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Another 'Baby Driver' Subaru WRX goes up for auction

We saw one of the "Baby Driver" Subaru Impreza WRX stunt cars sell last year for nearly $70,000. That was a bit nutty, but now there's another one up for auction, listed on Live Auctioneers. Just like the first, it's a red 2006 WRX Limited with a 2004 STI engine and rear-wheel-drive conversion. This means it has the 2.5-liter boxer engine instead of the 2.0-liter four-cylinder. All of the modifications were done by All Pro Subaru with a total of five cars receiving the special treatment. Beyond those mods, there's an upgraded rear differential, but that's pretty much it. If you've seen "Baby Driver," then you know how pivotal a role this car played in making the movie great. The opening chase scene is the most iconic of the whole movie — we've dropped the video of it in this post if you haven't seen it or just want to watch the awesome driving again. It's such an admirable scene because all the driving stunts are real. No special effects or CGI went into trying to make it any more than what it actually was. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This particular car has a lot of miles on it: 156,477 to be exact. For most Subarus of the WRX variety, this many miles pretty much guarantees you'll be paying for repairs in no time. This being a movie car means it's been driven pretty hard too; just watch the movie and you'll see what it's been through. The bid is sitting at $20,000 now, way less than the $69,100 the first one sold for. As a reference, WRX STIs of the same heritage and similar miles are listed anywhere between $10,000-$20,000. You won't end up buying this car because it's a great value, but rather, to be able to point out to your friends you have "that car" every time you watch the movie. The rear-wheel-drive conversion is pretty sweet too — that makes it more distinctive than it would be otherwise. Related video: Featured Gallery Baby Driver Subaru WRX Celebrities Subaru Auctions Performance Sedan baby driver

Subaru puts China production on hold amidst slowing growth

Subaru's 2015 sales and production forecast estimates the Japanese brand to sell about 60,000 vehicles in China this year, a 10 percent rise. However, a recent decision not to build a factory there might make future growth more difficult. Given the changing state of the market, the automaker doesn't seem concerned by the potentially lost sales. According to Bloomberg, even if the Chinese government gave permission for Subaru to build its planned joint venture factory with Chery, the Japanese brand would not take advantage of it. "Since the profits are split with your partner, you would have to double the sales to maintain the profits you earn by exporting from Japan," said Akira Mabuchi, the company's executive in charge of China, according to Bloomberg. Subaru is in the odd position of being the only major Japanese automaker without a joint venture partner to build cars in China, but the massive year-over-year growth there seems to be slowing. Auto sales in China were up 6.9 percent in 2014, according to Bloomberg, compared to 14 percent in 2013. Also, Chinese consumers have been famously averse to buying Japanese vehicles with only half of the consumers there even willing to purchase one. Instead, the company is focusing on the US market, according to Bloomberg. The decision makes sense. While Subie's sales in China shrunk 2 percent in 2014 to about 55,000 vehicles, the company grew 21 percent in the US to 514,000 units. The automaker already has plans to add capacity to its factory in Indiana. News Source: BloombergImage Credit: Jae C. Hong / AP Photo Plants/Manufacturing Subaru

BTW: Subaru's SHARC won the 2012 Design Challenge

Part of the festivities that encompass the LA Auto Show is the annual LA Design Challenge. This year's winner was the Subaru Highway Automated Response Concept, or SHARC. It envisioned automated, zero-emission highway patrolling.
The 2012 edition of the challenge was to envision the future of highway patrol in the year 2025. The goal was to conceptualize a vehicle that would account for the needs of "dynamic urban environments." In addition to Subaru's participation in the contest BMW, General Motors, Honda and Mercedes-Benz, all took part in the challenge.
The SHARC is essentially a law enforcement land-drone. It is entirely automated and runs on renewable energy. Subaru envisioned a future where the Hawaiian Islands are connected to each other by a large highway system. Such an expansive area would require considerable manpower to patrol. The concept of an autonomous patrol vehicle would eliminate the need for a good number of full-time personnel.