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Prodrive builds new Isle of Man Subaru for record attempt

Prodrive have released photos of their new weapon for the Isle of Man TT Course. The three-time British Rally Champion Mark Higgins has set a number of records driving a Subaru on the famed Manx course throughout the years, and this time Subaru Technica International and Higgins are teaming up with Prodrive. Prodrive are famous for building Subaru's rally cars in the past, from 1990 to 2008, so the joining of forces gives the Isle of Man TT car an extra helping of motorsport magic. These days, Prodrive is also known for rally-prepared Minis and for building Aston Martin racing cars. They've had their share in giving UK-specification customer cars more power as well, along with creating a one-off, Subaru-based P2 sportscar to showcase their engineering skills and close ties with the Japanese manufacturer. This year's motorcycle event takes place on the treacherous 37-mile circuit in the end of May and early June. Past years' record drives have been especially memorable, and Higgins has been at it since 2011, first dipping under 20 minutes with a 19-minute, 56.7-second run five years ago – besting Tony Pond's 1990 laptime by over two minutes. The latest time for Higgins is 19 minutes and 15 seconds, so it will be interesting to see if the new car does it in less than 19 minutes. Related Video: Featured Gallery Subaru Prodrive Isle of Man Motorsports Subaru Racing Vehicles isle of man tt mark higgins road racing

2020 Subaru Crosstrek gains more equipment and a slightly higher price tag

Subaru gave us a brand-new Crosstrek for the 2018 model year, and we liked it. Last year was the year of the plug-in hybrid Crosstrek, and in general, we liked that one too. Those players in the 2020 Subaru Crosstrek lineup remain the same as last year, but Subaru released some notable changes today. The base price goes up collectively by $285 due to a $250 increase in MSRP and $35 increase in the destination charge. That leaves the base Crosstrek with the six-speed manual at $23,155 this year. If you want the automatic it’ll cost you $1,350 more, running the total to $24,505. However, the price increase comes with more equipment added as standard. Automatic transmission models gain the most. If you opt for the CVT, Subaru tacks on its EyeSight driver assistance tech, automatic climate control, auto stop/start, the SI-Drive powertrain management system and door locks that automatically engage when put into drive. If you get the manual, though, everything but the automatic door locks go away. Lame. If you want a more luxurious experience with the three-pedal car, you have to opt for the slightly more expensive Premium trim starting at $24,205. We think itÂ’s worth the extra coin, though. Pricing for the Crosstrek Hybrid only goes up by $185, leaving that carÂ’s base price at $36,155 for 2020. Nothing new is coming to that model for the new year. However, there is one new feature coming to every trim of Crosstrek we havenÂ’t mentioned yet. A rear seat reminder will be standard on all 2020 models, a safety feature Subaru has been adding to some of its other models for the new year. Availability for the 2020 Crosstrek is somewhat vague, as Subaru says theyÂ’ll arrive in dealers “later this year.” WeÂ’ll suggest you watch out for them come late November or December if youÂ’re in the market for a new Crosstrek.

US Army tests Subaru-powered hybrid truck

The military has been studying the implementation of alternative drivetrains for years, a tiny sampling of which includes the diesel-electric hybrid technical hauler and L-ATV from Oshkosh Defense and the Aggressor from Quantum Technologies. There was also ADA Technologies' work with ultracapitors, General Motors' focus on fuel cells and the roll out of electric motorcycles for Special Forces. In the Ultra Light Vehicle (ULV) prototype vehicle pictured above, we have the latest developments in the Department of Defense's hybrid interest combined with a need to develop a lightweight replacement for the AM General Humvee.
In 2010 the Office of the Secretary of Defense put the Army's Tank Automotive Research, Development, and Engineering Center (TARDEC) in charge of developing a personnel carrier that could "balance payload, performance and protection," and do so without exorbitant cost. Armored Humvees can weigh more than seven tons, and while the ULV is just under 14,000 pounds, the new vehicle can do a lot more with its weight.
The Subaru turbodiesel under the hood puts out 175 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. That's not much for pulling 13,916 pounds, so it's assisted by two Remy 410HVH HT electric motors each capable of adding 268 continuous hp and 369 peak hp, along with 844 lb-ft of continuous torque or 1,221 ft-lbs at peak. They're only limited by the 14.2 kWh lithium-ion battery rated at 65 kW of continuous power and 180 kW of peak power, but still, TARDEC says the ULV can do 21 miles on electric power and on the flats has a combined range of 337 miles at 35 mph.