Auto blog

2016 Subaru BRZ gets new touchscreen, lower price

Subaru is freshening up its lovable BRZ coupe for 2016, adding a spate of new options and tweaking the price ever so slightly. On the options front, the rear-driver gets a new 6.2-inch touchscreen multimedia system. Like the current car's standard 6.1-inch affair, it offers AM/FM/HD radio, satellite radio, and Bluetooth connectivity. The new system will also play nice with your smartphone, adding integration for Aha, Pandora, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, and a few other more mundane, everyday apps, adding weather and news features. A rear-view camera will also come standard. While the new infotainment system is added across the range, it's the only real change happening for 2016. The Limited trim remains identical to the 2015, offering owners an Alcantara trimmed cabin, with suede and leather seat accents and keyless access, while the car's exterior gets a body-color spoiler and fog lights. Dual-zone climate control, heated seats, and heated mirrors also come standard on the up-market trim. Despite the new 6.2-inch display, Subaru has actually cut prices by $300 on both versions of its two-door model for 2016. The base model kicks off at $26,190, while the Limited rings up at $28,190. Fans of the BRZ's six-speed automatic Philistines can get a two-pedal BRZ for $29,290, which includes the Limited trim equipment. Read on for the official press release, direct from Subaru. Related Video: SUBARU ANNOUNCES PRICING ON 2016 BRZ® MODELS SUBARU STARLINK™6.2"Multimedia System standard across all lines Priced $300 lower than previous model year Rear Vision Camera now standard Cherry Hill, N.J. - Subaru of America, Inc. today announced pricing for the 2016 BRZ line. Starting at $25,395, the BRZ, powered by a 200-horsepower 2.0-liter BOXER engine, marks a return to the fundamentals of sports car design, emphasizing low vehicle weight, an ultra-low center of gravity and precision steering. Available in Premium or Limited trim, BRZ models boast performance features, such as the sport-tuned suspension with front strut brace and TORSEN limited-slip differential. For 2016, the BRZ receives the SUBARU STARLINK 6.2" Multimedia System with a 6.2-in. single-touch gesture display, AM/FM stereo with HD Radio®, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, Radio Data Broadcast System, single-disc CD player, Bluetooth® hands-free phone connectivity and audio streaming, iPod® control, iTunes® Tagging, a USB port and an auxiliary input jack.

Takata air bag recall list

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration confirmed yesterday that 33.8 million vehicles with Takata airbags are going to be recalled. It's the largest recall in automotive history. The already record-breaking rate of automotive recalls this year shows no signs of slowing down, especially since millions of cars with defective airbags made by global supplier Takata are under ongoing scrutiny. The federal government is warning owners that inflator mechanisms in the air bags can rupture, causing metal fragments to fly out when the bags are deployed. The faulty air bags have already been blamed for multiple deaths. How do you know if your vehicle is safe? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released an updated list of vehicles under recall. Sometimes however, the government's website will crash and the list may not be complete. Check your VIN at the NHTSA website to make sure. The list of cars affected by the recall has not been released, but seem to span multiple models over the years for many of the automakers.

Autoblog Podcast #399

Episode #398 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth, Brandon Turkus, and Rob Sass of Hagerty Classic Cars Magazine talk about Cadillac's move to Manhattan and new naming convention, preview the Paris Motor Show, and finish up with the 3 Guys, 3 Grand Classic Car challenge. Also included is an interview with Tom Tjaarda, prolific designer of vehicles including the DeTomaso Pantera. We start with what's in the garage and finish up with some of your questions, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Check out the rundown below with times for topics, and you can follow along down below with our Q&A. Thanks for listening! Autoblog Podcast #399: The video meant to be presented here is no longer available. Sorry for the inconvenience. Topics: Cadillac relocates to NYC and changes its model names Paris Motor Show preview Tom Tjaarda interview $3,000 classic cars In The Autoblog Garage: 2015 BMW 428i Gran Coupe 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid Jensen Interceptor Hosts: Dan Roth, Michael Harley, Brandon Turkus Runtime: 01:47:56 Rundown: Intro and Garage - 00:00 Cadillac Move - 24:02 Paris Motor Show - 39:22 Tom Tjaarda - 52:12 Hagerty $3000 Classics - 01:15:43 Q&A - 01:27:45 Get the podcast: [UStream] Listen live on Mondays at 10 PM Eastern at UStream [iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes [RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator [MP3] Download the MP3 directly Feedback: Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com Review the show in iTunes Podcasts Paris Motor Show BMW Cadillac Subaru Classics cadillac ct6 rob sass cadillac lts