, either. The same Subaru parts and car dealer selling the WRX was also selling a wrecked, but drivable, Dodge Charger police car. That one didn't attract nearly as much attention though. It sold for the same $3,000 bid we saw when we reported on the cars. It was one of only two bids. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery 2006 Subaru Impreza used in Baby Driver News Source: eBay via JalopnikImage Credit: eBay / Allpro Subaru TV/Movies Subaru Auctions Performance Sedan baby driver

Lexus, Mazda and Subaru top Consumer Reports Brand Report Cards

A revised methodology in devising its annual Car Brand Report Cards has seen Consumer Reports award Lexus its top overall ranking for 2013. For the first time ever, the institute broke out individual brands from their larger corporate umbrellas, meaning car makers like Lexus and Scion were judged independently from parent company Toyota. That strategy worked out well for Lexus, as the luxury brand earned a top report card score of 79 for the 2013 model year.
The institute has recommended every one of the Lexus models it has tested to date, and said that the company's products won out thanks to "a foundation of plush and very reliable vehicles."
Meanwhile, Mazda and Subaru tied for the second-highest scoring report cars, with scores of 76. Subaru earned praised for sporting models like the BRZ, which CR testers apparently had a lot of fun driving (naturally), while the Mazda products were lauded for their blend of practicality, sportiness and efficiency. Both of the Japanese brands offered good handling, fuel economy and versatility, said Consumer Reports.